WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an
air bag. A deploying passenger front air bag can
cause death or serious injury to a child 12 years or
younger, including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
• Children 12 years or younger should always ride
buckled up in a vehicle with a rear seat.
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag Disabled (PAD) Indi-
cator Light
The Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag Disabled (PAD)
Indicator Light (an amber light located in the center of the
instrument panel) tells the driver and front passenger
when the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag is deacti-
vated. The PAD Indicator light illuminates the words
“PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF” to show that the Passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag will not deploy during a collision.
When the front passenger seat is empty or when very light
objects are placed on the seat, the Passenger Advanced
Front Air Bag will not deploy even though the PAD
indicator light is NOT illuminated. The PAD indicator light should not be illuminated when an
adult passenger is properly seated in the front passenger
seat. The driver and adult passenger should verify that the
PAD Indicator Light is not illuminated when an adult is
riding in the front passenger seat. If an adult is not seated
properly, the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag may
deactivate and the PAD Indicator Light will be illuminated.
The PAD Indicator Light should be illuminated and the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag should be deactivated
for most properly seated and restrained children in the
passenger seat and for most properly installed child re-
straint systems. However, under certain conditions, even
with a properly installed child restraint system, the PAD
Indicator Light may not be illuminated, even though the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag is deactivated. This can
occur if the child restraint is lighter than the lightest weight
necessary to illuminate the PAD Indicator Light. NEVER
assume the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag is deacti-
vated unless the PAD Indicator Light is illuminated with
the words “PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF.”
If The Pad Indicator Light Is Illuminated For An Adult
Passenger:
If an adult passenger is seated in the front passenger seat
and the PAD Indicator Light is illuminated, the passenger
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43
may be sitting improperly. Follow the steps below to allow
the OCS to detect the adult passenger ’s seated weight to
activate the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag:
1. Turn off the vehicle and have the adult passenger stepout of the vehicle.
2. Remove any extra materials from the passenger seat, such as cushions, pads, seat covers, seat massagers,
blankets, extra clothing, etc.
3. Place the seatback in the full upright position.
4. Have the adult passenger sit in the center of the seat, with the passenger ’s feet comfortably on or near the
floor, and with their back against the seatback.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the passenger remain in this seated position for two to three minutes after
restarting the vehicle.
WARNING!
•If the PAD Indicator Light remains illuminated for
an adult passenger, have an authorized dealer service
the air bag system immediately. Failure to do so may
cause serious injury or death. If the PAD Indicator
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
Light is illuminated with the words “PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF,” the Passenger Advanced Front Air
Bag will not deploy in the event of a collision.
• Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an
air bag. A deploying passenger front air bag can
cause death or serious injury to a child 12 years or
younger, including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
• Children 12 years or younger should always ride
buckled up in a vehicle with a rear seat.
Lighter Weight Passengers (Including Small Adults)
When a lighter weight passenger, including a small adult,
occupies the passenger seat, the Passenger Advanced Front
Air Bag may be deactivated. Therefore, the Passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag may or may not be activated for a
lighter weight passenger, including a small adult (depend-
ing on size) who is seated in the passenger seat. This does
not mean that the OCS is working improperly.
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
WARNING!
•If a child restraint system, child, small teenager or
adult in the front passenger seat is seated improp-
erly, the occupant may provide an output signal to
the OCS that is different from the occupant’s prop-
erly seated weight input. This may result in serious
injury or death in a collision.
(Continued)
Not Seated ProperlyNot Seated Properly
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the front air bags.
WARNING!
•Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
• Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Door-Integrated Side Air Bag Inflatable
Curtains (SABICs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Door-
Integrated Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
SABICs may help reduce the risk of head and other injuries
to front seat outboard occupants in certain side impacts, in
addition to the injury reduction potential provided by the
seat belts and body structure. The SABICs are located in the door trim below the side
windows. The trim covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS
AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG.”
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain side impact events.
The SABICs deploy upward, covering the side windows.
An inflating SABIC pushes the outside edge of the trim out
of the way and covers the window. The SABICs inflate with
enough force to injure occupants if they are not belted and
seated properly, or if items are positioned in the area where
the SABICs inflate. Children are at an even greater risk of
injury from a deploying air bag.
SABICs are designed to activate in certain side impacts.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the deployment of the SABIC in a particular
impact event is appropriate, based on the severity and type
of collision. The side impact sensors aid the ORC in
determining the appropriate response to impact events.
The system is calibrated to deploy the SABIC on the impact
side of the vehicle during impacts that require SABIC
occupant protection. In side impacts, the SABICs deploy
independently; a left side impact deploys the left side
SABIC only and a right-side impact deploys the right side
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
SABIC only. Vehicle damage by itself is not a good indica-
tor of whether or not SABICs should have deployed.
SABICs will not deploy in all side collisions, including
some collisions at certain angles, or some side collisions
that do not impact the area of the passenger compartment.
SABICs may deploy during angled or offset frontal colli-
sions where the front air bags deploy.
SABICs are a supplement to the seat belt restraint system.
SABICs deploy in less time than it takes to blink your eyes.
WARNING!
•Occupants, including children, who are up against or
very close to SABICs can be seriously injured or
killed. Occupants, including children, should never
lean on or sleep against the door, side windows, or
area where the side air bags inflate, even if they are
in an infant or child restraint.
• Seat belts (and child restraints where appropriate)
are necessary for your protection in all collisions.
They also help keep you in position, away from an
inflating SABIC. To get the best protection from the
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
SABICs, occupants must wear their seat belts prop-
erly and sit upright with their backs against the seats.
Children must be properly restrained in a child
restraint or booster seat that is appropriate for the
size of the child.
• Do not stack luggage or other cargo up high enough
to block the deployment of the SABICs. The door
trim below the side windows where the SABIC and
its deployment path are located should remain free
from any obstructions.
• SABICs need room to inflate. Do not lean against the
door or window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
• Being too close to the SABICs during deployment
could cause you to be severely injured or killed.
• Relying on the SABICs alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The SABICs work with
your seat belt to restrain you properly. In some
collisions, SABICs won’t deploy at all. Always wear
your seat belt even though you have SABICs.
NOTE: Air bag covers may not be obvious to you, but they
will open during air bag deployment.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
•These data can help provide a better understanding of
the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as law enforcement,
could combine the EDR data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired during a crash investi-
gation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In
addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the special equipment, can read
the information if they have access to the vehicle or the
EDR.
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times, including babies and children. Every state in the
United States, and every Canadian province, requires that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it. Children 12 years or younger should ride properly buckled
up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seats rather than in the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to hold
even an infant on your lap could become so great that
you could not hold the child, no matter how strong you
are. The child and others could be badly injured. Any
child riding in your vehicle should be in a proper
restraint for the child’s size.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for children
from newborn size to the child almost large enough for an
adult safety belt. Always check the child seat Owner ’s
Manual to make sure you have the correct seat for your
child. Carefully read and follow all the instructions and
warnings in the child restraint Owner ’s Manual and on all
the labels attached to the child restraint.
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety Stan-
dards. You should also make sure that you can install it in
the vehicle where you will use it.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
NOTE:
•For additional information, refer to www.safercar.gov/
parents/index.htm or call: 1–888–327–4236 •Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s
website for additional information: www.tc.gc.ca/eng/
motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-childsafety-index-53.htm
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age Recommended Type Of Child
Restraint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or
younger and who have not reached the height or weight limits of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convert-
ible Child Restraint, facing rearward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years
old or who have out-grown the
height or weight limit of their rear- facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with
a five-point Harness, facing forward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have out-grown their
forward-facing child restraint, but
are too small to properly fit the vehi- cle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the
vehicle seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Re- straints Children 12 years old or younger,
who have out-grown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear
seat of the vehicle
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing in
the vehicle until they are two years old or until they reach
either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing child
restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used rear-
facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle. It
is recommended for children from birth until they reach
the weight or height limit of the infant carrier. Convertible
child seats can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing
in the vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rear-facing direction than infant carriers
do, so they can be used rear-facing by children who have
outgrown their infant carrier but are still less than at least
two years old. Children should remain rear-facing until
they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an
air bag. A deploying passenger front air bag can
cause death or serious injury to a child 12 years or
younger, including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and con-
vertible child seats used in the forward-facing direction are
for children who are over two years old or who have
outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their
rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should remain
in a forward-facing child seat with a harness for as long as
possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the forward-
facing limit for the child seat should use a belt-positioning
booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the
child cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57