
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR) which is used to secure a child restraint
system. For additional information, refer to “Installing
Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat Belt” under the
“Child Restraints” section of this manual. The figure
below illustrates the locking feature for each seating
position.
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
If the passenger seating position is equipped with an
ALR and is being used for normal usage, only pull the
seat belt webbing out far enough to comfortably wraparound the occupant’s mid-section so as to not activate
the ALR. If the ALR is activated, you will hear a clicking
sound as the seat belt retracts. Allow the webbing to
retract completely in this case and then carefully pull
out only the amount of webbing necessary to comfort-
ably wrap around the occupant’s mid-section. Slide the
latch plate into the buckle until you hear a
click.
In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder belt is auto-
matically pre-locked. The seat belt will still retract to
remove any slack in the shoulder belt. Use the Auto-
matic Locking Mode anytime a child restraint is in-
stalled in a seating position that has a seat belt with this
feature. Children 12 years old and under should always
be properly restrained in a vehicle with a rear 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.
34 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
• 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 loca-
tion) are recorded. However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type
of personally identifying data routinely acquired dur-
ing a crash investigation.
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 equip-
ment, 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 re-
strained 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
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49

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 cushion while the child’s back is
against the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning
booster seat. The child and belt-positioning booster seat
are held in the vehicle by the seat belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle,
do not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward
because it can loosen the child restraint attach-
ments. Remove the child restraint before adjust-
ing the vehicle seat position. When the vehicle
seat has been adjusted, reinstall the child re-
straint.
• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it
in the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchor-
ages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave
it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
accident, it could strike the occupants or seat-
backs and cause serious personal injury.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly bypulling back and forth on the child seat at the belt
path. It should not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm)
in any direction.
How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR (ALR)
Seat Belt
When using the LATCH attaching system to install a
child restraint, stow all ALR seat belts that are not being
used by other occupants or being used to secure child
restraints. An unused belt could injure a child if they
play with it and accidentally lock the seat belt retractor.
Before installing a child restraint using the LATCH
system, buckle the seat belt behind the child restraint
and out of the child’s reach. If the buckled seat belt
interferes with the child restraint installation, instead of
buckling it behind the child restraint, route the seat belt
through the child restraint belt path and then buckle it.
Do not lock the seat belt. Remind all children in the
vehicle that the seat belts are not toys and that they
should not play with them.
WARNING!
•Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of the
restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
• Child restraint anchorages are designed to with-
stand only those loads imposed by correctly-fitted
child restraints. Under no circumstances are they
to be used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for
attaching other items or equipment to the vehicle.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle
Seat Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be secured in
vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•Improper installation or failure to properly secure
a child restraint can lead to failure of the restraint.
The child could be badly injured or killed.
• Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s direc-
tions exactly when installing an infant or child
restraint.
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR) that is designed to keep the lap portion of the
seat belt tight around the child restraint so that it is not
necessary to use a locking clip. The ALR retractor can be
“switched” into a locked mode by pulling all of the
webbing out of the retractor and then letting the web-
bing retract back into the retractor. If it is locked, the
ALR will make a clicking noise while the webbing is
pulled back into the retractor. Refer to the “Automatic
Locking Mode” description in “Switchable Automatic
Locking Retractors (ALR)” under “Occupant Restraint
Systems” for additional information on ALR. Please see the table below and the following sections for
more information.Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
•
ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61

Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR):
Child restraint systems are designed to be secured in
vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation or failure to properly secure
a child restraint can lead to failure of the restraint.
The child could be badly injured or killed.
• Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s direc-
tions exactly when installing an infant or child
restraint.
1. Place the child seat in the center of the seating position. For some second row seats, you may need
to recline the seat and/or raise the head restraint to
get a better fit. If the rear seat can be moved forward
and rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to move
it to its rear-most position to make room for the child
seat. You may also move the front seat forward to
allow more room for the child seat. 2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the
retractor to pass it through the belt path of the child
restraint. Do not twist the belt webbing in the belt
path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight against the child seat.
5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of the belt until you have pulled all the seat belt
webbing out of the retractor. Then, allow the web-
bing to retract back into the retractor. As the webbing
retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This means
the seat belt is now in the Automatic Locking mode.
6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is locked, you should not be able to pull out any
webbing. If the retractor is not locked, repeat step 5.
7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child restraint while you push
the child restraint rearward and downward into the
vehicle seat.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

and between the two posts. If not possible, lower the
head restraint and pass the tether strap around the
outboard side of the head restraint.
3. Attach the tether strap hook of the child restraint to the top tether anchorage as shown in the diagram.
4. Remove slack in the tether strap according to the child restraint manufacturer ’s instructions.WARNING!
•An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchorage position directly
behind the child seat to secure a child restraint
top tether strap.
• If your vehicle is equipped with a split rear seat,
make sure the tether strap does not slip into the
opening between the seatbacks as you remove
slack in the strap.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine
and drivetrain (transmission and axle) in your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or
55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be
detrimental and should be avoided.
Rear Seat Tether Strap Mounting
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65

Air Bag Warning Light
The Air Bag Warning Lightwill turn on for four to
eight seconds as a bulb check when the ignition is
first placed in the ON/RUN position. If the light is
either not on during starting, stays on, or turns on
while driving, have the system inspected at an
authorized dealer as soon as possible. This light will
illuminate with a single chime when a fault with the
Air Bag Warning Light has been detected, it will stay
on until the fault is cleared. If the light comes on
intermittently or remains on while driving, have an
authorized dealer service the vehicle immediately.
Refer to “Occupant Restraints” for further
information.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and
place the blower control on high speed. You should be
able to feel the air directed against the windshield. See
your authorized dealer for service if your defroster is
inoperable.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of
your vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that
they cannot slip out of position and interfere with the
pedals or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other
ways.
WARNING!
An improperly attached, damaged, folded, or stacked
floor mat, or damaged floor mat fasteners may cause
your floor mat to interfere with the accelerator, brake,
or clutch pedals and cause a loss of vehicle control. To
prevent SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:
•
ALWAYS securely attachyour floor mat using
the floor mat fasteners. DO NOT install your
floor mat upside down or turn your floor mat
over. Lightly pull to confirm mat is secured
using the floor mat fasteners on a regular basis.
• ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING FLOOR
MAT FROM THE VEHICLE
before installing
any other floor mat. NEVER install or stack an
additional floor mat on top of an existing floor
mat.
• ONLY install floor mats designed to fit your
vehicle. NEVER install a floor mat that cannot be
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68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE