WARNING!
•ONLY use a Seat Belt Extender if it is physically
required in order to properly fit the original seat belt
system. DO NOT USE the Seat Belt Extender if,
when worn, the distance between the front edge of
the Seat Belt Extender buckle and the center of the
occupant’s body is LESS than 6 inches.
• Using a Seat Belt Extender when not needed can
increase the risk of serious injury or death in a
collision. Only use the Seat Belt Extender when the
lap belt is not long enough and only use in the
recommended seating positions. Remove and store
the Seat Belt Extender when not needed.
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
Seat belts must be worn by all occupants including preg-
nant women: the risk of injury in the event of an accident
is reduced for the mother and the unborn child if they are
wearing a seat belt.
Position the lap belt snug and low below the abdomen and
across the strong bones of the hips. Place the shoulder belt
across the chest and away from the neck. Never place the
shoulder belt behind the back or under the arm.
Pregnant Women And Seat Belts
158 SAFETY
Seat Belt Pretensioner
The front seat belt system is equipped with pretensioning
devices that are designed to remove slack from the seat belt
in the event of a collision. These devices may improve the
performance of the seat belt by removing slack from the
seat belt early in a collision. Pretensioners work for all size
occupants, including those in child restraints.
NOTE:These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still must be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC). Like the air bags, the pretensioners are
single use items. A deployed pretensioner or a deployed air
bag must be replaced immediately.
Energy Management Feature
This vehicle has a seat belt system with an Energy Man-
agement feature in the front seating positions that may
help further reduce the risk of injury in the event of a
collision. This seat belt system has a retractor assembly that
is designed to release webbing in a controlled manner.
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(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
5
SAFETY 159
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 wrap around 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 comfortably wrap around the occu-
pant’s mid-section. Slide the latch plate into the buckle
until you hear aclick.
In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder belt is automati-
cally pre-locked. The seat belt will still retract to remove
any slack in the shoulder belt. Use the Automatic Locking
Mode anytime a child restraint is installed 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
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
younger, including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until the entire seat belt is extracted.
3. Allow the seat belt to retract. As the seat belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This indicates the seat
belt is now in the Automatic Locking Mode.
How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it
to retract completely to disengage the Automatic Locking
Mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency) lock-
ing mode.
160 SAFETY
WARNING!
•The seat belt assembly must be replaced if the
switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) fea-
ture or any other seat belt function is not working
properly when checked according to the procedures
in the Service Manual.
• Failure to replace the seat belt assembly could in-
crease the risk of injury in collisions.
• Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode to restrain
occupants who are wearing the seat belt or children
who are using booster seats. The locked mode is only
used to install rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraints that have a harness for restraining the
child.
Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR)
These head restraints are passive, deployable components,
and vehicles with this equipment cannot be readily iden-
tified by any markings, only through visual inspection of
the head restraint. The head restraint will be split in two
halves, with the front half being soft foam and trim, the
back half being decorative plastic. How The Active Head Restraints (AHR) Work
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the severity or type of rear impact will require the
Active Head Restraints (AHR) to deploy. If a rear impact
requires deployment, both the driver and front passenger
seat AHRs will be deployed.
When AHRs deploy during a rear impact, the front half of
the head restraint extends forward to minimize the gap
between the back of the occupant’s head and the AHR. This
system is designed to help prevent or reduce the extent of
injuries to the driver and front passenger in certain types of
rear impacts.
NOTE:
The Active Head Restraints (AHR) may or may not
deploy in the event of a front or side impact. However, if
during a front impact, a secondary rear impact occurs, the
AHR may deploy based on the severity and type of the
impact.
5
SAFETY 161
WARNING!(Continued)
•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.
Driver and Passenger Front Air Bag Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multistage driver
and front passenger air bags. This system provides output
appropriate to the severity and type of collision as deter-
mined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC), which
may receive information from the front impact sensors (if
equipped) or other system components.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires air bag deployment. A low energy
output is used in less severe collisions. A higher energy
output is used for more severe collisions.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front
passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whether the driver or front passenger seat belt is buckled. The seat belt
buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/or front
passenger seat track position sensors that may adjust the
inflation rate of the Advanced Front Air Bags based upon
seat position.
WARNING!
•
No objects should be placed over or near the air bag
on the instrument panel or steering wheel because
any such objects could cause harm if the vehicle is in
a collision severe enough to cause the air bag to
inflate.
• Do not put anything on or around the air bag covers
or attempt to open them manually. You may damage
the air bags and you could be injured because the air
bags may no longer be functional. The protective
covers for the air bag cushions are designed to open
only when the air bags are inflating.
• Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work with
your seat belt to restrain you properly. In some
(Continued)
166 SAFETY
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Your vehicle is equipped with two types of side air bags:
1.Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs):
Located in the outboard side of the front seats. The
SABs are marked with a “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIR-
BAG” label sewn into the outboard side of the seats.
The SABs may help to reduce the risk of occupant injury
during certain side impacts and/or vehicle rollover events,
in addition to the injury reduction potential provided by
the seat belts and body structure. When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on the outboard
side of the seatback’s trim cover. The inflating SAB deploys
through the seat seam into the space between the occupant
and the door. The SAB moves at a very high speed and
with such a high force that it could injure occupants if they
are not seated properly, or if items are positioned in the
area where the SAB inflates. Children are at an even greater
risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
WARNING!
Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the Side Air Bags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could be
pushed into you, causing serious injury.
2. Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs): Located above the side windows. The trim
covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS AIRBAG” or
“AIRBAG.”
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
168 SAFETY
SABICs may help reduce the risk of head or other injuries
to front and rear seat outboard occupants in certain side
impacts and/or vehicle rollover events, in addition to the
injury reduction potential provided by the seat belts and
body structure.
The SABICs deploy downward, covering the side win-
dows. 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 thearea where the SABICs inflate. Children are at an even
greater risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
WARNING!
•
Do not stack luggage or other cargo up high enough
to block the deployment of the SABICs. The trim
covering above the side windows where the SABIC
and its deployment path are located should remain
free from any obstructions.
• In order for the SABICs to work as intended, do not
install any accessory items in your vehicle which
could alter the roof. Do not add an aftermarket
sunroof to your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that
require permanent attachments (bolts or screws) for
installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the
roof of the vehicle for any reason.
The SABICs and SABs (Side Air Bags) are designed to
activate in certain side impacts and certain rollover events.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the deployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular
side impact or rollover event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. Vehicle damage by itself is
not a good indicator of whether or not Side Air Bags should
have deployed.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) Label Location
5
SAFETY 169
Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt restraint
system. Side Air Bags 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
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.
• Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door or window. Sit upright in the center
of the seat.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Being too close to the Side Air Bags during deploy-
ment could cause you to be severely injured or
killed.
• Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could lead to
more severe injuries in a collision. The Side Air Bags
work with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, Side Air Bags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belt even though you have
Side Air Bags.
NOTE: Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment.
Side Impacts
In side impacts, the side impact sensors aid the ORC in
determining the appropriate response to impact events.
The system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags on the
impact side of the vehicle during impacts that require Side
Air Bag occupant protection. In side impacts, the Side Air
Bags deploy independently; a left side impact deploys the
left Side Air Bags only and a right side impact deploys the
right Side Air Bags only.
170 SAFETY