To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place and make sure that it is securely
locked referring to the following descrip-
tion.
Lock release knob
1) Unlocked
2) Locked
A) Unlocking marker in red
When the seatback is locked, the lock
release knob is automatically pulled into
the seatback and the unlocking marker,
which is red colored and attached to the
bottom of the lock release knob, will no
longer be visible.
WARNING
After returning the seatback to its
original position, confirm that the
unlocking marker of the lock release
knob is no longer visible. Failure to
do so could lead to serious injury or
death in the event of an accident.
When you return the seatback to its
original position, shake the seat-
back slightly to confirm that it is
securely fixed in place.
&Reclining the seatback (if
equipped)
WARNING
To prevent the passenger from slid-
ing under the seatbelt in the event of
a collision, observe the following
precautions:
. Keep the seatback in the upright
position while the vehicle is in
motion.
. Do not place objects such as
cushions between the passenger
and the seatback.
Otherwise, the risk of sliding under
the lap belt and of the lap belt sliding
up over the abdomen will increase,
and both can result in serious inter-
nal injury or death.
CAUTION
If your vehicle is equipped with a
cargo area cover, observe the fol-
lowing precautions.
. Be careful not to pinch your hand
between the head restraint and
the cargo area cover when you
recline the rear seat.
. Move the front cover of the cargo
area cover backward so that the
cover is not damaged by the
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Rear seats
–CONTINUED –1-15
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
reclined seatback. Refer to“Car-
go area cover ”F 6-14.
Pull the strap and adjust the seatback to
the desired position.
Then release the strap and make sure the
seatback is securely locked into place.
Seatbelts
& Seatbelt safety tips
WARNING
. All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE
the vehicle starts to move. Other-
wise, the possibility of serious
injury becomes greater in the
event of a sudden stop or acci-
dent.
. All belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full restraint. Loose
fitting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.
. Each seatbelt is designed to
support only one person. Never
use a single belt for two or more
persons –even children. Other-
wise, in an accident, serious
injury or death could result.
. Replace all seatbelt assemblies
including retractors and attach-
ing hardware worn by occupants
of a vehicle that has been in a
serious accident. The entire as-
sembly should be replaced even
if damage is not obvious.
. Place children in the rear seat properly restrained at all times.
The SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force
and can injure or even kill chil-
dren, especially if they are not
restrained or improperly re-
strained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from
deployment is greater. For that
reason, we strongly recommend
that ALL children (including
those in child seats and those
that have outgrown child re-
straint devices) sit in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all
times in a child restraint device
or in a seatbelt, whichever is
appropriate for the child
’s height
and weight.
Secure ALL types of child re-
straint devices (including for-
ward facing child seats) in the
REAR seats at all times.
NEVER INSTALL A FORWARD
OR REARWARD FACING CHILD
SEAT IN THE FRONT SEAT.
DOING SO RISKS SERIOUS IN-
JURY OR DEATH TO THE CHILD
BY PLACING THE CHILD ’S HEAD
TOO CLOSE TO THE SRS AIR-
BAG.
1-16
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. For instructions
and precautions concerning the
child restraint system, refer to
“Child restraint systems”F 1-29.
! Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is
suitable for your vehicle. Refer to “Child
restraint systems ”F 1-29.
! Children
If a child is too big for a child restraint
system, the child should sit in the rear seat
and be restrained using the seatbelts.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front
seating positions. Never allow a child to
stand up or kneel on the seat.
If the shoulder portion of the belt crosses
the face or neck, move the child closer to
the belt buckle to help provide a good
shoulder belt fit. Care must be taken to
securely place the lap belt as low as
possible on the hips and not on the child ’s
waist. If the shoulder portion of the belt
cannot be properly positioned, a child
restraint system should be used. Never place the shoulder belt under the child
’s
arm or behind the child ’s back.
! Expectant mothers
Expectant mothers also need to use the
seatbelts. They should consult their doctor
for specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips, not over the waist.
&Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (ELR)
The driver ’s seatbelt has an Emergency
Locking Retractor (ELR).
The emergency locking retractor allows
normal body movement but the retractor
locks automatically during a sudden stop,
impact or if you pull the belt very quickly
out of the retractor.
& Automatic Locking Retractor/
Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR/ELR)
Each passenger ’s seatbelt has an Auto-
matic Locking Retractor/Emergency Lock-
ing Retractor (ALR/ELR). The Automatic
Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking
Retractor normally functions as an Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (ELR). The ALR/
ELR has an additional locking mode
“ Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
mode ”intended to secure a child restraint
system. When the seatbelt is once drawn
out completely and is then retracted even
slightly, the retractor locks the seatbelt in
that position and the seatbelt cannot be
extended. As the belt is rewinding, clicks
will be heard which indicate the retractor
functions as an ALR. When the seatbelt is
retracted fully, the ALR mode is released.
When securing a child restraint system on
the rear seats by the use of the seatbelt,
the seatbelt must be changed over to the
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode.
When the child restraint system is re-
moved, make sure that the seatbelt
retracts fully and the retractor returned to
the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
mode.
For instructions on how to convert the
retractor to the ALR mode and restore it to
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
–CONTINUED –1-17
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
the ELR mode, refer to“Installing child
restraint systems with ALR/ELR seatbelt ”
F 1-32.
&Seatbelt warning light
and chime
Refer to “Seatbelt warning light and
chime ”F 3-14.
& Fastening the seatbelt
WARNING
. Never use a belt that is twisted or
reversed. In an accident, this can
increase the risk or severity of
injury.
. Keep the lap belt as low as
possible on your hips. In a colli-
sion, this spreads the force of the
lap belt over stronger hip bones
instead of across the weaker
abdomen.
. Seatbelts provide maximum re-
straint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat.
To reduce the risk of sliding
under the seatbelt in a collision,
the front seatbacks should be
always used in the upright posi-
tion while the vehicle is running. If the front seatbacks are not
used in the upright position in a
collision, the risk of sliding under
the lap belt and of the lap belt
sliding up over the abdomen will
increase, and both can result in
serious internal injury or death.
. Do not put cushions or any other
materials between occupants
and seatbacks or seat cushions.
If you do so, the risk of sliding
under the lap belt and of the lap
belt sliding up over the abdomen
will increase, and both can result
in serious internal injury or
death.
WARNING
Never place the shoulder belt under
the arm or behind the back. If an
accident occurs, this can increase
the risk or severity of injury.
CAUTION
Metallic parts of the seatbelt can
become very hot in a vehicle that
has been closed up in sunny weath-
er; they could burn an occupant. Do
not touch such hot parts until they
cool.
! Front seatbelts
1. Adjust the seat position according to
the following procedure.
Driver ’s seat: Adjust the seatback to the
upright position. Move the seat as far from
the steering wheel as practical while still
maintaining full vehicle control.
Front passenger ’s seat: Adjust the seat-
back to the upright position. Move the seat
as far back as possible.
2. Sit well back in the seat.
3. Pick up the tongue plate and pull the
belt out slowly. Do not let it get twisted.
.If the belt stops before reaching the
1-18
buckle, return the belt slightly and pull
it out more slowly.
.If the belt still cannot be unlocked,
let the belt retract slightly after giving it
a strong pull, then pull it out slowly
again.
4. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on
the shoulder belt.
6. Place the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips, not on your waist. !
Adjusting the front seat shoulder
belt anchor height
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best suited for the
driver/front passenger. Always adjust the
anchor height so that the shoulder belt
passes over the middle of the shoulder
without touching the neck.
To raise:
Slide the anchor up.
To lower:
Pull the release knob and slide the anchor
down.
Pull down on the anchor to make sure that
it is locked in place.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
–CONTINUED –1-19
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
WARNING
When wearing the seatbelts, make
sure the shoulder portion of the
webbing does not pass over your
neck. If it does, adjust the seatbelt
anchor to a lower position. Placing
the shoulder belt over the neck may
result in neck injury during sudden
braking or in a collision.! Unfastening the seatbelt
1. Push the button on the buckle.
2. Have the seatbelt retracted slowly to
avoid the seatbelt being tangled or
twisted.
Before closing the door, make sure that
the belts are retracted properly to avoid catching the belt webbing in the door.
!
Rear seatbelts (except rear center
seatbelt)
1. Sit well back in the seat.
2. Pick up the tongue plate and pull the
belt out slowly. Do not let it get twisted. .If the belt stops before reaching the
buckle, return the belt slightly and pull
it out more slowly.
. If the belt still cannot be unlocked,
let the belt retract slightly after giving it
a strong pull, then pull it out slowly
again.
3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
4. To make the lap part tight, pull up on
the shoulder belt.
5. Place the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips, not on your waist.
1-20
!Unfastening the seatbelt
1. Push the button on the buckle.
2. Have the seatbelt retracted slowly to
avoid the seatbelt being tangled or
twisted.
Before closing the door, make sure that
the belts are retracted properly to avoid
catching the belt webbing in the door. !
Rear center seatbelt1) Center seatbelt tongue plate
2) Connector (tongue)
3) Connector (buckle)
4) Center seatbelt buckle
WARNING
Fastening the seatbelt with the web-
bing twisted can increase the risk or
severity of injury in an accident.
When fastening the belt after it is
pulled out from the retractor, espe-
cially when inserting the connec-
tor’s tongue plate into the mating
buckle (on right-hand side), always
check that the webbing is not
twisted.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
–CONTINUED –1-21
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
WARNING
.Be sure to fasten both tongue
plates to the respective buckles.
If the seatbelt is used only as a
shoulder belt (with the connec-
tor ’s tongue plate not fastened to
the connector ’s buckle on the
right-hand side), it cannot prop-
erly restrain the wearer in posi-
tion in an accident, possibly
resulting in serious injury or
death.
. The head restraint is not intended
to be used at the lowest position.
Before sitting on the seat, raise
the head restraint to the ex-
tended position. Otherwise, in
an accident, serious injury or
death could result.
. Before fastening the seatbelt,
confirm that the seatbelt is rou-
ted through the belt guide. A
seatbelt not routed through the
belt guide can cause neck inju-
ries during sudden braking or in
a collision since it may slip up on
your neck.
Rear center seatbelt is stowed in the
recess of the ceiling above the cargo area.
1. Retrieve the connector (tongue) plate
from the slot in the recess by pulling the
connector (tongue) plate, then pull out the
seatbelt slowly.
2. Pass the seatbelt through the belt
guide.
3. After confirming that the webbing is not
twisted, insert the connector (tongue)
attached at the webbing end into the
buckle on the right-hand side until a click
is heard.
.If the belt stops before reaching the
buckle, return the belt slightly and pull
it out more slowly.
. If the belt still cannot be unlocked,
let the belt retract slightly after giving it
a strong pull, then pull it out slowly
again.
1-22