OCCUPANT RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS
Some of the most important safety
features in your vehicle are the restraint
systems:
Occupant Restraint Systems Features
Seat Belt Systems
Supplemental Restraint Systems
(SRS) Air Bags
Child Restraints
Some of the safety features described in
this section may be standard equipment
on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others. If you are not sure,
ask your authorized dealer.
Important Safety Precautions
Please pay close attention to the
information in this section. It tells you
how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your
passengers as safe as possible.
Here are some simple steps you can take
to minimize the risk of harm from a
deploying air bag:
1. Children 12 years old and under
should always ride buckled up in the rear
seat of a vehicle with a rear seat. 2. If a child from 2 to 12 years old (not in
a rear-facing child restraint) must ride in
the front passenger seat, move the seat
as far back as possible and use the
proper child restraint (refer to “Child
Restraints” in this section for further
information).
3. Children that are not big enough to
wear the vehicle seat belt properly (refer
to “Child Restraints” in this section for
further information) should be secured in
the rear seat of a vehicle with a rear seat
in child restraints or belt-positioning
booster seats. Older children who do not
use child restraints or belt-positioning
booster seats should ride properly
buckled up in the rear seat of a vehicle
with a rear seat.
4. Never allow children to slide the
shoulder belt behind them or under their
arm.
5. You should read the instructions
provided with your child restraint to
make sure that you are using it properly.
6. All occupants should always wear
their lap and shoulder belts properly.
7. The driver and front passenger seats
should be moved back as far as practical
to allow the front air bags room to inflate.
8. Do not lean against the door or
window. If your vehicle has side air bags,
and deployment occurs, the side air bags
will inflate forcefully into the space
between occupants and the door and
occupants could be injured.
9. If the air bag system in this vehicle
needs to be modified to accommodate a
disabled person, refer to the “Customer
Assistance” section for customer service
contact information.
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
the rear seat of a vehicle with a rear seat.
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Seat Belt Systems
Buckle up even though you are an
excellent driver, even on short trips.
Someone on the road may be a poor
driver and could cause a collision that
includes you. This can happen far away
from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save
lives, and they can reduce the
seriousness of injuries in a collision.
Some of the worst injuries happen when
people are thrown from the vehicle. Seat
belts reduce the possibility of ejection
and the risk of injury caused by striking
the inside of the vehicle. Everyone in a
motor vehicle should be belted at all
times.
Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder
System (BeltAlert)
Driver and Passenger BeltAlert (if
equipped)
BeltAlert is a feature intended to
remind the driver and outboard front
seat passenger (if equipped with
outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert)
to buckle their seat belts. The Belt Alert
feature is active whenever the ignition
switch is in the START or ON/RUN
position. Initial Indication
If the driver is unbuckled when the
ignition switch is first in the START or
ON/RUN position, a chime will signal for a
few seconds. If the driver or outboard
front seat passenger (if equipped with
outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert)
is unbuckled when the ignition switch is
first in the START or ON/RUN position
the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn on
and remain on until both outboard front
seat belts are buckled. The outboard
front passenger seat BeltAlert is not
active when an outboard front passenger
seat is unoccupied.
BeltAlert Warning Sequence
The BeltAlert warning sequence is
activated when the vehicle is moving
above a specified vehicle speed range
and the driver or outboard front seat
passenger is unbuckled (if equipped with
outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert)
(the outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert is not active when the outboard
front passenger seat is unoccupied). The
BeltAlert warning sequence starts by
blinking the Seat Belt Reminder Light and
sounding an intermittent chime. Once the
BeltAlert warning sequence has
completed, the Seat Belt Reminder Light
will remain on until the seat belts are
buckled. The BeltAlert warning sequence
may repeat based on vehicle speed until
the driver and occupied outboard front
seat passenger seat belts are buckled.The driver should instruct all occupants
to buckle their seat belts.
Change of Status
If the driver or outboard front seat
passenger (if equipped with outboard
front passenger seat BeltAlert)
unbuckles their seat belt while the
vehicle is traveling, the BeltAlert warning
sequence will begin until the seat belts
are buckled again.
The outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert is not active when the outboard
front passenger seat is unoccupied.
BeltAlert may be triggered when an
animal or other items are placed on the
outboard front passenger seat or when
the seat is folded flat (if equipped). It is
recommended that pets be restrained in
the rear seat (if equipped) in pet
harnesses or pet carriers that are
secured by seat belts, and cargo is
properly stowed.Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are
equipped with lap/shoulder belts.
The seat belt webbing retractor will lock
only during very sudden stops or
collisions. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the seat belt to move
freely with you under normal conditions.
However, in a collision the seat belt will
lock and reduce your risk of striking the
inside of the vehicle or being thrown out
of the vehicle.
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SAFETY
Warning!
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 collisions, the air bags
won’t deploy at all. Always wear your seat
belt even though you have air bags.
In a collision, you and your passengers can
suffer much greater injuries if you are not
properly buckled up. You can strike the
interior of your vehicle or other passengers,
or you can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Always be sure you and others in your
vehicle are buckled up properly.
It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely
to be seriously injured or killed.
Do not allow people to ride in any area of
your vehicle that is not equipped with seats
and seat belts.
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a seat belt properly.
Occupants, including the driver, should
always wear their seat belts whether or not
an air bag is also provided at their seating
position to minimize the risk of severe injury
or death in the event of a crash.
Wearing your seat belt incorrectly could
make your injuries in a collision much worse.
You might suffer internal injuries, or you
could even slide out of the seat belt. Follow
these instructions to wear your seat belt
safely and to keep your passengers safe,
too.
Two people should never be belted into a
single seat belt. People belted together can
crash into one another in a collision, hurting
one another badly. Never use a lap/shoulder
belt or a lap belt for more than one person,
no matter what their size.
Warning!
A lap belt worn too high can increase the
risk of injury in a collision. The seat belt
forces won’t be at the strong hip and pelvic
bones, but across your abdomen. Always
wear the lap part of your seat belt as low as
possible and keep it snug.
A twisted seat belt may not protect you
properly. In a collision, it could even cut into you.
Be sure the seat belt is flat against your body,
without twists. If you can’t straighten a seat
belt in your vehicle, take it to your authorized
dealer immediately and have it fixed.
A seat belt that is buckled into the wrong
buckle will not protect you properly. The lap
portion could ride too high on your body,
possibly causing internal injuries. Always buckle
your seat belt into the buckle nearest you.
A seat belt that is too loose will not protect
you properly. In a sudden stop, you could move
too far forward, increasing the possibility of
injury. Wear your seat belt snugly.
A seat belt that is worn under your arm is
dangerous. Your body could strike the inside
surfaces of the vehicle in a collision,
increasing head and neck injury. A seat belt
worn under the arm can cause internal injuries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder
bones. Wear the seat belt over your
shoulder so that your strongest bones will
take the force in a collision.
A shoulder belt placed behind you will not
protect you from injury during a collision.
You are more likely to hit your head in a
collision if you do not wear your shoulder
belt. The lap and shoulder belt are meant to
be used together.
A frayed or torn seat belt could rip apart
in a collision and leave you with no
protection. Inspect the seat belt system
periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or
loose parts. Damaged parts must be
replaced immediately. Do not disassemble
or modify the seat belt system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a
collision.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating
Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door.
Sit back and adjust the seat.
2. The seat belt latch plate is above the
back of the front seat, and next to your
arm in the rear seat (for vehicles
equipped with a rear seat). Grasp the
latch plate and pull out the seat belt.
Slide the latch plate up the webbing as
far as necessary to allow the seat belt to
go around your lap.
3. When the seat belt is long enough to
fit, insert the latch plate into the buckle
until you hear a “click.”
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4. Position the lap belt so that it is snug
and lies low across your hips, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt
portion, pull up on the shoulder belt. To
loosen the lap belt if it is too tight, tilt the
latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug
seat belt reduces the risk of sliding under
the seat belt in a collision.
5. Position the shoulder belt across the
shoulder and chest with minimal, if any
slack so that it is comfortable and not
resting on your neck. The retractor will
withdraw any slack in the shoulder belt.
6. To release the seat belt, push the red
button on the buckle. The seat belt will
automatically retract to its stowed
position. If necessary, slide the latch
plate down the webbing to allow the seat
belt to retract fully.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting
Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a
twisted lap/shoulder belt.
1. Position the latch plate as close as
possible to the anchor point.
2. At about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm)
above the latch plate, grasp and twist the
seat belt webbing 180 degrees to create
a fold that begins immediately above the
latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the
folded webbing. The folded webbing
must enter the slot at the top of the latch
plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up
until it clears the folded webbing and the
seat belt is no longer twisted.
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt
Anchorage
In the driver and front passenger seats,
the top of the shoulder belt can be
adjusted upward or downward to position
the seat belt away from your neck. Push
or squeeze the anchorage button to
release the anchorage, and move it up or
down to the position that serves you
best.As a guide, if you are shorter than
average, you will prefer the shoulder belt
anchorage in a lower position, and if you
are taller than average, you will prefer the
shoulder belt anchorage in a higher
position. After you release the anchorage
button, try to move it up or down to make
sure that it is locked in position.
Note:
The adjustable upper shoulder belt
anchorage is equipped with an Easy Up
feature. This feature allows the shoulder
belt anchorage to be adjusted in the
upward position without pushing or
squeezing the release button. To verify
the shoulder belt anchorage is latched,
pull downward on the shoulder belt
anchorage until it is locked into position.
0101132150USSeat Belt Latch Plate Inserted Into Seat Belt Buckle0101132173USAdjustable Upper Shoulder BeltAnchorage
4 — Adjustable Anchorage
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SAFETY
Warning!
Wearing your seat belt incorrectly could
make your injuries in a collision much worse.
You might suffer internal injuries, or you
could even slide out of the seat belt. Follow
these instructions to wear your seat belt
safely and to keep your passengers safe,
too.
Position the shoulder belt across the
shoulder and chest with minimal, if any slack
so that it is comfortable and not resting on
your neck. The retractor will withdraw any
slack in the shoulder belt.
Misadjustment of the seat belt could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt
in a crash.
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
Seat belts must be worn by all occupants
including pregnant 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.
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
The front seat belt system is equipped
with an Energy Management feature that
may help further reduce the risk of injury
in the event of a collision. The seat belt system has a retractor assembly that is
designed to release webbing in a
controlled manner.
Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractors (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.
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
0226075266Pregnant Women And Seat Belts
16086V0101NAALR — Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor
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webbing to retract completely in this
case and then carefully pull out only the
amount of webbing necessary to
comfortably 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 automatically 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 the rear seat of 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
the rear seat of 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) locking mode.
Warning!
The seat belt assembly must be replaced
if the switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) feature 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 increase 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 Restraint Systems
(SRS)
Some of the safety features described in
this section may be standard equipment
on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others. If you are not sure,
ask your authorized dealer.
The air bag system must be ready to
protect you in a collision. The Occupant
Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors the
internal circuits and interconnecting
wiring associated with the electrical Air
Bag System Components. Your vehicle
may be equipped with the following Air
Bag System Components:
Air Bag System Components
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
Air Bag Warning Light
Steering Wheel and Column
Instrument Panel
Knee Impact Bolsters
Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
Seat Belt Buckle Switch
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Knee Air Bags
Front and Side Impact Sensors
Seat Belt Pretensioners
Seat Track Position Sensors
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SAFETY
Air Bag Warning Light
The ORC monitors the readiness of the
electronic parts of the air bag system
whenever the ignition switch is in the
START or ON/RUN position. If the ignition
switch is in the OFF position or in the ACC
position, the air bag system is not on and
the air bags will not inflate.
The ORC contains a backup power supply
system that may deploy the air bag
system even if the battery loses power or
it becomes disconnected prior to
deployment.
The ORC turns on the Air Bag Warning
Light in the instrument panel for
approximately four to eight seconds for a
self-check when the ignition switch is
first in the ON/RUN position. After the
self-check, the Air Bag Warning Light will
turn off. If the ORC detects a malfunction
in any part of the system, it turns on the
Air Bag Warning Light, either
momentarily or continuously. A single
chime will sound to alert you if the light
comes on again after initial startup.
The ORC also includes diagnostics that
will illuminate the instrument panel Air
Bag Warning Light if a malfunction is
detected that could affect the air bag
system. The diagnostics also record the
nature of the malfunction. While the air
bag system is designed to be
maintenance free, if any of the followingoccurs, have an authorized dealer service
the air bag system immediately.
The Air Bag Warning Light does not
come on during the four to eight seconds
when the ignition switch is first in the
ON/RUN position.
The Air Bag Warning Light remains on
after the four to eight-second interval.
The Air Bag Warning Light comes on
intermittently or remains on while
driving.
Note: If the speedometer, tachometer,
or any engine related gauges are not
working, the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) may also be disabled. In
this condition the air bags may not be
ready to inflate for your protection. Have
an authorized dealer service the air bag
system immediately.
Warning!
Ignoring the Air Bag Warning Light in your
instrument panel could mean you won’t have
the air bag system to protect you in a
collision. If the light does not come on as a
bulb check when the ignition is first turned
on, stays on after you start the vehicle, or if
it comes on as you drive, have an authorized
dealer service the air bag system
immediately.
Redundant Air Bag Warning Light
If a fault with the Air Bag Warning Light is
detected, which could affect the
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS),
the Redundant Air Bag Warning Light will
illuminate on the instrument panel. The
Redundant Air Bag Warning Light will
stay on until the fault is cleared. In
addition, a single chime will sound to alert
you that the Redundant Air Bag Warning
Light has come on and a fault has been
detected. If the Redundant Air Bag
Warning Light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving have an
authorized dealer service the vehicle
immediately. For additional information
regarding the Redundant Air Bag Warning
Light refer to “Getting To Know Your
Instrument Panel” section of this manual.
Front Air Bags
This vehicle has front air bags and
lap/shoulder belts for both the driver and
front passenger. The front air bags are a
supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver front air bag is
mounted in the center of the steering
wheel. The passenger front air bag is
mounted in the instrument panel, above
the glove compartment. The words “SRS
AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” are embossed on
the air bag covers.
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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 determined 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 Advanced
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 collisions, air bags
won’t deploy at all. Always wear your seat
belts even though you have air bags.
Front Air Bag Operation
Front Air Bags are designed to provide
additional protection by supplementing
the seat belts. Front air bags are not
expected to reduce the risk of injury in
rear, side, or rollover collisions. The front
air bags will not deploy in all frontal
collisions, including some that may
produce substantial vehicle damage —
for example, some pole collisions, truck
underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of impact, front air bags may
deploy in crashes with little vehicle
front-end damage but that produce a
severe initial deceleration.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle
deceleration over time, vehicle speed and
damage by themselves are not good
indicators of whether or not an air bag
should have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your
protection in all collisions, and also are
needed to help keep you in position, away
from an inflating air bag.
When the ORC detects a collision
requiring the front air bags, it signals the
inflator units. A large quantity of
non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the
front air bags.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and
the upper passenger side of the
instrument panel separate and fold out of
the way as the air bags inflate to their full
size. The front air bags fully inflate in less
time than it takes to blink your eyes. The
front air bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front
passenger.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect
the knees of the driver and front
passenger, and position the front
occupants for improved interaction with
the front air bags.
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