37uu For Safe Driving u Safety Checklist
Safe Driving
Safety Checklist For the safety of you and your passengers, make a habit of checking these items
each time before you drive.
• After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure all doors are closed and locked.
Locking the doors helps prevent an occupa nt from being ejected and an outsider
from unexpectedly opening a door. 2 Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 176
• Adjust your seat to a position suitable for driving. Be sure the front seats are
adjusted as far to the rear as possible while allowing the driver to control the
vehicle. Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious or fatal injury in a
crash. 2 Adjusting the Seats P. 210
• Adjust head restraints to the proper position. Head restraints are most effective
when the center of the head restraint alig ns with the center of your head. Taller
persons should adjust their head restraint to the highest position.2 Adjusting the Front and Rear Outer *
Head Restraint Positions P. 216
• Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly. Confirm that any
passengers are properly belted as well. 2 Fastening a Seat Belt P. 41
• Protect children by using seat belts or chil d seats according to a child’s age, height
and weight. 2 Child Safety P. 61 1 Safety Checklist
If the door and/or trunk open message appears on
the driver information inte rface, a door and/or the
trunk is not completely cl osed. Close all doors and
the trunk tightly until the message disappears.
2 Driver Information Interface Warning and
Information Messages P. 105
* Not available on all models
uu Seat Belts u Fastening a Seat Belt
42
Safe Driving 3. Position the lap part of the belt as low as
possible across your hips, then pull up on
the shoulder part of the belt so the lap part
fits snugly. Th is lets your strong pelvic
bones take the force of a crash and reduces
the chance of internal injuries.
4. If necessary, pull up on the belt again to
remove any slack, then check that the belt
rests across the center of your chest and
over your shoulder. Th is spreads the forces
of a crash over the strongest bones in your
upper body.
The front seats have adjustable shoulder anchors to accommodate taller and shorter
occupants.
1. Move the anchor up and down while
holding the release button.
2. Position the anchor so that the belt rests
across the center of your chest and over
your shoulder. 1 Fastening a Seat Belt
To release the belt, push the red PRESS button and
then guide the belt by hand until it has retracted
completely.
When exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt is properly
stowed so that it will not get caught in the closing
door.
Never insert any foreign obj ects into the buckle or
retractor mechanism.3
WARNING Improperly positioning the seat belts can
cause serious injury or death in a crash.
Make sure all seat belts are properly
positioned be fore driving.Lap belt
as low as
possible
■ Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor 1 Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor
After an adjustment, make sure that the shoulder
anchor position is secure.
The shoulder anchor height can be adjusted to four
levels. If the belt contacts your neck, lower the height
one level at a time.
Push
63uu Child Safety u Safety of Infants and Small Children
Continued
Safe Driving
Safety of Infants and Small Children An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the
infant reaches the seat manufacturer’s weig ht or height limit for the seat, and the
infant is at least one year old.
■ Positioning a rear -facing child seat
Child seats must be placed and secured in a
rear seating position.
When properly installed, a rear-facing chil d seat may prevent the driver or a front
passenger from moving their seat all the wa y back, or from locking their seat-back
in the desired position. Make sure that th ere is no contact between the child seat
and the seat in front of it.
It can also interfere with proper operation of the passenger’s advanced front airbag
system. 2 Airbags P. 45
If this occurs, we recommend that you insta ll the child seat directly behind the front
passenger’s seat, move the seat as far fo rward as needed, and leave it unoccupied.
Or, you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.■ Protecting Infants 1 Protecting Infants
Many experts recommend us e of a rear-facing seat
for a child up to two years old if the child’s height and
weight are appropriate for a rear-facing seat.
Rear-facing child seats should never be installed in a
forward facing position.
Always refer to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions before installation.
Do not allow a front seat to rest against a child seat
installed in a rear seating position:
The weight sensor in the fr ont seat may not correctly
detect the actual weight of the occupant.3
WARNING Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front
seat can result in se rious injury or death
during a crash.
Always place a rear-fac ing child seat in the
rear seat, not the front.
uu Child Safety u Safety of Infants and Small Children
64
Safe Driving If a child is at least one year old and has exceeded the weight an d height limitations
of a rearward facing child s eat, the child should be prope rly restrained in a firmly
secured forward facing child seat until they exceed the weight and height limitations
for the forward facing child seat.
■ Forward-facing child seat placement
We strongly recommend placing a forward-
facing child seat in a rear seating position.
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can be hazardous, even with
advanced front airbags that automatically turn the passenger’s front airbag off. A
rear seat is the safest place for a child.■ Protecting Smaller Children 1 Protecting Smaller Children
Educate yourself about th e laws and regulations
regarding child seat use wh ere you are driving, and
follow the child seat manufacturer’s instructions.3
WARNING Placing a forward-facing child seat in the
front seat can result in serious injury or
death if the front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-facing child
seat in front, move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, and properly restrain the
child.
207uu Operating the Switches Around the Steering Wheel u Adjusting the Steering Wheel
Controls
Adjusting the Steering Wheel The steering wheel height and distance from your body can be adjusted so that you
can comfortably grip the steering wheel in an appropriate driving posture.
1. Push the steering wheel adjustment lever
down.
u The steering wheel adjustment lever is
under the steering column.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down, and
in or out.
u Make sure you can see the instrument
panel gauges and indicators.
3. Pull the steering wheel adjustment lever up
to lock the steering wheel in position.
u After adjusting the position, make sure
you have securely locked the steering
wheel in place by trying to move it up,
down, in, and out. 1 Adjusting the Steering Wheel
3
WARNING Adjusting the steering wheel position while
driving may cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured in a crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only when the
vehicle is stopped.To adjust To lock
Lever
210
Controls Adjusting the SeatsFront Seats Adjust the driver’s seat as far back as possible
while allowing you to maintain full control of
the vehicle. You should be able to sit upright,
well back in the seat and be able to
adequately press the pedals without leaning
forward, and grip the steering wheel
comfortably. The passenger’s seat should be
adjusted in a similar manner, so that it is as far
back from the front airbag in the dashboard
as possible.
■ Adjusting the front power seat(s) * 1 Adjusting the Seats
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
and Transport Cana da recommend that drivers allow
at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the center of the
steering wheel and the chest.
Always make seat adjustments before driving.3
WARNING Sitting too close to a front airbag can result
in serious injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the front
airbags as possible while maintaining
control of the vehicle.Move back.Allow sufficient
space.
■ Adjusting the Seat Positions Horizontal Position
Adjustment
Height Adjustment
(Driver’s seat only)
Seat-back Angle
Adjustment
Driver’s seat is shown
* Not available on all models
uu Adjusting the Seats u Front Seats
212
Controls ■ Adjusting the front manual seat(s) *
1 Adjusting the front manual seat(s) *
Once a seat is adjusted co rrectly, rock it back and
forth to make sure it is locked in position.
Horizontal Position
Adjustment Pull up on the bar to move the
seat, then release the bar.Height Adjustment (Driver side only)
Pull up or push down the lever
to raise or lower the seat.
Seat-back Angle
Adjustment Pull up the lever to
change the angle.
Driver’s seat is shown.
* Not available on all models
216 uu Adjusting the Seats u Head Restraints
Controls Head Restraints Your vehicle is equipped with head restraints in all seating positions.
Head restraints are most effective for
protection against whiplash and other rear-
impact crash injuries when the center of the
back of the occupant’s head rests against the
center of the restraint. The tops of the
occupant’s ears should be level with the
center height of the restraint.■ Adjusting the Front and Rear Outer *
Head Restraint Positions 1 Head Restraints
In order for the head restraint system to work
properly:
• Do not hang any items on the head restraints, or
from the restraint legs.
• Do not place any object be tween an occupant and
the seat-back.
• Install each restraint in its proper location.3
WARNING Improperly positioning head restraints
reduces their effectiveness and increases
the likelihood of serious injury in a crash.
Make sure head restraints are in place and
positioned properly before driving.Position head in the center
of the head restraint.
* Not available on all models