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uuChild Safety uSafety 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 there 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 Infants1 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.
3WARNING
Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front 
seat can result in serious injury  or death 
during a crash.
Always place a rear-fac ing child seat in the 
rear seat, not the front. 
     
        
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uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
64
Safe DrivingIf 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 Children1 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.
3WARNING
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. 
     
        
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uuChild Safety uSafety of Larger Children
Continued
Safe Driving
Safety of Larger Children
The following pages give instructions on how  to check proper seat belt fit, what kind 
of booster seat to use if one is needed,  and important precautions for a child who 
must sit in front.
When a child is too big for a  child seat, secure the child in a rear seat using the lap/
shoulder seat belt. Have the child sit upri ght and all the way back, then answer the 
following questions.
■Checklist
• Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over 
the edge of the seat?
• Does the shoulder belt cross between the 
child’s neck and arm?
• Is the lap part of the seat belt as low as 
possible, touching the child’s thighs?
• Will the child be able to stay seated like this 
for the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these questions, th e child is ready to wear the lap/shoulder 
seat belt correctly. If you answer no to  any question, the child needs to ride on a 
booster seat until the seat belt fits properly without a booster seat.
■Protecting Larger Children
■Checking Seat Belt Fit
1 Safety of Larger Children
3WARNING
Allowing a child age 12 or under to sit in 
front can result in injury or death if the 
passenger’s front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ri de in front, move the 
vehicle seat as far to the rear as possible, 
have the child sit up properly and wear the 
seat belt properly, us ing a booster seat if 
needed. 
     
        
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90
uuIndicators u
Instrument Panel
IndicatorNameOn/BlinkingExplanationMessage
Anti-lock Brake 
System (ABS) 
Indicator
• Comes on if there is a problem with 
the ABS.• Stays on constantly  - Have your vehicle 
checked by a dealer. With this indicator 
on, your vehicle still has normal braking 
ability but no anti-lock function.
2 Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)  P. 581
Supplemental 
Restraint 
System 
Indicator
•Comes on if a problem with any of 
the following is detected:
- Supplemental restraint system
- Knee airbag system
- Side airbag system
- Side curtain airbag system
- Seat belt tensioner• Stays on constantly  - Have your vehicle 
checked by a dealer.
Auto High-
Beam Indicator• Comes on when all the operating 
conditions of the auto high-beam 
are met.
2 Auto High-Beam  P. 197— 
     
        
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210
Controls
Adjusting the Seats
Front 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)*
1Adjusting 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.
3WARNING
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 
     
        
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213
uuAdjusting the Seats uFront Seats
Controls
Adjust the driver’s seat -back to a comfortable, 
upright position, leaving ample space 
between your chest and  the airbag cover in 
the center of the steering wheel.
The front seat passenger should also adjust 
their seat-back to a comfortable, upright 
position.
Reclining a seat-back so that  the shoulder part of the belt no longer rests against the 
occupant’s chest reduces the protective capa bility of the belt. It also increases the 
chance of sliding under the belt in a crash and being seriously injured. The farther a 
seat-back is reclined, the gr eater the risk of injury.
■Adjusting the Seat-Backs1Adjusting the Seat-Backs
Do not put a cushion, or  other object, between the 
seat-back and your back.
Doing so may interfere with  proper seat belt or airbag 
operation.
If you cannot get far e nough away from the steering 
wheel and still reach th e controls, we recommend 
that you investigate whether some type of adaptive 
equipment may help.
3WARNING
Reclining the seat-back  too far can result in 
serious injury or death in a crash.
Adjust the seat-back to  an upright position, 
and sit well back in the seat. 
     
        
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uuAdjusting the Seats uRear Seats
Controls
Rear Seats
1. Remove the center shoulder belt from the 
guide.
2. Pull the release lever in  the trunk to release 
the lock.
3. Fold the seat-back down.
■Folding Down the Rear Seat(s)1Folding Down the Rear Seat(s)
The rear seat-back(s
*) can be folded down to 
accommodate bulkier items in the trunk.
Never drive with the seat-back folded down and the 
trunk lid open.
2 Exhaust Gas Hazard  P. 75
To lock a seat-back upright, push it backwards until it 
locks.
When returning the seat-back  to its original position, 
push it firmly back. Also, m ake sure all rear shoulder 
belts are positioned in front  of the seat-back, and the 
center shoulder belt is re -positioned in the guide.
Make sure that the folded seat-back does not press 
against the front passenger seat, as this can cause the 
weight sensors in the front  passenger seat to work 
improperly.
2 Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator  P. 59
Make sure all items in the trunk or items 
extending through the opening into the rear 
seat is properly secured. Loose items can fly 
forward if you have to brake hard.
The front seat(s) must be  far enough forward so they 
do not interfere with the rear seats as they fold 
down.
Guide
Center 
Shoulder Belt
Release 
Lever
Release 
Lever*
* Not available on all models 
     
        
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uuAdjusting the Seats uMaintain a Proper Sitting Position
Controls
Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
After all occupants have adjusted their s eats and head restraints, and put on their 
seat belts, it is very important that they  continue to sit upright, well back in their 
seats, with their feet on the floor, until  the vehicle is safely parked and the power 
mode is off.
Sitting improperly can increase the chance of  injury during a crash. For example, if 
an occupant slouches, lies down, turns si deways, sits forward, leans forward or 
sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly 
increased.
In addition, an occupant who is out of posi tion in the front seat can be seriously or 
fatally injured in a crash by striking interior  parts of the vehicle or being struck by an 
inflating front airbag.1 Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
3WARNING
Sitting improperly or  out of position can 
result in serious injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in the seat, 
with your feet on the floor.