
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 colli-
sion.5. Position the shoulder belt across the shoul-
der 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 automati-
cally retract to its stowed position. If neces-
sary, 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.
Inserting Latch Plate Into BucklePositioning The Lap Belt
31

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 aver-
age, you will prefer the shoulder belt anchorage
in a higher position. After you release the an-
chorage button, try to move it up or down to
make sure that it is locked in position.NOTE:
The adjustable upper shoulder belt anchor-
age is equipped with an Easy Up feature.
This feature allows the shoulder belt an-
chorage to be adjusted in the upward posi-
tion without pushing or squeezing the re-
lease button. To verify the shoulder belt
anchorage is latched, pull downward on the
shoulder belt anchorage until it is locked
into position.
Second Row Center Seat Belt Operating
Instructions
The second row center seat belt features a seat
belt with a mini-latch plate and buckle, which
allows the seat belt to detach from the lower
anchor when the seat is folded. The mini-latch
plate and regular latch plate can then be stored
out of the way in the right side trim panel for
added convenience to open up utilization of the
storage areas behind the front seats when the
seat is not occupied.
1. Remove the mini-latch plate and regular
latch plate from its stowed position in the
right rear side trim panel.2. Grasp the mini-latch plate and pull the seat
belt over the seat.
3. Route the shoulder belt to the inside of the
right head restraint.
4. When the seat belt is long enough to fit,
insert the mini-latch plate into the mini-
buckle until you hear a “click.”
5. Sit back in seat. Slide the regular latch plate
up the webbing as far as necessary to allow
the seat belt to go around your lap.
Adjustable AnchorageMini-Latch Stowage
32

6. When the seat belt is long enough to fit,
insert the latch plate into the buckle until you
hear a “click.”
7. 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, pull on the lap belt. A snug
seat belt reduces the risk of sliding under the
seat belt in a collision.
8. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so
that it is comfortable and not resting on your
neck. The retractor will withdraw any slack in
the seat belt.9. To release the seat belt, push the red button
on the buckle.
10. To disengage the mini-latch plate from the
mini-buckle for storage, insert the regular
latch plate into the black button on the top
of the mini-buckle. The seat belt will auto-
matically retract to its stowed position. If
necessary, slide the latch plate down the
webbing to allow the seat belt to retract
fully. Insert the mini-latch plate and regular
latch plate into its stowed position.
WARNING!
•If the mini-latch plate and mini-buckle are
not properly connected when the seat belt
is used by an occupant, the seat belt will
not be able to provide proper restraint and
will increase the risk of injury in a collision.
(Continued)
Rear Center Seat Belt BuckledDetaching Mini-Latch And Buckle
33

WARNING!(Continued)
•When reattaching the mini-latch plate and
mini-buckle, ensure the seat belt webbing
is not twisted. If the webbing is twisted,
follow the preceding procedure to detach
the mini-latch plate and mini-buckle, un-
twist the webbing, and reattach the mini-
latch plate and mini-buckle.
Seat Belts And Pregnant WomenSeat belts must be worn by all occupants includ-
ing 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 shoul-
der 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 re-
move slack from the seat belt in the event of a
collision. These devices may improve the per-
formance of the seat belt by removing slack
from the seat belt early in a collision. Preten-
sioners 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 Occu-
pant 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 Management 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 posi-
tions are equipped with a Switchable Automatic
Locking Retractor (ALR) which is used to se-
cure 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 table
below defines the type of feature for each
seating position.
Pregnant Women And Seat Belts
34

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 occu-
pant’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 web-
bing to retract completely in this case and then
carefully pull out only the amount of webbing
necessary to comfortably wrap around the oc-
cupant’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 a vehicle with a rear seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in
front of an air bag. A deploying Passenger
Advanced 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.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking
Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder
belt.2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull down-
ward 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 Auto-
matic 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 ve-
hicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
WARNING!
•The seat belt assembly must be replaced if
the switchable Automatic Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR) feature or any other seat belt
function is not working properly when
checked according to the procedures in
the Service Manual.
(Continued)
•ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retrac-
tor
35

WARNING!(Continued)
•Failure to replace the seat belt assembly
could increase the risk of injury in colli-
sions.
•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 restrain-
ing the child.
Supplemental Active Head Restraints
(AHR)
These head restraints are passive, deployable
components, and vehicles with this equipment
cannot be readily identified by any markings,
only through visual inspection of the head re-
straint. 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) de-
termines whether the severity, or type of rear
impact will require the Active Head Restraints
(AHR) to deploy. If a rear impact requires de-
ployment, 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.
Active Head Restraint (AHR) Components
1 — Head Restraint Front Half (Soft Foam and
Trim)
2 — Seatback
3 — Head Restraint Back Half (Decorative Plastic
Rear Cover)
4 — Head Restraint Guide Tubes
36

Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS)
Air Bag System Components
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following
air bag system components:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•Air Bag Warning Light
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Knee Impact Bolsters
•Advanced Front Air Bags
•Supplemental Side Air Bags
•Front and Side Impact Sensors
•Seat Belt Pretensioners
•Seat Belt Buckle Switch
Advanced Front Air Bags
This vehicle has Advanced Front Air Bags for
both the driver and front passenger as a supple-
ment to the seat belt restraint systems. The
driver’s Advanced Front Air Bag is mounted in
the center of the steering wheel. The passen-ger’s Advanced Front Air Bag is mounted in the
instrument panel, above the glove compart-
ment. The words “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG”
are embossed on the air bag covers.
WARNING!
•Being too close to the steering wheel or
instrument panel during Advanced Front
Air Bag deployment could cause serious
injury, including death. Air bags need room
to inflate. Sit back, comfortably extending
your arms to reach the steering wheel or
instrument panel.
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in
front of an air bag. A deploying Passenger
Advanced 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.
Advanced Front Air Bag Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multi-
stage driver and front passenger air bags. This
system provides output appropriate to the se-
verity and type of collision as determined by the
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC), which
Advanced Front Air Bag And Knee Impact
Bolster Locations
1 — Driver And Passenger Advanced Front Air
Bags
2 — Driver And Passenger Knee Impact Bolster
38

may receive information from the front impact
sensors or other system components.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately
during an impact that requires air bag deploy-
ment. 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 passen-
ger seat belt is buckled. The seat belt buckle
switch may adjust the inflation rate of the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags.
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.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not put anything on or around the air
bag covers or attempt to open them manu-
ally. 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 de-
signed 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.
Advanced Front Air Bag Operation
Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to pro-
vide additional protection by supplementing the
seat belts. Advanced Front Air Bags are not
expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear,
side, or rollover collisions. The Advanced Front
Air Bags will not deploy in all frontal collisions,
including some that may produce substantialvehicle damage — for example, some pole
collisions, truck underrides, and angle offset
collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and
location of impact, Advanced 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 de-
celeration over time, vehicle speed and damage
by themselves are not good indicators of
whether or not an air bag should have de-
ployed.
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
Advanced Front Air Bags, it signals the inflator
units. A large quantity of non-toxic gas is gen-
erated to inflate the Advanced Front Air Bags.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the
upper right side of the instrument panel sepa-
rate and fold out of the way as the air bags
inflate to their full size. The Advanced Front Air
39