GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE59
(Continued)
WIND BUFFETING
Wind buffeting can be described as the
perception of pressure on the ears or a
helicopter-type sound in the ears. Your vehicle
may exhibit wind buffeting with the windows
down, or the sunroof (if equipped) in certain
open or partially open positions. This is a normal
occurrence and can be minimized. If the
buffeting occurs with the rear windows open,
open the front and rear windows together to
minimize the buffeting. If the buffeting occurs
with the sunroof open, adjust the sunroof
opening to minimize the buffeting or open any
window.
PANORAMIC SUNROOF — IF EQUIPPED
The Panoramic sunroof switch is located to the
left between the sun visors on the overhead
console.
The power shade switch is located to the right
between the sun visors on the overhead
console.
Panoramic Sunroof And Power Shade Switches
OPENING SUNROOF
Express Mode
Push the switch rearward and release it within
one-half second. The sunroof will open
automatically to the open position. This is called
“Express Open”. During Express Open
operation, any movement of the sunroof switch
will stop the sunroof.
Manual Mode
To open the sunroof, push and hold the switch
rearward. The sunroof will stop automatically at
the open position. Any release of the switch will
stop the movement. The sunroof and sunshade
WARNING!
Never leave children unattended in a
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Never leave the key fob in or near
the vehicle, or in a location accessible to
children. Do not leave the ignition of a
vehicle equipped with Keyless Enter-N-Go
in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. Occupants,
particularly unattended children, can
become entrapped by the power sunroof
while operating the power sunroof switch.
Such entrapment may result in serious
injury or death.
In a collision, there is a greater risk of being
thrown from a vehicle with an open sunroof.
You could also be seriously injured or killed.
Always fasten your seat belt properly and
make sure all passengers are also properly
secured.
Do not allow small children to operate the
sunroof. Never allow your fingers, other
body parts, or any object, to project through
the sunroof opening. Injury may result.
WARNING!
(Continued)
2
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64GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE
(Continued)
CARGO AREA FEATURES
Cargo Area — Vehicles Equipped With 60/
40 Split-Folding Rear Seat
The 60/40 split-folding rear seat provides
cargo-carrying versatility. The seatbacks fold
down easily by pulling nylon tabs between the
seatbacks and the bolsters. When the seats are
folded down, they provide a continuous,
nearly-flat extension of the load floor.
When the seatback is folded to the upright
position, make sure it is latched by strongly
pulling on the top of the seatback above the
seat strap.
Trunk Mat — If Equipped
A trunk mat covers the bottom of the cargo
area. The trunk mat is used to protect the
interior of the trunk from mud, snow, and
debris.
WARNING!
Do not allow children to have access to the
trunk, either by climbing into the trunk from
outside, or through the inside of the vehicle.
Always close the trunk lid when your vehicle is
unattended. Once in the trunk, young children
may not be able to escape, even if they
entered through the rear seat. If trapped in
the trunk, children can die from suffocation
or heat stroke.
WARNING!
Be certain that the seatback is securely
locked into position. If the seatback is not
securely locked into position, the seat will
not provide the proper stability for child
seats and/or passengers. An improperly
latched seat could cause serious injury.
The cargo area in the rear of the vehicle
(with the rear seatbacks in the locked-up or
folded down position) should not be used
as a play area by children at any time. They
could be seriously injured in a collision.
Children should be seated and using the
proper restraint system.
To help protect against personal injury,
passengers should not be seated in the
rear cargo area. The rear cargo space is
intended for load carrying purposes only,
not for passengers, who should sit in seats
and use seat belts.
The weight and position of cargo and
passengers can change the vehicle center of
gravity and vehicle handling. To avoid loss of
control resulting in personal injury, follow
these guidelines for loading your vehicle:
Always place cargo evenly on the cargo
floor. Put heavier objects as low and as far
forward as possible.
Place as much cargo as possible in front of
the rear axle. Too much weight or improp-
erly placed weight over or behind the rear
axle can cause the rear of the vehicle to
sway.
Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the
top of the seatback. This could impair visi-
bility or become a dangerous projectile in a
sudden stop or collision.
WARNING! (Continued)
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SAFETY119
(Continued)
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.Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is not long enough to fit properly,
even when the webbing is fully extended and
the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage
(if equipped) is in its lowest position, an
authorized dealer can provide you with a Seat
Belt Extender. The Seat Belt Extender should be
used only if the existing seat belt is not long
enough. When the Seat Belt Extender is not
required for a different occupant, it must be
removed.
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
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.
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 with -
draw any slack in the shoulder belt.
Misadjustment of the seat belt could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt
in a crash.
Always make all seat belt height adjust -
ments when the vehicle is stationary.
WARNING!
ONLY use a Seat Belt Extender if it is physi -
cally required in order to properly fit the
original seat belt system. DO NOT USE the
Seat Belt Extender if, when worn, the
distance between the front edge of the
Seat Belt Extender buckle and the center of
the occupant’s body is LESS than 6 inches.
Using a Seat Belt Extender when not
needed can increase the risk of serious
injury or death in a collision. Only use the
Seat Belt Extender when the lap belt is not
long enough and only use in the recom -
mended seating positions. Remove and
store the Seat Belt Extender when not
needed.
WARNING! (Continued)
4
20_LX_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 119
120SAFETY
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 outboard 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 outboard 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.
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
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 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."
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SAFETY121
(Continued)
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. 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.
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 an 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:
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat. If
the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.
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 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
restraining the child.
WARNING! (Continued)
4
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126SAFETY
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC)
Label Location
SABICs may help reduce the risk of head and
other injuries to front and rear seat outboard
occupants in certain side impacts, in addition to
the injury reduction potential provided by the
seat belts and body structure.
The SABIC deploys downward, covering the side
windows. An inflating SABIC pushes the outside
edge of the headliner out of the way and covers
the window. The SABICs inflate with enough
force to injure occupants if they are not belted
and seated properly, or if items are positioned
in the area where the SABICs inflate. Children
are at an even greater risk of injury from a
deploying air bag. The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial
or complete ejection of vehicle occupants
through side windows in certain side impact
events.
Side Impacts
The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in
certain side impacts. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) determines whether the
deployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular
impact event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. The side impact
sensors aid the ORC in determining the
appropriate response to impact events. The
system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags
on the impact side of the vehicle during impacts
that require Side Air Bag occupant protection. In
side impacts, the Side Air Bags deploy
independently; a left side impact deploys the
left Side Air Bags only and a right-side impact
deploys the right Side Air Bags only. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of
whether or not Side Air Bags should have
deployed.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side
collisions, including some collisions at certain
angles, or some side collisions that do not
impact the area of the passenger compartment.
The Side Air Bags may deploy during angled or
offset frontal collisions where the front air bags
deploy.
WARNING!
Do not mount equipment, or stack luggage
or other cargo up high enough to block the
deployment of the SABICs. The trim
covering above the side windows where the
SABIC and its deployment path are located
should remain free from any obstructions.
In order for the SABICs to work as intended,
do not install any accessory items in your
vehicle which could alter the roof. Do not
add an aftermarket sunroof to your vehicle.
Do not add roof racks that require perma
-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for
installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill
into the roof of the vehicle for any reason.
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SAFETY137
Locating The LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round bars
that are found at the rear of the seat
cushion where it meets the seatback,
below the anchorage symbols on the
seatback. They are just visible when you lean
into the rear seat to install the child restraint.
You will easily feel them if you run your finger
along the gap between the seatback and seat
cushion.
LATCH Anchorages
Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages
behind each rear seating position
located in the panel between the rear
seatback and the rear window. They
are found under a plastic cover with the tether
anchorage symbol on it.
Tether Strap Anchorages
LATCH-compatible child restraint systems will
be equipped with a rigid bar or a flexible strap
on each side. Each will have a hook or
connector to attach to the lower anchorage and
a way to tighten the connection to the
anchorage. Forward-facing child restraints and
some rear-facing child restraints will also be equipped with a tether strap. The tether strap
will have a hook at the end to attach to the top
tether anchorage and a way to tighten the strap
after it is attached to the anchorage.
Center Seat LATCH
If a child restraint installed in the center
position blocks the seat belt webbing or buckle
for the outboard position, do not use that
outboard position. If a child seat in the center
position blocks the outboard LATCH anchors or
seat belt, do not install a child seat in that
outboard position.
Always follow the directions of the child
restraint manufacturer when installing your
child restraint. Not all child restraint systems
will be installed as described here.
WARNING!
Never use the same lower anchorage to
attach more than one child restraint. Please
refer to “To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint” for typical installation instructions.
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20_LX_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 137
138SAFETY
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint
If the selected seating position has a
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
seat belt, stow the seat belt, following the
instructions below. See the section “Installing
Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat Belt” to
check what type of seat belt each seating
position has.
1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps
and on the tether strap of the child seat so
that you can more easily attach the hooks
or connectors to the vehicle anchorages.
2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. If the
second row seat can be reclined, you may
recline the seat and/or raise the head
restraint (if adjustable) to get a better fit. If
the rear seat can be moved forward and
rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to
move it to its rear-most position to make
room for the child seat. You may also move
the front seat forward to allow more room
for the child seat. 3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of the
child restraint to the lower anchorages in
the selected seating position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage. See
the section “Installing Child Restraints
Using the Top Tether Anchorage” for
directions to attach a tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward into
the seat. Remove slack in the straps
according to the child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the child seat at
the belt path. It should not move more than
1 inch (25.4 mm) in any direction.
How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR
(ALR) Seat Belt:
When using the LATCH attaching system to
install a child restraint, stow all ALR seat belts
that are not being used by other occupants or
being used to secure child restraints. An unused
belt could injure a child if they play with it and
accidentally lock the seat belt retractor. Before installing a child restraint using the
LATCH system, buckle the seat belt behind the
child restraint and out of the child’s reach. If the
buckled seat belt interferes with the child
restraint installation, instead of buckling it
behind the child restraint, route the seat belt
through the child restraint belt path and then
buckle it. Do not lock the seat belt. Remind all
children in the vehicle that the seat belts are not
toys and that they should not play with them.
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to
the LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of
the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed. Follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
Child restraint anchorages are designed to
withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly-fitted child restraints. Under no
circumstances are they to be used for adult
seat belts, harnesses, or for attaching other
items or equipment to the vehicle.
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