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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SAFETY125
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.
Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag
This vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental
Driver Knee Air Bag mounted in the instrument
panel below the steering column. The
Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag provides
enhanced protection during a frontal impact by
working together with the seat belts,
pretensioners, and front air bags.
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags
(SABs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs).
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags
(SABs) are located in the outboard side of the
front seats. The SABs are marked with “SRS
AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” on a label or on the seat
trim on the outboard side of the seats.
The SABs may help to reduce the risk of
occupant injury during certain side impacts, in
addition to the injury reduction potential
provided by the seat belts and body structure.
Front Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on
the outboard side of the seatback’s trim cover.
The inflating SAB deploys through the seat
seam into the space between the occupant and
the door. The SAB moves at a very high speed
and with such a high force that it could injure
occupants if they are not seated properly, or if
items are positioned in the area where the SAB
inflates. Children are at an even greater risk of
injury from a deploying air bag.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs) are located above the side windows.
The trim covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS
AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG.”
WARNING!
Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee
impact bolsters in any way.
Do not mount any accessories to the knee
impact bolsters such as alarm lights,
stereos, citizen band radios, etc.WARNING!
Do not use accessory seat covers or place
objects between you and the Side Air Bags;
the performance could be adversely affected
and/or objects could be pushed into you,
causing serious injury.
4
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SAFETY127
Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt
restraint system. Side Air Bags deploy in less
time than it takes to blink your eyes.
NOTE:
Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deploy-
ment. Rollover Events
Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners are
designed to activate in certain rollover events.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
determines whether deployment in a particular
rollover event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. Vehicle damage by
itself is not a good indicator of whether or not
Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners
should have deployed.
The Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners
will not deploy in all rollover events. The rollover
sensing system determines if a rollover event
may be in progress and whether deployment is
appropriate. In the event the vehicle
experiences a rollover or near rollover event,
and deployment is appropriate, the rollover
sensing system will deploy the Side Air Bags and
seat belt pretensioners on both sides of the
vehicle.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial
or complete ejection of vehicle occupants
through side windows in certain rollover or side
impact events.
WARNING!
Occupants, including children, who are up
against or very close to Side Air Bags can be
seriously injured or killed. Occupants,
including children, should never lean on or
sleep against the door, side windows, or
area where the side air bags inflate, even if
they are in an infant or child restraint.
Seat belts (and child restraints where
appropriate) are necessary for your protec
-
tion in all collisions. They also help keep
you in position, away from an inflating Side
Air Bag. To get the best protection from the
Side Air Bags, occupants must wear their
seat belts properly and sit upright with their
backs against the seats. Children must be
properly restrained in a child restraint or
booster seat that is appropriate for the size
of the child.
WARNING!
Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not
lean against the door or window. Sit upright
in the center of the seat.
Being too close to the Side Air Bags during
deployment could cause you to be severely
injured or killed.
Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could
lead to more severe injuries in a collision.
The Side Air Bags work with your seat belt
to restrain you properly. In some collisions,
Side Air Bags won’t deploy at all. Always
wear your seat belt even though you have
Side Air Bags.4
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130SAFETY
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is
to record, in certain crash or near crash-like
situations, such as an air bag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in
understanding how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems
for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds
or less. The EDR in this vehicle is designed to
record such data as:
How various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
How far (if at all) the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE:
EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data (e.g., name,
gender, age, and crash location) are recorded.
However, other parties, such as law enforce -
ment, could combine the EDR data with the type
of personally identifying data routinely acquired
during a crash investigation. To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required, and access to the
vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the special
equipment, can read the information if they
have access to the vehicle or the EDR.
CHILD RESTRAINTS
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up
at all times, including babies and children. Every
state in the United States, and every Canadian
province, requires that small children ride in
proper restraint systems. This is the law, and
you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride
properly buckled up in a rear seat, if available.
According to crash statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seats
rather than in the front.
It is dangerous to try to repair any part of
the air bag system yourself. Be sure to tell
anyone who works on your vehicle that it
has an air bag system.
Do not attempt to modify any part of your air
bag system. The air bag may inflate acciden
-
tally or may not function properly if modifica -
tions are made. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer for any air bag system
service. If your seat, including your trim cover
and cushion, needs to be serviced in any way
(including removal or loosening/tightening
of seat attachment bolts), take the vehicle to
an authorized dealer. Only manufacturer
approved seat accessories may be used. If it
is necessary to modify the air bag system for
persons with disabilities, contact an autho -
rized dealer.
WARNING! (Continued)
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132SAFETY
(Continued)
Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rear-facing in the vehicle until they are two years
old or until they reach either the height or
weight limit of their rear-facing child restraint.
Two types of child restraints can be used
rear-facing: infant carriers and convertible child
seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children from
birth until they reach the weight or height limit of
the infant carrier. Convertible child seats can be
used either rear-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a
higher weight limit in the rear-facing direction
than infant carriers do, so they can be used
rear-facing by children who have outgrown their
infant carrier but are still less than at least two
years old. Children should remain rear-facing
until they reach the highest weight or height
allowed by their convertible child seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child seat
can ride forward-facing in the vehicle.
Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are
for children who are over two years old or who
have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height
limit of their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should remain in a forward-facing child
seat with a harness for as long as possible, up
to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use
a belt-positioning booster seat until the
vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the child
cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s
seat cushion while the child’s back is against
the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning
booster seat. The child and belt-positioning
booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
seat belt.
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!
Improper installation can lead to failure of
an infant or child restraint. It could come
loose in a collision. The child could be badly
injured or killed. Follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
20_LX_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 132
SAFETY133
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the
shoulder belt comfortably, and whose legs are
long enough to bend over the front of the seat
when their back is against the seatback, should
use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple
5-step test to decide whether the child can use
the vehicle’s seat belt alone:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against
the back of the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat – while the child
is still sitting all the way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and not the
stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was “no,”
then the child still needs to use a booster seat in
this vehicle. If the child is using the lap/shoulder
belt, check seat belt fit periodically and make
sure the seat belt buckle is latched. A child’s
squirming or slouching can move the belt out of
position. If the shoulder belt contacts the face or
neck, move the child closer to the center of the
vehicle, or use a booster seat to position the seat
belt on the child correctly.
After a child restraint is installed in the
vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat
forward or rearward because it can loosen
the child restraint attachments. Remove
the child restraint before adjusting the
vehicle seat position. When the vehicle seat
has been adjusted, reinstall the child
restraint.
When your child restraint is not in use,
secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or
LATCH anchorages, or remove it from the
vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the vehicle.
In a sudden stop or accident, it could strike
the occupants or seatbacks and cause
serious personal injury.
WARNING!
(Continued)
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt
under an arm or behind their back. In a crash,
the shoulder belt will not protect a child
properly, which may result in serious injury or
death. A child must always wear both the lap
and shoulder portions of the seat belt
correctly.
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SAFETY135
Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren
(LATCH) Restraint System
LATCH Label
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint
anchorage system called LATCH, which stands
for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The
LATCH system has three vehicle anchor points
for installing LATCH-equipped child seats. There
are two lower anchorages located at the back of
the seat cushion where it meets the seatback
and one top tether anchorage located behind
the seating position. These anchorages are
used to install LATCH-equipped child seats
without using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some
seating positions may have a top tether
anchorage but no lower anchorages. In these
seating positions, the seat belt must be used
with the top tether anchorage to install the child
restraint. Please see the following table for
more information.
LATCH Positions For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints
In This Vehicle
Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per
Seating Position)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
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136SAFETY
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
What is the weight limit (child’s weight + weight
of the child restraint) for using the LATCH
anchorage system to attach the child restraint? 65 lbs (29.5 kg)Use the LATCH anchorage system until the combined weight of the
child and the child restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the seat belt
and tether anchor instead of the LATCH system once the
combined weight is more than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the seat belt be
used together to attach a rear-facing or
forward-facing child restraint? NoDo not use the seat belt when you use the LATCH anchorage
system to attach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Booster seats may be attached to the LATCH anchorages if
allowed by the booster seat manufacturer. See your booster seat
owner’s manual for more information.
Can two child restraints be attached using a
common lower LATCH anchorage? NoNever “share” a LATCH anchorage with two or more child
restraints. If the center position does not have dedicated LATCH
lower anchorages, use the seat belt to install a child seat in the
center position next to a child seat using the LATCH anchorages in
an outboard position.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch the
back of the front passenger seat? YesThe child seat may touch the back of the front passenger seat if
the child restraint manufacturer also allows contact. See your
child restraint owner’s manual for more information.
Can the rear head restraints be removed? No
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