3. Seats & Safety System
3
Important Safety Precautions ....................................................................... 3-2Always Wear Your Seat Belt ..................................................................................... 3-2
Restrain All Children ................................................................................................. 3-2
Air Bag Hazards ........................................................................................................ 3-2
Driver Distraction ..................................................................................................... 3-2
Control Your Speed .................................................................................................. 3-2
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe Condition ....................................................................... 3-2
Seats ............................................................................................................... 3-3Safety Precautions ................................................................................................... 3-4
Front Seats ................................................................................................................ 3-5
Rear Seats ................................................................................................................3-10
Head Restraints ........................................................................................................3-11
Seat Warmers .......................................................................................................... 3-15
Seat Belts ....................................................................................................... 3-17Seat Belt Safety Precautions .................................................................................. 3-17
Seat Belt Warning Light ..........................................................................................3-18
Seat Belt Restraint System .....................................................................................3-18
Additional Seat Belt Safety Precautions ............................................................... 3-23
Care of Seat Belts ................................................................................................... 3-25
Child Restraint System (CRS) ...................................................................... 3-26Children Always in the Rear ................................................................................... 3-26
Selecting a Child Restraint System (CRS) ..............................................................3-27
Installing a Child Restraint System (CRS) ............................................................. 3-28
Air Bag - Advanced Supplemental Restraint System ................................ 3-35Where Are the Air Bags? ........................................................................................ 3-37
How Does the Air Bag System Operate? ...............................................................3-40
What to Expect After an Air Bag Inflates .............................................................. 3-43
Occupant Classification System (OCS) ................................................................. 3-44
Why Didn’t My Air Bag Go Off in a Collision? ....................................................... 3-50
SRS Care ................................................................................................................. 3-54
Additional Safety Precautions ............................................................................... 3-55
Air Bag Warning Labels .......................................................................................... 3-55
This chapter provides you with important information about how to protect yourself and your
passengers. It explains how to properly use your seats and seat belts, and how your air bags work.
Additionally, this chapter explains how to properly restrain infants and children in your vehicle.
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Seats & Safety System
3-2
You will find many safety precautions
and recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The safety precautions in this section are
among the most important.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all
types of accidents. Air bags are designed
to supplement seat belts, not replace
them. So even though your vehicle is
equipped with air bags, ALWAYS make
sure you and your passengers wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
Restrain All Children
All children under age 13 should ride
in your vehicle properly restrained in a
rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and
small children should be restrained in
an appropriate child restraint. Larger
children should use a booster seat with
the lap/shoulder belt until they can use
the seat belt properly without a booster
seat.
Air Bag Hazards
While air bags can save lives, they can
also cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them, or
who are not properly restrained. Infants,
young children, and shorter adults are at
the greatest risk of being injured by an
inflating air bag. Follow all instructions
and warnings in this manual.
Driver Distraction
Driver distraction presents a serious and
potentially deadly danger, especially for
inexperienced drivers. Safety should be
the first concern when behind the wheel,
and drivers need to be aware of the wide
array of potential distractions, such as
drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating,
personal grooming, other passengers,
and using cellular phones.Drivers can become distracted when
they take their eyes and attention off
the road or their hands off the wheel to
focus on activities other than driving. To
reduce your risk of distraction or getting
into an accident:
• ALWAYS set up your mobile devices
(i.e., MP3 players, phones, navigation
units, etc.) when your vehicle is
parked or safely stopped.
• ONLY use your mobile device when
allowed by laws and when conditions
permit safe use. NEVER text or email
while driving. Most states have laws
prohibiting drivers from texting. Some
states and cities also prohibit drivers
from using handheld phones.
• NEVER let the use of a mobile device
distract you from driving. You have a
responsibility to your passengers and
others on the road to always drive
safely, with your hands on the wheel
as well as your eyes and attention on
the road.
Control Your Speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash
injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher
the speed, the greater the risk, but
serious injuries can also occur at lower
speeds. Never drive faster than is safe
for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe
Condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical
failure can be extremely hazardous. To
reduce the possibility of such problems,
check your tire pressures and condition
frequently, and perform all regularly
scheduled maintenance.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
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Seats & Safety System
3-4
Safety Precautions
Adjusting the seats so that you are sitting
in a safe, comfortable position plays an
important role in driver and passenger
safety together with the seat belts and
air bags in an accident.
WARNING
Do not use a cushion that reduces
friction between the seat and the
passenger. The passenger’s hips may
slide under the lap portion of the seat
belt during an accident or a sudden
stop. Serious or fatal internal injuries
could result because the seat belt
cannot operate properly.
Air bags
You can take steps to reduce the risk
of being injured by an inflating air bag.
Sitting too close to an air bag greatly
increases the risk of injury in the event
the air bag inflates.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) recommends
that drivers allow at least 10 inches (25
cm) between the center of the steering
wheel and their chest.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death from an inflating air bag, take the
following precautions:
• Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible while maintaining
the ability to maintain full control of
the vehicle.
• Adjust the front passenger seat as far
to the rear as possible.
• Hold the steering wheel by the rim
with hands at the 9 o’clock and 3
o’clock positions to minimize the risk
of injuries to your hands and arms.• NEVER place anything or anyone
between the steering wheel and the
air bag.
• Do not allow the front passenger to
place feet or legs on the dashboard
to minimize the risk of leg injuries.
Seat belts
Always fasten your seat belt before
starting any trip.
At all times, passengers should sit
upright and be properly restrained.
Infants and small children must be
restrained in appropriate child restraint
systems. Adults and children who
have outgrown a booster seat must be
restrained using the seat belts.
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
adjusting your seat belt:
• NEVER use one seat belt for more
than one occupant.
• Always position the seatback upright
with the lap portion of the seat belt
snug and low across the hips.
• NEVER allow children or small infants
to ride on a passenger’s lap.
• Do not route the seat belt across your
neck, across sharp edges, or reroute
the shoulder strap away from your
body.
• Do not allow the seat belt to become
caught or jammed.
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03
3-7
Power adjustment (if equipped)
The front seat can be adjusted by
using the control switches located on
the outside of the seat cushion.Before
driving, adjust the seat to the proper
position so that you can easily control
the steering wheel, foot pedals and
controls on the instrument panel.
WARNING
NEVER allow children in the vehicle
unattended. The power seats are
operable when the vehicle is turned off.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the seats:
• Always stop adjusting the seats when
the seat has moved as far forward or
rearward as possible.
• Do not adjust the seats for longer
than necessary when the vehicle
is turned off. This may result in
unnecessary battery drain.
• Do not operate two or more seats at
the same time. This may result in an
electrical malfunction.
OCN7030005OCN7030005
) R U Z D U G D Q G U H D U Z D U G D G M X V W P H Q W
To move the seat forward or rearward:
1. Push the control switch forward or
rearward.
2. Release the switch once the seat
reaches the desired position.
OCN7030006OCN7030006
6 H D W E D F N D Q J O H
To adjust the seatback:
1. R
otate the top of control switch
forward or rearward.
2. Release the switch once the seatback
reaches the desired position.
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3-15
Seat Warmers
Front seat warmers (if equipped)
Seat warmers are provided to warm the
seats during cold weather.
WARNING
The seat warmers can cause a SERIOUS
BURN, even at low temperatures and
especially if used for long periods of
time.
Passengers must be able to feel if the
seat is becoming too warm so they can
turn it off, if needed.
People who cannot detect temperature
change or pain to the skin should
use extreme caution, especially the
following types of passengers:
• Infants, children, elderly or disabled
persons, or hospital outpatients.
• People with sensitive skin or who
burn easily.
• Fatigued individuals.
• Intoxicated individuals.
• People taking medication that can
cause drowsiness or sleepiness.
WARNING
NEVER place anything on the seat
that insulates against heat when the
seat warmer is in operation, such as a
blanket or seat cushion. This may cause
the seat warmer to overheat, causing a
burn or damage to the seat.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the seat warmers
and seats:
• Never use a solvent such as paint
thinner, benzene, alcohol or gasoline
to clean the seats.
• Do not place heavy or sharp objects
on seats equipped with seat warmers.
• Do not change the seat cover. It
may damage the seat warmer or air
ventilation system.
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3-17
SEAT BELTS
This section describes how to use the
seat belts properly. It also describes
some of the things to avoid when using
seat belts.
Seat Belt Safety Precautions
Always fasten your seat belt and make
sure all passengers have fastened their
seat belts before starting any trip. Air
bags are designed to supplement the
seat belt as an additional safety device,
but they are not a substitute. Most states
require all occupants of a vehicle to wear
seat belts.
WARNING
Seat belts must be used by ALL
passengers whenever the vehicle is
moving. Take the following precautions
when adjusting and wearing seat belts:
• ALWAYS properly restrain children
under age 13 in the rear seats.
• NEVER allow children to ride in the
front passenger seat. If a child age 13
or older must be seated in the front
seat, move the seat as far back as
possible and properly restrain them
in the seat.
• NEVER allow an infant or child to be
carried on an occupant’s lap.
• NEVER ride with the seatback
reclined when the vehicle is moving.
• Do not allow children to share a seat
or seat belt.
• Do not wear the shoulder belt under
your arm or behind your back.
• Always wear both the shoulder
portion and lap portion of the lap/
shoulder belt.
• Do not use the seat belt if it is
twisted. A twisted seat belt will not
protect you properly in an accident.
• Do not use a seat belt if the webbing
or hardware is damaged.• Do not latch the seat belt into the
buckles of other seats.
• NEVER unfasten the seat belt
while driving. This may cause loss
of vehicle control resulting in an
accident.
• Make sure there is nothing in the
buckle interfering with the seat belt
latch mechanism. This may prevent
the seat belt from fastening securely.
• No modifications or additions
should be made by the user which
will either prevent the seat belt
adjusting devices from operating to
remove slack, or prevent the seat
belt assembly from being adjusted to
remove slack.
WARNING
Damaged seat belts and seat belt
assemblies will not operate properly.
Always replace:
• Frayed, contaminated, or damaged
webbing
• Damaged hardware
• The entire seat belt assembly after it
has been worn in an accident, even
if damage to webbing or assembly is
not apparent
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