WARNING: Depending on whereyou secure a child restraint, anddepending on the child restraint design,you may block access to certain seatbeltbuckle assemblies and LATCH loweranchors, rendering those featurespotentially unusable. To avoid risk ofinjury, make sure occupants only useseating positions where they are able tobe properly restrained.
The Lower Anchors and Tethers forCHildren (LATCH) system has threevehicle anchor points:
•Two lower anchors where the vehicleseat backrest and seat cushion meet,called the seat bight.
•One top tether anchor behind thatseating position.
LATCH compatible child restraints havetwo rigid or webbing mountedattachments. These attachments connectto the two lower anchors at the LATCHequipped seating positions in your vehicle.This type of attachment methodeliminates the need to use seatbelts toattach the child restraint.
However, you can still use the seatbelt toattach the child restraint if the loweranchors are not used. For forward facingchild restraints, you must also attach thetop tether strap to the proper top tetheranchor if a top tether strap has beenprovided with your child restraint.
Follow the instructions later in this chapteron attaching child restraints with tetherstraps.
INSTALLING A CHILD RESTRAINTIN A CENTER SEAT
WARNING: The standardizedspacing for LATCH lower anchors is 11 in(280 mm) center to center. Do not useLATCH lower anchors for the centerseating position unless the child restraintmanufacturer's instructions permit andspecify using anchors spaced at least asfar apart as those in this vehicle.
You cannot install a child restraint withrigid LATCH attachments at the centerseating position. You can only use LATCHcompatible child restraints, withattachments on belt webbing, at thisseating position provided that the childrestraint manufacturer's instructionspermit use with the anchor spacing stated.Do not attach a child restraint to any loweranchor if another child restraint is attachedto that anchor.
Each time you use the child restraint, checkthat the seat is properly attached to thelower anchors and tether anchor, ifapplicable. Tug the child restraint from sideto side and forward and back where it issecured to the vehicle. The seat shouldmove less than 1 in (2.5 cm).
If you did not properly anchor the childrestraint, the risk of a child being injured ina crash greatly increases.
COMBINING THE SEATBELT ANDLOWER ANCHORS FORATTACHING CHILD RESTRAINTS
When used in combination, you may attachthe seatbelt or the LATCH lower anchorsfirst, provided a proper installation isachieved. Attach the tether strap afterwardif it is included with the child restraint.
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USING TETHER STRAPS
Many forward-facing child restraintsinclude a tether strap which extends fromthe back of the child restraint and hooksto an anchoring point called the top tetheranchor. Tether straps are available as anaccessory for many older child restraints.
Contact the manufacturer of your childrestraint for information about ordering atether strap, or to obtain a longer tetherstrap if the tether strap on your childrestraint does not reach the appropriatetop tether anchor in your vehicle.
Attach the tether strap only to theappropriate tether anchor. The tether strapmay not work properly if attachedsomewhere other than the correct tetheranchor.
Note:If you install a child restraint with rigidLATCH attachments, do not tighten thetether strap enough to lift the child restraintoff the vehicle seat cushion when the childis seated in it. Keep the tether strap just snugwithout lifting the front of the child restraint.Keeping the child restraint just touching thevehicle seat gives the best protection in asevere crash.
Once you have installed the child restraintusing either the seatbelt, the lower anchorsof the LATCH system, or both, you canattach the top tether strap.
1.Route the child restraint tether strapover the back of the seat. For theoutermost seating positions, route thetether strap under the head restraintand between the head restraint posts.For vehicles with a center seatingposition, route the tether strap over thetop of the head restraint. If needed, youcan also remove the head restraints.
Note:The head restraints are notremovable on 2-door vehicles.
2.Locate the correct anchor behind thegap cover for the selected seatingposition.
3.Clip the tether strap to the anchor asshown.
4.Tighten the child restraint tether strapaccording to the manufacturer'sinstructions.
If your child restraint system has a tetherstrap, and the child restraint manufacturerrecommends its use, we also recommendits use.
BOOSTER SEATS
Use a belt-positioning booster seat forchildren who have outgrown or no longerproperly fit in a child restraint and meetthe following criteria.
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•Generally children who are less than57 in (1.45 m) tall.
•Are greater than age four (4) and lessthan age twelve (12).
•Are between 40 lb (18 kg) and 80 lb(36 kg) and upward to 100 lb (45 kg).
Many state and provincial laws require thatchildren use approved booster seats untilthey reach age eight, a height of 57 in(1.45 m) tall, or 80 lb (36 kg).
Booster seats should be used until you cananswer yes to all of these questions whenseated without a booster seat:
•Can the child sit all the way backagainst their vehicle seat backrest withknees bent comfortably at the edge ofthe seat cushion?
•Can the child sit without slouching?
•Does the lap belt rest low across thehips?
•Is the shoulder belt centered on theshoulder and chest?
•Can the child stay seated like this forthe whole trip?
Always use booster seats in conjunctionwith your vehicle lap and shoulder belt.
Types of Booster Seats
•Backless booster seats
If your backless booster seat has aremovable shield, remove the shield.
If a vehicle seating position has a low seatbackrest or no head restraint, a backlessbooster seat may place your child's head,as measured at the tops of the ears, abovethe top of the seat. In this case, move thebackless booster to another seatingposition with a higher seat backrest orhead restraint and lap and shoulder belts,or consider using a high-back booster seat.
•High-back booster seats
If, with a backless booster seat, you cannotfind a seating position that adequatelysupports your child's head, a high-backbooster seat would be a better choice.
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SEATBELT PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Always drive and ridewith your seatback upright and the lapbelt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING: Children must alwaysbe properly restrained.
WARNING: Do not allow apassenger to hold a child on their lapwhen your vehicle is moving. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death in the event of asudden stop or crash.
WARNING: All occupants of yourvehicle, including the driver, shouldalways properly wear their seatbelts,even when an airbag supplementalrestraint system is provided. Failure toproperly wear your seatbelt couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: It is extremelydangerous to ride in a cargo area, insideor outside of a vehicle. In a crash, peopleriding in these areas are more likely to beseriously injured or killed. Do not allowpeople to ride in any area of your vehiclethat is not equipped with seats andseatbelts. Make sure everyone in yourvehicle is in a seat and properly using aseatbelt. Failure to follow this warningcould result in serious personal injury ordeath.
WARNING: In a rollover crash, anunbelted person is significantly morelikely to die than a person wearing aseatbelt.
WARNING: Each seating positionin your vehicle has a specific seatbeltassembly made up of one buckle andone tongue designed to be used as a pair.Use the shoulder belt on the outsideshoulder only. Never wear the shoulderbelt under the arm. Never use a singleseatbelt for more than one person.
WARNING: Even with advancedrestraints systems, properly restrainchildren 12 and under in a rear seatingposition. Failure to follow this couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Seatbelts and seatsmay be hot in a vehicle that is in thesunshine. The hot seatbelts or seats mayburn a small child. Check seat covers andbuckles before you place a childanywhere near them.
WARNING: If your vehicle isinvolved in a crash, have the seatbeltsand associated components inspectedas soon as possible. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injuryor death.
All seating positions in this vehicle havelap and shoulder seatbelts. All occupantsof the vehicle should properly wear theirseatbelts, even when an airbagsupplemental restraint system is provided.
The seatbelt system consists of:
•Lap and shoulder seatbelts.
•A shoulder seatbelt with automaticlocking mode, except driver seatbelt.
•Seatbelt pretensioners at the frontoutermost and rear outermost seatingpositions.
·A seatbelt warning light andchime.
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Seatbelt fastened.A
Seatbelt not fastened.B
Seatbelt recently unfastened.C
Fault.D
SWITCHING THE SEATBELTREMINDER ON AND OFF
WARNING: While the systemallows you to deactivate it, this systemis designed to improve your chances ofbeing safely belted and surviving anaccident. We recommend you leave thesystem activated for yourself and otherswho may use the vehicle.
Note:The driver and front passengerwarnings switch off independently. Whenyou perform this procedure for one seatingposition, do not buckle the other position asthis cancels the process.
Note:If you are using MyKey, you cannotdisable the seatbelt reminder. Also, if theseatbelt reminder has been previouslydisabled, it is re-enabled during the use ofMyKey. See MyKey™ (page 84).
Read Steps 1 - 4 before proceeding withthe programming procedure.
Make sure that:
•The parking brake is set.
•The transmission is in park (P).
•The ignition is off.
•The driver and front passengerseatbelts are unfastened.
1.Switch the ignition on. Do not start theengine.
2.After Step 1, wait an additional fiveseconds before proceeding with Step3. Once you start Step 3, you mustcomplete the procedure within 30seconds.
3.For the seating position you areswitching off, buckle then unbuckle theseatbelt four times at a moderatespeed, ending in the unbuckled state.After Step 3, the seatbelt warning lightswitches on.
4.When the seatbelt warning light is on,buckle then unbuckle the seatbelt.After Step 4, the seatbelt warning lightflashes for confirmation.
This switches the feature off for thatseating position if it is currently on.
This switches the feature on for thatseating position if it is currently off.
CHECKING THE SEATBELTS
Check the seatbelts and child restraintsperiodically to make sure they workproperly and are not damaged. Make surethere are no nicks, tears or cuts. Replace ifnecessary.
Check all of the following seatbeltassemblies after a crash.
•Retractors.
•Buckles.
•Front seatbelt buckle assemblies.
•Buckle support assemblies.
•Child restraint LATCH and tetheranchors.
•Attaching hardware.
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Read the child restraint manufacturer'sinstructions for additional inspection andmaintenance information specific to thechild restraint.
We recommend that all seatbeltassemblies in use in vehicles involved in acrash be replaced. However, if the crashwas minor and an authorized dealer findsthat the belts do not show damage andcontinue to operate properly, they do notneed to be replaced. Seatbelt assembliesnot in use during a crash should also bechecked and replaced if either damage orimproper operation is noted.
Properly care for seatbelts. See Cleaningthe Interior (page 426).
SEATBELT EXTENSIONS
WARNING: Persons who fit intothe vehicle's seatbelt should not use anextension. Unnecessary use could resultin serious personal injury in the event ofa crash.
WARNING: Only use extensionsprovided free of charge by our dealers.The dealer will provide an extensiondesigned specifically for this vehicle,model year and seating position. The useof an extension intended for anothervehicle, model year or seating positionmay not offer you the full protection ofyour vehicle's seatbelt restraint system.
WARNING: Never use seatbeltextensions to install child restraints.
WARNING: Do not use extensionsto change the way the seatbelt fitsacross the torso, over the lap or to makethe seatbelt buckle easier to reach.
If, because of body size or driving position,it is not possible to properly fasten theseatbelt over your lap and shoulder, anextension that is compatible with theseatbelts is available free of charge fromour dealers. Only use our seatbeltextensions made by the original equipmentseatbelt manufacturer with our seatbelts.Ask your authorized dealer if your extensionis compatible with your vehicle restraintsystem.
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The system consists of the following:
•Safety Canopy curtain airbags abovethe trim panels over the front and rearside windows identified by a label orwording on the side rail trim or theroof-pillar trim.
•Side rail trim which opens above theside doors to allow air curtaindeployment
· Crash sensors and monitoringsystem with a readinessindicator. See Crash Sensorsand Airbag Indicator (page 75).
Properly restrain children 12 years old andunder in the rear seats. The Safety Canopywill not interfere with children restrainedusing a properly installed child or boosterseat because it is designed to inflatedownward from the side rail trim abovethe doors along the side window opening.
WARNING: Do not place objectsor mount equipment on or near the siderail trim or A-pillar that may come intocontact with a deploying curtain airbag.Failure to follow this instruction couldresult in personal injury or death.
4-Door
2-Door
AIRBAG PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Airbags do not inflateslowly or gently, and the risk of injuryfrom a deploying airbag is the greatestclose to the trim covering the airbagmodule.
WARNING: All occupants of yourvehicle, including the driver, shouldalways properly wear their seatbelts,even when an airbag supplementalrestraint system is provided. Failure toproperly wear your seatbelt couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Properly securechildren 12 years old and under in a rearseating position whenever possible. Ifyou are unable to properly secure allchildren in a rear seating position,properly secure the largest child on thefront seat. If you must use a forwardfacing child restraint on the front seat,move the seat as far back as possible.Failure to follow these instructions couldresult in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Do not place your armson the airbag cover or through thesteering wheel. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injury.
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WARNING: Keep the areas in frontof the airbags free from obstruction. Donot affix anything to or over the airbagcovers. Objects could become projectilesduring airbag deployment. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
WARNING: To reduce risk of injury,do not obstruct or place objects in thedeployment path of the airbag.
WARNING: Do not place arearward facing child restraint in front ofan active airbag. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injuryor death.
WARNING: Do not attempt toservice, repair, or modify thesupplementary restraint system orassociated components. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
WARNING: Several airbag systemcomponents get hot after inflation. Toreduce the risk of injury, do not touchthem after inflation.
WARNING: If a supplementaryrestraint system component hasdeployed, it will not function again. Havethe system and associated componentsinspected as soon as possible. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
PROPERLY ADJUSTING THE
DRIVER AND FRONT
PASSENGER SEATS
WARNING: National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)recommends a minimum distance of atleast 10 in (25 cm) between anoccupant's chest and the driver airbagmodule.
To properly position yourself away fromthe airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as youcan while still reaching the pedalscomfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly one or twodegrees from the upright position.
After all occupants have adjusted theirseats and put on seatbelts, it is veryimportant that they continue to sitproperly. Properly seated occupants situpright, lean against the seat backrest, andcenter themselves on the seat cushion,with their feet comfortably extended onthe floor. Sitting improperly can increasethe chance of injury in a crash event. Forexample, if an occupant slouches, liesdown, turns sideways, sits forward, leansforward or sideways, or puts one or bothfeet up, the chance of injury during a crashgreatly increases.
CHILDREN AND AIRBAGS
WARNING: Do not place arearward facing child restraint in front ofan active airbag. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injuryor death.
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