SAFETY267
Occupant Classification System (OCS) — Front Passenger Seat
The Occupant Classification System (OCS) is part of a Federally regulated safety system for this vehicle. It is designed to provide Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag output appropriate
to the occupant’s seated weight, as determined by the OCS.
The Occupant Classification System (OCS) consists of the following:
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
Occupant Classification Module (OCM) and Sensor located in the front passenger seat
Air Bag Warning Light
Occupant Classification Module (OCM) And Sensor
The Occupant Classification Module (OCM) is located underneath the front passenger seat. The Sensor is located beneath the passenger seat cushion foam. Any weight on the seat
will be sensed by the Sensor. The OCM uses input from the Sensor to determine the front passenger’s most probable classification. The OCM communicates this information to the
ORC. The ORC may reduce the inflation rate of the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag deployment based on occupant classification. In order for the OCS to operate as designed, it is
important for the front passenger to be seated properly and properly wearing the seat belt.
The OCS will NOT prevent deployment of the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag. The OCS may reduce the inflation rate of the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag if the OCS estimates that:
The front passenger seat is unoccupied or has very light objects on it; or
The front passenger seat is occupied by a small passenger, including a child; or
The front passenger seat is occupied by a rear-facing child restraint; or
The front passenger is not properly seated or his or her weight is taken off of the seat for a period of time.
* It is possible for a child to be classified as an adult, allowing a full-power Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag deployment. Never allow children to ride in the front passenger seat and
never install a child restraint system, including a rear-facing child restraint, in the front passenger seat. Front Passenger Seat Occupant Status
Front Passenger Air Bag Output
Rear-facing child restraint Reduced-power deployment
Child, including a child in a forward-facing child restraint or booster seat* Reduced-power deployment OR Full-power deployment
Properly seated adult Full-power deployment OR reduced-power deployment
Unoccupied seat Reduced-power deployment
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268SAFETY
The OCS determines the front passenger’s most probable
classification. The OCS estimates the seated weight on the
front passenger seat and where that weight is located. The
OCS communicates the classification status to the ORC.
The ORC uses the classification to determine whether the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag inflation rate should be
adjusted.
In order for the OCS to operate as designed, it is important
for the front passenger to be seated properly and properly
wearing the seat belt. Properly seated passengers are:
Sitting upright
Facing forward
Sitting in the center of the seat with their feet comfort -
ably on or near the floor
Sitting with their back against the seatback and the
seatback in an upright position
Seated Properly
Lighter Weight Passengers (Including Small Adults)
When a lighter weight passenger, including a small adult,
occupies the front passenger seat, the OCS may reduce
the inflation rate of the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag.
This does not mean that the OCS is working improperly.
Do not decrease OR increase the front passenger’s seated
weight on the front passenger seat
The front passenger’s seated weight must be properly
positioned on the front passenger seat. Failure to do so
may result in serious injury or death. The OCS determines
the most probable classification of the occupant that it
detects. The OCS will detect the front passenger’s
decreased or increased seated weight, which may result in
an adjusted inflation rate of the Passenger Advanced
Front Air Bag in a collision. This does not mean that the
OCS is working improperly. Decreasing the front
passenger’s seated weight on the front passenger seat
may result in a reduced-power deployment of the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag. Increasing the front
passenger’s seated weight on the front passenger seat
may result in a full-power deployment of the Passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag.
Examples of improper front passenger seating include:
The front passenger’s weight is transferred to another
part of the vehicle (like the door, arm rest or instrument
panel).
The front passenger leans forward, sideways, or turns
to face the rear of the vehicle.
The front passenger’s seatback is not in the full upright
position.
The front passenger carries or holds an object while
seated (e.g., backpack, box, etc.).
Objects are lodged under the front passenger seat.
Objects are lodged between the front passenger seat
and center console.
Accessories that may change the seated weight on the
front passenger seat are attached to the front
passenger seat.
Anything that may decrease or increase the front
passenger’s seated weight.
The OCS determines the front passenger’s most probable
classification. If an occupant in the front passenger seat is
seated improperly, the occupant may provide an output
signal to the OCS that is different from the occupant’s
properly seated weight input, for example:
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.
Children 12 years or younger should always ride
buckled up in the rear seat of a vehicle with a
rear seat.
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SAFETY269
Not Seated Properly
Not Seated Properly Not Seated Properly
Not Seated Properly
WARNING!
If a child restraint system, child, small teenager or
adult in the front passenger seat is seated improp -
erly, the occupant may provide an output signal to
the OCS that is different from the occupant’s properly
seated weight input. This may result in serious injury
or death in a collision.
Always wear your seat belt and sit properly, with the
seatback in an upright position, your back against
the seatback, sitting upright, facing forward, in the
center of the seat, with your feet comfortably on or
near the floor.
Do not carry or hold any objects (e.g., backpacks,
boxes, etc.) while seated in the front passenger seat.
Holding an object may provide an output signal to the
OCS that is different than the occupant’s properly
seated weight input, which may result in serious
injury or death in a collision.
Placing an object on the floor under the front
passenger seat may prevent the OCS from working
properly, which may result in serious injury or death
in a collision. Do not place any objects on the floor
under the front passenger seat.
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SAFETY271
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.”
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.
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.
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 permanent 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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272SAFETY
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.
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 deployment.
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.
Air Bag System Components
NOTE:The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors the
internal circuits and interconnecting wiring associated
with electrical Air Bag System Components listed below:
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
Air Bag Warning Light
Steering Wheel and Column
Instrument Panel
Knee Impact Bolsters
Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
Seat Belt Buckle Switch
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Knee Air Bags
Front and Side Impact Sensors
Seat Belt Pretensioners
Seat Track Position Sensors
Occupant Classification SystemWARNING!
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 protection 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 deploy -
ment 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.
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SAFETY275
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 enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type of personally identi -
fying 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.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat Owner’s Manual to make sure you have the correct
seat for your child. Carefully read and follow all the
instructions and warnings in the child restraint Owner’s
Manual and on all the labels attached to the child
restraint. Before buying any restraint system, make sure
that it has a label certifying that it meets all applicable
Safety Standards. You should also make sure that you can
install it in the vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:
For additional information, refer to http://
www.nhtsa.gov/parents-and-caregivers or call:
1–888–327–4236
Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s
website for additional information: http://
www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/road/
child-car-seat-safety.html
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to hold
even an infant on your lap could become so great that
you could not hold the child, no matter how strong you
are. The child and others could be badly injured or
killed. Any child riding in your vehicle should be in a
proper restraint for the child’s size.
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Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
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.
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age
Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and ToddlersChildren who are two years old or younger and who have
not reached the height or weight limits of their child
restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible Child Restraint,
facing rearward in a rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who have
outgrown the height or weight limit of their rear-facing child
restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a five-point Harness,
facing forward in a rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have outgrown their forward-facing child
restraint, but are too small to properly fit the vehicle’s seat
belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the vehicle seat belt,
seated in a rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who have outgrown the
height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in a rear seat of the vehicle
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.
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(Continued)
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.
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.
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.
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 attach-
ments. 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!
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.6
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