Buick RENDEZVOUS 2007 Owner Manual

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2007 Buick Rendezvous Owner Manual M

Seats and Restraint Systems

Front Seats Rear Seats Safety Belts Child Restraints Airbag System Restraint System Check

Features and Controls

Keys Doors and Locks Windows Theft-Deterrent Systems Starting and Operating Your Vehicle Mirrors OnStar Universal Home Remote System Storage Areas Sunroof

..................................................... 109

.............................................. 9

............................................. 15

............................................ 30

...................................... 57

........................................ 88

.............................. 107

.................................. 114

............................................... 120

.................................................. 142

System

................................................ 169

................................... 144

...................................... 158

....................... 7

....................... 104

....................... 122

..... 127

.......... 147

Instrument Panel

Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages, and

Indicators Message Center Driver Information Center (DIC) Audio System(s)

Driving Your Vehicle

Your Driving, the Road, and

Your Vehicle Towing

Service and Appearance Care

Service Fuel Checking Things Under the Hood Bulb Replacement Windshield Replacement

...................................................... 356

....................................... 171

................................... 200

.......................................... 211

................................... 225

................................... 250

................................. 301

..................................... 302

................................................. 337

................................................. 354

................................ 399

....................... 404

................... 174

............ 235

.................. 351

......... 362

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Windshield Wiper Blade

Replacement Tires Appearance Care Vehicle Identiﬁcation Electrical System Capacities and Speciﬁcations

..................................................... 406

..................................... 404

.................................. 451

.................................. 462

............................. 461

................ 469

Maintenance Schedule

Customer Assistance Information

Customer Assistance and Information Reporting Safety Defects

Index

.......................................................... 513

.............................. 471

.......................... 472

...................... 508

............. 491

... 492

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GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK, the BUICK Emblem, and the name RENDEZVOUS are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes after that time without notice. For vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Buick Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual.

This manual describes features that may be available in this model, but your vehicle may not have all of them. For example, more than one entertainment system may be offered or your vehicle may have been ordered without a front passenger or rear seats.

Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.

Canadian Owners

A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer or from:

Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207

Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 15860822 A First Printing

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How to Use This Manual

Many people read the owner manual from beginning to end when they ﬁrst receive their new vehicle. If this is done, it can help you learn about the features and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work together in the owner manual to explain things.

Index

A good place to quickly locate information about the vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the page number where it can be found.

Safety Warnings and Symbols

There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.

{CAUTION:

These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not, you or others could be hurt.

You will also ﬁnd a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means “Do Not,” “Do Not do this” or “Do Not let this happen.”

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Vehicle Damage Warnings

Vehicle Symbols

Also, in this manual you will ﬁnd these notices:

Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle.

A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.

When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words.

There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

The vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a speciﬁc component, control, message, gage, or indicator.

If you need help ﬁguring out a speciﬁc name of a component, gage, or indicator, reference the following topics:

• Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1

• Features and Controls in Section 2

• Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3

• Climate Controls in Section 3

• Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in

Section 3

• Audio System(s) in Section 3

• Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5

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These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:

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Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Front Seats ..................................................... 9

Manual Seats ................................................ 9

Power Seats ............................................... 10

Manual Lumbar ........................................... 10

Heated Seats .............................................. 11

Memory Seat and Mirrors ............................ 11

Reclining Seatbacks .................................... 13

Head Restraints .......................................... 15

Rear Seats .................................................... 15

Rear Seat Operation ................................... 15

Split Bench Seats ....................................... 15

Captain Chairs ............................................ 21

Stowable Seat ............................................. 26

Safety Belts .................................................. 30

Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ........... 30

Questions and Answers About

Safety Belts ............................................. 34

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ............. 35

Driver Position ............................................. 36

Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment ................. 45

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy .............. 46

Right Front Passenger Position ................... 46

Rear Outside Passenger Positions .............. 47

Center Rear Passenger Position .................. 51

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ................ 53

Safety Belt Pretensioners ............................ 56

Safety Belt Extender ................................... 56

Child Restraints ............................................ 57

Older Children ............................................. 57

Infants and Young Children ......................... 60

Child Restraint Systems .............................. 64

Where to Put the Restraint .......................... 68

Lower Anchors and Tethers for

Children (LATCH) .................................... 69

Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear

Outside Seat Position .............................. 79

Securing a Child Restraint in the Center

Rear Seat Position ................................... 82

Securing a Child Restraint in the Right

Front Seat Position .................................. 84

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Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Airbag System .............................................. 88

Where Are the Airbags? .............................. 91

When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .................. 93

What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? ................... 95

How Does an Airbag Restrain? ................... 96

What Will You See After an Airbag

Inﬂates? ................................................... 96

Passenger Sensing System ......................... 98

Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .... 102

Adding Equipment to Your

Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ........................ 103

Restraint System Check ............................. 104

Checking the Restraint Systems ................ 104

Replacing Restraint System Parts

After a Crash ......................................... 105

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Front Seats

Manual Seats

{CAUTION:

You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving.

Your vehicle may have manual seats.

Use the lever located under the front of the seat to adjust the seat forward or rearward.

Pull the lever up to unlock the seat. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the lever. To make sure the seat is locked into place, try to move the seat back and forth with your body.

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Power Seats

Manual Lumbar

If the vehicle has power seats, the controls used to operate them are located on the outboard side of the seats.

To adjust the seat, do any of the following:

• Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding

the control forward or rearward.

• Raise or lower the front part of the seat

cushion by moving the front of the control up or down.

• Raise or lower the rear part of the seat

cushion by moving the rear of the control up or down.

The knob that controls this feature is located on the outboard sides of the driver’s and front passenger’s seats.

Turn the knob toward the front of the vehicle to increase lumbar support. Turn the knob toward the rear of the vehicle to decrease lumbar support.

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Heated Seats

Memory Seat and Mirrors

Your vehicle may have heated seats. If it does, the heated seat switches are located in the instrument panel switchbank.

This feature will quickly heat the seat cushions and lower back of the driver’s and front passenger’s seat. The left switch is for the driver’s seat and the right switch is for the front passenger’s seat.

Press the top of the switch to turn the heater on. Press the bottom of the switch to turn the heater off. The heated seat switch will turn off when the ignition is turned to OFF and will resume operation when the ignition is turned to ON, unless the switch is turned off.

If your vehicle has this feature, the controls are located on the driver’s door panel and are used to store and recall the driver’s seat position and the outside rearview mirror position.

The settings for these features can be personalized for both driver 1 and driver 2. Driver 1 and driver 2 correspond to the memory buttons labeled 1 and 2 on the driver’s door and to the numbers, 1 or 2, on the back of the remote keyless entry transmitters.

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To store the memory settings, do the following:

1. Adjust the driver’s seat and the outside rearview mirrors to the position you would like for driving.

2. Press and hold memory button 1 for more than three seconds.

A double beep will sound when the memory seat and mirror position have been stored.

To store the seat and outside rearview mirror positions for a second driver, follow the previous steps, but press button 2 instead.

To recall your stored positions, your vehicle must be in PARK (P). Press and release the memory button (1 or 2) corresponding to the desired driving position. The seat and the outside rearview mirrors will move to the position previously stored for the identiﬁed driver. You will hear one beep.

To store an exit position for each driver, do the following:

1. Move the seat to the desired exit position.

2. Hold the button with the exit symbol, located below the memory buttons, for more than three seconds.

The exit position stored will be for the most recently selected driving position (1 or 2). A double beep will sound when the exit position is stored.

To use the exit feature, your vehicle must be in PARK (P). Press and release the button with the exit symbol and the seat will move to the exit position stored for the most recently selected driver. You will hear one beep.

To stop recall movement of the seat at any time, press one of the three memory buttons or one of the power seat controls located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat.

If your vehicle is equipped with a Driver Information Center (DIC), you can use it to program certain functions of the memory seats. See DIC Vehicle Personalization on page 240.

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Reclining Seatbacks

{CAUTION:

Your seats have manual reclining seatbacks. The lever used to operate them is located on the outboard side of the seats.

{CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

1. Lift the recline lever.

2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then release the lever to lock the seatback in place.

3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

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To return the seatback to an upright position, do the following:

1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback and the seatback will return to the upright position.

2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

{CAUTION:

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their job when you are reclined like this.

The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it will not be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.

The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash, the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.

For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.

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Head Restraints

Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint is at the same height as the top of the occupant’s head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

Pull the head restraint up or push it down to adjust it.

Rear Seats

Rear Seat Operation

The rear seats in your vehicle have seat operating features to adjust, fold, remove and reinstall the seats. By using the seat operating procedures, in the correct order, you can easily remove the seats from your vehicle.

When you put the seats back in the vehicle, be sure to follow the label on the back of the seat for proper location.

Split Bench Seats

If your vehicle has the split bench seat, the seatbacks can be folded forward or reclined individually and the sections can be ﬂipped forward or removed individually.

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Folding or Reclining the Seatbacks

{CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

To recline the seatback on base-level split bench seats, lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side of the seatback, to release the seatback. Move the seatback to the desired position.

Base-Level

To recline the seatback on up-level split bench seats, push forward on the recliner lever, located on the outboard side of the seatback, to release the seatback. Move the seatback to the desired position and release the lever.

Up-Level

It is easier to raise or lower the seatback if you lean forward and take the weight off the seatback.

Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.

The seatbacks also fold forward. Lift or push the recliner lever forward, depending on the model, and fold the seatback forward.

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The seatback will lock into place when you push it back to the upright position. After raising a seatback to an upright position, push and pull on the seatback to make sure that it is locked in place.

Removing the Split Bench Seat

Each section of the split bench seat can be ﬂipped forward or removed individually.

1. Unlatch the shoulder belt from the lap-belt.

2. Make sure that the seatback is in the upright position.

3. Lift up or push forward on the seatback recliner lever to fold the seatback forward.

Base-Level

4. For base-level split bench seats, pull the lever at the base of the seat on the outboard side to release the rear latches from the ﬂoor pins and ﬂip the seat forward.

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For up-level split bench seats, continue pushing forward on the recliner lever to release the rear latches from the ﬂoor pins and ﬂip the seat forward.

5. To release the front latches, squeeze the angled latch release bar toward the straight crossbar.

6. Remove the seat by rocking it slightly toward the rear of the vehicle and then pulling it out.

Repeat these steps for the other section of the split bench seat.

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Replacing the Split Bench Seat

{CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

{CAUTION:

A seat that is not locked into place properly can move around in a collision or sudden stop. People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock the seat into place properly when installing it.

A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted will not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After installing the seat, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted.

Make sure that the seatback is in the folded forward position and that the safety belts are on the correct section of the seat.

Do not put the sections of the bench seat in so that they face rearward because they will not latch that way.

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The split bench seat sections have seat position labels, located on the back of each section, showing where the section must go.

The seat must be placed in the proper location for the legs to attach correctly.

1. Squeeze the angled latch release bar toward the straight crossbar while placing the front hooks of the bench seat onto the front two ﬂoor pins.

2. Make sure that the bench seat is angled so that the front hooks clear the ﬂoor pins. If the front legs are not attached correctly, the rear legs will not attach to the rear set of ﬂoor pins.

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3. Firmly push the rear hooks onto the rear ﬂoor pins by pushing down on the rear of the seat.

4. Try to raise the seat to check that it is locked down.

5. Lift the seatback recliner lever and raise the seatback until it locks upright.

6. Push and pull on the seatback to check that it is locked upright.

7. Attach the lap belt.

Captain Chairs

If your vehicle has captain chairs in the second row, the seats can be adjusted forward or rearward and the seatbacks can be folded forward or reclined.

Adjusting the Captain Chairs Forward and Rearward

To adjust the captain chairs, use the adjustment bar located below the front of each seat.

Lift the lever to slide the seat forward or rearward. Release the lever. Try to move the seat to make sure it is locked into place.

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Folding or Reclining the Seatbacks

{CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

To recline the seatback, lift the recliner lever located on the outboard side of the seatback. Release the lever when the seatback is in the desired position.

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To fold the seatback forward, lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side of the seatback, fully without applying pressure to the seatback.

To return the seatback to the upright position, lift the recliner lever and move the seatback until it locks in the upright position, Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it locked in place.

Removing the Captain Chairs

1. Lift the seatback recliner lever to fold the seatback forward.

2. Pull the nylon strap behind the chair to release the rear hooks from the ﬂoor pins.

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3. The seat can then be lifted off the front ﬂoor pins.

4. Remove the seat by rocking it slightly toward the rear of the vehicle and then pulling it out.

Installing the Captain Chairs

{CAUTION:

Page 25

Do not put the seats in so that they face rearward because they will not latch that way. The captain chairs have seat position labels, located on the back of each seat, showing where that seat must go. The seat must be placed in the proper location for the legs to attach correctly.

1. Make sure that the seatback is in the folded forward position and that the safety belts are on the correct side of the seat.

2. Hook the front latches over the front ﬂoor pins.

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4. Push and pull on the seat to check that it is properly attached.

{CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

3. Push the rear of the seat down to lock the rear latches onto the rear set of ﬂoor pins.

{CAUTION:

A seat that is not locked into place properly can move around in a collision or sudden stop. People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock the seat into place properly when installing it.

5. Return the seatback to the upright position.

Stowable Seat

The stowable seat is a two passenger bench seat that comes with the rear convenience center. See Rear Convenience Center on page 165. The stowable seat can be removed or, with the seatback folded, lie ﬂat with the convenience center.

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Folding the Seatback

To fold the seatback forward, lift the lever located on the back of the seat. Push the seatback down until it is locked into place.

Push and pull on the seatback to make sure that it is locked into place.

To raise the seatback, do one of the following:

• From the rear of the vehicle, lift the lever

to release the seatback. Then pull the strap, located on the right side of the seat, to lift the seatback up. The seatback has a pocket on the side to stow the strap.

• From the passenger’s side door, lift the lever

to release the seatback. Lift the seatback and push it until it locks in place.

Push and pull on the seatback to make sure that it is locked into place.

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Removing the Stowable Seat

1. Remove the convenience center, if it is in the vehicle. See Rear Convenience Center on page 165.

2. Make sure all items are off the stowable seat.

3. From the front of the seat, remove the two nuts, located on the ﬂoor on each side of the seat.

4. From behind the bench seat, fold the seatback down. See “Folding the Seatback” previously.

5. Remove the rear nuts located on the ﬂoor on each side of the seat.

6. Remove the seat by rocking it slightly toward the rear of the vehicle and then pulling it out the vehicle. This should be done in one motion.

7. Put the nuts back onto the screws so the nuts do not get misplaced.

Installing the Stowable Seat

{CAUTION:

Do not put the stowable seat in so that it faces rearward. The stowable seat has to be installed before the rear convenience center. See Rear Convenience Center on page 165 for more information.

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The stowable seat has seat position labels, located on the back of the seat, showing where the seat must go. The seat must be placed in the proper location for the legs to attach correctly.

1. Make sure that the seatback is folded forward before beginning this procedure. See “Folding the Seatback” previously.

2. Remove the nuts from the screws.

3. Place the stowable seat on the vehicle ﬂoor so that the seat brackets are placed over the screws.

4. Reinstall the nuts onto the screws. Torque to approximately 18 lb ft (25

Y).

{CAUTION:

A seat that is not locked into place properly can move around in a collision or sudden stop. People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock the seat into place properly when installing it.

5. Try to raise the seat to make sure that it is locked into place.

{CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

6. Raise the seatback to its upright position. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure that it is locked into place.

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Safety Belts

Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone

This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts.

{CAUTION:

Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you are not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts are fastened properly too.

{CAUTION:

It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly.

Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See Safety Belt

Reminder Light on page 215.

In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work.

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You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one.

A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.

After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter... a lot!

Why Safety Belts Work

When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.

Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels.

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Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The

rider does not stop.

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The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...

or the instrument panel...

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or the safety belts!

With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense.

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts

Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an

accident if I am wearing a safety belt?

A: You could be — whether you are wearing a

safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted.

Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I

have to wear safety belts?

A: Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be

in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions.

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Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far

from home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are

in an accident — even one that is not your fault — you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver does not protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers.

Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h).

Safety belts are for everyone.

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

This part is only for people of adult size.

Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see

Older Children on page 57 or Infants and Young Children on page 60. Follow those rules for

everyone’s protection.

First, you will want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has.

We will start with the driver position.

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Driver Position

Lap-Shoulder Belt

The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to wear it properly.

1. Close and lock the door.

2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted.

The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly.

Page 37

4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle it.

Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 56.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

5. Move the shoulder belt height adjuster to the height that is right for you. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. See Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment on page 45.

6. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt.

It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants.

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The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.

The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash.

Page 39

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give

nearly as much protection this way.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt against your body.

Page 40

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly

as much protection this way.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your lap belt is too loose. In a crash, you could slide under the lap belt and apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The lap belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs.

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Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.

Page 42

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The belt is over an armrest.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied at the abdomen, not at the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests.

Page 43

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It

should be worn over the shoulder at all times.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen.

Page 44

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer to ﬁx it.

Page 45

To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way.

Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle.

Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment

Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt height adjuster to the height that is right for you.

Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.

To move it down, push down on the button (A) and move the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move the height adjuster up by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide.

After you move the height adjuster to where you want it, try to move it down without pushing the button down to make sure it has locked into position.

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Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.

A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly.

Right Front Passenger Position

To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety belt properly, see Driver Position on page 36.

The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt — except for one thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again.

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Rear Outside Passenger Positions

It is very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.

Rear passengers who are not safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.

Lap-Shoulder Belt

The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder belts. Here is how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly.

1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted.

The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly.

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2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle it.

Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.

If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 56. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.

Page 49

Page 50

The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or a crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt against your body.

To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle.

Page 51

Center Rear Passenger Position

Lap-Shoulder Belt

If your vehicle has a bench seat, someone can sit in the center position.

When you sit in the center seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. You also have a shoulder belt, which has a retractor. In order to have the protection of the shoulder belt, you must ﬁrst connect it to the lap belt.

1. Remove the shoulder belt from its stowage location in the roof and pull it all the way down to the lap belt.

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2. Insert the metal knob on the shoulder belt into the keyhole on the lap belt buckle as shown. Be sure to slide the shoulder belt part into the keyhole until it locks into place.

3. To make the lap belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt.

Page 53

To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug

4. Buckle, position and release the lap-shoulder belt the same way as the other lap-shoulder belts. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 56.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides

Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck and head.

There is a guide available for the center passenger position in the second row rear seat. Here is how to install the comfort guide to the safety belt.

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For second row center position do the following:

Second Row Center Position

1. Remove the elastic cord from under the head restraint of the second row, driver’s side position.

2. Attach the elastic cord to the comfort guide on the center passenger shoulder belt.

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3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies ﬂat. The guide must be on top of the belt.

{CAUTION:

A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.

4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described in Center Rear Passenger Position on page 51. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder.

To remove and store the elastic cord, remove it from the comfort guide. The elastic cord will go back under the head restraint.

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Safety Belt Pretensioners

Safety Belt Extender

Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger. Although you cannot see them, they are located on the retractor part of the safety belts. They help the safety belts reduce a person’s forward movement in a moderate to severe frontal or near frontal crash.

Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a crash, you will need to get new ones, and probably other new parts for your safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 105.

If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it.

But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer will order you an extender. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be long enough for you. To help avoid personal injury, do not let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat it is made to ﬁt. The extender has been designed for adults. Never use it for securing child seats. To wear it, just attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender.

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Child Restraints

Older Children

Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts.

Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts? A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt

and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should ﬁt snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash.

According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating positions.

In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts properly.

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{CAUTION:

Never do this.

Here two children are wearing the same belt. The belt can not properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A belt must be used by only one person at a time.

Q: What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder

belt, but the child is so small that the shoulder belt is very close to the child’s face or neck?

A: If the child is sitting in a seat next to a

window, move the child toward the center of the vehicle. Also see Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides on page 53. If the child is sitting in the center rear seat passenger position, move the child toward the safety belt buckle. In either case, be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder, so that in a crash the child’s upper body would have the restraint that belts provide.

Page 59

{CAUTION:

Never do this.

Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind the child. If the child wears the belt in this way, in a crash the child might slide under the belt. The belt’s force would then be applied right on the child’s abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries.

Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic bones in a crash.

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Infants and Young Children

Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle.

{CAUTION:

Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Never leave children unattended in a vehicle and never allow children to play with the safety belts.

Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate restraints. Young children should not use the vehicle’s adult safety belts alone, unless there is no other choice. Instead, they need to use a child restraint.

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{CAUTION:

People should never hold a baby in their arms while riding in a vehicle. A baby does not weigh much — until a crash. During a crash a baby will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it. For example, in a crash at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) baby will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force on a person’s arms. A baby should be secured in an appropriate restraint.

Page 62

{CAUTION:

Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inﬂates can be seriously injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer protection for adults and older children, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide.

Q: What are the different types of add-on

child restraints?

A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by

the vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types. Selection of a particular restraint should take into consideration not only the child’s weight, height, and age but also whether or not the restraint will be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will be used.

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For most basic types of child restraints, there are many different models available. When purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards.

The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come with the restraint state the weight and height limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition, there are many kinds of restraints available for children with special needs.

{CAUTION:

Newborn infants need complete support, including support for the head and neck. This is necessary because a newborn infant’s neck is weak and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into the restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed across the

CAUTION: (Continued)

strongest part of an infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants always should be secured in appropriate infant restraints.

{CAUTION:

The body structure of a young child is quite unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom the safety belts are designed. A young child’s hip bones are still so small that the vehicle’s regular safety belt may not remain low on the hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settle up around the child’s abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply force on a body area that is unprotected by any bony structure. This alone could cause serious or fatal injuries. Young children always should be secured in appropriate child restraints.

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Child Restraint Systems

An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed to restrain or position a child on a continuous ﬂat surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward the center of the vehicle.

A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with the seating surface against the back of the infant. The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.

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A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields.

A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to improve the ﬁt of the vehicle’s safety belt system. Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner, and some high-back booster seats have a ﬁve-point harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window.

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Q: How Should I Use a Child Restraint? A: A child restraint system is any device designed

for use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position children. A built-in child restraint system is a permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on child restraint system is a portable one, which is purchased by the vehicle’s owner. To help reduce injuries, an add-on child restraint must be secured in the vehicle. With built-in or add-on child restraints, the child has to be secured within the child restraint.

When choosing an add-on child restraint, be sure the child restraint is designed to be used in a vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may ﬁnd these instructions on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both.

Securing an Add-on Child Restraint in the Vehicle

{CAUTION:

A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child restraint is properly installed in the vehicle using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH system, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual.

To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH system. See Lower

Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 69 for more information. A child can

be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle.

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When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to the instructions that come with the restraint which may be on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this manual. The child restraint instructions are important, so if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy from the manufacturer.

Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no child is in it.

Securing the Child Within the Child Restraint

There are several systems for securing the child within the child restraint. One system, the three-point harness, has straps that come down over each of the infant’s shoulders and buckle together at the crotch. The ﬁve-point harness system has two shoulder straps, two hip straps, and a crotch strap. A shield may take the place of hip straps. A T-shaped shield has shoulder straps that

are attached to a ﬂat pad which rests low against the child’s body. A shelf- or armrest-type shield has straps that are attached to a wide, shelf-like shield that swings up or to the side.

{CAUTION:

A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Make sure the child is properly secured, following the instructions that came with that restraint.

Because there are different systems, it is important to refer to the instructions that come with the restraint. A child can be endangered in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint.

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Where to Put the Restraint

Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. We recommend that child restraints be secured in a rear seat, including an infant riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in a booster seat.

Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.

{CAUTION:

CAUTION: (Continued)

Even though the passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be secured in the rear seat, even if the airbag is off.

If you need to secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat.

A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag.

CAUTION: (Continued)

Wherever you install a child restraint, be sure to secure the child restraint properly.

Page 69

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)

The LATCH system holds a child restraint during driving or in a crash. This system is designed to make installation of a child restraint easier. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint that are made for use with the LATCH system

Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual. When installing a child restraint with a top tether, you must also use either the lower anchors or the safety belts to properly secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed using only the top tether and anchor.

In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you need a child restraint that has LATCH attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child restraint and its attachments. The following explains how to attach a child restraint with these attachments in your vehicle.

Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors and attachments.

Lower Anchors

Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position that will accommodate a child restraint with lower attachments (B).

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Top Tether Anchor

A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child restraint to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into the vehicle. The top tether attachment (B) on the child restraint connects to the top tether anchor in the vehicle in order to reduce the forward movement and rotation of the child restraint during driving or in a crash.

Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or a dual tether (C). Either will have a single attachment (B) to secure the top tether to the anchor.

Some child restraints that have a top tether are designed for use with or without the top tether being attached. Others require the top tether always to be attached. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. In the United States, some child restraints also have a top tether. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for your child restraint.

If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints. Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit is available.

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Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor Locations

i (Top Tether Anchor):

Seating positions with top tether anchors.

j (Lower Anchor):

Seating positions with two lower anchors.

i (Top Tether Anchor):

Seating positions with top tether anchors.

j (Lower Anchor):

Seating positions with two lower anchors.

Second Row —

Bench Seat

Second Row —

Captains Chairs

i (Top Tether Anchor):

Seating positions with top tether anchors.

Third Row

Page 72

To assist you in locating the lower anchors, each seating position with lower anchors has two labels, near the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion.

To assist you in locating the top tether anchors, look for this symbol.

For the third row, the top tether anchor symbol is located on the ﬂap of carpet behind the seat. Lift the carpet to access the anchor.

For the second row center seating position in a vehicle that has the extended rear convenience center, the top tether anchor symbol is located on the cover of the convenience center. Lift the cover to access the top tether anchor.

Second Row — Captains Chairs

For second row captains chairs, the top tether anchors are exposed and located at the rear of the seat cushions. Be sure to use an anchor located on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed.

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Second Row Outside Position Bench Seat Second Row Center Position Bench Seat without

For second row outboard seating positions, the top tether anchors are exposed and located at the rear of the seat cushions. Be sure to use an anchor located on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed.

The anchor for the center position bench seat is located on the ﬂoor behind the second row seats. If the vehicle has the extended rear convenience center, you need to lift the cover of the convenience center to access the anchor

Third Row Seat

for the center position bench seat.

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Second Row Center Position Bench Seat with

Third Row Seat

If the vehicle has a third row seat and the seatback is upright, there is an anchor strap located between the third row seatback and cushion to anchor the child restraint for the second row center position bench seat.

Second Row Center Position Bench Seat with

Third Row Seat Folded Down

If the vehicle has a third row seat and the seatback is folded down, there is an anchor on the back of the third row seat for the second row center position bench seat.

If you are using a child restraint with a top tether in the second row center bench seat and need to temporarily transport a ﬂat tire for repair, move the child restraint to a rear seat outboard position.

Page 75

See Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position on page 79 for more information including important safety information.

Third Row

If the vehicle has a third row, there is a top tether anchor for the third row passenger’s side position. Locate the anchor symbol on the ﬂap of carpet behind the seat. Lift up the carpet to access the anchor.

Do not secure a child restraint in the right front passenger’s position or in the third row driver side position, if your vehicle has one, if a national or local law requires that the top tether be attached, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be attached. There is no place to attach the top tether in this position.

Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 68 for additional information.

Page 76

Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System

{CAUTION:

If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to anchors, the restraint will not be able to protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be seriously injured or killed. Make sure that a LATCH-type child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual.

Each top tether anchor and lower anchor in the vehicle is designed to hold only one child restraint. Attaching more than one child restraint to a single anchor could cause the anchor or attachment to come loose or even break during a crash. A child or others could be injured if this happens. To help prevent injury to people and damage to your vehicle, attach only one child restraint per anchor.

Page 77

{CAUTION:

Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Secure any unused safety belts behind the child restraint so children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock, if your vehicle has one, after the child restraint has been installed. Be sure to follow the instructions of the child restraint manufacturer.

Notice: Contact between the child restraint or the LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety belt assembly may cause damage to these parts. Make sure when securing unused safety belts behind the child restraint that there is no contact between the child restraint or the LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety belt assembly.

Folding an empty rear seat with the safety belts secured may cause damage to the safety belt or the seat. When removing the child restraint, always remember to return the safety belts to their normal, stowed position before folding the rear seat.

1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have lower attachments or the desired seating position does not have lower anchors, secure the child restraint with the top tether and the safety belts. Refer to your child restraint manufacturer instructions and the instructions in this manual.

1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating position.

1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.

1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child restraint to the lower anchors.

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2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped. Refer to the child restraint instructions and the following steps:

2.1. Find the top tether anchor.

2.2. If you have an adjustable head restraint, raise the head restraint.

2.3. If the vehicle has the extended rear convenience center, you need to lift the cover of the convenience center to access the anchor for the second row center position bench seat.

2.4. For the third row bench seat, lift the carpet to expose the anchor.

2.5. Route, attach and tighten the top tether according to your child restraint instructions and the following instructions:

If the position you are using does not have a head restraint and you are using a single tether, route the tether over the seatback.

If the position you are using does not have a head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether over the seatback.

Page 79

If the position you are using has an adjustable head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether around the head restraint.

If the position you are using has an adjustable head restraint and you are using a single tether, route the tether under the head restraint and in between the head restraint posts.

3. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.

Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position

If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 69.

There is no top tether anchor in the third row driver’s-side position. Do not secure a child seat in this position if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be anchored. See

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 69 if the child restraint has a top

tether.

If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint.

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Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say.

1. Put the child restraint on the seat.

2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.

Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed.

3. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

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4. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may ﬁnd it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.

5. If your child restraint has a top tether and the position that you are using has a top tether anchor, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions that came with the child restraint and to Lower

Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 69.

6. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.

To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached to the top tether anchor, disconnect it. Unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger.

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Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Rear Seat Position

If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 69.

If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in the center rear seating position.

To secure a child restraint in this position, you will use only the lap part of the belt. Disconnect the shoulder part of the belt and store it before securing child restraint. See Center Rear Passenger Position on page 51.

If you are using a top tether-equipped child restraint in the center rear seat and need to temporarily transport a ﬂat tire for repair, move the child restraint to a rear seat outboard position. See Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position on page 79 for more on this, including important safety information.

Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say.

1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch plate and pulling it along the belt.

2. Put the child restraint on the seat.

3. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.

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4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

5. To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you push down on the child restraint. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may ﬁnd it helpful to use your knee to push the child restraint as you tighten the belt.

6. If your child restraint has a top tether, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions that came with the child restraint and to step ﬁve under Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 69.

7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.

To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached to the top tether anchor, disconnect it. Unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt. When you remove the child restraint, be sure to reconnect the lap and shoulder parts of the belt so they will be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger.

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Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position

{CAUTION:

Your vehicle has a right front passenger airbag. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 68.

In addition, your vehicle has the passenger sensing system. The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag when an infant in a rear-facing infant seat or a small child in a forward-facing child restraint or booster seat is detected. See

Passenger Sensing System on page 98 and Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 217 for

more information on this including important safety information.

A label on your sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.

Even though the passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be secured in the rear seat, even if the airbag is off.

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If you need to secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat position, move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint. See Manual Seats on page 9 or Power Seats on page 10.

If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 69.

There is no top tether anchor at the right front seating position. Do not secure a child seat in this position if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be anchored. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 69 if the child restraint has a top tether.

You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint.

Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say.

1. Your vehicle has a right front passenger’s frontal airbag. See Passenger Sensing System on page 98. General Motors recommends that rear-facing child restraints be secured in a rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If your child restraint is forward-facing, move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the child restraint in this seat. See Manual Seats on page 9 or Power Seats on page 10.

When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator should light and stay lit when you turn the ignition to ON or START. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 217.

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2. Put the child restraint on the seat.

3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.

4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock.

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6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt, and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may ﬁnd it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. You should not be able to pull more of the belt from the retractor once the lock has been set.

7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.

8. If your vehicle has the passenger sensing system and the airbag is off, the off indicator will be lit and stay lit in the inside rearview mirror when the key is turned to ON or START.

If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint.

If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens, adjust the head restraint.

If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and check with your dealer.

To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger.

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Airbag System

Your vehicle has a frontal airbag for the driver and a frontal airbag for the right front passenger. Your vehicle may also have side impact airbags. Side impact airbags are available for the driver and right front passenger.

If your vehicle has a side impact airbag for the driver and/or the right front passenger, the word AIRBAG will appear on the airbag covering on the side of the seatback closest to the door.

Frontal airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inﬂating frontal airbag. But these airbags must inﬂate very quickly to do their job and comply with federal regulations.

Here are the most important things to know about the airbag system:

{CAUTION:

You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if you are not wearing your safety belt — even if you have airbags. Wearing your safety belt during a crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Airbags are “supplemental restraints” to the safety belts. All airbags are designed to work with safety belts but do not replace them.

Frontal airbags for the driver and right front passenger are designed to deploy in moderate to severe frontal and near frontal crashes. They are not designed to

CAUTION: (Continued)

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CAUTION: (Continued)

{CAUTION:

inﬂate in rollover, rear crashes, or in many side crashes. And, for some unrestrained occupants, frontal airbags may provide less protection in frontal crashes than more forceful airbags have provided in the past.

Side impact airbags are designed to inﬂate in moderate to severe crashes where something hits the side of your vehicle. They are not designed to inﬂate in frontal, in rollover, or in rear crashes.

Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person.

Both frontal and side impact airbags inﬂate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. If you are too close to an inﬂating airbag, as you would be if you were leaning forward, it could seriously injure you. Safety belts help keep you in position for airbag inﬂation before and during a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with frontal airbags. The driver should sit as far back as possible while still maintaining control of the vehicle. Front occupants should not lean on or sleep against the door.

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{CAUTION:

Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inﬂates can be seriously injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer the best protection for adults, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide. Always secure children properly in your vehicle. To read how, see Older Children on

page 57 or Infants and Young Children on page 60.

There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument panel cluster, which shows the airbag symbol.

The system checks the airbag electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 215 for more information.

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Where Are the Airbags?

The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the steering wheel.

The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the instrument panel on the passenger’s side.

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If your vehicle has one, the driver’s side impact airbag is in the side of the driver’s seatback closest to the door.

If your vehicle has one, the right front passenger’s side impact airbag is in the side of the passenger’s seatback closest to the door.

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{CAUTION:

If something is between an occupant and an airbag, the airbag might not inﬂate properly or it might force the object into that person causing severe injury or even death. The path of an inﬂating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put anything between an occupant and an airbag, and do not attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other airbag covering. Do not let seat covers block the inﬂation path of a side impact airbag.

When Should an Airbag Inﬂate?

The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags are designed to inﬂate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inﬂate only if the impact exceeds a predetermined deployment threshold. Deployment thresholds take into account a variety of desired deployment and non-deployment events and are used to predict how severe a crash is likely to be in time for the airbags to inﬂate and help restrain the occupants. Whether your frontal airbags will or should deploy is not based on how fast your vehicle is traveling. It depends largely on what you hit, the direction of the impact, and how quickly your vehicle slows down.

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In addition, your vehicle has “dual stage” frontal airbags, which adjust the restraint according to crash severity. Your vehicle has electronic frontal sensors which help the sensing system distinguish between a moderate and a more severe frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, these airbags inﬂate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that does not move or deform, the threshold level for the reduced deployment is about 12 to 20 mph (19 to 33 km/h), and the threshold level for a full deployment is about 21 to 25 mph (34 to 40 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with speciﬁc vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range.

Frontal airbags may inﬂate at different crash speeds. For example:

• If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the

airbags could inﬂate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits a moving object.

• If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the

airbags could inﬂate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits an object that does not deform.

• If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole),

the airbags could inﬂate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits a wide object (like a wall).

• If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle,

the airbags could inﬂate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle goes straight into the object.

Frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger) are not intended to inﬂate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.

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Your vehicle may or may not have side impact airbags. See Airbag System on page 88 for more information. Side impact airbags are intended to inﬂate in moderate to severe side crashes. A side impact airbag will inﬂate if the crash severity is above the system’s designed “threshold level.” The threshold level can vary with speciﬁc vehicle design. Side impact airbags are not intended to inﬂate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. A side impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.

In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag should have inﬂated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For frontal airbags, inﬂation is determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down. For side impact airbags, inﬂation is determined by the location and severity of the impact.

What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate?

In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing system triggers a release of gas from the inﬂator, which inﬂates the airbag. The inﬂator, the airbag and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules. Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering wheel and instrument panel. For seating positions with side impact airbags, there are also airbag modules in the side of the seatbacks closest to the door.

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How Does an Airbag Restrain?

In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside of the vehicle. Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the frontal airbags would not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags would not help you in many types of collisions, including many frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts.

Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe side collisions for vehicles with side impact airbags.

What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates?

After an airbag inﬂates, it quickly deﬂates, so quickly that some people may not even realize the airbag inﬂated. Some components of the airbag module — the steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal airbag, the instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, and for seating positions with side impact airbags, the side of the seatback closest to the door — may be hot for a short time. The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the deﬂated airbags. Airbag inﬂation does not prevent the driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from leaving the vehicle.

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{CAUTION:

When an airbag inﬂates, there may be dust in the air. This dust could cause breathing problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have breathing problems but cannot get out of the vehicle after an airbag inﬂates, then get fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you experience breathing problems following an airbag deployment, you should seek medical attention.

Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock the doors, turn the interior lamps on when the airbags inﬂate and turn on the hazard warning ﬂashers. You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off, and turn the hazard warning ﬂashers on by using the controls for those features.

In many crashes severe enough to inﬂate an airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger airbag.

• Airbags are designed to inﬂate only once.

After they inﬂate, you will need some new parts for your airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag system will not be there to help protect you in another crash. A new system will include airbag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.

• Your vehicle has a crash sensing and

diagnostic module which records information after a crash. See Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data Recorders on page 503.

• Let only qualiﬁed technicians work on your

airbag system. Improper service can mean that an airbag system will not work properly. See your dealer for service.

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Passenger Sensing System

Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system. The passenger airbag status indicator in the rearview mirror will be visible when you turn your ignition key to ON or START.

United States

Canada

The words ON and OFF or the symbol for on and off, will be visible during the system check. When the system check is complete, either the word ON or the word OFF, or the symbol for on or the symbol for off will be visible. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 217.

The passenger sensing system will turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions. The driver’s airbags are not part of the passenger sensing system.

The passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of the right front passenger’s seat and safety belt. The sensors are designed to detect the presence of a properly-seated occupant and determine if the passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled (may inﬂate) or not.

Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. General Motors recommends that child restraints be secured in a rear seat, including an infant riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in a booster seat.

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{CAUTION:

CAUTION: (Continued)

even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be secured in the rear seat, even if the airbag is off.

The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag if:

• The right front passenger seat is unoccupied.

• The system determines that an infant is

present in a rear-facing infant seat.

• The system determines that a small child is

present in a forward-facing child restraint.

• The system determines that a small child is

present in a booster seat.

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• A right front passenger takes his/her weight off

of the seat for a period of time.

• The right front passenger seat is occupied by

a smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown child restraints.

• Or, if there is a critical problem with the airbag

system or the passenger sensing system.

When the passenger sensing system has turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is off.

If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions and refer to Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position on page 84.

Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens, adjust the head restraint.

If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and check with your dealer.

The passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inﬂate) the right front passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the right front passenger’s seat. When the passenger sensing system has allowed the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is active.

For some children who have outgrown child restraints and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system may or may not turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, depending upon the person’s seating posture and body build. Everyone in your vehicle who has outgrown child restraints should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person.

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