Suzuki XL7 2007 Owners Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

Keep With Vehicle At All Times. Contains Important Information On Safety, Operation & Maintenance.

2007

Part No. 99011-78J00-03E September, 2006

Prepared by

September, 2006

Part No. 99011-78J00-03E

Printed in U.S.A.

TP270

This owner’s manual applies to the XL7 series:

NOTE: The illustrated model is one of the XL7 series.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing SUZUKI and welcome to our growing family. Your choice was a wise one; SUZUKI products are a great value that will give you years of driving pleasure.

This Owner’s Manual was prepared to help you have a safe, enjoyable, and trouble-free experience with your SUZUKI. In it you will learn about the vehicle’s operation, its safety features and maintenance requirements. Please read it carefully before operating your vehicle. Afterwards, keep this Manual in the glove box for future reference.

Should you resell the vehicle, please leave this Manual with it for the next owner.

In addition to the Owner’s Manual, the other booklets provided with your SUZUKI explain the vehicle’s warranties. We recommend you read them as well to familiarize yourself with this important information.

When planning the regular scheduled maintenance of your SUZUKI, we recommend you visit your local SUZUKI dealership. Their factory-trained technicians will provide the best possible service and use only genuine SUZUKI parts and accessories.

SERVICE STATION GUIDE

1. Fuel (see section 5)

2. Engine hood (see section 5)

3. Tire changing tools (see section 5)

4. Engine oil dipstick <Yellow> (see section 5)

5. Engine coolant (see section 5)

6. Windshield washer fluid (see section 5)

7. Battery (see section 5)

8. Tire pressure (see tire information label on driver’s door lock pillar)

9. Spare tire (see section 5)

Litho in U.S.A. Part NO. 15900142 A First Printing

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS 1

California Proposition 65 Warning

WARNING

Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain product components contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

FEATURES AND CONTENTS 2

INSTRUMENT PANEL 3

DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE 4

SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE 5

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE 6

GENERAL INFORMATION 7

INDEX 8

LOCATION OF WARNING MESSAGES

Read and follow all of the warnings (labels etc.) on your vehicle. Make sure you understand all of them. Keep them on the vehicle. Do not remove the messages for any reason. If a label comes off or the messages become difficult to read, have it corrected by your SUZUKI dealer.

1. Airbag warning labels (on both sunvisors)

2. Jacking warning label

3. Brake fluid cap message

4. Surge tank cap message

5. Dynamo meter warning label

6. Air conditioner warning label

7. Battery label

8. Air bag warning tag

9. Side air bag warning label

10. Side air bag warning label (3 seats model only)

11. Pretensioner warning label

12. Second seat folding warning label

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Driver Passenger

FOREWORD

All information in this manual is based on the latest product information available at the time of publication. Due to improvements or other changes, there may be discrepancies between information in this manual and your vehicle. SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION reserves the right to make production changes at any time, without notice and without incurring any obligation to make the same or similar changes to vehicles previously built or sold.

SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION believes in conservation and protection of Earth’s natural resources.

To that end, we encourage every vehicle owner to recycle, trade in, or properly dispose of, as appropriate, used motor oil, coolant, and other fluids, batteries and tires.

IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR SUZUKI:

Please review the New Vehicle Warranty Information booklet supplied with your SUZUKI. Should you have a question or problem regarding the warranty or service of your vehicle, please take the following action:

Consult the Service Manager and the Owner of the Suzuki Automotive Dealership. Explain your problem and ask for their assistance in resolving your problem. The Owner of the dealership is in the very best position to assist you as he or she is vitally concerned with your continued satisfaction.

If you are still in need of additional information, or if you are dissatisfied, request that your dealer arrange a meeting with your District Service Manager.

If, after doing so, you still require further assistance, and you purchased your SUZUKI in the continental United States, please contact the American Suzuki Customer Relations Department by telephone at 1-800-934-0934 or in writing at:

American Suzuki Motor Corporation Automotive Customer Relations 3251 East Imperial Highway Brea, CA 92821-6795

If you purchased your SUZUKI in Canada please contact the Suzuki Canada Customer Relations Department by telephone at 1-905-889-2677 extension 2254 or in writing at:

Suzuki Canada Inc. Customer Relations 100 East Beaver Creek Road Richmond Hill, On L4B 1J6

In the event you require assistance related to your SUZUKI, while temporarily travelling in either the United States or Canada, you may wish to contact the Suzuki Customer Relations Department directly of the country in which you are temporarily operating your vehicle.

Please be certain to provide us with the following information: the model, Vehicle Identification Number, mileage, accessories involved, event dates, your concern, and any other comments which you may have. When we receive your correspondence, we will be pleased to contact the Owner of your dealership and assist in resolving your concern.

For owners outside the continental United States, please refer to the distributor’s address listed in your Warranty Information booklet.

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IMPORTANT

WARNING/CAUTION/NOTE

Please read this manual and follow its instructions carefully. To emphasize special information, the symbol and the words WARNING, CAUTION and NOTE have special meanings. Pay special attention to the messages highlighted by these signal words:

WARNING

Indicates a potential hazard that could result in death or injury.

CAUTION

Indicates a potential hazard that could result in vehicle damage.

NOTE: Indicates special information to make maintenance easier or instructions clearer.

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The circle with a slash in this manual means “Don’t do this” or “Don’t let this happen”.

MODIFICATION WARNING

WARNING

Do not modify this vehicle. Modification could adversely affect safety, handling, performance or durability and may violate governmental regulations. In addition, damage or performance problems resulting from modification may not be covered under warranty.

CAUTION

Improper installation of mobile communication equipment such as cellular telephones or CB (Citizen’s Band) radios may cause electronic interference with your vehicle’s ignition system, resulting in vehicle performance problems. Consult your SUZUKI dealer or qualified service technician for advice on installing such mobile communication equipment.

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Vehicle Symbols

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

If you need help figuring out a specific name of a component, gauge 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

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:

• Climate Controls in Section 3

• Warning Lights, gauges and Indicators in Section 3

• Audio System(s) in Section 3

• Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Front Seats .......................................................................... 1-1

Rear Seats ............................................................................ 1-6

Safety Belts .......................................................................... 1-9

Child Restraints ................................................................... 1-18

Airbag System ..................................................................... 1-33

Restraint System Check ..................................................... 1-42

SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Front Seats

Manual Seats

WARNING

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.

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Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place.

Driver Seat Height Adjuster

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If your vehicle has a manual driver seat height adjuster, it is located on the outboard side of the seat near the front of the seat cushion. To raise the seat, move the lever upward repeatedly until the seat is at the desired height. To lower the seat, move the lever downward repeatedly until the seat is at the desired height.

Power Seat

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If the vehicle has a power seat, the control used to operate it is located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat. 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.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Manual Lumbar

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If your vehicle has this feature, the knob is located on the front of the driver seat lower cushion on the inboard side.

Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the lumbar support.

Heated Seats

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If your vehicle has heated seats, the switches are located on the instrument panel near the climate controls.

The ignition must be on for the heated seats to operate.

Press the switch, nearest to the seat, once to turn the heated seat on to the high setting. Both indicator lights will be lit. Press the switch a second time to turn the heated seat to the low setting. One indicator light will be lit. Press the switch a third time to turn the heated seat off.

Manual Reclining Seatbacks

WARNING

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.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Driver’s seat with manual recline and manual height adjuster shown

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To adjust the seatback on the driver’s seat, lift the lever on the rear outboard side of the seat and move the seatback to the desired position. Then release the lever to lock the seatback in place.

Passenger seat with folding seatback option shown

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To adjust the seatback on the front passenger’s seat, lift the lever on the outboard side of the seat and move the seatback to the desired position. Then release the lever to lock the seatback in place. If your front passenger’s seat is a flat folding seat, you must fully raise the lever to disengage the seatback.

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WARNING

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.

(Continued)

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WARNING

(Continued)

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.

Head Restraints

SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

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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.

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Pull the head restraint up to raise it. To lower the head restraint, press the button, located on the top of the seatback, and push the restraint down.

The third row head rests adjust like the front seat head restraints.

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The third row seat head rests can be removed from the seatback. To do this, press the button, located on the top of the seatback, and pull them out from the seatback. Store the head rest, front side facing up, in the compartment behind the third row, by inserting the head rest posts into the slots in the storage area.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Passenger Folding Seatback

The front passenger’s seatback may fold flat.

WARNING

If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inflating airbag might force that object toward a person. This could cause severe injury or even death. Secure objects away from the area in which an airbag would inflate. For more information, refer to “Where Are the Airbags?” in this section and refer to “Loading Your Vehicle” in “Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle” in the “Driving Your Vehicle” section.

WARNING

Things you put on this seatback can strike and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash. Remove or secure all items before driving.

To fold the seatback, do the following:

1) Lower the head restraint all the way.

2) Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat as far back as it will go and release the bar. Try to move the seat back and forth to make sure it is locked into place.

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3) Lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side of the seat, up fully and fold the seatback forward until it disengages.

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4) Continue to fold the seat forward until it locks in the folded position.

5) Pull up on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

To raise the seatback, do the following:

1) Lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side of the seat, up fully and push up on the seatback.

2) Continue raising the seatback until the seatback re-engages.

WARNING

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 and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked in place.

The recliner lever is also used to recline the seatback while a passenger is seated. Refer to “Manual Reclining Seatbacks” in this section.

Rear Seats

Split Folding the Second Row Seat

The second row split bench seatbacks have four available positions – folded forward, upright, partially reclined, or fully reclined. Both of the seatbacks can be moved to any of the four positions independent of the other seatback position.

WARNING

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.

WARNING

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 raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted.

To fold the seatback down, do the following:

CAUTION

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.

1) Ensure all three of the safety belts are unbuckled and removed from the child comfort guide, and the front seatbacks are not reclined.

2) Lower the headrest.

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3) Lift the lever located on the top of the seatback to release the seatback.

4) Fold the seatback forward.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

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

To recline the seatback, do the following:

1) Lift and hold the lever located on top of the seatback.

2) Tilt the seatback rearward, then release the lever when the seatback is in the desired position.

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

Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s)

WARNING

Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position when finished. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place. Never use the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled. This could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash.

To fold and tumble the seat, do the following:

1) Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.

CAUTION

2) Fold the seatback forward. Leaving the seatback in this position creates a flat load floor. If the seatback cannot fold flat, try moving the front seat forward and/or put the front seatback in the upright position.

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3) Use the pullstrap to release the rear of the seat from the floor. As you use the pullstrap, pull forward on the seat to lift it into its tumbled position.

Returning the Seat(s) to the Sitting Position

To return the seat to the sitting position, do the following:

1) Pull the seat down until it latches to the floor. Push and pull on the seat cushion to make sure it is locked.

WARNING

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. Do not hit or entrap any part of a third row seat occupant’s body when returning the folded or tumbled second row seat to the floor.

2) Lift the seatback and push it rearward. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Third Row Seat

WARNING

If the vehicle has a third row seat, the seatback(s) can be folded.

Folding the Seatback(s)

To fold the seatback, do the following:

1) Remove all items on the seat cushion.

CAUTION

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2) Lift the lever, located on the top of the seatback on the outboard side of the seat and fold the seatback forward.

Unfolding the Seatback(s)

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

1) Open the liftgate to access the pullstrap for the seat.

2) Use the pullstrap on the seatback to pull the seatback up until it locks into the upright position.

WARNING

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

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

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.

WARNING

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.

WARNING

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 indicators to remind you and your passengers to buckle your safety belts. Refer to “Safety Belt Reminder Light” and “Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Light” in “Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators” in the “Instrument Panel” section.

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

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.

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

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Put someone on it.

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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...

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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

SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense.

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts

Question: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I am wearing a safety belt?

Answer:

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.

Question: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety belts?

Answer:

Airbags 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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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Question: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts?

Answer:

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, refer to “Older Children” or “Infants and Young Children” in this section. 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.

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.

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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.

4) Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, refer to “Safety Belt Extender”

in this section. 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. Refer to “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” in this section.

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

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

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.

Question: What is wrong with this?

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Answer:

The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way.

WARNING

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.

Question: What is wrong with this?

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Answer:

The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way.

WARNING

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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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Question: What is wrong with this?

Answer:

The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

WARNING

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.

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Question: What is wrong with this?

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Answer:

The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times.

WARNING

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.

Question: What is wrong with this?

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Answer:

The belt is twisted across the body.

WARNING

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.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

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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.

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To move it up or down, squeeze the release buttons (A) together and move the height adjuster to the desired position.

After you move the height adjuster to where you want it, try to move it up or down without squeezing the release buttons to make sure it has locked into position.

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.

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A pregnant woman should wear a lapshoulder 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.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Right Front Passenger Position

To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety belt properly, refer to “Driver Position” in this section.

The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt – except for the following.

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, just let the belt go back all the way and start again.

When the safety belt is not in use, slide the latch plate up the safety belt webbing. The latch plate should rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near the guide loop.

Rear Seat Passengers

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

All rear seat positions have lap-shoulder belts. Here is how to wear one properly.

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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.

2) Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and start again. If the belt is not long enough, refer to “Safety Belt Extender” in this section. 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.

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3) To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder part.

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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

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

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 a crash.

WARNING

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.

Question: What is wrong with this?

Answer:

The belt is over an armrest.

WARNING

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.

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

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 one guide available for each outboard passenger position in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort guide to the safety belt:

1) Remove the guide from its storage clip on the back of the seatback.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

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2) Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.

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

WARNING

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.

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4) Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described in “Rear Seat Passengers” in this section. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder.

To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that you can take them out of the guide. Slide the guide back onto its storage clip located on the seatback.

SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

Safety Belt Pretensioners

Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger. Although you cannot see them, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal, rear or side crash, or a rollover if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met.

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. Refer to “Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash” in this section.

Safety Belt Extender

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.

Child Restraints

Older Children

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

Question: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?

Answer:

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.

WARNING

Never do this. Here two children are wearing the same belt. The belt cannot 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.

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