2005 Honda Civic Coupe Owners Manual

an indicator on the instrument panel to remind you and your passengers to fasten your seat belts.

WhyWearSeatBelts Seat belts are the single most effective safety device for adults and larger children. (Infants and smaller children must be properly restrained in child seats.)

Not wearing a seat belt properly increases the chance of serious injury or death in a crash, even though your vehicle has airbags.

In addition, most states and all Canadian provinces require you to wear seat belts.

Not wearing a seat belt properly increases the chance of serious injury or death in a crash, even though your vehicle has airbags.

Be sure you and your passengers always wear seat belts and wear them properly.

When properly worn, seat belts:

Keep you connected to the vehicle so you can take advantage of the vehicle’s built-in safety features.

Help protect you in almost every type of crash, including frontal, side, and rear impacts and rollovers.

Help keep you from being thrown against the inside of the vehicle and against other occupants.

Keep you from being thrown out of the vehicle.

Help keep you in a good position should the airbags ever deploy. A good position reduces the risk of injury from an inflating airbag and allows you to get the best advantage from the airbag.

Of course, seat belts cannot completely protect you in every crash. But in most cases, seat belts can reduce your risk of serious injury.

WhatYouShouldDo: Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly.

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Airbags

Your vehicle has a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) with front airbags to help protect the heads and chests of the driver and a front seat passenger during a moderate to severe frontal collision (see page for more information on how 22
your front airbags work).

Onlyonmodelsequippedwithside airbags Your vehicle also has side airbags to help protect the upper torso of the driver or a front seat passenger during a moderate to severe side impact (see page information on how your side airbags work).

for more

24

Your Vehicle’s Safety Features

The most important things you need to know about your airbags are:

Airbagsdonotreplaceseatbelts. They are designed to supplement the seat belts.

Airbagsoffernoprotectioninrear impacts,orminorfrontalorside collisions.

To do

Airbagscanposehazards. their job, airbags must inflate with tremendous force. So while airbags help save lives, they can cause minor injuries or more serious or even fatal injuries if occupants are not properly restrained or sitting properly.

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Your Vehicle’s Safety Features

Always wear

Whatyoushoulddo: your seat belt properly, and sit upright and as far back from the steering wheel as possible while allowing full control of the vehicle. A front passenger should move their seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.

The rest of this section gives more detailed information about how you can maximize your safety.

Remember, however, that no safety system can prevent all injuries or deaths that can occur in a severe crash, even when seat belts are properly worn and the airbags deploy.

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Introduction The following pages provide instructions on how to properly protect the driver, adult passengers, and teenage children who are large enough and mature enough to drive or ride in the front.

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31

27

for important

See pages guidelines on how to properly protect infants, small children, and larger children who ride in your vehicle.

Close and Lock the Doors 1. After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure the doors are closed and locked.

Locking the doors reduces the chance of someone being thrown out of the vehicle during a crash, and it helps prevent passengers from accidentally opening a door and falling out.

Locking the doors also helps prevent an outsider from unexpectedly opening a door when you come to a stop.

See page doors.

69

for how to lock the

Protecting Adults and Teens

2.

Adjust the Front Seats

Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the rear as possible while allowing you to maintain full control of the vehicle. Have a front passenger adjust their seat as far to the rear as possible.

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Protecting Adults and Teens

If you sit too close to the steering wheel or dashboard, you can be seriously injured by an inflating front airbag, or by striking the steering wheel or dashboard.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada recommend that drivers allow at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the center of the steering wheel and the chest.

If you cannot get far enough away from the steering wheel and still reach the controls, we recommend that you investigate whether some type of adaptive equipment may help.

Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious injury or death if the front airbags inflate.

Always sit as far back from the front airbags as possible.

Once your seat is adjusted correctly, rock it back and forth to make sure the seat is locked in position.

See page 73
front seats.

for how to adjust the

12

3.

Adjust the Seat-Backs

Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a comfortable, upright position, leaving ample space between your chest and the airbag cover in the center of the steering wheel.

Passengers with adjustable seat- backs should also adjust their seat- back to a comfortable, upright position.

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Reclining the seat-back too far can result in serious injury or death in a crash.

Adjust the seat-back to an upright position, and sit well back in the seat.

Reclining a seat-back so that the shoulder part of the belt no longer rests against the occupant’s chest reduces the protective capability of the belt. It also increases the chance of sliding under the belt in a crash and being seriously injured. The farther a seat-back is reclined, the greater the risk of injury.

See page 73
seat-backs.

for how to adjust the

4.

Adjust the Head Restraints

Adjust the driver’s head restraint so the back of your head rests against the center of the restraint.

Have passengers with adjustable head restraints adjust their restraints properly as well. Taller persons should adjust their restraint as high as possible.

Protecting Adults and Teens

Improperly positioning head restraints reduces their effectiveness and you can be seriously injured in a crash.

Make sure head restraints are in place and positioned properly before driving.

Properly adjusted head restraints will help protect occupants from whiplash and other crash injuries.

See page head restraints.

75

for how to adjust the

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Protecting Adults and Teens

5.

Fasten and Position the Seat Belts

Insert the latch plate into the buckle, then tug on the belt to make sure the belt is securely latched. Check that the belt is not twisted, because a twisted belt can cause serious injuries in a crash.

Position the lap part of the belt as low as possible across your hips, then pull up on the shoulder part of the belt so the lap part fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic bones take the force of a crash and reduces the chance of internal injuries.

If necessary, pull up on the belt again to remove any slack, then check that the belt rests across the center of your chest and over your shoulder.

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This spreads the forces of a crash over the strongest bones in your upper body.

Improperly positioning the seat belts can cause serious injury or death in a crash.

Make sure all seat belts are properly positioned before driving.

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Neverplacetheshoulderportionofa lap/shoulderbeltunderyourarmor behindyourback. very serious injuries in a crash.

This could cause

If a seat belt does not seem to work properly, it may not protect the occupant in a crash.

Nooneshouldsitinaseatwithan Using a seat inoperativeseatbelt. belt that is not working properly can result in serious injury or death. Have your dealer check the belt as soon as possible.

18

for additional

See page information about your seat belts and how to take care of them.

6.

Maintain a Proper Sitting Position

After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on seat belts, it is very important that they continue to sit upright, well back in their seats, with their feet on the floor, until the vehicle is parked and the engine is off.

Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury during a crash. For example, if an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly increased.

Protecting Adults and Teens

In addition, an occupant who is out of position in the front seat can be seriously or fatally injured in a crash by striking interior parts of the vehicle or being struck by an inflating front airbag.

Sitting improperly or out of position can result in serious injury or death in a crash.

Always sit upright, well back in the seat, with your feet on the floor.

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When driving, remember to sit upright and adjust the seat as far back as possible while allowing full control of the vehicle. When riding as a front passenger, adjust the seat as far back as possible.

This will reduce the risk of injuries to both you and your unborn child that can be caused by a crash or an inflating front airbag.

Each time you have a checkup, ask your doctor if it’s okay for you to drive.

Protecting Adults and Teens

Advice for Pregnant Women

If you are pregnant, the best way to protect yourself and your unborn child when driving or riding in a vehicle is to always wear a seat belt, and keep the lap part of the belt as low as possible across the hips.

16

Additional Safety Precautions

Twopeopleshouldneverusethe sameseatbelt. could be very seriously injured in a crash.

If they do, they

Donotputanyaccessoriesonseat Devices intended to improve belts. occupant comfort or reposition the shoulder part of a seat belt can reduce the protective capability of the belt and increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.

Donotplacehardorsharpobjects betweenyourselfandafront Carrying hard or sharp airbag. objects on your lap, or driving with a pipe or other sharp object in your mouth, can result in injuries if your front airbag inflates.

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Protecting Adults and Teens

Keepyourhandsandarmsaway If your fromtheairbagcovers. hands or arms are close to an airbag cover, they could be injured if the airbag inflates.

Donotattachorplaceobjectson Objects on thefrontairbagcovers. the covers marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’ could interfere with the proper operation of the airbags or be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone if the airbags inflate.

Onmodelswithsideairbags,do notattachhardobjectsonornear If a side airbag inflates, a adoor. cup holder or other hard object attached on or near the door could be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone.

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Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

Lap/Shoulder Belt The lap and shoulder belt goes over your shoulder, across your chest, and across your hips.

To fasten the belt, insert the latch plate into the buckle, then tug on the belt to make sure the buckle is latched (see page for how to properly position the belt).

14

To unlock the belt, push the red PRESS button on the buckle. Guide the belt across your body so that it retracts completely. After exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt is out of the way and will not get closed in the door.

Seat Belt System Components Your seat belt system includes lap/ shoulder belts in all five seating positions. The front seat belts are also equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners.

The seat belt system includes an indicator on the

instrument panel and a beeper to remind you to fasten your seat belt.

If you turn the ignition switch to ON (II) before fastening your seat belt, the beeper will sound, and the indicator will flash. If you do not fasten your seat belt before the beeper stops, the indicator will stop flashing but remain on.

If you continue driving without fastening your seat belt, the beeper will sound and the indicator will flash again at regular intervals.

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All seat belts have an emergency locking retractor. In normal driving, the retractor lets you move freely in your seat while it keeps some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop, the retractor automatically locks the belt to help restrain your body.

The seat belts in all positions except the driver’s have an additional locking mechanism that must be activated to secure a child seat (see page

38

).

If the shoulder part of the belt is pulled all the way out, the locking mechanism will activate. The belt will retract, but it will not allow the passenger to move freely.

To deactivate the locking mechanism, unlatch the buckle and let the seat belt fully retract. To refasten the seat belt, pull it out only as far as needed.

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Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

The tensioners are designed to activate primarily in frontal collisions, and they should activate in any collision severe enough to cause front-airbag inflation.

The tensioners can also be activated during a collision in which the front airbags do not deploy. In this case, the airbags would not be needed, but the additional restraint could be helpful.

Seat Belt Maintenance For safety, you should check the condition of your seat belts regularly.

Pull each belt out fully and look for frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check that the latches work smoothly and the belts retract easily. Any belt that is not in good condition or working properly will not provide good protection and should be replaced as soon as possible.

When the tensioners are activated, the seat belts will remain tight until they are unbuckled in the normal manner.

Honda provides a lifetime warranty on seat belts for U.S. models. See your HondaWarrantyInformation booklet for details.

Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners

For added protection, the front seat belts are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners. When activated, the tensioners immediately tighten the belts to help hold the driver and a front passenger in place.

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Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

If a seat belt is worn during a crash, it must be replaced by your dealer. A belt that has been worn during a crash may not provide the same level of protection in a subsequent crash.

The dealer should also inspect the anchors for damage and replace them if needed. If the automatic seat belt tensioners activate during a crash, they must be replaced.

Not checking or maintaining seat belts can result in serious injury or death if the seat belts do not work properly when needed.

Check your seat belts regularly and have any problem corrected as soon as possible.

For information on how to clean your seat belts, see page

174

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Additional Information About Your Airbags

Airbag System Components Your airbag system includes:

Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) front airbags. The driver’s airbag is stored in the center of the steering wheel; the front passenger’s airbag is stored in the dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’ (see page

22

).

In models with side airbags, one for the driver and one for a front passenger. The airbags are stored in the outer edges of the seat- backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE AIRBAG’’ (see page

24

).

Automatic front seat belt tensioners (see page ). 19

Sensors that can detect a moderate to severe front impact, or side impact in models with side airbags.

In models with side airbags, sensors that can detect whether a small person or child is in the passenger’s side airbag path and automatically turn the airbag off (see page

25

).

A sophisticated electronic system that continually monitors and records information about the sensors, the control unit, the airbag activators, the seat belt tensioners, and driver and front passenger seat belt use when the ignition is ON (II).

An indicator on the instrument panel that alerts you to a possible problem with your airbags, sensors, or seat belt tensioners (see page

25

).

In models with side airbags, an indicator on the instrument panel that alerts you that the passenger’s side airbag has been turned off (see page

26

).

Emergency backup power in case your vehicle’s electrical system is disconnected in a crash.

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Additional Information About Your Airbags

During a frontal crash, your seat belt restrains your lower body and torso, and the front airbag helps protect your head and chest.

Although both airbags normally inflate within split second of each other, it is possible for only one airbag to deploy.

This can happen if the severity of a collision is at the margin, or threshold, that determines whether or not the airbags will deploy. In such cases, the seat belt will provide sufficient protection, and the supplemental protection offered by the airbag would be minimal.

How Your Front Airbags Work

If you ever have a moderate to severe frontal collision, sensors will detect the vehicle’s rapid deceleration.

If the rate of deceleration is high enough, the control unit will instantly inflate the driver’s and front passenger’s airbags, at the time and with the force needed.

22

After inflating, the front airbags immediately deflate, so they won’t interfere with the driver’s visibility, or the ability to steer or operate other controls.

The total time for inflation and deflation is one-tenth of a second, so fast that most occupants are not aware that the airbags deployed until they see them lying in their laps.

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Additional Information About Your Airbags

After a crash, you may see what looks like smoke. This is actually powder from the airbag’s surface. Although the powder is not harmful, people with respiratory problems may experience some temporary discomfort. If this occurs, get out of the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.

Dual-StageAirbags Your front airbags are dual-stage airbags. This means they have two inflation stages that can be ignited sequentially or simultaneously, depending on crash severity.

moresevere

In a crash, both stages will ignite simultaneously to provide the quickest and greatest protection.

lesssevere

crash, one stage will

In a ignite first, then the second stage will ignite a split second later. This provides longer airbag inflation time with a little less force.

Dual-ThresholdAirbags Your front airbags are also dual- threshold airbags. Airbags with this feature have two deployment thresholds that depend on whether or not the occupant is wearing a seat belt.

notlatched

If the occupant’s belt is the airbag will deploy at a slightly lower threshold, because the occupant would need extra protection.

islatched

If the occupant’s belt , the airbag will inflate at a slightly higher threshold, when the airbag would be needed to supplement the protection provided by the seat belt.

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Additional Information About Your Airbags

How Your Side Airbags Work Onmodelsequipped

Only one airbag will deploy during a side impact. If the impact is on the passenger’s side, the passenger’s side airbag will deploy even if there is no passenger.

SideAirbagCutoffSystem To reduce the risk of injury from an inflating side airbag, your vehicle has an automatic cutoff system for the passenger’s side airbag.

To get the best protection from the side airbags, front seat occupants should wear their seat belts and sit upright and well back in their seats.

Although Honda does not encourage children to ride in front, this system is designed to shut off the side airbag if a child leans into the side airbag’s path.

The side airbag may also shut off if a short adult leans sideways, or a larger adult slouches and leans sideways into the airbag’s deployment path.

Objects placed on the front passenger seat can also cause the side airbag to be shut off.

If you ever have a moderate to severe side impact, sensors will detect rapid deceleration and signal the control unit to instantly inflate either the driver’s or the passenger’s side airbag.

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), have the

If the Side Airbag Off Indicator comes on (see page passenger sit upright. Once the passenger is out of the airbag’s deployment path, the system will turn the airbag back on, and the indicator will go out.

There will be some delay between the moment the passenger moves into or out of the airbag deployment path and when the indicator comes on or goes off.

A front seat passenger should not use a cushion or other object as a backrest. It may prevent the cutoff system from working properly.

Additional Information About Your Airbags

If you see any of these indications, the airbags and seat belt tensioners may not work properly when you need them.

Ignoring the SRS indicator can result in serious injury or death if the airbag systems or tensioners do not work properly.

Have your vehicle checked by a dealer as soon as possible if the SRS indicator alerts you to a possible problem.

How the SRS Indicator Works The SRS indicator alerts you to a potential problem

with your airbags or seat belt tensioners.

When you turn the ignition switch to ON (II), this indicator comes on briefly then goes off. This tells you the system is working properly.

If the indicator comes on at any other time, or does not come on at all, you should have the system checked by your dealer. For example:

If the SRS indicator does not come on after you turn the ignition switch to ON (II).

If the indicator stays on after the engine starts.

If the indicator comes on or flashes on and off while you drive.

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Additional Information About Your Airbags

How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works Inmodelswithsideairbags

This indicator alerts you that the passenger’s side airbag has been automatically shut off. It does mean there is a problem with your side airbags.

not

When you turn the ignition switch to ON (II), the indicator should come on briefly and go off (see page ). 54
If it doesn’t come on, stays on, or comes on while driving without a passenger in the front seat, have the system checked.

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Airbag Service Your airbag systems are virtually maintenance free, and there are no parts you can safely service. However, you must have your vehicle serviced if:

Any airbag

Anairbageverinflates. that has deployed must be replaced along with the control unit and other related parts. If a front airbag inflates, the seat belt tensioners must also be replaced.

Do not try to remove or replace any airbag by yourself. This must be done by your dealer or a knowledgeable body shop.

TheSRSindicatoralertsyoutoa Take your vehicle to an problem. authorized dealer as soon as possible. If you ignore this indication, your airbags may not operate properly.

Additional Safety Precautions

Donotattempttodeactivateyour airbags. seat belts provide the best protection.

Together, airbags and

Donottamperwithairbag componentsorwiringforany Tampering could cause reason. the airbags to deploy, possibly causing very serious injury.

Donotexposethefrontseat-backs If water or another liquid toliquid. soaks into a seat-back, it can prevent the side airbag cutoff system from working properly.

Donotcoverorreplacefrontseat- backcoverswithoutconsulting Improperly replacing yourdealer. or covering front seat-back covers can prevent your side airbags from inflating during a side impact.

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Protecting Children General Guidelines

−

All Children Must Be Restrained Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are either unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle accidents are the number one cause of the death of children ages 12 and under.

To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state and Canadian province requires that infants and children be properly restrained when they ride in a vehicle.

Infantsandsmallchildrenmustbe restrainedinanapprovedchildseat thatisproperlysecuredtothe vehicle

(see pages

40

32

).

−

Children who are unrestrained or improperly restrained can be seriously injured or killed in a crash.

Any child too small for a seat belt should be properly restrained in a child seat. A larger child should be properly restrained with a seat belt and use a booster seat if necessary.

Largerchildrenmustberestrained withalap/shoulderbeltandrideon aboosterseatuntiltheseatbeltfits ). themproperly

(see pages

44

41

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Children depend on adults to protect them. However, despite their best intentions, many adults do not know how to passengers.

protect child

properly

If you have children, or ever need to drive with a child in your vehicle, be sure to read this section. It begins with important general guidelines, then presents special information for infants, small children, and larger children.

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Protecting Children General Guidelines

−

All Children Should Sit in a Back Seat According to accident statistics, children of all ages and sizes are safer when they are restrained in a back seat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada recommend that all children age 12 and under be properly restrained in a back seat.

Children who ride in back are less likely to be injured by striking interior vehicle parts during a collision or hard braking. Also, children cannot be injured by an inflating front airbag when they ride in the back.

The Passenger’s Front Airbag Poses Serious Risks Front airbags have been designed to help protect adults in a moderate to severe frontal collision. To do this the passenger’s front airbag is quite large, and it can inflate with enough force to cause very serious injuries.

Infants Neverputarear-facingchildseatin thefrontseatofavehicleequipped If withapassenger’sfrontairbag. the airbag inflates, it can hit the back of the child seat with enough force to kill or very seriously injure an infant.

28

SmallChildren Placingaforward-facingchildseatin thefrontseatofavehicleequipped withapassenger’sfrontairbagcan If the vehicle seat is behazardous. too far forward, or the child’s head is thrown forward during a collision, an inflating front airbag can strike the child with enough force to kill or very seriously injure a small child.

Whenever possible,

LargerChildren Childrenwhohaveoutgrownchild seatsarealsoatriskofbeinginjured orkilledbyaninflatingpassenger’s frontairbag. larger children should sit in the back seat, on a booster seat if needed, and be properly restrained with a seat belt (see page information about protecting larger children).

for important

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U.S. Models SUN VISOR

DASHBOARD

To remind you of the passenger's front airbag hazards, and that children must be properly restrained in a back seat, your vehicle has warning labels on the dashboard (U.S. models) and on the front visors Please read and follow the instructions on these labels.

Canadian Models

SUN VISOR

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Protecting Children General Guidelines

−

If You Must Drive with Several Children Your vehicle has a back seat where children can be properly restrained. If you ever have to carry a group of children, and a child must ride in front:

If a Child Requires Close Attention Many parents say they prefer to put an infant or small child in the front passenger seat so they can watch the child, or because the child requires attention.

Placing a child in the front seat exposes the child to hazards in a frontal collision, and paying close attention to a child distracts the driver from the important tasks of driving, placing both of you at risk.

If a child requires close physical attention or frequent visual contact, we strongly recommend that another adult ride with the child in a back seat. The back seat is far safer for a child than the front.

Place the largest child in the front seat, provided the child is large enough to wear the lap/shoulder belt properly (see page

41

).

Move the vehicle seat as far to the rear as possible (see page

73

).

Have the child sit upright and well back in the seat (see page

15

).

Make sure the seat belt is properly positioned and secured (see page 14

).

30

Additional Safety Precautions

Neverholdaninfantorchildon If you are not wearing a yourlap. seat belt in a crash, you could be thrown forward and crush the child against the dashboard or a seat-back. If you are wearing a seat belt, the child can be torn from your arms and be seriously hurt or killed.

Neverputaseatbeltoveryourself andachild. belt could press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.

During a crash, the

Neverlettwochildrenusethe If they do, they sameseatbelt. could be very seriously injured in a crash.

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Protecting Children General Guidelines

−

Donotleavechildrenaloneina Leaving children without vehicle. adult supervision is illegal in most states and Canadian provinces, and can be very hazardous.

For example, infants and small children left in a vehicle on a hot day can die from heatstroke. A child left alone with the key in the ignition switch can accidentally set the vehicle in motion, possibly injuring themselves or others.

Even very young

Keepvehiclekeysandremote transmittersoutofthereachof children. children learn how to unlock vehicle doors, turn on the ignition switch, and open the trunk, which can lead to accidental injury or death.

Lockbothdoorsandthetrunk whenyourvehicleisnotinuse. Children who play in vehicles can accidentally get trapped inside. Teach your children not to play in or around vehicles. Know how to operate the emergency trunk opener and decide if your children should be shown how to use this feature (see page

70

).

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Protecting Infants and Small Children

Two types of seats may be used: a seat designed exclusively for infants, or a convertible seat used in the rear- facing, reclining mode.

Donotputarear-facingchildseatin If placed aforward-facingposition. facing forward, an infant could be very seriously injured during a frontal collision.

Rear-facingChildSeatPlacement A rear-facing child seat can be placed in any seating position in the back seat, but not in the front. rear-facingchildseatinthefront seat.

Neverputa

If the passenger’s front airbag inflates, it can hit the back of the child seat with enough force to kill or seriously injure an infant.

When properly installed, a rear- facing child seat may prevent the driver or a front passenger from moving the seat as far back as recommended, or from locking the seat-back in the desired position.

Protecting Infants

ChildSeatType An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the child reaches the seat maker’s weight or height limit for the seat and the child is at least one year old.

Only a rear-facing child seat provides proper support for a baby’s head, neck, and back.

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Protecting Infants and Small Children

In either situation, we strongly recommend that you install the child seat directly behind the front passenger’s seat, move the seat as far forward as needed, and leave it unoccupied. Or, you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.

Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or death if the passenger’s front airbag inflates.

Always place a rear-facing child seat in the back seat, not the front.

Protecting Small Children

ChildSeatType A child who is at least one year old, and who fits within the child seat maker’s weight and height limits, should be restrained in a forward- facing, upright child seat.

Of the different seats available, we recommend those that have a five- point harness system as shown.

ChildSeatPlacement We strongly recommend placing a forward-facing child seat in a back seat, not the front.

If the vehicle seat is too

Placingaforward-facingchildseatin thefrontseatofavehicleequipped withapassenger’sairbagcanbe hazardous. far forward, or the child’s head is thrown forward during a collision, an inflating airbag can strike the child with enough force to cause very serious or fatal injuries.

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Protecting Infants and Small Children, Selecting a Child Seat

If it is necessary to put a forward- facing child seat in the front, move the vehicle seat as far to the rear as possible, be sure the child seat is firmly secured to the vehicle, and the child is properly strapped in the seat.

Selecting a Child Seat When buying a child seat, you need to choose either a conventional child seat, or one designed for use with the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system.

Conventional child seats must be secured to a vehicle with a seat belt, whereas LATCH-compatible seats are secured by attaching the seat to hardware built into the two outer seating positions in the back seat.

Since LATCH-compatible child seats are easier to install and reduce the possibility of improper installation, we recommend selecting this style.

We also recommend selecting a LATCH-compatible seat with a rigid, rather than a flexible, anchor (see page

36

).

Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or death if the front airbag inflates.

If you must place a forward- facing child seat in front, move the vehicle seat as far back as possible, and properly restrain the child.

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In seating positions and vehicles not equipped with LATCH, a LATCH- compatible child seat can be installed using a seat belt.

Whatever type of seat you choose, to provide proper protection, a child seat should meet three requirements:

1.

ThechildseatshouldmeetU.S.or CanadianMotorVehicleSafety Look for FMVSS Standard213. 213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.

2.

Thechildseatshouldbeofthe propertypeandsizetofitthechild. Rear-facing for infants, forward- facing for small children.

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Selecting a Child Seat, Installing a Child Seat

3.

Thechildseatshouldfitthe vehicleseatingposition(or positions)whereitwillbeused.

Before purchasing a conventional child seat, or using a previously purchased one, we recommend that you test the seat in the specific vehicle seating position (or positions) where the seat will be used.

Installing a Child Seat After selecting a proper child seat, and a good place to install the seat, there are three main steps in installing the seat:

1.

Properlysecurethechildseatto All child seats must be thevehicle. secured to the vehicle with the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt or with the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system. A child whose seat is not properly secured to the vehicle can be endangered in a crash.

2.

After installing a child

Makesurethechildseatisfirmly secured. seat, push and pull the seat forward and from side to side to verify that it is secure.

A child seat secured with a seat belt should be installed as firmly as possible. However, it does not need to be ‘‘rock solid.’’ Some side-to-side

movement can be expected and should not reduce the child seat’s effectiveness.

If the child seat is not secure, try installing it in a different seating position, or use a different style of child seat that can be firmly secured.

3.

Securethechildinthechildseat. Make sure the child is properly strapped in the child seat according to the child seat maker’s instructions. A child who is not properly secured in a child seat can be seriously injured in a crash.

The following pages provide guidelines on how to properly install a child seat. A forward-facing child seat is used in all examples, but the instructions are the same for rear- facing child seats.

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Installing a Child Seat

Installing a Child Seat with LATCH Your vehicle is equipped with LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) at the outer rear seats.

The lower anchors are located between the seat-back and seat bottom, and are to be used only with a child seat designed for use with LATCH.

The location of each lower anchor is indicated by a small button above the anchor point.

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BUTTONS

LOWER ANCHORS

Rigid type

To install a LATCH-compatible child seat:

1.

2.

Move the seat belt buckle or tongue away from the lower anchors.

Make sure there are no objects near the anchors that could prevent a secure connection between the child seat and the anchors.

3.

Place the child seat on the vehicle seat, then attach the seat to the lower anchors according to the child seat maker’s instructions.

Some LATCH-compatible seats have a rigid-type connector as shown above.

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Installing a Child Seat

TETHER STRAP HOOK

7.

Push and pull the child seat forward and from side to side to verify that it is secure.

Flexible type

Other LATCH-compatible seats have a flexible-type connector as shown above.

4.

Whatever type you have, follow the child seat maker’s instructions for adjusting or tightening the fit.

ANCHOR

5.

Lift the head restraint (see page ), then route the tether strap 75
through the legs of the head restraint, over the seat-back, making sure the strap is not twisted.

6.

Attach the tether strap hook to the tether anchor, then tighten the strap as instructed by the child seat maker.

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Installing a Child Seat

Installing a Child Seat with a Seat Belt When not using the LATCH system, all child seats must be secured to the vehicle with the lap part of a lap/ shoulder belt.

In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in all seating positions except the driver’s have a locking mechanism that must be activated to secure a child seat.

1.

With the child seat in the desired seating position, route the belt through the child seat according to the seat maker’s instructions, then insert the latch plate into the buckle.

2.

3.

To activate the lockable retractor, slowly pull the shoulder part of the belt all the way out until it stops, then let the belt feed back into the retractor.

After the belt has retracted, tug on it. If the belt is locked, you will not be able to pull it out. If you can pull the belt out, it is not locked, and you will need to repeat these steps.

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Installing a Child Seat

To deactivate the locking mechanism and remove a child seat, unlatch the buckle, unroute the seat belt, and let the belt fully retract.

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4.

After confirming that the belt is locked, grab the shoulder part of the belt near the buckle, and pull up to remove any slack from the lap part of the belt. Remember, if the lap part of the belt is not tight, the child seat will not be secure.

To remove slack, it may help to put weight on the child seat, or push on the back of the seat while pulling up on the belt.

5.

Push and pull the child seat forward and from side to side to verify that it is secure enough to stay upright during normal driving maneuvers. If the child seat is not secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to retract fully, then repeat these steps.

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Installing a Child Seat

Installing a Child Seat with a Tether

TETHER ANCHORAGE POINTS

UsinganOuterAnchor

Front

3.

Tighten the strap according to the seat maker’s instructions.

UsingtheCenterAnchor

TETHER STRAP HOOK

TETHER STRAP HOOK

ANCHOR

1.

After properly securing the child seat (see page ), lift the head restraint, then route the tether strap over the seat-back and through the head restraint legs.

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2.

Lift the anchor cover, then attach the tether strap hook to the anchor, making sure the strap is not twisted.

COVER

A child seat with a tether can be installed in any seating position in the back seat, using one of the anchorage points shown above.

Since a tether can provide additional security to the lap/shoulder belt installation, we recommend using a tether whenever one is required or available.

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ANCHOR

1.

After properly securing the child seat (see page tether strap over the seat-back.

), route the

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2.

Follow steps 2 and 3 from the previous column.

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When a child reaches the recommended weight or height limit for a forward-facing child seat, the child should sit in a back seat on a booster seat and wear a lap/shoulder belt.

The following pages give instructions on how to check proper seat belt fit, what kind of booster seat to use if one is needed, and important precautions for a child who must sit in front.

Allowing a child age 12 or under to sit in front can result in injury or death if the passenger’s front airbag inflates.

If a child must ride in front, move the vehicle seat as far back as possible, use a booster seat if needed, have the child sit up properly and wear the seat belt properly.

Protecting Larger Children

Checking Seat Belt Fit

To determine if a lap/shoulder belt properly fits a child, have the child put on the seat belt, then ask yourself:

1.

Does the child sit all the way back against the seat?

2.

Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the edge of the seat?

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Protecting Larger Children

3.

Does the shoulder belt cross between the child’s neck and arm?

4.

Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs?

5.

Will the child be able to stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answer yes to all these questions, the child is ready to wear the lap/shoulder belt correctly. If you answer no to any question, the child needs to ride on a booster seat.

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Using a Booster Seat

A child who has outgrown a forward- facing child seat should ride in a back seat and use a booster seat until the lap/shoulder belt fits them properly without the booster.

Some states and Canadian provinces also require children to use a booster seat until they reach a given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or 60 lbs). Be sure to check current laws in the states or provinces where you intend to drive.

Booster seats can be high-back or low-back. Whichever style you select, make sure the booster seat meets federal safety standards (see page 34
seat maker’s instructions.

) and that you follow the booster

If a child who uses a booster seat must ride in front, move the vehicle seat as far back as possible, and be sure the child is wearing the seat belt properly.

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A child may continue using a booster seat until the tops of their ears are even with the top of the vehicle’s or booster’s seat-back. A child of this height should be tall enough to use the lap/shoulder belt without a booster seat.

When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport