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2009 Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid Owner Manual M
Seats and Restraint System ............................... 1-1
Head Restraints .............. 1-2
Front Seats .................... 1-3
Rear Seats .................... 1-9
Safety Belts .................. 1-10
Child Restraints ............. 1-22
Airbag System .............. 1-41
Restraint SystemCheck
...................... 1-56
Features and Controls ...... 2-1
............................. 2-2
............ 2-6
........................ 2-9Keys Doors and Locks Windows Theft-Deterrent
Systems
................... 2-10
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
............. 2-14
Mirrors ......................... 2-27
OnStar® System ............ 2-29
Universal Home RemoteSystem ..................... 2-32
............... 2-37Storage Areas
Instrument Panel ............... 3-1
.................... 3-4
............ 3-17Instrument Panel
Overview
Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages,
and Indicators Driver Information
............ 3-22
Center (DIC) Audio System(s)
............. 3-36
............ 3-56
Driving Your Vehicle ......... 4-1Your Driving, the Road,
and the Vehicle
........... 4-1
........................ 4-22Towing
Service and Appearance Care ............... 5-1
.......................... 5-3
.............................. 5-5Service Fuel Checking Things Under
the Hood
Headlamp Aiming Bulb Replacement
.................... 5-9
.......... 5-33
......... 5-35Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
............. 5-38
Tires ........................... 5-38
Appearance Care .......... 5-66
Vehicle Identification ...... 5-74
Electrical System ........... 5-74
Capacities and Specifications............ 5-81
Maintenance Schedule ...... 6-1
..... 6-1Maintenance Schedule Customer Assistance Information ........................ 7-1
Customer Assistance and
Information
................. 7-1
Reporting Safety
Defects
..................... 7-12
Vehicle Data Recording
and Privacy
............... 7-14
Index ....................................i-1ii
Preface
SATURN, the SATURN Emblem, and the name VUE are registered trademarks of Saturn Corporation. GENERAL MOTORS and GM are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. Saturn reserves the right to make changes after that time without further notice. This manual describes features that may or may not be on your specific vehicle.
Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols, and words work together to explain vehicle operation. Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.
Canadian Owners A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer/retailer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
helminc.comPropriétaires Canadiens On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante: Helm Incorporated P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
helminc.com About Driving Your Vehicle As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or an accident. Be sure to read the “on-pavement” and “off-road” driving guidelines which follow in this manual in the section called “Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle”.Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 25814240 A First Printing
©2008 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Index To quickly locate information about the vehicle use 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
A circle with a slash through it is a safety symbol which means “Do Not,” “Do not do this” or “Do not let this happen.” A box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the warning.
{ CAUTION
These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people.
Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions. A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by the vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage. There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use the same words, CAUTION or Notice.
Preface
iii
Vehicle Symbols 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.
M : This symbol is shown when you need to see your owner manual for additional instructions or information.
* : This symbol is shown when you need to see a service manual for additional instructions or information.
iv
Preface
Vehicle Symbol Chart Here are some additional symbols that may be found on the vehicle and what they mean. For more information on the symbol, refer to the index.
9 : Airbag Readiness Light # : Air Conditioning ! : Antilock Brake System (ABS) g : Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar® $ : Brake System Warning Light " : Charging System I : Cruise Control
B : Engine Coolant Temperature O : Exterior Lamps # : Fog Lamps . : Fuel Gage
> : Safety Belt Reminders
7 : Tire Pressure Monitor
F : Traction Control
M : Windshield Washer Fluid
+ : Fuses
i : Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j : LATCH System Child Restraints * : Malfunction Indicator Lamp : : Oil Pressure
} : Power
/ : Remote Vehicle Start
Seats and Restraint System 1-1
Seats and Restraint System
Head Restraints Head Restraints ..................1-2
Front Seats Manual Seats .....................1-3
Seat Height Adjuster ...........1-4
Power Seat ........................1-4
Manual Lumbar ..................1-5
Heated Seats .....................1-5
Reclining Seatbacks ...........1-5
Passenger Folding Seatback ...........................1-7Rear Seats Split Folding Rear Seat ......1-9
Safety Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ...................1-10
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ..................1-13Lap-Shoulder Belt .............1-17
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy .......................1-22
Safety Belt Extender .........1-22
Child Restraints Older Children ..................1-22
Infants and Young Children ..........................1-25
Child Restraint Systems ....1-27
Where to Put the Restraint .........................1-29
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) ..........................1-31
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position ...................1-36
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position .........1-38Airbag System Airbag System ..................1-41
Where Are the Airbags? ...1-44
When Should an Airbag Inflate? ............................1-45What Makes an Airbag Inflate? ............................1-47
How Does an Airbag Restrain? ........................1-47
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? ..........1-48
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-49
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ............................1-54
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ............................1-55
Restraint System Check Checking the Restraint Systems ..........................1-56
Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ..............................1-571-2
Seats and Restraint System
Head Restraints The front and rear seats have adjustable head restraints in the outboard seating positions. { CAUTION
With head restraints that are not installed and adjusted properly, there is a greater chance that occupants will suffer a neck/spinal injury in a crash. Do not drive until the head restraints for all occupants are installed and adjusted properly.
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 to raise it. To lower the head restraint, press the button, located on the top of the seatback, and push the restraint down. Push down on the head restraint after the button is released to make sure that it is locked in place. The head restraints are not designed to be removed.
Active Head Restraint System The vehicle has an active head restraint system in the front outboard seating positions. The active head restraints automatically tilt forward to reduce the risk of neck injury if the vehicle is hit from behind.
Seats and Restraint System 1-3
To move a manual seat forward or rearward:
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.
1. Lift the bar to unlock the seat. 2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the bar.
Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place.
1-4
Seats and Restraint System
Seat Height Adjuster
Power Seat a : To adjust the seat:
Raise or lower the front or rear part of the seat cushion.
Move the seat forward or rearward.
If the 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.
Seats and Restraint System 1-5
Manual Lumbar
If the vehicle has this feature, the knob is located on the inboard side of the driver seatback. Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the lumbar support.
Heated Seats On vehicles with heated front seats the controls are located on the center console. The engine must be running to operate the heated seats.
M (Heated Seat): Press this button to turn on the heated seat. The indicator light on the button shows that the feature is on and the level of heat, three being the highest. Press the button to choose the level of heat. The passenger seat may take longer to heat up.
Reclining Seatbacks Manual Reclining Seatbacks
{ 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.
{ CAUTION
If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are locked.
On seats with manual reclining seatbacks, the lever used to operate them is located on the outboard side of the seat.
1-6
Seats and Restraint System
To recline the seatback: 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.
To return the seatback to an upright position: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback and the seatback returns to the upright position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked.
Power Reclining Seatbacks
If the seats have power reclining seatbacks, the control used to recline them is located on the outboard side of the seat.
To recline the seatback, tilt the top of the control rearward. To bring the seatback forward, tilt the top of the control forward.
{ 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. 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.
(cid:129) (cid:129) Seats and Restraint System 1-7
Passenger Folding Seatback The front passenger seatback may fold flat.
{ CAUTION
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, see Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-44 and Loading the Vehicle on page 4-18.
{ CAUTION
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: 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.
Do not have a seatback reclined if the vehicle is moving.
1-8
Seats and Restraint System
To raise the seatback: 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.
{ CAUTION
If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are 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. See Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-5.
3. Lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side of the seat, up fully and fold the seatback forward until it disengages.
4. Continue to fold the seat forward
into the folded position.
5. Pull up on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.
Seats and Restraint System 1-9
Rear Seats Split Folding Rear Seat The rear split bench seatbacks can be folded forward, upright, or partially reclined, independent of the other seatback position.
{ CAUTION
If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are locked.
{ CAUTION
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: 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. 1. Unbuckle all three safety belts
and put the front seatback in an upright position.
2. Lift the lever located on the top
of the seatback to release the seatback and fold the seatback forward.
To recline the seatback: 1. Lift and hold the lever located on
top of the seatback.
2. Tilt the seatback rearward, then
release the lever.
1-10
Seats and Restraint System
{ 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.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-24 for additional information.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why: 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 serious 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 safety 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!
Safety Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This section of the manual describes how to use safety belts properly. It also describes some things not to do with safety belts.
{ CAUTION
Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the vehicle. You and your passenger(s) 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 passenger(s) are restrained properly too.
Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.
Seats and Restraint System 1-11
Put someone on it.
The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels.
Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop.
1-12
Seats and Restraint System
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why
should I have to wear safety belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants 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.
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 a crash if I am wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not. But your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down.
or the instrument panel...
or the safety belts!
Seats and Restraint System 1-13
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 a crash — even one that is not your fault — you and your passenger(s) 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 section 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 infants. If a child will be riding in the vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-22 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-25. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. It is very important for all occupants to buckle up. Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety belt, there is important information you should know.
Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the floor in front of you. 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 on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even
1-14
Seats and Restraint System
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 shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash. Q: What is wrong with this?
{ CAUTION
{ 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 snugly against your body.
Q: What is wrong with this?
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 on 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.
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as much protection this way.
A: The lap belt is too loose. It will
not give nearly as much protection this way.
Q: What is wrong with this?
{ CAUTION
{ CAUTION
Seats and Restraint System 1-15
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 on the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.
Q: What is wrong with this?
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 on the abdomen, not on the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests.
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong
buckle.
A: The belt is over an armrest.
1-16
Seats and Restraint System
Q: What is wrong with this?
{ CAUTION
Q: What is wrong with this?
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. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest.
A: The belt is behind the body.
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times.
{ CAUTION
Q: What is wrong with this?
You can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, you would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. Your body could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. You might also slide under the lap belt. The belt force would then be applied right on the abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest.
Seats and Restraint System 1-17
Lap-Shoulder Belt All seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt. The following instructions explain how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
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/retailer to fix it.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted.
1-18
Seats and Restraint System
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. If the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint locking feature may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again. Engaging the child restraint locking feature in the right front seating position may affect the passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-49 for more information.
Adjustment” later in this section for instructions on use and important safety information.
3. 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, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-22. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.
4. If equipped with a shoulder belt
height adjuster, move it to the height that is right for you. See “Shoulder Belt Height
5. To make the lap part tight, pull
up on the shoulder belt. It may be necessary to pull the stitching on the safety belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants.
Seats and Restraint System 1-19
Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt, damage can occur to both the safety belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger seating positions. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away from the face and neck, but not falling off of the shoulder. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should return to its stowed position. Slide the latch plate up the safety belt webbing when the safety belt is not in use. The latch plate should rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near the guide loop on the side wall.
Squeeze the release buttons (A) together and move the height adjuster up or down to the desired position. After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to move it up or down without squeezing the release buttons to make sure it has locked into position.
1-20
Seats and Restraint System
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 shoulder belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide 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 location, which is a pocket on the side of the seat.
Safety Belt Pretensioners This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the front outboard occupants. Although the safety belt pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal, or rear crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. And, for vehicles with side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash or a rollover event. Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced, and probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-57.
2. Place the guide over the belt and
insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.
Seats and Restraint System 1-21
{ 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 previously 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 the safety belt can be removed from the guide. Store the comfort guide in its storage location, which is a pocket on the side of the seat.
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.
1-22
Seats and Restraint System
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.
Child Restraints Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
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.
Safety Belt Extender If the safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer/retailer 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, attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender.
Seats and Restraint System 1-23
The manufacturer’s instructions that come with the booster seat, state the weight and height limitations for that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until the child passes the below fit test: (cid:129) Sit all the way back on the
seat. Do the knees bend at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.
(cid:129) Buckle the lap-shoulder
belt. Does the shoulder belt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-17 for more information. If the shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the booster seat.
(cid:129) Does the lap belt fit low and snug on the hips, touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.
(cid:129) Can proper safety belt fit be maintained for the length of the trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.
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. This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic bones in a crash. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash.
Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-17. According to accident statistics, children and infants are safer when properly restrained in a child restraint system or infant restraint system secured in a rear seating position. 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.
1-24
Seats and Restraint System
{ CAUTION
{ CAUTION
Never do this. Never allow two children to wear the same safety belt. The safety belt can not properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A safety belt must be used by only one person at a time.
Never do this. Never allow a child to wear the safety belt with the shoulder belt behind their back. A child can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, the child would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. The child could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. The child might also slide under the lap belt. The belt force would then be applied right on the abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest.
Seats and Restraint System 1-25
CAUTION (Continued)
For example, in a crash at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) infant will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force on a person’s arms. An infant should be secured in an appropriate restraint.
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.
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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.
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. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate child restraints. Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle.
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Never do this. Never hold an infant or a child while riding in a vehicle. Due to crash forces, an infant or a child will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it during a crash.
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Seats and Restraint System
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Never do this. Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the right front seat. Secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat. It is also better to secure a forward-facing child restraint in a rear seat. If you must secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go.
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.
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.
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Child Restraint Systems
Seats and Restraint System 1-27
To reduce the risk of neck and head injury during a crash, infants need complete support. This is because an infant’s neck is not fully developed and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing child restraint settles into the restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed across the strongest part of an infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants should always be secured in rear-facing child restraints.
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. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash, young children should always be secured in appropriate child restraints.
(A) Rear-Facing Infant Seat
A rear-facing infant seat (A) 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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Seats and Restraint System
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. Secure the child restraint properly in the vehicle using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH system, following the instructions that came with that child restraint and the instructions in this manual.
(B) Forward-Facing Child Seat
A forward-facing child seat (B) provides restraint for the child’s body with the harness.
(C) Booster Seats
A booster seat (C) is a child restraint designed to improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window.
Seats and Restraint System 1-29
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 the vehicle — even when no child is in it. Securing the Child Within the Child Restraint
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A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Secure the child properly following the instructions that came with that child restraint.
Where to Put the Restraint According to accident statistics, children and infants are safer when properly restrained in a child restraint system or infant restraint system secured in a rear seating position. We recommend that children and child restraints be secured in a rear seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children, who are large enough, using safety belts.
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 1-31 for more information. A child can be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. 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.
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Seats and Restraint System
A label on the sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
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A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward position.
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CAUTION (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If you 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. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-49 for additional information.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, a rear-facing child restraint should not be installed in the vehicle, even if the airbag is off. When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with your child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. Wherever a child restraint is installed, be sure to secure the child restraint properly. 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 the vehicle — even when no child is in it.
Seats and Restraint System 1-31
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).
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.
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Seats and Restraint System
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 top tethers 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. 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.
Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor Locations
Rear Seat
i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors.
j (Lower Anchor): Seating positions with two lower anchors.
Seats and Restraint System 1-33
The top tether anchors are located on the back of the rear seatback. 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.
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 1-29 for additional information.
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, the top tether anchor symbol is located near the top tether anchors.
Do not secure a child restraint in a position without a top tether anchor 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.
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Seats and Restraint System
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System
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If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to anchors, the child restraint will not be able to protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be seriously injured or killed. Install a LATCH-type child restraint properly using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with the child restraint and the instructions in this manual.
Do not attach more than one child restraint to a single anchor. 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. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash, attach only one child restraint per anchor.
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle 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.
Notice: Do not let the LATCH attachments rub against the vehicle’s safety belts. This may damage these parts. If necessary, move buckled safety belts to avoid rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Seats and Restraint System 1-35
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. 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 headrest or head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether over the seatback.
Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt buckled. This could damage the safety belt or the seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its stowed position, before folding the 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.
If the position you are using does not have a headrest or head restraint and you are using a single tether, route the tether over the seatback.
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Seats and Restraint System
If the position you are using has an adjustable headrest or head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether around the headrest or head restraint.
If the position you are using has an adjustable headrest or head restraint and you are using a single tether, raise the headrest or head restraint and route the tether under the headrest or head restraint and in between the headrest or 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 Seat Position When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with the child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-31 for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured in the vehicle using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-31 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor 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 strap must be anchored.
Seats and Restraint System 1-37
3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.
4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. If the child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the safety 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. If more than one child restraint needs to be installed in the rear seat, be sure to read Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-29. 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.
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Seats and Restraint System
6. If the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-31 for more information.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position The vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-29. In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing system which is designed to turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-49
and Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-26 for more information, including important safety information. A label on the 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.5. 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. When installing a forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
Seats and Restraint System 1-39
{ CAUTION
CAUTION (Continued)
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward position. Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off.
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Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If you 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. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-49 for additional information.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, a rear-facing child restraint should not be installed in the vehicle, even if the airbag is off.
If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-31 for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-31 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor 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 strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached.
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Seats and Restraint System
You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. 1. Move the seat as far back as it
will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint. When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator on the passenger airbag status indicator should light and stay lit when the vehicle is started. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-26. 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. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock.
Seats and Restraint System 1-41
7. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat and the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-31 for more information.
8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.
If the airbag is off, the off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator will come on and stay on when the vehicle is started. If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child Restraint ” under Passenger Sensing System on page 1-49 for more information. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.
Airbag System The vehicle has the following airbags: (cid:129) A frontal airbag for the driver. (cid:129) A frontal airbag for the right front
passenger.
(cid:129) A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
(cid:129) A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the right front passenger.
(cid:129) A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated directly behind the driver.
(cid:129) A roof-rail airbag for the right
front passenger and the passenger seated directly behind the right front passenger.
All of the airbags in the vehicle will have the word AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label near the deployment opening.
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. When installing a forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
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Seats and Restraint System
For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and on the instrument panel for the right front passenger. With seat-mounted side impact airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the side of the seatback closest to the door. With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear along the headliner or trim. Even if you do not have a right front passenger seat in the vehicle there is still an active frontal airbag in the right side of the instrument panel. Do not place cargo in front of this airbag.
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Here are the most important things to know about the airbag system:
Be sure that 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, see Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-44 and Loading the Vehicle on page 4-18.
Airbags are designed to supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Even though today’s airbags are also designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inflating bag, all airbags must inflate very quickly to do their job.
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You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if you are not wearing your safety belt — even if you have airbags. Airbags are designed to work with safety belts, but do not replace them. Also, airbags are not designed to deploy in every crash. In some crashes safety belts are your only restraint. See When Should an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-45. 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. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person.
Seats and Restraint System 1-43
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Airbags inflate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily close to the airbag, as you would be if you were sitting on the edge of your seat or leaning forward. Safety belts help keep you in position before and during a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with airbags. The driver should sit as far back as possible while still maintaining control of the vehicle. Occupants should not lean on or sleep against the door or side windows in seating positions with seat-mounted side impact airbags and/or roof-rail airbags.
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
