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Airbag Systems

The vehicle is equipped with airbags and lap/ shoulder belts at both front seating positions. The airbags are a supplemental restraint at those seating positions.

The airbags in combination with the seat belts make up a safety system which offers the driver and the passenger the greatest protection from injuries in case of an accident.

Even though your vehicle is equipped with airbags, the seat belts must be worn at all times, because the front or side airbags deploy depending on the force and angle of impact. Below the deployment threshold of the airbag system, and during types of collisions which do not cause airbag deployment, the seat belts provide the primary protection to the occupants when correctly worn. Therefore, all persons within the vehicle must wear seat belts at all times to minimize the risk of severe injury or death in the event of a crash.

In many states, state law requires the use of seat belts.

1. Please see chapter "Seat Belts" on page 246.

The front airbags are located under the steering wheel center pad on the driver’s side and in the dashboard on the passenger's side.

The side airbags on the front seats are installed in the side of the seat backrests. The side airbags on the rear seats are located in the wheelhousing trim panels.

The head airbags are installed above the doors in the side roof rail. In case of a car rollover they protect against an unintended passenger's pullout of the car.

The knee airbags of the front seats are located in the knee area on the driver and the passenger side.

Seat Belts and Positioning
Airbags are most effective when occupants wear seat belts and maintain a proper seating position.

To provide optimal occupant protection, airbags must inflate at very high speed. If you are not wearing your seat belt or are too close to the airbag when it is deployed, inflating airbags can result in serious personal injury or death.

• Always fasten seat belts.
• Make sure there are no persons, animals or objects between the driver or passenger and the area into which the airbags inflate.
• Sit back as far from the dashboard or steering wheel as is practical, while still maintaining full vehicle control.
• Always hold the steering wheel by the outer rim. Never rest your hands on the center of the steering wheel where the airbag module is located.
• Always keep feet in the footwell while driving. Do not put feet on the dashboard or the seat area.
• Do not lean against the inside of the door or outside the window while the vehicle is moving.

Safe Storage of Objects
Objects and load have to be stored securely to keep from causing injury.

• Do not transport heavy objects on or in front of the passenger seat. These could impair the function of the airbags, the seat belts, and capacitance occupant sensing.
• Do not hang objects (e.g. jackets, coats, coat hangers) over the backrest.
• Objects must not protrude out of the door storage compartment.
• Do not add any additional coverings or stickers to the steering wheel or in the area of the passenger airbag, side airbags, knee airbags, and head airbags. Doing so may adversely affect the functioning of the airbag system or cause harm to the occupants if the airbag system should deploy.
• No objects should be placed over or near the airbag on the instrument panel, because any such objects could cause harm if the vehicle is in a crash severe enough to cause the airbag to inflate.
• Give your passenger all of the information in this chapter.