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WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for
the driver and passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated posi-
tion with your back against the backrest.
Fasten your seat belt and ensure it is prop-
erly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with considera-
ble speed and force, a proper seating and
hands on steering wheel position will help
to keep you at a safe distance from the air
bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag as it
inflates extremely quickly and with great
force:
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Sit properly belted in a position that is
as upright as possible with your back
against the seat backrest.
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Adjust the driver’s seat as far as possible
rearward, still permitting proper oper-
ation of vehicle controls. The distance
from the center of the driver’s breast-
bone to the center of the air bag cover on
the steering wheel must be at least
10 inches (25 cm) or more. You should be
able to accomplish this by adjustments to
the seat. If you have any problems, please
contact an authorized smart center.
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Do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
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Keep hands on the outside of the steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms inside
the rim can increase the risk and poten-
tial severity of hand/arm injury when the
driver’s front air bag inflates.
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Adjust the passenger seat as far as pos-
sible rearward from the dashboard when
the seat is occupied.
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Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
head-thorax air bag (cabriolet) or
thorax-pelvis side air bag (coupé)
inflates. This could result in serious
injuries or death should the head-thorax
air bag (cabriolet) or thorax-pelvis side
air bag (coupé) be deployed. Always sit
as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the size
and weight of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in severe injuries to you or other
occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that
you make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.
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Air bags are designed to deploy only in
certain frontal impacts (front air bags
and knee bags), or side impacts (head-
thorax air bags, window curtain air bags
and thorax-pelvis air bags) which
exceed preset thresholds. Only during
these events will they provide their sup-
plemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always
wear their seat belts. Otherwise it is not
possible for air bags to provide their
supplemental protection.
In case of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passenger will then be pro-
tected to the extent possible by a prop-
erly fastened seat belt. A properly fas-
tened seat belt is also needed to provide
the best possible protection in a roll-
over.
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Occupant safety
>> Safety.
