2004 DODGE INTREPID Owners Manual

Driver and Right Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag
This vehicle has front airbags for both the driver and
front passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver’s front airbag is mounted in the
center of the steering wheel. The passenger’s front airbag
is mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove
compartment. The words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on
the airbag covers.If the vehicle is equipped with side airbags, they are
located inside the driver and front passenger seats, and
their covers are also labeled SRS AIRBAG.
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WARNING!
•Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You
may damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are not there to protect you.
These protective covers are designed to open only
when the airbags are inflated.
•If your vehicle is equipped with side airbags, do
not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the side airbags; the perfor-
mance could be adversely affected and/or objects
could be pushed into you, causing serious injury.
•If your vehicle is equipped with side airbags, do
not attach cup holders or any other objects on or
around the door. The inflating side airbag could
drive the objects into occupants, causing serious
injury.
Airbags inflate in moderate to high speed impacts. Along
with the seat belts, front airbags work with the instru-
ment panel knee bolsters to provide improved protectionfor the driver and front passenger. Side airbags also work
with seat belts to improve occupant protection.
The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags deploy only in moderate
to severe frontal collisions. In certain types of collisions,
both the front and side airbags may be triggered. But
even in collisions where the airbags work, you need the
seat belts to keep you in the right positon for the airbags
to protect you properly.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1. Children 12 years old and under should always ride
buckled up in the rear seat.
Infants in rear-facing child restraints (designed for chil-
dren up to 20 lbs. [9kg.] and at least one year old) should
NEVERride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passen-
ger front airbag. An airbag deployment could cause
serious injury or death to an infant in that position.
Children that are not big enough to properly wear the
vehicle seat belt (see section on “Child Restraint”) should
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be secured in the rear seat in child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats appropriate for the size and age
of the child.
Older children who do not use child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats should ride properly buckled
up in the rear seat. Never allow children to slide the
shoulder belt behind them or under their arm.
If a child from 1 to 12 years old must ride in the front
passenger seat because the vehicle is crowded, move the
seat as far back as possible, and use the proper child
restraint. See the section on “Child Restraint”.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2. All occupants should wear their lap and shoulder belts
properly.
3. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the front airbags room to
inflate.4. If your vehicle has side airbags, do not lean against the
door, airbags will inflate forcefully into the space be-
tween you and the door.
WARNING!
•Relying on the airbags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The airbags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions the airbags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you
have airbags.
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instru-
ment panel during airbag deployment could cause
serious injury.
•Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back, comfort-
ably extending your arms to reach the steering
wheel or instrument panel.
•If the vehicle has side airbags, they also need
room to inflate. Do not lean against the door. Sit
upright in the center of the seat.
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Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•ACM (Airbag Control Module)
•AIRBAG Readiness Light
•Driver and Passenger Front Airbags
•Optional Driver and Passenger Side Airbags.
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Interconnecting Wiring
•Crash Sensors
•Knee Impact Bolsters
The side airbag system, on vehicles so equipped, consists
of the following:
•AIRBAG Readiness Light
•Side Airbag in the Driver’s Seat
•Side Airbag in the Passenger’s Seat
•ACM (Airbag Control Module)
•SIACM (Side Impact Airbag Control Module)
•Interconnecting Wiring
How the Frontal Airbag System Works
•
The front airbag control module determines if a frontal
collision is severe enough to require the airbags to
inflate.
•The airbag control module will not detect side, roll
over, or rear collisions.
•The airbag control module also monitors the readiness
of the electronic parts of the system whenever the
ignition switch is in the START or RUN positions.
These include all of the items listed above except the
knee bolsters, the instrument panel, and the steering
wheel and column. If the key is in the OFF position, in
the ACC position, or not in the ignition, the airbags are
not on and will not inflate.
•The airbag control module also turns on the
AIRBAG light in the instrument panel for 6 to
8 seconds when the ignition is first turned on,
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then turns the light off. If it detects a malfunction in
any part of the system, it turns on the light either
momentarily or continuously.
WARNING!
Ignoring the AIRBAG light in your instrument panel
could mean you won’t have the airbags to protect
you in a collision. If the light does not come on, stays
on after you start the vehicle, or if it comes on as you
drive, have the airbag system checked right away.
•When the airbag control module detects an impact
requiring the front airbags, it signals the inflator units.
A large quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to inflate
the airbags. The airbag covers separate and fold out of
the way as the airbags inflate to their full size. The
airbags fully inflate in about 60 milliseconds. This is
only about half of the time it takes you to blink your
eyes. The airbags then quickly deflate while helping to
restrain the driver and right front passenger. The
driver’s front airbag gas is vented towards the instru-
ment panel. The passenger’s front airbag gas is ventedthrough vent holes in the sides of the airbag. In this
way the airbags do not interfere with your control of
the vehicle.
•The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees and
position you for the best interaction with the airbags.
If A Deployment Occurs
The airbag system is designed to deploy when the airbag
control module detects a moderate-to-severe frontal col-
lision, to help restrain the driver and right front passen-
ger, and then to immediately deflate.
NOTE:A frontal collision that is not severe enough to
need airbag protection will not activate the system. This
does not mean something is wrong with the airbag
system.
If you do have a collision which deploys the airbags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•The nylon airbag material may sometimes cause abra-
sions and/or skin reddening to the driver and right
front passenger as the airbags deploy and unfold. The
abrasions are similar to friction rope burns or those
you might get sliding along a carpet or gymnasium
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floor. They are not caused by contact with chemicals.
They are not permanent and normally heal quickly.
However, if you haven’t healed significantly within a
few days, or if you have any blistering, see your doctor
immediately.
•As the airbags deflate you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the nontoxic gas used for airbag
inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the skin,
eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irritation,
rinse the area with cool water. For nose or throat
irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation continues,
see your doctor. If these particles settle on your
clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for cleaning.
•It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have been deployed. If you are involved in
another collision, the airbags will not be in place to
protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags can’t protect you in another colli-
sion. Have the airbags replaced by an authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
How the Side Airbag System Works
•
The side impact airbag control module determines if a
side collision is severe enough to require the airbag to
inflate. The ACM will not detect rollover, front or rear
impacts.
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•The side impact airbag control module monitors the
readiness of the electronic parts of the system when-
ever the ignition switch is in the “START” or “RUN”
positions. These include all of the items listed above
except for the AIRBAG light (which is controlled by
the frontal airbag system).
•In moderate to severe side collisions, the side airbag
inflator on the crash side of the vehicle is triggered,
releasing a quantity of nontoxic gas. The inflating side
airbag exits through the seat seam into the space
between the occupant and the door. The side airbag
moves at a very high speed and with such a high force,
that it could injure you if you are not seated properly,
or if items are positioned in the area where the side
airbag inflates. This especially applies to children.
Maintaining Your Airbag System
WARNING!
•Modifications to any part of the airbag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured because the airbag is not there to
protect you. Do not modify the components or
wiring, including adding any kind of badges or
stickers to the airbag covers. Do not modify the
front bumper or vehicle body structure.
•You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee impact bolsters.
•It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the
airbag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has airbags.
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Airbag Light
You will want to have the airbags ready for your
protection in an impact. While the airbag system
is designed to be maintenance free, if any of the
following occurs, have an authorized dealer service the
system immediately.
•The AIRBAG light does not come on or flickers during
the 6 to 8 seconds when the ignition switch is first
turned on.
•The light remains on or flickers after the 6 to 8 second
interval.
•The light flickers or comes on and remains on while
driving.
Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time– babies and children too. Every state in the United
States and all Canadian provinces require that small
children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the law,
and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.Children 12 years and under should ride properly buck-
led up in a rear seat. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seat rather than the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny
baby, can become a missile inside the vehicle. The
force required to hold even an infant on your lap
could become so great that you could not hold the
child, no matter how strong you are. The child and
others could be badly injured. Any child riding in
your vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the
child’s size.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat owner’s manual to ensure you have the right seat for
your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your child:
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE