2006 DODGE MAGNUM airbag

▫Power Windows.......................27

Occupant Restraints.....................30
▫Lap/Shoulder Belts.....................31
▫Pretensioners.........................35
▫Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder System
(BeltAlert)...........................35
▫Automatic Locking Mode—If Equipped.....36
▫Seat Belts And Pregnant Women............37
▫Seat Belt Extender......................37▫Driver And Right Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag............38

Engine Break-In Recommendations..........58

Safety Tips............................59
▫Exhaust Gas..........................59
▫Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle..............................59
▫Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle....................60
10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

open or partially open positions. This is a normal occur-
rence and can be minimized. If the buffeting occurs with
the rear windows open, open the front and rear windows
together to minimize the buffeting. If the buffeting occurs
with the sunroof open, adjust the sunroof opening to
minimize the buffeting.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. These include the front
and rear seat belts for the driver and all passengers, front
airbags for both the driver and front passenger and, if so
equipped, left and right side curtain airbags for the
driver and passengers seated next to a window. If you
will be carrying children too small for adult-size belts,
your seat belts also can be used to hold infant and child
restraint systems.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.
WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buck-
led up. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or
other passengers, or you can be thrown out of the
vehicle. Always be sure you and others in your
vehicle are buckled up properly.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision which includes you. This can
happen far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some
of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown
from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.Everyonein a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
30 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you’ll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
In the rear seat, move toward the center of the seat to
position the belt away from your neck.
Pretensioners
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove any slack from the seat belts in the event of a
collision. These devices improve the performance of the
seat belt system by assuring that the belt is tight about the
occupant in a collision. Pretensioners work for all size
occupants, including those in child restraints.
NOTE:These devices are not a substitute for proper
seat belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still
must be worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the airbag control
module (refer to information on Airbags in this section).
Like the front airbags, the pretensioners are single use
items. After a collision that is severe enough to deploy
the airbags and pretensioners, both must be replaced.
Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder System (BeltAlert)
If the driver’s or front passenger’s seat belt has not been
buckled within 60 seconds of starting the vehicle and if
the vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h), the
Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlert) will alert the
driver or front passenger to buckle their seat belt. The
Adjusting Upper Shoulder Belt
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 35
2

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 airbag is mounted in the center of
the steering wheel. The passenger’s front airbag is
mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove com-
partment. The words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the
airbag covers.This vehicle may also be equipped with left and right
side curtain airbags to protect the driver and passengers
sitting next to a window. If the vehicle is equipped with
side curtain airbags, they are located above the side
windows. Their covers are also labeled SRS AIRBAG.
NOTE:Airbag covers may not be obvious in the
interior trim; but they will open to allow airbag deploy-
ment.
Front Airbag Components
Window Airbag
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 be-
cause the airbags are no longer functional. These
protective covers for the airbag cushions are de-
signed to open only when the airbags are inflating.
•If your vehicle is equipped with left and right side
curtain airbags, do not stack luggage or other cargo
up high enough to block the location of the side
curtain airbag. The area where the side curtain airbag
is located should remain free from any obstructions.
•If your vehicle is equipped with left and right side
curtain airbags, do not have any accessory items
installed which will alter the roof, including adding
a sunroof to your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that
require permanent attachments (bolts or screws) for
installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the
roof of the vehicle for any reason.
•Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee bolster in
any way.
•Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizens band radios etc.
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 protection
for the driver and front passenger. Left and right side
curtain 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. If your vehicle is so equipped,
the side curtain airbag on the crash side of the vehicle is
triggered in moderate to severe side collisions. In certain
types of collisions where the airbags deploy, you need the
seat belts to keep you in the right position 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 ride buckled
up in the rear seat. Infants in rear-facing child restraints
shouldNEVERride in the front seat of a vehicle with a
passenger front airbag. An airbag deployment could
cause severe injury or death to infants in that position.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
2

Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat
belt properly (refer to information on Child Restraint in
this section) should be secured in the rear seat in child
restraints or belt-positioning booster seats.
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
(refer to information on Child Restraint in this section).
2. You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
3. All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
4. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbags time to inflate.
5. If your vehicle has left and right side curtain airbags,
do not lean against the door, airbags will inflate forcefully
into the space between you and the door.6. If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact the
Customer Center. Phone numbers are provided in theIf
You Need Customer Assistancesection in this manual.
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, comfortably extending your arms to reach
the steering wheel or instrument panel.
•If the vehicle has left and right side curtain
airbags, they also need room to inflate. Do not
lean against the door or window. Sit upright in the
center of the seat.
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Airbag System Components
The front airbag system consists of the following:
•Airbag Control Module
•AIRBAGReadiness Light
•PASS AIRBAG OFFReadiness Light
•Front Impact Accelerometer sensors
•Side Impact Accelerometer sensors
•Driver Airbag
•Passenger Airbag
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Interconnecting Wiring
•Knee Impact Bolsters
The side curtain airbag system, on vehicles so equipped,
consists of the following:
•Airbag Control Module
•AIRBAGReadiness Light
•Left and Right Side Curtain Airbags Above Side
Windows
•Left and Right Side Impact Sensors
•Interconnection Wiring
How The Airbag System Works
•
The airbag control module determines if a frontal
collision is severe enough to require the airbags to
inflate. The control module receives the level of colli-
sion severity, determines the proper level of airbag to
be deployed. The frontal airbag inflators are designed
to provide three different rates of airbag inflation.
•The airbag control module will not detect a rollover.
•The airbag control module also monitors the readiness
of the electronic parts of the system whenever the
ignition switch is in the START or ON positions. These
include all of the items listed above except the knee
bolster, the instrument panel, and the steering wheel
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41
2

and column. If the key is in the“LOCK”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
AIRBAGlight, and thePassenger Airbag
Disable (PAD) Indicator Lightin the instru-
ment panel for 6 to 8 seconds when the
ignition is first turned on, 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 a collision
requiring the airbags, it signals the inflator units. A
large quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to inflate
the airbags. Three levels of airbag inflation rates arepossible. These rates are determined by the airbag
control module based on collision severity. 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
front passenger. The driver’s front airbag gas is vented
through a vent hole in the rear of the airbag. The
passenger’s front airbag gas is vented through 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 front
airbag.
If A Deployment Occurs
The airbag system is designed to deploy when the airbag
control module detects a moderate-to-severe collision, to
help restrain the driver and front passenger, and then to
immediately deflate.
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE