
Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the safety belt
assembly under the above conditions could result in severe
personal injuries in the event of a collision.
Refer toInteriorin theCleaningchapter.
AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
Important supplemental restraint system (SRS) precautions
The supplemental restraint system is designed to work with the safety
belt to help protect the driver and right front passenger from certain
upper body injuries.
Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly or gently and the risk of injury from a
deploying airbag is greatest close to the trim covering the airbag module.
Never place a rear facing
infant seat in the front seat
unless the passenger air bag is
turned off.
All occupants of the vehicle,
including the driver, should
always properly wear their safety
belts, even when an air bag
supplemental restraint system
(SRS) is provided.
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm (10 inches)
between an occupant’s chest and the driver air bag module.
Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly (one or two degrees) from the upright
position.
Do not put anything on or over the airbag module. Placing
objects on or over the airbag inflation area may cause those
objects to be propelled by the airbag into your face and torso causing
serious injury.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Airbag
Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your authorized
dealer.
The front passenger airbag is not designed to offer protection to
an occupant in the center front seating position.
Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of the vehicle
(including frame, bumper, front end body structure and tow
hooks) may affect the performance of the airbag system, increasing the
risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle.
Additional equipment may affect the performance of the airbag
sensors increasing the risk of injury. Please refer to theBody
Builders Layout Bookfor instructions about the appropriate
installation of additional equipment.
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Children and airbags
For additional important safety information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.
Never place a rearward facing child safety restraint in front of an
activated airbag. Airbags have been known to kill or injure
children in front facing child safety restraints. Whenever placing a child
safety seat in a front seating position (including center if equipped),
turn off the passenger side airbag switch after being certain the child is
properly restrained. If using a forward facing child safety restraint in
the front outboard seat, slide the seat all the way back, and turn off
the passenger airbag. If using a rear facing child safety seat in the front
outboard seating position, make sure the passenger airbag is turned off
and slide the passenger seat all the way forward until the safety seat
rests on the dashboard. SeePassenger airbag on/off switchin this
chapter.
Do not install a child seat in
a center facing jump seat.
An airbag can kill or injure a child in a child seat. Child seats
should never be placed in the front seats, unless passenger
airbag switch is turned off. SeePassenger airbag on/off switchin this
chapter.
Rear facing child seats should NEVER be placed in the front
seats unless the passenger airbag switch is turned off.
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Booster seats must be installed only in seating positions
equipped with a combination lap/shoulder belt.
To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit where they
can be properly restrained.
How does the airbag supplemental restraint system work?
The airbag SRS is designed to
activate when the vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
The fact that the airbags did not
inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the forces
were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation. Airbags are
designed to inflate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover,
side-impact, or rear-impacts.
The airbags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After airbag
deployment, it is normal to notice a
smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This may
consist of cornstarch, talcum
powder (to lubricate the bag) or
sodium compounds (e.g., baking
soda) that result from the
combustion process that inflates the
airbag. Small amounts of sodium
hydroxide may be present which
may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic.
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While the system is designed to help reduce serious injuries, it may also
cause minor abrasions, swelling or temporary hearing loss. Because
airbags must inflate rapidly and with considerable force, there is the risk
of death or serious injuries such as fractures, facial and eye injuries or
internal injuries, particularly to occupants who are not properly
restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time of airbag
deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be properly
restrained as far away from the airbag module as possible while
maintaining vehicle control.
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not
touch them after inflation.
If the air bag has deployed,the air bag will not function
again and must be replaced immediately.If the air bag is not
replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.
The SRS consists of:
•driver and passenger airbag modules (which include the inflators and
airbags),
•one or more impact and safing sensors, passenger airbag deactivation
switch and diagnostic monitor (RCM)
•a readiness light and tone,
•and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
•Safety belt pretensioners
The RCM (restraints control module) monitors its own internal circuits
and the supplemental airbag electrical system wiring (including the
passenger airbag deactivation switch, the impact sensors, the system
wiring, the airbag system readiness light, the airbag back up power and
the airbag ignitors).
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses readiness lights in the instrument cluster and the
passenger airbag deactivate switch or a tone to indicate the condition of
the system. Refer to theAirbag readinesssection in theInstrument
clusterchapter orPassenger airbag on/off switchsection in this
chapter. Routine maintenance of the airbag is not required.
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A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness lights will either
flash or stay lit.
•The readiness lights will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not
function properly in the event of a collision.
Disposal of airbags and airbag equipped vehicles (including
pretensioners)
See your authorized dealer. Airbags MUST BE disposed of by qualified
personnel.
Passenger airbag ON/OFF switch
An airbag ON/OFF switch
has been installed in this
vehicle. Before driving,always
look at the face of the switch to
be sure the switch is in the proper
position in accordance with these
instructions and warnings. Failure
to put the switch in a proper
position can increase the risk of
serious injury or death in a
collision.
Turning the passenger airbag off
The passenger airbag on/off switch is located below the center stack of
the instrument panel or in the center console.ON
OFF
OFF
PASSENGER AIRBAG
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1. Insert the ignition key, turn the
switch to OFF position and hold in
OFF position while removing the
key.
2. When the ignition is turned to the
ON position the OFF light
illuminates briefly, momentarily
shuts off and then turns back on.
This indicates that the passenger
airbag is deactivated.
If the light fails to illuminate when the passenger airbag switch is
in the OFF position and the ignition switch is in the On position,
have the passenger airbag switch serviced at an authorized dealer
immediately.
In order to avoid inadvertent activation of the switch, always
remove the ignition key from the passenger air bag ON/OFF
switch.
Turning the passenger airbag back on
The passenger airbag remains OFF until you turn it back ON.
1. Insert the ignition key and turn
the switch to ON.
2. The OFF light will briefly
illuminate when the ignition is
turned to ON. This indicates that
the passenger airbag is operational.
If the OFF light is illuminated when the passenger airbag
ON/OFF switch is in the ON position and the ignition switch is
ON, have the passenger airbag ON/OFF switch serviced at an
authorized dealer immediately.
ON
OFF
OFF
PASSENGER AIRBAG
ON
OFF
OFF
PASSENGER AIRBAG
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The safety belts for the driver and right front passenger seating
positions have been specifically designed to function together
with the airbags in certain types of crashes. When you turn OFF your
airbag, you not only lose the protection of the airbag, you also may
reduce the effectiveness of your safety belt system, which was
designed to work with the airbag. If you are not a person who meets
the requirements stated in the NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation
criteria turning OFF the airbag can increase the risk of serious injury
or death in a collision.
Always use safety belts and child restraints properly. If a child in
a rear facing infant seat must be transported in front, the
passenger airbagmustbe turned OFF. This is because the back of the
infant seat is too close to the inflating airbag and the risk of a fatal
injury to the infant when the airbag inflates is substantial.
The vast majority of drivers and passengers are much safer with an
airbag than without. To do their job and reduce the risk of life
threatening injuries, airbags must open with great force, and this force
can pose a potentially deadly risk in some situations, particularly when a
front seat occupant is not properly buckled up. The most effective way
to reduce the risk of unnecessary airbag injuries without reducing the
overall safety of the vehicle is to make sure all occupants are properly
restrained in the vehicle, especially in the front seat. This provides the
protection of safety belts and permits the airbags to provide the
additional protection they were designed to provide. If you choose to
deactivate your airbag, you are losing the very significant risk reducing
benefits of the airbag and you are also reducing the effectiveness of the
safety belts, because safety belts in modern vehicles are designed to
work as a safety system with the airbags.
Read all airbag Warning labels in the vehicle as well as the other
important airbag instructions and Warnings in this Owner’s Guide.
The passenger side airbag should always be ON (the airbag OFF light
shouldnotbe illuminated) unless the passenger is a person who meets
the requirements stated either in Category 1, 2 or 3 of the
NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation criteria which follows.
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