2007 DODGE SPRINTER child restraint

24 SafetyOccupant safety
2
\3 Occupant safetyThis section contains all the most impor-
tant information about the restraint sys-
tems in your vehicle. In an accident, your
vehicle collides with another object, for ex-
ample another vehicle. This may cause
your vehicle to accelerate or decelerate ex-
tremely quickly. During this acceleration or
deceleration, the vehicle occupants will be
moved in the opposite direction to the
force of the impact. There is therefore the
risk of vehicle occupants injuring them-
selves on the vehicle interior or on parts of
the vehicle. The purpose of supplemental
restraint systems, for example the seat
belts supplemented by emergency ten-
sioning retractors, belt force limiters and
airbags when necessary, is to minimize the
risk of injury. However, the seat belts and
airbags cannot generally prevent injuries
caused by objects penetrating the vehicle
from the outside.The most important restraint systems are:
\4the seat belts
\4restraint systems for children, since
they are the most effective means of
reducing the extent to which the occu-
pants are moved in the event of an ac-
cident
Additional protection is provided by:
\4SRS (S
upplemental R
estraint S
ystem),
comprising:
\4emergency tensioning retractors
\4belt force limiters
\4airbags
Restraint systems
iAn airbag increases the degree of pro-
tection afforded to vehicle occupants
wearing a seat belt and is therefore
only to be considered as an additional
restraint system to the seat belt. Air-
bags do not in any way relieve any vehi-
cle occupants of the need to wear their
seat belt correctly at all times.
This is partly because an airbag is not
activated in all accident situations be-
cause in some cases it would not pro-
vide any additional protection to that
already afforded by a correctly fas-
tened seat belt.
Furthermore, an activated airbag can
only provide increased protection if the
seat belt is being worn correctly, be-
cause:
\4the belt helps to hold the vehicle
occupant in the best position in re-
lation to the airbag
\4the belt prevents the vehicle occu-
pant from being propelled in the op-
posite direction to the force of
impact, for example in the event of
a head-on collision, and is therefore
better able to reduce the risk of in-
jury

25 Safety
Occupant safety
2
The most important restraint systems in
the vehicle are the seat belts and child
restraint systems. They are the most effec-
tive means of preventing vehicle occu-
pants from moving towards the point of
impact and thus reducing the risk of occu-
pants hitting parts of the vehicle interior. In accidents in which an airbag is acti-
vated, the airbag will therefore only of-
fer an increase in the protection
provided by the seat belt, i.e. additional
protection, if the seat belt is worn cor-
rectly.
Warning
G
Modifications to or work incorrectly carried
out on a restraint system (seat belt and seat
belt anchorages, emergency tensioning re-
tractor, belt force limiter or airbag) or its wir-
ing, or tampering with other networked
electronic systems, could cause the re-
straint systems to stop working correctly.
The airbags or emergency tensioning retrac-
tors could, for example, be activated inad-
vertently or could fail in accidents in which
the deceleration force is sufficient to trigger
the airbag. For this reason, do not modify
the restraint systems. Do not tamper with
electronic components or their software.
AirbagsWarning
G
Airbags do offer additional protection but
they are not a substitute for the seat belts.
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries,
make sure that all occupants – in particular,
expectant mothers – wear their seat belt
correctly at all times, have adopted a normal
sitting position and that the seat is posi-
tioned as upright as possible.Seat beltsiIn many countries there are regulations
concerning the use of seat belts and
child restraint systems.
Warning
G
A seat belt that is worn incorrectly or not at
all, or that is not correctly engaged in the
seat belt buckle, cannot perform its intend-
ed protective function. In certain circum-
stances, you could be seriously or even
fatally injured. Make sure, that all occupants
– in particular, expectant mothers – wear
their seat belt correctly at all times.
You must make sure that the belt:
\4is routed as low as possible across your
pelvic area, for example across your hip
joints and not across your abdomen
\4fits closely
\4is not twisted
\4is routed across the middle of your
shoulder
\4is not routed across your neck or under
your arm
\4is pulled tight across the lap by pulling
upwards on the shoulder belt
\2\2

26 SafetyOccupant safety
2
Do not secure any objects with a seat belt if
it is being used by one of the vehicle’s occu-
pants.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, for example a
winter coat.
Do not route the belt strap over sharp or
fragile objects, especially if these are locat-
ed in or on your clothing, for example eye-
glasses, pens or keys. The belt strap could
otherwise tear in the event of an accident
and you or other vehicle occupants could be
injured as a result.
Only one person may use each seat belt at
any one time.
A child must never be carried sitting on the
lap of a vehicle occupant. It would not be
possible to restrain the child, and the child
and other vehicle occupants could be seri-
ously or fatally injured in the event of abrupt
braking or an accident.
Persons less than 1.50 m tall or children un-
der 12 years of age cannot wear their seat
belt properly. They therefore require addi-
tional restraint systems on suitable vehicle
seats for protection in an accident. Always
observe the installation instructions issued
by the manufacturer of the child restraint
systems.Warning
G
The seat belt only provides its intended de-
gree of protection if the seat backrest is po-
sitioned as vertically as possible, allowing
the occupant to sit upright. Avoid seat posi-
tions that do not allow the seat belt to be
routed correctly. Therefore, position the
backrest as vertically as possible. Never
drive with the backrest tilted too far back.
You could otherwise be seriously or even fa-
tally injured in the event of an accident or
abrupt braking.
Warning
G
The seat belt cannot perform its protective
function correctly if the seat belt strap or
buckle are dirty or damaged. You should
therefore keep the belt strap and buckle
clean, as otherwise the belt latch plate may
not be able to engage correctly.
Check regularly that the seat belts:
\4are not damaged
\4are not routed over sharp edges
\4are not trapped
The belt strap could otherwise tear in the
event of an accident. You or others could be
seriously or fatally injured.

31 Safety
Occupant safety
2
Warning
G
If the emergency tensioning retractors have
been triggered, have them replaced at a
qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools to
carry out the work required.
The manufacturer recommends that you use
an authorized Sprinter Dealer for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the safety regulations when dispos-
ing of emergency tensioning retractors. You
can see a copy of these regulations at any
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Airbag systemWarning
G
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries
in the event of an accident with a high rate
of deceleration, for example due to an air-
bag inflating within milliseconds, or due to
sudden braking, please observe the follow-
ing points:
\4All vehicle occupants must select a seat
position in which they can wear their
seat belt correctly and which is as far
back from the airbag as possible. The
seat position of the driver must be such
that the vehicle can be driven safely. The
distance from the driver’s seat to the
pedals must be such that the driver can
fully depress the pedals. The distance
between the driver’s chest and the cen-
ter of the airbag cover must be more
than 25 cm. The driver’s arms should be
slightly bent when holding the steering
wheel.
\4Vehicle occupants should wear their
seat belt correctly at all times and lean
back against the backrest, which should
be positioned as upright as possible.
The head restraints should support the
back of the head at about eye level.
\4Move the co-driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible, especially if a child is
secured in a restraint system installed
on this seat.
\4On vehicles with a co-driver’s airbag, it
is not permitted to secure a rearward-
facing child restraint system to the co-
driver’s seat (\2page 37). Children in a
rearward-facing child restraint system
must be secured on a suitable rear seat.
\4Do not lean forward, for example over
the padded boss of the steering wheel,
especially when the vehicle is in motion.
\4Only hold the steering wheel by the out-
er rim. This allows the airbag to inflate
fully. If you hold the inside of the steer-
ing wheel, you could be injured if the air-
bag were to be triggered.
\2\2

34 SafetyOccupant safety
2
The driver’s front airbag and co-driver’s
front airbag are triggered:
\4in the initial stages of an accident with
a high rate of vehicle acceleration or
deceleration in a longitudinal direction
\4if the system determines that airbag
deployment can offer additional pro-
tection to that provided by the seat belt
\4independently of other airbags in the
vehicle
Thorax sidebags*
The purpose of the thorax/sidebags is to
increase the level of protection for the tho-
rax (but not the head, neck and arms) of
the occupants on the side of the vehicle on
which the impact occurs.
The thorax / sidebags are installed in the
outer sides of the backrests on the driver’s
seat and the co-driver’s individual seatWarning
G
For safety reasons, the manufacturer rec-
ommends that you use seat covers that
have been tested for Sprinter vehicles and
that have a seam for thorax / sidebags. A
thorax / sidebag may otherwise not inflate
correctly and could fail to provide the in-
tended degree of protection in the event of
a collision. You can obtain these covers from
an authorized Sprinter Dealer, for example.
Warning
G
To reduce the risk of injury to occupants if a
thorax / sidebag is triggered, make sure
that:
\4no persons, animals or objects are
present between the vehicle occupants
and the thorax / sidebag deployment
range
\4no accessories, for example cup hold-
ers, are secured to the doors
\4only light items of clothing are hung
from the coat hooks in the vehicle
\4there are no heavy or sharp objects in
the pockets of items of clothing
Warning
G
Observe the following to reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injury if the thorax / sidebag
is triggered:
\4Vehicle occupants – in particular, chil-
dren – must never lean their head
against the area of the window in which
the thorax / sidebag inflates.
\4Vehicle occupants must wear their seat
belt correctly at all times and lean back
against the backrest, which should be
positioned as upright as possible.
\4Always secure children who are less
than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall or under 12 years
of age in a suitable child restraint sys-
tem.

35 Safety
Occupant safety
2
1Thorax sidebag
The thorax sidebags are triggered:
\4in the initial stages of an accident with
a high rate of vehicle acceleration or
deceleration in a lateral direction, for
example in the event of a side impact
\4on the side on which an impact occurs
\4if the system determines that airbag
deployment can offer additional pro-
tection to that provided by the seat belt
\4independently of the front airbagsIn the event of an accident, the thorax side-
bag next to the outer seat side inflates be-
tween the door and the chest area of the
occupant.
Windowbags*
The windowbags are designed to increase
protection to the head (but not to the chest
or arms) of the vehicle occupants on the
side on which the impact occurs.
The relevant windowbag is installed in the
side of the roof frame behind the trim pan-
el between the A and B-pillar.
iYou will find additional information
about airbag deployment on
(\2page 32).
You will find additional information
about the triggering of emergency ten-
sioning retractors and belt force limit-
ers on (\2page 30).Warning
G
To ensure that windowbags can provide the
intended degree of protection when de-
ployed, make sure that no persons, animals
or objects are present between the vehicle
occupants and the deployment range of the
windowbags.
Warning
G
Observe the following to reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injury if the windowbag is
triggered:
\4Vehicle occupants – in particular, chil-
dren – must never lean their head
against the area of the window in which
the windowbag inflates.
\4Vehicle occupants must wear their seat
belt correctly at all times.
\4Always secure children who are less
than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall or under 12 years
of age in a suitable child restraint sys-
tem.

36 SafetyOccupant safety
2
1Windowbag
The windowbags are triggered:
\4in the initial stages of an accident with
a high rate of vehicle acceleration or
deceleration in a lateral direction
\4on the side on which an impact occurs
\4independently of the front airbagsIf a child is traveling in the vehicle:
\4secure the child in a child restraint sys-
tem appropriate to his/her age and
size, preferably on a suitable seat in the
rear
\4ensure that the child is strapped in
throughout the trip
You can obtain child seats and information
about the correct child restraint system
from any authorized Sprinter Dealer.
iYou will find additional information
about airbag deployment on
(\2page 32).
You will find additional information
about the triggering of emergency ten-
sioning retractors and belt force limit-
ers on (\2page 30).Children in the vehicle
Warning
G
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle even if they are secured in a child re-
straint system. The children could:
\4injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
\4be seriously or even fatally injured by
prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold
Do not expose child restraint systems to di-
rect sunlight. Metallic parts of the child re-
straint system could heat up, for example,
and the child could burn him / herself on the
hot parts.
If the children open a door, they could:
\4cause injury to others as a result
\4get out of the vehicle and could either
injure themselves when doing so or they
could be injured by passing vehicles
\4sustain serious injuries if they were to
fall out of the vehicle, due in particular
to the height of the passenger compart-
ment from the ground
\2\2

37 Safety
Occupant safety
2
Child restraint systems
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
All lap-shoulder belts except the driver’s
seat belt have special seat belt retractors
for secure fastening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow child re-
straint instructions for mounting. Then pull
the shoulder belt out completely and let it
retract. During seat belt retraction, a ratch-eting sound can be heard to indicate taht
the special seat belt retractor is activated.
The belt is now locked. push down on child
restraint to take up any slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and
let seat belt retract completely. The seat
belt can again be used in the usual
manner.Do not carry heavy or hard objects inside
the vehicle or load compartment unless they
are secured. You will find further information
under “Transporting156” (\2page 156) and
“Features164” (\2page 164) in the “Con-
trols in detail” section.
An unsecured or incorrectly positioned load
increases the risk of injury to occupants,
particularly children, in the event of:
\4sharp braking
\4a sudden change of direction
\4an accident
Warning
G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.Warning
G
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury to
a child in the event of an accident, sharp
braking or a sudden change in direction:
\4Always secure children less than 5 ft
(1.50 m) tall or under 12 years of age in
a special child restraint system installed
on a suitable vehicle seat, since the seat
belts are not designed for this body size.
\4Do not secure children under 12 years
of age on the co-driver’s seat unless
they are secured in a suitable forward-
facing child restraint system.
\4It is not permitted to secure a child in a
rearward-facing child restraint system
on the co-driver’s seat if the vehicle is
equipped with a co-driver’s airbag.
Only secure a rearward-facing child re-
straint system on a suitable rear seat.
\4Always move the co-driver’s seat to its
rearmost position if you have secured a
child on this seat in a forward-facing
child restraint system.
\4A child must never be carried sitting on
the lap of a vehicle occupant. It would
not be possible to restrain the child as a
result of the forces acting in the event of
an accident, braking or abrupt changes
in direction. The child would be thrown
against parts of the vehicle interior and
be seriously or fatally injured.
\4Vehicle occupants must wear their seat
belt correctly at all times.