2008 CHRYSLER PACIFICA airbag

NSeat Belt Extender......................49
NDriver And Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System - Airbag................50
NEvent Data Recorder (EDR)...............65
NChild Restraint........................67
mEngine Break-In Recommendations...........77mSafety Tips............................78
NExhaust Gas..........................78
NSafety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle..............................79
NPeriodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle....................80
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 11
2

Gas props support the liftgate in the open position.
However, because the gas pressure drops with tempera-
ture, it may be necessary to assist the props when
opening the liftgate in cold weather.
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
equipped, left and right window bags for the driver and
passengers seated next to a window and a driver inflat-
able knee blocker. If you will be carrying children too
small for adult-size seat belts, your seat belts or the
LATCH feature (refer to the Child Restraint section in this
manual), can be used to hold infant and child restraint
systems.If your vehicle is equipped with the Occupant Classifi-
cation System (OCS) there will be a Passenger Airbag
Disabled (PAD) Indicator Light located on the center of
the instrument panel.
Passenger Airbag Light Ð If OCS Equipped
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:The front airbags have a multi stage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation that are based on collision severity.
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 buckled
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 that 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.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All the seats in your vehicle are equipped with Lap/
Shoulder Belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
2

Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belt assemblies for both front seating positions
are equipped with pretensioning devices that are de-
signed to remove slack from the seat belt in the event of
a collision. These devices improve the performance of the
seat belt by assuring that the belt is tight about the
occupant early in a collision. Pretensioners are designed
to work for all size occupants.
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 front airbag con-
trol module (see Airbag Section). Like the front airbags,
the pretensioners are single use items. After a collision
that is severe enough to deploy the airbags and preten-
sioners, both must be replaced.
Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert)
If the driver'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), BeltAlert will alert the
driver or front passenger to buckle their seat belt. The
driver should also instruct all other occupants to buckle
their seat belts. Once the warning is triggered, BeltAlert
will continue to chime and flash the Seat Belt Warning
Light for 96 seconds or until the driver's seat belt is
buckled.
BeltAlert will be reactivated if the driver's or front
passenger's seat belt is unbuckled for more than 10
seconds and the vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8
km/h).
BeltAlert can be enabled or disabled by your authorized
dealer or by following these steps:
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47
2

WARNING!
Using a seat belt extender when not needed can
increase the risk of injury in a collision. Only use
when the lap belt is not long enough when it is worn
low and snug, and in the recommended seating
positions. Remove and store the extender when not
needed.
Driver and Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System - Airbag
This vehicle has 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.NOTE:The front airbags are certified to the Federal
regulations that allow less forceful deployment in low
speed collisions.
The front airbags have a multi stage inflator design. This
may allow the airbag to have different rates of inflation
that are based on collision severity and occupant size.Front Airbags and Knee Bolsters Locations
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Also, the front passenger airbag is certified to the Federal
regulations that define Occupant Restraint Controller
(ORC) system.
This vehicle may also be equipped with a driver inflat-
able knee blocker located on the instrument panel below
the steering column.
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
window bags, 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 deployment.
Side Curtain Airbags
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
2

WARNING!
²Do not put anything on or around the airbag covers
or attempt to manually open them. You may dam-
age the airbags and you could be injured because
the airbags are not there to protect you. These
protective covers for the airbag cushions are de-
signed to open only when the airbags are inflating.
²If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
window bags, 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.
²If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
window bags, do not have any accessory items
installed which will alter the roof, including add-
ing 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.
Front airbags, along with seat belts, and front seat belt
pretensioners, work with the instrument panel knee
blockers to provide improved protection for the driver
and front passenger. Left and right window bags 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 in moderate to
severe frontal collisions.
NOTE:If equipped with an Occupant Classification
System (OCS), the passenger front airbag may not deploy
even when the driver front airbag has determined the
seat is empty or is occupied by a child.
If your vehicle is so equipped, the window bag on the
crash side of the vehicle is triggered in moderate to
severe side collisions. But even in collisions where the
airbags inflate, you need the seat belts to keep you in the
right position for the airbags to protect you properly.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
2. Infants in rear-facing child restraints shouldNEVER
ride 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.
3. 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.
4. Older children who do not use child restraints or
belt-positioning booster seats should ride properly buck-
led up in the rear seat. Never allow children to slide the
shoulder belt behind them or under their arm.5. 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).
6. You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
7. All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
8. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbags time to inflate.
9. If your vehicle has side curtain airbags do not lean
against the door, airbags will inflate forcefully into the
space between you and the door.
10. 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 the9If
You Need Customer Assistance9section in this manual.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53
2