2008 DODGE NITRO airbag

Also, the ORC turns on the ªAirbag Warning
Lightº and ªPAD Indicator Lightº for 6 to 8
seconds for a self-check when the ignition is
first turned on. After the self-check, the
ªAirbag Warning Lightº will turn off. The ªPAD
Indicator Lightº will function normally (Refer to9Pas-
senger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light9in this
section). If the ORC detects a malfunction in any part
of the system, it turns on the ªAirbag Warning Lightº
either momentarily or continuously. A single chime
will sound if the light comes on again after initial start
up.WARNING!
Ignoring the ªAirbag Warning Lightº in your instru-
ment 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.
²TheOccupant Classification System (OCS)is part of
a Federally regulated safety system required for this
vehicle. It is designed to turn off the front passenger
airbag for an empty seat and for occupants classified
in a category other than an adult. This could be a child,
teenager, or even a adult.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
2

NOTE:Children 12 years and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat in an appropriate child restraint.
²ThePassenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light
(an amber light located in the center of the instrument
panel) tells the driver and front passenger when the
front passenger airbag is turned off. The ªPAD Indi-
cator Lightº illuminates the words9PASS AIR BAG
OFF9to show that the passenger airbag will not inflate
during a collision requiring airbags. When the right
front passenger seat is empty or when very light
objects are placed on the seat, the passenger airbag
will not inflate even though the ªPAD Indicator Lightº
is not illuminated.
The ªPAD Indicator Lightº should not be illuminated
when a adult passenger is properly seated in the front
passenger seat. In this case, the airbag is ready to be
inflated if a collision requiring an airbag occurs.
Indicator Light Location
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

For occupants classified into the ªchildº size category, the
ªPAD Indicator Lightº will be illuminated indicating that
the front passenger airbag is turned off and will not
inflate. If the ªPAD Indicator Lightº is not illuminated,
DO NOTassume the airbag is turned off and move the
child restraint to the rear seat. A deploying passenger
airbag can cause death or serious injury to a child in a
rear facing infant seat.
NOTE:Even though this vehicle is equipped with an
Occupant Classification System, children 12 years and
under should always ride buckled up in a rear seat in an
appropriate child restraint.
Front Passenger
Seat OccupantPassenger Air-
bag Disable
(PAD) Indica-
tor LightAirbag Status
Adult OFF ON
Grocery Bags,
Heavy Briefcases
and Other Rela-
tively Light ObjectsON OFF
Empty or Very
Small ObjectsOFF* OFF
* Since the system senses weight, some small objects
will turn the PAD Indicator Light on.
The OCS classifies an occupant using weight sensors
mounted in the base of the front passenger seat. Any
weight on the seat will be sensed by the system. Objects
hanging on the seat or other passengers pushing down
on the seat will also be sensed. The weight of an adult
will cause the system to turn the airbag on. In this case,
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57
2

the OCS has classified the occupant of the seat as an
adult. An adult occupant needs to sit in a normal position
(with their feet on or near the floor) in order to be
properly classified. Reclining the seat back too far may
change how an occupant is classified by the OCS.
Drivers and adult passengers should verify that the
ªPAD Indicator Lightº is not illuminated when an adult
is riding in the front passenger seat. If an adult occu-
pant's weight is transferred to another part of the vehicle
(like the door or instrument panel), the weight sensors in
the seat may not properly classify the occupant. Objects
lodged under the seat or between the seat and the center
console can prevent the occupant's weight from being
measured properly and may result in the occupant being
improperly classified. Ensure that the front passenger
seat back does not touch anything placed on the back seat
because this can also affect occupant classification. Also,
if you fold down the rear seat check to be sure it doesn't
touch the front passenger seat.If the front passenger seat is damaged in any way, it
should only be serviced by an authorized dealer. If the
seat is removed (or even if the seat attachment bolts are
loosened or tightened in any way), take the vehicle to an
authorized dealer.
If there is a fault present in the OCS, the ªAirbag Warning
Lightº (a red light located in the center of the instrument
cluster directly in front of the driver) will be turned on.
This indicates that you should take the vehicle to an
authorized dealer. The ªAirbag Warning Lightº is turned
on whenever there is a fault that can affect the operation
of the airbag system. If there is a fault present in the OCS,
both the ªPAD Indicator Lightº and the ªAirbag Warning
Lightº are illuminated to show that the passenger airbag
is turned off until the fault is cleared. If an object is
lodged under the seat and interferes with operation of
the weight sensors, a fault will occur which turns on both
the ªPAD Indicator Lightº and the ªAirbag Warning
Light.º Once the lodged object is removed, the fault will
be automatically cleared after a short period of time.
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

²TheDriver and Passenger Airbag/Inflator Unitsare
located in the center of the steering wheel and the right
side of the instrument panel. When the ORC detects a
collision requiring the airbags, it signals the inflator
units. A large quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to
inflate the front airbags. Different airbag inflation rates
are possible, based on collision severity and occupant
size. The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper
right side of the instrument panel separate and fold
out of the way as the bags inflate to their full size. The
bags fully inflate in about 50±70 milliseconds. This is
about half of the time it takes to blink your eyes. The
bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain the
driver and front passenger.
The driver front airbag gas is vented through the vent
holes in the sides of the airbag. The passenger front
airbag gas is vented through the vent holes in the sides
of the airbag. In this way, the airbags do not interfere
with your control of the vehicle.²TheOccupant Classification Module (OCM)is lo-
cated beneath the front passenger seat. The OCM
classifies the occupant into categories based on the
measurements made by the seat weight sensors. The
OCM communicates with the Occupant Restraint Con-
trol (ORC) Module. The ORC uses the occupant cat-
egory to determine whether the front passenger airbag
should be turned off. It also determines the rate of
airbag inflation during a collision.
²Your vehicle has fourWeight Sensorslocated between
the seat and the floor pan. The weight sensors measure
applied weight and transfers that information to the
OCM.
²TheSide Impact SRS Side Curtain Airbagsare de-
signed to activate only in certain side collisions and
rollover events. When the ORC detects a collision
requiring the side curtain airbag to inflate, it signals
the inflators on the crash side of the vehicle. A quantity
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59
2

of nontoxic gas is generated to inflate the side curtain
airbag. The inflating side curtain airbag pushes the
outside edge of the headliner out of the way and
covers the window. The airbag inflates in about 30
milliseconds (about one quarter of the time it takes to
blink your eyes) with enough force to injure you if you
are not belted and seated properly, or if items are
positioned in the area where the side curtain airbag
inflates. This especially applies to children. The side
curtain airbag is only about 3
1¤2inches (9 cm) thick
when it is inflated.
The front passenger seat assembly contains critical com-
ponents that affect the front passenger airbag deploy-
ment. Correctly functioning front passenger seat compo-
nents are critical for the Occupant Classification System
(OCS) to properly classify the front passenger and calcu-
late the proper airbag deployment. Do not make any
modifications to the front passenger seat components,
assembly, or to the seat cover.The following requirements must be strictly adhered to:
²Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or
components in any way.
²Do not use prior or future model year seat covers not
designated for the specific model being repaired. Al-
ways use the correct seat cover specified for the
vehicle.
²Do not replace the seat cover with an aftermarket seat
cover.
²Do not add a secondary seat cover other than those
approved by DaimlerChrysler/Mopar.
²At no time should any supplemental restraint system
(SRS) component or SRS related component or fas-
tener be modified or replaced with any part except
those which are approved by DaimlerChrysler/
Mopar.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
Unapproved modifications or service procedures to
the front passenger seat assembly, its related compo-
nents, or seat cover may inadvertently change the
airbag deployment in case of a frontal crash. This
could result in death or serious injury to the front
seat passenger if the vehicle is involved in an acci-
dent. A modified vehicle may not comply with re-
quired Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS).
If A Deployment Occurs
The airbag system is designed to deploy when the
Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) Module detects a
moderate-to-severe frontal collision, to help restrain the
driver and front passenger, 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:
²The nylon airbag material may sometimes cause abra-
sions and/or skin reddening to the driver and 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
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.
²As 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
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61
2

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.
²It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have deployed. If you are involved in another
collision, the airbags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the airbags,
seat belt pretensioner, and seat belt retractor assem-
bly, replaced by an authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Also, have the Occupant Classification Sys-
tem serviced as well.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact that causes airbag deployment,
with the vehicle stopped, and the vehicle communication
network intact, and the power intact, the Enhanced
Accident Response System performs the following func-
tions:
²Cuts off fuel to the engine.
²Flashes hazard lights.
²Turns on the interior lamps which remain on as long as
the battery has power or until the ignition key is
removed.
²Unlocks the doors automatically
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE