2009 CHRYSLER 300 seats

2. The transmission was in gear and the vehicle speed
returned to 0 mph (0 km/h).
3. The transmission is in NEUTRAL or PARK.
4. The driver door is opened.
5. The doors were not previously unlocked, and
6. The vehicle speed is 0 mph (0 km/h).
Automatic Unlock Doors on Exit Programming
The Automatic Unlock Doors On Exit feature can be
enabled or disabled as follows:
•For vehicles equipped with the EVIC, refer to “Unlock
Doors Automatically on Exit” under “Personal Set-
tings (Customer-Programmable Features)” in the
“Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC),” in
Section 4 of this manual.
•For vehicles not equipped with the EVIC, perform the
following procedure:1. Close all doors and place the key in the ignition.
2. Cycle the ignition switch between LOCK and ON and
then back to LOCK four times ending up in the LOCK
position (do not start engine).
3. Depress the power door UNLOCK switch to unlock
the doors.
4. A single chime will indicate the completion of the
programming.
5. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to
its previous setting.
NOTE:Use the Automatic Unlock Doors On Exit feature
in accordance with local laws.
Child Protection Door Lock
To provide a safer environment for small children riding
in the rear seats, the rear doors are equipped with a Child
Protection Door Lock system.
32 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.Everyone in a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are equipped with
lap/shoulder belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or impacts. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you undernormal conditions. However, in a collision, the belt will
lock and reduce your risk of striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
•It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seri-
ously injured or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
(Continued)
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
internal injury in a collision. The belt forces won’t be
at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your
abdomen. Always wear the lap belt as low as pos-
sible and keep it snug.
•A twisted belt can’t do its job as well. In a collision,
it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt is straight.
If you can’t straighten a belt in your vehicle, take it to
your authorized dealer and have it fixed.
5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retractor
will withdraw any slack in the belt.
6. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle.
The belt will automatically retract to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the belt to retract fully.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision and
leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt system
periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately. Do
not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the driver and front passenger seats, the shoulder belt
can be adjusted upward or downward to position the belt
away from your neck. Push and fully depress the button
above the webbing to release the anchorage, then move it
up or down to the position that fits you best.
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Along with the seat belts, front airbags work with the
instrument panel knee bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger. Side curtain
and seat airbags also work with seat belts to improve
occupant protection.
While the seat belts are designed to protect you in many
types of collisions, the front airbags will deploy in
moderate to severe frontal collisions. For vehicles so
equipped, the supplemental side curtain airbag and front
seat-mounted side airbag on the crash side of the vehicle
will also trigger in moderate to severe side collisions.
However, even in collisions where the airbags deploy,
you need the seat belts to keep you in the correct 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 younger should ride buck-
led up in the rear seat.WARNING!
Infants in rear-facing child restraints should NEVER
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.
2. Children who are not big enough to wear the vehicle
seat belt properly should be secured in the rear seat in
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats. (Refer to
information on Child Restraints in this section.)
3. 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.
4. If a child from 1 to 12 years old must ride in the front
passenger seat because the vehicle is crowded, move the
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
2

seat as far back as possible and use the proper child
restraint. (Refer to information on Child Restraints in this
section.)
5. You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
6. All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
7. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbags time to inflate.
8. If your vehicle has supplemental side curtain airbags
and/or supplemental front seat-mounted side airbags,
do not lean against the door, as the airbags will inflate
forcefully into the space between you and the door.
9. 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.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 instrument
panel during airbag deployment could cause seri-
ous injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back,
comfortably extending your arms to reach the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
•If the vehicle has supplemental side curtain air-
bags and/or supplemental front seat-mounted side
airbags, they also need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door or window. Sit upright in the
center of the seat.
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years and younger should ride properly
buckled up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seats rather than in the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a missile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap could
become so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child’s
size.There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat Owner’s Manual to ensure you have the correct seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child.
Infants and Child Restraints
•
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year oldandweigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing, infant
carriers and convertible child seats.
•The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg). Convertible child seats can be
used either rearward-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rearward-facing direction than
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

infant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) but are
less than one year old. Both types of child restraints are
held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the
LATCH child restraint anchorage system. Refer to
“LATCH — Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren)” in this section.
WARNING!
Rearward-facing child seats must NEVER be used in
the front seat of a vehicle with the front passenger
airbag unless the airbag is turned off. An airbag
deployment could cause severe injury or death to
infants in this position.
Older Children and Child Restraints
Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who are
older than one year can ride forward-facing in the
vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and convertible childseats used in the forward-facing direction are for children
who weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg) and who are older
than one year. These child seats are also held in the
vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH child
restraint anchorage system. Refer to “LATCH — Child
Seat Anchorage System (Lower Anchors and Tether for
CHildren)” in this section.
The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weighing
more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small to fit
the vehicle’s seat belts properly. If the child cannot sit
with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat cushion while the
child’s back is against the seatback, they should use a
belt-positioning booster seat. The child and belt-
positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
lap/shoulder belt.
Children Too Large for Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably and whose legs are long enough to bend
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67
2

kits or retrofit kits. You are urged to take advantage of all
the available attachments provided with your child re-
straint in any vehicle.
All three rear-seating positions have lower anchorages
that are capable of accommodating LATCH-compatible
child seats. You shouldNEVERinstall LATCH-
compatible child seats so that two seats share a common
lower anchorage. If installing child seats in adjacent
rear-seating positions, or if your child restraints are not
LATCH-compatible, install the restraints using the vehi-
cle’s seat belts.
Installing the LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
System
We urge you to follow the manufacturer’s directions
carefully when installing your child restraint. Not all
child restraint systems will be installed as described here.
LATCH Anchorages
70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE