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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 (i.e., bent retractor, torn web-
bing, etc.).
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted lap/
shoulder belt.
1. Position the latch plate as close as possible to the
anchor point.
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Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder System (BeltAlert)
If the occupied 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), the Enhanced
Warning System (BeltAlert) will alert the driver to
buckle their seat belt. The driver should also instruct all
other occupants to buckle their seat belts. Once the
warning is triggered, BeltAlertwill continue to chime
and flash the Seat Belt Warning Light for 96 seconds or
until the driver’s seat belt is buckled.
BeltAlertwill be reactivated if the driver’s seat belt is
unbuckled for more than 10 seconds and the vehicle
speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h).
BeltAlertProgramming
BeltAlertcan be enabled or disabled by your authorized
dealer or by performing the following steps:
NOTE:Chrysler LLC does not recommend deactivating
BeltAlert.1. With all doors closed, and the ignition switch in any
position except ON or START, buckle the driver’s seat
belt.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position, but do not
start the engine. Wait for the Seat Belt Warning Light to
turn off and then proceed to the next step.
NOTE:You must perform the following steps within
60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the ON
position.
3. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
ON position, unbuckle and then re-buckle the driver’s
seat belt at least three times within 10 seconds, ending
with the seat belt buckled.
NOTE:Watch for the Seat Belt Warning Light to turn on
while unbuckling and turn off while re-buckling the seat
belt. It may be necessary to retract the seat belt partially
after unbuckling it.
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4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have success-
fully completed the programming.
BeltAlertcan be reactivated by repeating this procedure.
NOTE:Although BeltAlertis deactivated, the Seat Belt
Warning Light will continue to illuminate as long as the
driver’s seat belt is unbuckled.
Automatic Locking Mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-
locked. However, the belt will still retract to remove any
slack in the shoulder belt. The Automatic Locking mode
is available on all passenger-seating positions. Use the
Automatic Locking mode anytime a child safety seat is
installed in a passenger seating position. Children
12 years old and younger should be properly restrained
in the rear seat whenever possible.
How To Engage the Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap/shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until
the entire belt is extracted.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will
hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is
now in the Automatic Locking mode.
How To Disengage the Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it
to retract completely to disengage the Automatic Locking
mode and activate the Vehicle Sensitive (Emergency)
Locking mode.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47
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Seat Belts and Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use the seat belts
throughout their pregnancy. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe.
Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
Keep the belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is a collision.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is too short, even when fully extended, your
authorized dealer can provide you with a seat belt
extender. This extender should be used only if the
existing belt is not long enough. When it is not required,
remove the extender, and stow it.
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 (SRS) - 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.
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NOTE:The front airbags are certified to the Federal
regulations that allow less forceful deployment.The front airbags have a dual-stage inflator design. This
may allow the airbag to have different rates of inflation
that are based on collision severity and occupant size.
WARNING!
•Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to open them manually. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are no longer functional.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
•Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the seat airbags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could
be pushed into you, causing serious injury.
(Continued)Front Airbag Components
1 — Driver Airbag
2 — Passenger Airbag
3 — Knee BolsterTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
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WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not attach cup holders or any other objects on
or around the door. The inflating seat airbag could
drive the object into occupants, causing serious
injury.
•Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee bolster in
any way.
•Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizens band radios
etc.
Along with seat belts and pretensioners, front airbags
work with the knee bolsters to provide improved protec-
tion for the driver and front passenger. 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. In certain types ofcollisions, both the front and seat airbags may be trig-
gered. However, even in collisions where the airbags
work, you need the seat belts to keep you in the right
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 always
ride buckled up in a 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 can cause severe
injury or death to infants in that position.
Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat
belt properly (Refer to information on Child Restraints in
this section) should be secured in the rear seat in child
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restraints or belt-positioning booster seats. Older chil-
dren who do not use child restraints or belt-positioning
booster seats should ride properly buckled up in the rear
seat. Never allow children to slide the shoulder belt
behind them or under their arm.
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 Restraints in this
section.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2.All occupants should wear their lap and shoulder
belts properly.
3.The driver and front passenger seats should be
moved back as far as practical to allow the front airbags
room to inflate.4.If your vehicle has seat airbags, do not lean against
the door, airbags will inflate forcefully into the space
between you and the door.
5.If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact
the Customer Center. Phone numbers are provided
underIf You Need Assistancein Section 9 of this
manual.
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.
(Continued)
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WARNING! (Continued)
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during front airbag deployment could cause
serious injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit
back, comfortably extending your arms to reach
the steering wheel or instrument panel.
•Seat airbags also need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door. Sit upright in the center of the
seat.
Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Airbag
•Front Passenger Airbag
•Supplemental Seat Side (Thorax and Head) Airbags
•Front Impact Sensors
•Side Impact Sensors (if equipped)
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Seat Belt Warning Light
•Knee Impact Bolsters
•Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioners
How the Airbag System Works
•
Front Airbag Features
The front airbag system has dual-stage driver and front
passenger airbags. This system provides output appro-
priate to the level of crash severity as determined by the
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) and the impact
sensors at the front of the vehicle.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE