2009 DODGE CALIBER Owners Manual

3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”WARNING!
•A belt that is buckled into the wrong buckle will
not protect you properly. The lap portion could
ride too high on your body, possibly causing
internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the
buckle nearest you.
•A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well.
In a sudden stop you could move too far forward,
increasing the possibility of injury. Wear your seat
belt snugly.
(Continued)
Inserting Latch Plate into Buckle
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WARNING! (Continued)
•A belt that is worn under your arm is very danger-
ous. Your body could strike the inside surfaces of
the vehicle in a collision, increasing head and neck
injury. A belt worn under the arm can cause
internal injuries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder
bones. Wear the belt over your shoulder so that
your strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.
•A shoulder belt placed behind you will not protect
you from injury during a collision. You are more
likely to hit your head in a collision if you do not
wear your shoulder belt. The lap and shoulder belt
are meant to be used together. 4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull up
on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight,
tilt the latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug belt
reduces the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision.
Positioning Lap Belt
40 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
possible 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.).
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Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front seat, the shoulder belt can be adjusted
upward or downward to position the belt away from
your neck. Push the anchorage button to release the
anchorage, and move it up or down to the position that
fits you best.
NOTE:The adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage is
equipped with an Easy Up feature. This feature allows
the shoulder belt anchorage to be adjusted in the upward
position without pressing the release button. To verify
the shoulder belt anchorage is latched, pull downward
on the shoulder belt anchorage until it is locked into
position. As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you’ll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it down to make sure that it is
locked in position.
Adjustable Anchorage
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Second Row Center Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating
Instructions
The second row center lap/shoulder belt features a three
point seat belt with a mini-latch and buckle, which allows
the shoulder belt to detach from the lower anchor when
the seat is folded. The mini-buckle and shoulder belt can
then be stored out of the way in the right side trim panel
for added convenience.
1. Remove the mini-latch and regular latch from its
stowed position in the right rear side trim panel.
Mini-Latch Stowage
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2. Grasp the mini-latch plate and pull the belt over the
seat.
3. Route the shoulder belt to the inside of the right head
restraint.4. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the mini-
latch plate into the mini-buckle until you hear a “click.”
5. Sit back in seat. Slide the regular latch plate up the
webbing as far as necessary to allow the belt to go around
your lap.
Routing the Rear Center Shoulder Belt
Routing the Rear Center Shoulder Belt
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

6. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
7. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull upon the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight,
pull on the lap belt. A snug belt reduces the risk of sliding
under the belt in a collision.
8. 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.
Connecting Mini-Latch to Buckle
Rear Center Seat Belt Buckled
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9. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle.
10. To disengage the mini-latch from the mini-buckle for
storage, insert the regular latch plate into the black
button on the top of the mini-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. Insert the mini-latch plate into the slot
provided in the trim panel.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed 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 work for all size occupants,
including those in child restraints.
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 Driver and Front Passenger Supplemen-
tal Restraint System (SRS) — Airbag Section). Like the
Detaching Mini-Latch And Buckle
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE