2010 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER child seat

will not inflate even though the Passenger Airbag
Disable (PAD) indicator lamp is not illuminated.
•The PAD indictor light should not be illu-
minated when an adult passenger is prop-
erly seated in the front passenger seat. In
this case, the air bag is ready to be inflated if
a collision requiring an airbag occurs.
For all other occupants, the PAD indicator light will be
illuminated indicating that the front passenger airbag
is turned off and will not inflate. 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 (see section on child re-
straints).
WARNING!
Never place a rear facing infant seat in front of an
airbag. A deploying passenger airbag can cause death
or serious injury to a child in a rear facing infant seat.Passenger Airbag Disabled Light
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53

Front PassengerSeat Occupant Passenger Air-
bag Disable
(PAD) Indicator Light Airbag Status
Adult OFF ON Child ON OFF
Grocery Bags,
Heavy Briefcases and Other Rela-
tively Light Ob- jects ON OFF
Empty or Very Small Objects OFF* OFF
* Since the system senses weight, some small objects will turn the PAD Indicator Light on.
Drivers and adult passengers should verify that the PAD
Indicator Light is not illuminated when an adult is riding
in the front passenger seat. If an adult occupant’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 improp-
erly classified. Ensure that the front passenger seat back
does not touch anything placed on the second row of
seats because this can also affect occupant classification.
Also, if you fold down the seats in the second row check
to be sure they don’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 Airbag Warning
Light (a red light located in the center of the instrument
cluster directly in front of the driver) will be turned on.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

determine whether the front passenger airbag should
be turned off. It also determines the rate of airbag
inflation during a collision.
•Your vehicle has fourWeight Sensorslocated between
the seat and the floor pan. The weight sensors measure
applied weight and transfers that information to the
OCM.
•The Side Impact (SRS) Seat Mounted Side Airbags
(If equipped) are designed to activate only in certain
side collisions.
The ORC module determines if a side collision is
severe enough to require the side airbags to inflate.
The side airbag control module will not detect roll
over, front or rear collisions. The ORC Module monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in the
START or ON positions. These include all of the items
previously mentioned.
In moderate to severe side collisions, the side airbag
inflator on the crash side of the vehicle is triggered,
releasing a quantity of nontoxic gas. The inflating side
airbag exits through the seat seam into the space between
the occupant and the door. The side airbag moves at a
very high speed and with such a high force, that it could
injure you if you are not seated properly, or if items are
positioned in the area where the side airbag inflates. This
especially applies to children.
NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
side curtain air bags, do not install a clothing bar
mounted to the coat hooks (or similarly mounted). A
clothing bar will impede the proper performance of the
bags.
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•Pedal position
•And other parameters depending on vehicle
configuration
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time, including babies and children. Every state in the
United States and all Canadian provinces require that
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 projectile 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.
Infants and Small Children
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.
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats. Both types of child
restraints are held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder
belt or the LATCH child restraint anchorage system.
•This vehicle is not capable of accommodating the
installation of a car bed used for carrying newborn
babies at the right front passenger seat position. If a car
bed must be used to transport a newborn baby, the car
bed must be installed in the second seating row only.
•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 thaninfant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 9 kg (20 lbs) but are
less than one year old.
WARNING!
Rearward-facing child seats must NEVER be used in
the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger
airbag. An airbag deployment could cause severe
injury or death to infants in this position.
•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
child seats 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.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65

•The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weigh-
ing 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 cushion
while the child’s back is against the seatback, they
should use a Belt Positioning Booster Seat. The child
and booster seat are held in the vehicle by the lap/
shoulder belt.
NOTE: For additional information, refer to
www.seatcheck.org or call 1–866–SEATCHECK. Cana-
dian residents, should refer to Transport Canada’s web-
site for additional information. http://www.tc.gc.ca/
roadsafety/safedrivers/childsafety/index.htmWARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
•A rearward-facing child restraint should only be
used in a rear seat. A rearward-facing child re-
straint in the front seat may be struck by a deploy-
ing passenger airbag, which may cause severe or
fatal injury to the infant.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Here are some tips on getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. We also recommend that you make sure
that you can install the child restraint in the vehicle
where you will use it, before you buy it.
•The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
The passenger seat belts are equipped with either
cinching latch plates or seat belt retractors that can be
switched to an Automatic Locking Mode, which are
designed to keep the lap portion tight around the childrestraint so that it is not necessary to use a locking clip.
If the seat belt has a cinching latch plate, pulling up on
the shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder belt will
tighten the belt. The cinching latch plate will keep the
belt tight; however, any seat belt system will loosen
with time, so check the belt occasionally and pull it
tight if necessary.
If the seat belt has a switchable retractor, please refer to
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR).
•In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path
opening on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate
from the buckle and twist the short buckle end of the
belt several times to shorten it. Insert the latch plate
into the buckle with the release button facing out.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67

•If the belt still can’t be tightened, or if pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle, turn the latch plate
around, and insert the latch plate into the buckle
again. If you still can’t make the child restraint secure,
try a different seating position.
•Buckle the child into the seat according to the child
restraint manufacturer’s directions.
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
To operate the switchable retractor, pull the belt from the
retractor until there is enough to pass it through the child
restraint and slide the latch plate into the buckle. Then
pull on the belt until it is fully extended from theretractor. Allow the belt to return into the retractor,
pulling on the excess webbing to tighten the lap portion
around the child restraint. Follow the instructions of the
child restraint manufacture.
NOTE:
To reset this feature you must let all of the belt
webbing return into the retractor. You will not be able to
pull out more webbing until all of the webbing has been
returned back into the retractor.
Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren. The LATCH system
provides for the installation of the child restraint without
using the vehicle seat belt. All three rear seating positions
have lower and tether anchorages that are capable of
accommodating LATCH-compatible child seats having
flexible, webbing-mounted lower attachments. Child
seats with fixed lower attachments must be installed in
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE