2011 DODGE NITRO Owners Manual

The Advanced Front Air Bag gas is vented through the
vent holes in the sides of the air bag. In this way, the air
bags do not interfere with your control of the vehicle.
Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Air Bags work with the knee bolsters to provide im-
proved protection for the driver and front passenger. Side
air bags also work with seat belts to improve occupant
protection.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABIC)
TheSupplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABIC) may deploy during rollovers and collisions
where the impact is confined to a particular area of the
side of the vehicle, depending on the severity and type of
collision. In these events, the ORC will deploy the SABIC
only on the impact side of the vehicle. Because air bag
sensors estimate deceleration over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are not good indicators of
whether or not an air bag should have deployed.
A quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the side
curtain air bag. The inflating side curtain air bag pushes
the outside edge of the headliner out of the way and
covers the window. The air bag 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 air bag
inflates. This especially applies to children. The side
curtain air bag is only about 312inches (9 cm) thick when
it is inflated.
The system includes side impact sensors that are cali-
brated to deploy the side air bags during impacts that
require air bag occupant protection.
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WARNING!
If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABIC), do not stack luggage or other cargo up high
enough to block the location of the SABIC. The area
where the SABIC is located should remain free from
any obstructions.
The front passenger seat assembly contains critical com-
ponents that affect the front passenger air bag 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 air bag 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:•Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or
components in any way.
•Do 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.
•Do not replace the seat cover with an aftermarket seat
cover.
•Do not add a secondary seat cover other than those
approved by Chrysler Group LLC/Mopar.
•At 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 Chrysler Group
LLC/Mopar.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

WARNING!
Unapproved modifications or service procedures to
the front passenger seat assembly, its related compo-
nents or seat cover may inadvertently change the air
bag 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 a collision. A
modified vehicle may not comply with required
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS)
and/or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(CMVSS).
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact causing air bag deployment, if
the communication network remains intact, and the
power remains intact, depending on the nature of theevent the ORC will determine whether to have the
Enhanced Accident Response System perform the follow-
ing functions:
•Cut off fuel to the engine.
•Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the ignition key is turned off.
•Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power or until the ignition key is
removed.
•Unlock the doors automatically.
If A Deployment Occurs
The front air bags are designed to deflate immediately
after deployment.
NOTE:
Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all
collisions. This does not mean something is wrong with
the air bag system.
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If you do have a collision which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•The nylon air bag material may sometimes cause
abrasions and/or skin reddening to the driver and
front passenger as the air bags 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.
•As the air bags deflate you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air
bag 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 orthroat irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation
continues, see your doctor. If these particles settle on
your clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s in-
structions for cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have de-
ployed. If you are involved in another collision, the air
bags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed air bags cannot protect you in another
collision. Have the air bags, and seat belt retractor
assembly replaced by an authorized dealer immedi-
ately.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 73

Maintaining Your Air Bag System
WARNING!
•Modifications to any part of the air bag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured if the air bag system is not there to
protect you. Do not modify the components or
wiring, including adding any kind of badges or
stickers to the steering wheel hub trim cover or the
upper right side of the instrument panel. Do not
modify the front bumper or vehicle body structure
or add aftermarket side steps or running boards.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not attempt to modify any part of your air bag
system. The air bag may inflate accidentally or
may not function properly if modifications are
made. Take your vehicle to an authorized dealer
for any air bag system service. If your seat includ-
ing your trim cover and cushion needs to be
serviced in any way (including removal or
loosening/tightening of seat attachment bolts),
take the vehicle to your authorized dealer. Only
manufacturer approved seat accessories may be
used. If it is necessary to modify the air bag system
for persons with disabilities, contact your autho-
rized dealer.
•It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the air
bag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has an air bag system.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Air Bag Warning Light
You will want to have the air bags ready to
inflate for your protection in a collision. The
Air Bag Warning Light monitors the internal
circuits and interconnecting wiring associated
with air bag system electrical components. While the air
bag system is designed to be maintenance free. If any of
the following occurs, have an authorized dealer service
the air bag system immediately.
•The Air Bag Warning Light does not come on during
the four to eight seconds when the ignition switch is
first turned to the ON/RUN position.
•The Air Bag Warning Light remains on after the four to
eight-second interval.
•The Air Bag Warning Light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving. NOTE:
If the speedometer, tachometer, or any engine
related gauges are not working, the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) may also be disabled. The air bags may
not be ready to inflate for your protection. Promptly
check the fuse block for blown fuses. Refer to the label
located on the inside of the fuse block cover for the
proper air bag fuses. See your authorized dealer if the
fuse is good.
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder
(EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in
certain crash or near crash-like situations, such as an air
bag deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a vehicle’s systems per-
formed. The EDR is designed to record data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle
is designed to record such data as:
•How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
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•Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts
were buckled/fastened;
•How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
•How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of
the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no per-
sonal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location)
are recorded. However, other parties, such as law en-
forcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a
crash investigation. To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed.
In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties,
such as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have access to the
vehicle or the EDR.
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 or 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.
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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 right seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child.
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 can
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 Child Restraints
•
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.
•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 often
have a higher weight limit in the rearward-facing
direction than 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 an-
chorage system (Refer to Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH).
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