2012 DODGE CHALLENGER child seat

▫Seat Belt Extender ..................... 54
▫ Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) — Air
Bags .............................. 54
▫ Air Bag Deployment Sensors And Controls . . . 60
▫ Event Data Recorder (EDR) .............. 67
▫ Child Restraints ...................... 68
 Engine Break-In Recommendations .......... 77
Safety Tips ........................... 78
▫ Transporting Passengers ................ 78
▫ Exhaust Gas ......................... 79
▫ Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle ............................. 80
▫ Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle ................... 82
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 11

feature will function only when the vehicle is in the
unlock condition.
With the ignition switch in the ON/RUN position, the
Trunk Open symbol will display in the instrument cluster
indicating that the trunk is open. The odometer display
will reappear once the trunk is closed.
With the ignition switch in the OFF position or the key
removed from the ignition switch, the Trunk Open sym-
bol will display until the trunk is closed.
Refer to “Keyless Enter-N-Go” in “Things To Know
Before Starting Your Vehicle” for more information on
trunk operation with the Passive Entry feature.TRUNK SAFETY WARNING
WARNING!
Do not allow children to have access to the trunk,
either by climbing into the trunk from outside, or
through the inside of the vehicle. Always close the
trunk lid when your vehicle is unattended. Once in
the trunk, young children may not be able to escape,
even if they entered through the rear seat. If trapped
in the trunk, children can die from suffocation or
heat stroke.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41

•Front seat belts incorporate pretensioners that may
enhance occupant protection by managing occupant
energy during an impact event
•All seat belt systems (except the driver ’s) include
Automatic Locking Retractors (ALRs), which lock the
seat belt webbing into position by extending the belt
all the way out and then adjusting the belt to the
desired length to restrain a child seat or secure a large
item in a seat — if equipped
Please pay close attention to the information in this section.
It tells you how to use your restraint system properly, to
keep you and your passengers as safe as possible.
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems. For more information
on LATCH, refer to Lower Anchors and Tether for
CHildren (LATCH).NOTE:
The Advanced Front Air Bags have a multistage
inflator design. This allows the air bag to have different
rates of inflation based on several factors, including the
severity and type of collision.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying air bag:
1. Children 12 years old and under 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
Advanced Front Air Bag. An air bag deployment can
cause severe injury or death to infants in that posi-
tion.
Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat
belt properly (see section on Child Restraints) should be
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43

secured in the rear seat in child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats. Older children 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 (not in a rear facing child
seat) must ride in the front passenger seat, move the seat
as far back as possible and use the proper child restraint.
(Refer to “Child Restraints”)
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2.All occupants should always 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 Advanced
Front Air Bags room to inflate. 4.
Do not lean against the door or window. If your
vehicle has side air bags, and deployment occurs, the
side air bags will inflate forcefully into the space
between you and the door.
5. If the air bag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact
the Customer Center. Phone numbers are provided
under If You Need Assistance.
WARNING!
•Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, the air bags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you have
air bags.
(Continued)
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 assem-
blies must be replaced after a collision if they have
been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing, 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.2. At about 6 to 12 in (15 to 30 cm) above the latch plate,
grasp and twist the belt webbing 180 degrees to create a
fold that begins immediately above the latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing.
The folded webbing must enter the slot at the top of the
latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the
folded webbing.
Seat Belts In Passenger Seating Positions
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR)
which are used to secure a child restraint system. For
additional information, refer to “Installing Child Re-
straints Using The Vehicle Seat Belt” under the “Child
Restraints” section. The chart below defines the type of
feature for each seating position.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Driver Center Passenger
First Row N/A N/A ALR
Second Row ALR ALR ALR Third Row N/A N/A N/A
•N/A — Not Applicable
•ALR — Automatic Locking Retractor
If the passenger seating position is equipped with an
ALR and is being used for normal usage:
Only pull the belt webbing out far enough to comfortably
wrap around the occupant’s mid-section so as to not
activate the ALR. If the ALR is activated, you will hear a
ratcheting sound as the belt retracts. Allow the webbing
to retract completely in this case and then carefully pull
out only the amount of webbing necessary to comfort-
ably wrap around the occupant’s mid-section. Slide the
latch plate into the buckle until you hear a click.
Automatic Locking Retractor Mode (ALR) — If
Equipped
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-
locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in
the shoulder belt. The Automatic Locking Mode is avail-
able on all passenger-seating positions with a combina-
tion lap/shoulder belt. Use the Automatic Locking Mode
anytime a child safety seat is installed in a seating
position that has a belt with this feature. Children
12 years old and under should always be properly
restrained in the rear seat.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until
the entire belt is extracted.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

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.
WARNING!
•The belt and retractor assembly must be replaced
if the seat belt assembly Automatic Locking Re-
tractor (ALR) feature or any other seat belt func-
tion is not working properly when checked ac-
cording to the procedures in the Service Manual.
•Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly
could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Energy Management Feature
This vehicle has a safety belt system with an Energy
Management feature in the front seating positions to help
further reduce the risk of injury in the event of a head-on
collision. This safety belt system has a retractor assembly
that is designed to release webbing in a controlled
manner. This feature is designed to help reduce the belt
force acting on the occupant’s chest.
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 may 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 occu-
pants, including those in child restraints.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag (SAB)
Inflator Units
The Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags are de-
signed to activate only in certain side collisions.
The ORC determines if a side collision requires the side
air bags to inflate, based on several factors, including the
severity and type of collision.
Based on several factors, including the severity and type
of collision, the side air bag inflator on the crash side of
the vehicle may be triggered, releasing a quantity of
non-toxic gas. The inflating SAB exits through the seat
seam into the space between the occupant and the door.
The SAB fully inflate in about 10 milliseconds. The side
air bag 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 air bag inflates. This especially applies to children.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC) Inflator Units
During collisions where the impact is confined to a
particular area of the side of the vehicle, the ORC may
deploy the SABIC air bags, depending on several factors,
including the severity and type of collision. In these
events, the ORC will deploy the SABIC only on the
impact side of the vehicle.
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 that 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 3-1/2 in (9 cm) thick when
it is inflated.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63