2013 DODGE JOURNEY Owners Manual

Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat belt
properly (see section on Child Restraints) should be 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
underIf 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)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47

WARNING!(Continued)
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during Advanced Front Air Bag deployment
could cause serious injury, including death. Air
Bags need room to inflate. Sit back, comfortably
extending your arms to reach the steering wheel or
instrument panel.
•
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC) and Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB) also
need room to inflate. Do not lean against the door or
window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
•In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buck-
led up. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or
other passengers, or you can be thrown out of the
vehicle. Always be sure you and others in your
vehicle are buckled up properly.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Being too close to the Supplemental Side Air Bag
Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) and/or Seat-Mounted
Side Air Bag (SAB) during deployment could cause
you to be severely injured or killed.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some
of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown
from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle. Everyone in a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are equipped with
combination lap/shoulder belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or impacts. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
normal conditions. However, in an collision, the belt will
lock and reduce your risk of striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
•It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be seriously injured
or killed.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
•Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat
belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and can take the forces of a collision best.
•Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You might
suffer internal injuries, or you could even slide out
of part of the belt. Follow these instructions to wear
your seat belt safely and to keep your passengers
safe, too.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49

WARNING!(Continued)
•Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in a collision, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt for more
than one person, no matter what their size.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and
adjust the front seat.
2. The seat belt latch plate is located on the pillar near the
back of your seat. Grasp the latch plate and pull out
the belt. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as far as
necessary to make the belt go around your lap.
Pulling Out Lap/Shoulder Belt
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 prop-
erly. In a sudden stop, you could move too far
forward, increasing the possibility of injury. Wear
your seat belt snugly.
•
A belt that is worn under your arm is dangerous.
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 stron-
gest bones will take the force in a collision.
(Continued)
Connecting Latch Plate To Buckle
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

WARNING!(Continued)
•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 a bit 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.
Removing Slack From Belt
52 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 may not protect you properly. 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 immedi-
ately and have it fixed.
5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retrac-
tor 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 posi-
tion. 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 assem-
blies must be replaced after a collision if they have
been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing, etc.).
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53

Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the driver’s seat and front passenger’s seat, the shoulder
belt can be adjusted upward or downward to position the
belt away from your neck. Push and fully depress the button
above the webbing to release the anchorage, then move it up
or down to the position that fits you best.
As a guide, if you are shorter than average you will
prefer a lower position and if you are taller than average
you will prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage try to move it up and down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
In the rear seat, move toward the center of the seat to
position the belt away from your neck.
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.
Adjusting Upper Shoulder Belt
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE