2014 DODGE AVENGER Belt tensioner

▫Seat Belt Pretensioners ..................54
▫ Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR) . . .54
▫ Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert®) ..........................58
▫ Seat Belts And Pregnant Women ...........59
▫ Seat Belt Extender .....................59
▫ Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) —
Air Bags ............................60
▫ Air Bag System Components ..............62
▫ Advanced Front Air Bag Features ...........62
▫ Air Bag Deployment Sensors And Controls ....66▫
Event Data Recorder (EDR) ...............73
▫ Child Restraints .......................74
▫ Transporting Pets ......................96
 ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS ....96
 SAFETY TIPS ..........................97
▫ Transporting Passengers ..................97
▫ Exhaust Gas ..........................98
▫ Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle .............................99
▫ Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle ...................101
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 11

•Advanced Front Air Bags for driver and front passenger
•Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR) located
on top of the front seats (integrated into the head
restraint) — if equipped
• Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
for the driver and passengers seated next to a window
• Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB)
• An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheel
• Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
• 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.
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 Tethers
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 Tethers 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.
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
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 Occupant Re-
straint Controller (ORC). Like the air bags, the preten-
sioners are single use items. A deployed pretensioner or
a deployed air bag must be replaced immediately.
Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR)
These head restraints are passive, deployable compo-
nents, and vehicles with this equipment cannot be readily
identified by any markings, only through visual inspec-
tion of the head restraint. The head restraint will be split
in two halves, with the front half being soft foam and
trim, the back half being decorative plastic.
How The Active Head Restraints (AHR) Work
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the severity, or type of rear impact will require
the Active Head Restraints (AHR) to deploy. If a rear
impact requires deployment, both the driver and front
passenger seat AHRs will be deployed.
When AHRs deploy during a rear impact, the front half
of the head restraint extends forward to minimize the gap
between the back of the occupant’s head and the AHR.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Air Bag System Components
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following air bag
system components:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
• Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver Advanced Front Air Bag
• Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
• Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB)
• Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
• Front and Side Impact Sensors •
Front Seat Belt Pretensioners, Seat Belt Buckle Switch,
and Seat Track Position Sensors
Advanced Front Air Bag Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multistage
driver and front passenger air bags. This system provides
output appropriate to the severity and type of collision as
determined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
which may receive information from the front impact
sensors.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires air bag deployment. This low output
is used in less severe collisions. A higher energy output is
used for more severe collisions.
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

seriously injured or killed. Occupants, especially chil-
dren, should not lean on or sleep against the door, side
windows, or area where the SAB or SABIC air bags
inflate, even if they are in an infant or child restraint.
Always sit upright as possible with your back against the
seat back, use the seat belts properly, and use the
appropriate sized child restraint, infant restraint or
booster seat recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passengers, and position front occupants
for the best interaction with the Advanced Front Air
Bags.
Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Air Bags work with the knee impact bolsters to provide
improved protection for the driver and front passenger.
Air Bag Deployment Sensors And Controls
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
The ORC is part of a Federally regulated safety system
required for this vehicle.
The ORC determines if deployment of the front and/or
side air bags in a frontal or side collision is required.
Based on the impact sensor’s signals, a central electronic
ORC deploys the Advanced Front Air Bags, SABIC air
bags, Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags, and
front seat belt pretensioners, as required, depending on
the severity and type of impact.
Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat belts in
certain frontal collisions depending on several factors,
including the severity and type of collision. Advanced
Front Air Bags are not expected to reduce the risk of
injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 or throat 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 and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags,
seat belt pretensioners, and the front seat belt retrac-
tor assemblies replaced by an authorized dealer im-
mediately. Also, have the Occupant Restraint Con-
troller System serviced as well.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

Oil Pressure Light........................ .213
Onboard Diagnostic System ..................427
Opener, Garage Door (HomeLink®) ............181
Operating Precautions ..................... .427
Operator Manual (Owner’s Manual) .............4
Outside Rearview Mirrors ...................110
Overheating, Engine ...................... .396
Owner’s Manual (Operator Manual) .............4
Paint Care ............................. .456
Panic Alarm ..............................26
Parking Brake ........................... .324
Passing Light ........................... .168
Personal Settings ......................... .237
Pets ....................................96
Phone, Cellular ...........................113
Phone, Hands-Free (Uconnect®) ...............113
Placard, Tire and Loading Information ..........342Power
Door Locks ............................32
Mirrors ..............................110
Outlet (Auxiliary Electrical Outlet) ...........193
Seats ............................... .149
Steering ............................. .322
Sunroof ............................. .190
Windows ..............................36
Pregnant Women and Seat Belts ................59
Preparation for Jacking .....................401
Pretensioners Seat Belts ..............................54
Programmable Electronic Features .............237
Radial Ply Tires ......................... .349
Radiator Cap (Coolant Pressure Cap) ...........447
Radio Operation ......................... .276
Radio Remote Controls .....................273
Rear Cupholder ......................... .198
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INDEX 507

Adjustable Upper Shoulder Anchorage.........51
And Pregnant Women .....................59
Child Restraint ..........................74
Extender ..............................59
Front Seat .............................45
Inspection .............................99
Operating Instructions ....................46
Pretensioners ...........................54
Rear Seat ..............................45
Reminder ............................ .212
Untwisting Procedure .....................50
Seat Belts (Sedan) ..........................41
Seats ................................. .149
Adjustment .......................... .149
Cleaning ............................ .162
Heated .............................. .152
Lumbar Support ....................... .156
Power .............................. .149
Rear Folding ......................... .161Reclining
............................ .155
Selection of Coolant (Antifreeze) ...............475
Sentry Key (Immobilizer) ....................16
Sentry Key Programming ....................17
Service Assistance ........................ .487
Service Contract ......................... .489
Service Manuals ......................... .492
Settings, Personal ........................ .237
Setting the Clock ......................... .241
Shift Lever Override ...................... .417
Shoulder Belts ............................45
Side Airbag ..............................69
Side View Mirror Adjustment .................110
Side Window Demisters (Defrosters) ............288
Signals, Turn ........................... .101
Snow Chains (Tire Chains) ...................357
Snow Tires ............................. .350
Spare Tire .............................. .352
Speed Control (Cruise Control) ................177
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INDEX 509