2015 DODGE VIPER Owners Manual

Advanced Air Bag Features
This vehicle has an Occupant Classification System
(“OCS”) in the right front passenger seat. The OCS is
designed to deactivate the front Passenger Advanced
Front Air Bag for an unoccupied seat and for occupants
classified in a category other than a properly seated
adult. This could be a child, teenager, or even an adult.
The Passenger Air Bag Disable (“PAD”) Indicator Light
(an amber light located in the center of the instrument
panel) tells the driver and front passenger when the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag is deactivated. The
PAD Indicator Light illuminates the words “PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF” to show that the Passenger Advanced
Front Air Bag will not inflate during a collision.
WARNING!
•No objects should be placed over or near the air
bag on the instrument panel or steering wheel,
because any such objects could cause harm if the
vehicle is in a collision severe enough to cause the
air bags to inflate.
•Do not put anything on or around the air bag
covers or attempt to open them manually. You may
damage the air bags and you could be injured
because the air bags may no longer be functional.
The protective covers for the air bag cushions are
designed to open only when the air bags are
inflating.
(Continued)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47

WARNING!(Continued)
•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, air bags won’t deploy at all. Al-
ways wear your seat belts even though you have air
bags.
Advanced Front Air Bag Operation
Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat belts. Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags are not expected to reduce the risk
of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions. The Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags will not deploy in all frontal
collisions, including some that may produce substantial
vehicle damage — for example, some pole collisions,
truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of
impact, Advanced Front Air Bags may deploy in crashes
with little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a
severe initial deceleration.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration
over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are
not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should
have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all colli-
sions, and also are needed to help keep you in position,
away from an inflating air bag.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags, it signals the inflator units. A large
quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the
Advanced Front Air Bags.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right
side of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

way as the air bags inflate to their full size. The Advanced
Front Air Bags fully inflate in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes. The air bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front passenger.
Occupant Classification System (OCS) - Front
Passenger Seat
The OCS is part of a Federally regulated safety system for
this vehicle. It is designed to deactivate the front passen-
ger Advanced Front Air Bag for an unoccupied seat and
for occupants classified in a category other than a prop-
erly seated adult. This could be a child, teenager, or even
an adult.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of
an air bag. A deploying Passenger Advanced Front
Air Bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a rear-
facing child restraint.
•Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
The Occupant Classification System (OCS) consists of the
following:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•Occupant Classification Module (OCM) located under-
neath the front passenger seat
•Bladder located beneath the passenger seat cushion
foam
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49

•Passenger Air Bag Disabled (PAD) Indicator Light – an
amber light located in the center of the instrument
panel
•Air Bag Warning Light
Occupant Classification Module (OCM)
The Occupant Classification Module (OCM) is located
underneath the front passenger seat. The OCM uses
input from the Bladder to determine the front passen-
ger ’s most probable classification. The OCM communi-
cates this information to the ORC. The ORC may deacti-
vate the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag deployment
based on occupant classification.
Bladder
The Bladder is located beneath the passenger seat cush-
ion foam. The Bladder sends signals to the OCM for
classifying the occupant in the front passenger seat. Any
weight on the seat will be sensed by the Bladder. In order
for the OCS to operate as designed, it is important for the
front passenger to be seated properly and properly
wearing the seat belt. Properly seated passengers are:
•Sitting upright
•Facing forward
•Sitting in the center of the seat with their feet comfort-
ably on or near the floor
•Sitting with their back against the seat back and the
seat back in an upright position
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag may be deacti-
vated if the OCS estimates that:
•The front passenger seat is unoccupied or has very
light objects on it
•The front passenger seat is occupied by a rear-facing
child restraint
•The front passenger seat is occupied by a child,
including a child seated in a forward-facing child
restraint or booster seat
•The front passenger seat is occupied by a small pas-
senger, including a small adult
•The front passenger is not properly seated or his/her
weight is taken off of the seat for a period of time
Seated Properly
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

Passenger Air Bag Disable (PAD) System
Passenger Seat
Occupant
Status
Passenger
Advanced Air
Bag Disabled
Indicator Light
(“PAD”) Status
Passenger Air
Bag Status
Unoccupied
seat *
NOT ILLUMI-
NATED
DEACTIVATED
Grocery bags,
heavy brief-
cases, and other
relatively light
objects
“PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF”
DEACTIVATED
Rearward facing
infant seat**
“PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF”
DEACTIVATED
Passenger Seat
Occupant
Status
Passenger
Advanced Air
Bag Disabled
Indicator Light
(“PAD”) Status
Passenger Air
Bag Status
Child, including
a child seated in
a forward-
facing child re-
straint or
booster seat**
“PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF”
DEACTIVATED
Small adult “PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF”
DEACTIVATED
Properly seated
adult
NOT ILLUMI-
NATED
ACTIVATED
* When the right front passenger seat is empty or when
very light objects are placed on the seat, the passenger
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Advanced Front Air Bag will not inflate even though the
Passenger Air Bag Disable (PAD) System Indicator Light
is NOT illuminated.
** It is possible for a child to be classified as an adult,
allowing the deployment of the passenger Advanced
Front Air Bag. Never allow children to ride in the front
passenger seat and never install a child restraint system,
including a rear-facing child restraint, in this vehicle.
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag Disabled (PAD)
Indicator Light
The PAD Indicator Light (an amber light located in the
center of the instrument panel) tells the driver and front
passenger when the passenger Advanced Front Air Bag is
deactivated. The PAD Indicator light illuminates the
words “PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF” to show that the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag will not inflate during
a collision. When the right front passenger seat is empty
or when very light objects are placed on the seat, the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag will not inflate even
though the PAD Indicator Light is not illuminated.
The PAD Indicator Light should not be illuminated when
an adult passenger is properly seated in the front passen-
ger seat. 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 is not
seated properly the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
may be deactivated and the PAD Indicator Light will be
illuminated.
The PAD Indicator Light should be illuminated and the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag should be deactivated
for most properly seated and restrained children in the
passenger seat and for most properly installed child
restraint systems. However, under certain conditions,
even with a properly installed child restraint system, the
PAD Indicator Light may not be illuminated, even
though the Advanced Front Air Bag is deactivated. This
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53

can occur if the child restraint is lighter than the lightest
weight necessary to illuminate the PAD Indicator Light.
NEVER assume the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag is
deactivated unless the PAD Indicator Light is illuminated
with the words “PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF.”
If The Pad Indicator Light Is Illuminated For An
Adult Passenger:
If an adult passenger is seated in the passenger seat and
the PAD Indicator Light is illuminated, the passenger
may be sitting improperly. Follow the steps below to
allow the OCS to detect the adult passenger ’s seated
weight to activate the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag:
1. Turn off the vehicle and have the adult passenger step
out of the vehicle.
2. Remove any extra materials from the passenger seat,
such as cushions, pads, seat covers, seat massagers,
blankets, extra clothing, etc.
3. Place the seatback in the full upright position.
4. Have the adult passenger sit upright in the passenger
seat, sitting in the center of the seat cushion, with the
passenger ’s legs fully extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the passenger remain in
this sitting position for two to three minutes after
restarting the vehicle.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE