2016 JEEP CHEROKEE Owners Manual

their seat belts. The Belt Alert feature is active when-
ever the ignition switch is in the START or ON/RUN
position.
Initial Indication
If the driver is unbuckled when the ignition switch is first
turned to the START or ON/RUN position, an intermittent
chime will signal for a few seconds. If the driver or
outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with outboard
front passenger seat BeltAlert) is unbuckled when the
ignition switch is first turned to the START or ON/RUN
position the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn on and
remain on until both outboard front seat belts are buckled.
The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not active
when an outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied.
BeltAlert Warning Sequence
The BeltAlert warning sequence is activated when the
vehicle is moving above a specified vehicle speed rangeand the driver or outboard front seat passenger is un-
buckled (if equipped with outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert). The BeltAlert warning sequence starts by
blinking the Seat Belt Reminder Light and sounding an
intermittent chime. Once the BeltAlert warning sequence
has completed, the Seat Belt Reminder Light will remain
on until the seat belts are buckled. The BeltAlert warning
sequence may repeat based on vehicle speed until the
driver and occupied outboard front seat passenger seat
belts are buckled. The driver should instruct all occu-
pants to buckle their seat belts.
Change Of Status
If the driver or outboard front seat passenger (if
equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert)
unbuckles their seat belt while the vehicle is traveling,
the BeltAlert warning sequence will begin until the seat
belts are buckled again.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55

The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not active
when the outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied.
BeltAlert may be triggered when an animal or heavy
object is on the outboard front passenger seat or when the
seat is folded flat (if equipped). It is recommended that
pets be restrained in the rear seat (if equipped) in pet
harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts,
and cargo is properly stowed.
BeltAlert can be activated or deactivated by your autho-
rized dealer. FCA US LLC does not recommend deacti-
vating BeltAlert.
NOTE:If BeltAlert has been deactivated and the driver
or outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with out-
board front passenger seat BeltAlert) is unbuckled the
Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn on and remain on until
the driver and outboard front seat passenger seat belts
are buckled.Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are equipped with
lap/shoulder belts.
The seat belt webbing retractor will lock only during very
sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the shoul-
der part of the seat belt to move freely with you under
normal conditions. However, in a collision the seat belt
will lock and reduce your risk of striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out of the vehicle.
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 belt even though you have air bags.
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56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
•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.
• 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.
•
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 your seat belt incorrectly could make your
injuries in a collision much worse. You might
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
suffer internal injuries, or you could even slide out
of the seat belt. Follow these instructions to wear
your seat belt safely and to keep your passengers
safe, too.
• 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.
• A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
injury in a collision. The seat belt forces won’t be at
the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your
abdomen. Always wear the lap part of your seat
belt as low as possible and keep it snug.
• A twisted seat belt may not protect you properly. In
a collision, it could even cut into you. Be sure the
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57

WARNING!(Continued)
seat belt is flat against your body, without twists. If
you can’t straighten a seat belt in your vehicle, take
it to your authorized dealer immediately and have
it fixed.
• A seat 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 inter-
nal injuries. Always buckle your seat belt into the
buckle nearest you.
• A seat belt that is too loose will not protect you
properly. In a sudden stop, you could move too far
forward, increasing the possibility of injury. Wear
your seat belt snugly.
•
A seat belt that is worn under your arm is danger-
ous. Your body could strike the inside surfaces of
the vehicle in a collision, increasing head and
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
neck injury. A seat belt worn under the arm can
cause internal injuries. Ribs aren’t as strong as
shoulder bones. Wear the seat belt over your
shoulder so that your strongest bones will take the
force in a collision.
•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.
• A frayed or torn seat belt could rip apart in a
collision and leave you with no protection. Inspect
the seat belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, or loose parts. Damaged parts must be re-
placed immediately. Do not disassemble or modify
the seat belt system. Seat belt assemblies must be
replaced after a collision.
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back andadjust the seat.
2. The seat belt latch plate is above the back of the front seat, and next to your arm in the rear seat (for vehicles
equipped with a rear seat). Grasp the latch plate and
pull out the seat belt. Slide the latch plate up the
webbing as far as necessary to allow the seat belt to go
around your lap.
3. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the latchplate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
Pulling Out The Latch Plate
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4. Position the lap belt so that it is snug and lies lowacross your hips, below your abdomen. To remove
slack in the lap belt portion, pull up 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 seat belt reduces
the risk of sliding under the seat belt in a collision. 5. Position the shoulder belt across the shoulder and
chest with minimal, if any slack so that it is comfort-
able and not resting on your neck. The retractor will
withdraw any slack in the shoulder belt.
6.
To release the seat belt, push the red button on the
buckle. The seat belt will automatically retract to its
Inserting Latch Plate Into BucklePositioning The Lap Belt
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

stowed position. If necessary, slide the latch plate down
the webbing to allow the seat belt to retract fully.
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 theanchor point.
2. At about 6 to 12 in (15 to 30 cm) above the latch plate, grasp and twist the seat 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 and the seat belt is no longer twisted.
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the driver and front passenger seats, the top of the
shoulder belt can be adjusted upward or downward to
position the seat belt away from your neck. Push or
squeeze the anchorage button to release the anchorage, and
move it up or down to the position that serves you best.
Adjustable Anchorage
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61

As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer the shoulder belt anchorage in a lower position,
and if you are taller than average, you will prefer the
shoulder belt anchorage in a higher position. After you
release the anchorage button, try to move it up or down
to make sure that it is locked in position.
NOTE:The adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage is
equipped with an Easy Up feature. This feature allows
the shoulder belt anchorage to be adjusted in the upward
position without pushing or squeezing the release but-
ton. To verify the shoulder belt anchorage is latched, pull
downward on the shoulder belt anchorage until it is
locked into position.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is not long enough to fit properly, even when
the webbing is fully extended and the adjustable upper
shoulder belt anchorage (if equipped) is in its lowest
position, your authorized dealer can provide you with a Seat Belt Extender. The Seat Belt Extender should be used
only if the existing seat belt is not long enough. When the
Seat Belt Extender is not required for a different occu-
pant, it must be removed.
WARNING!
•
ONLY use a Seat Belt Extender if it is physically
required in order to properly fit the original seat
belt system. DO NOT USE the Seat Belt Extender
if, when worn, the distance between the front edge
of the Seat Belt Extender buckle and the center of
the occupant’s body is LESS than 6 inches.
• Using a Seat Belt Extender when not needed can
increase the risk of serious injury or death in a
collision. Only use the Seat Belt Extender when the
lap belt is not long enough and only use in the
recommended seating positions. Remove and store
the Seat Belt Extender when not needed.
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE