2017 CHRYSLER 200 Owners Manual

Not Seated ProperlyNot Seated Properly
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55

WARNING!
•If an occupant in the front passenger seat is seated
improperly, the occupant may provide an output
signal to the OCS that is different from the occu-
pant’s properly seated weight input. This may result
in serious injury or death in a collision.
• Always wear your seat belt and sit properly, with the
seatback in an upright position, your back against
the seatback, sitting upright, facing forward, in the
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
center of the seat, with your feet comfortably on or
near the floor.
• Do not carry or hold any objects (e.g., backpacks,
boxes, etc.) while seated in the front passenger seat.
Holding an object may provide an output signal to
the OCS that is different than the occupant’s prop-
erly seated weight input, which may result in serious
injury or death in a collision.
• Placing an object on the floor under the front pas-
senger seat may prevent the OCS from working
properly, which may result in serious injury or death
in a collision. Do not place any objects on the floor
under the front passenger seat.
The Air Bag Warning Light
in the instrument panel
will turn on whenever the OCS is unable to classify the
front passenger seat status. A malfunction in the OCS
may affect the operation of the air bag system.
If the Air Bag Warning Lightdoes not come on, or
stays on after you start the vehicle, or it comes on as you
drive, take the vehicle to an authorized dealer for
service immediately.
Not Seated Properly
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The passenger seat assembly contains critical OCS compo-
nents that may affect the Passenger Advanced Front Air
Bag inflation. In order for the OCS to properly classify the
seated weight of a front seat passenger, the OCS compo-
nents must function as designed.
Do not make any modifications to the front passenger seat
components, assembly, or to the seat cover. If the seat, trim
cover, or cushion needs service for any reason, take the
vehicle to your authorized dealer. Only FCA US LLC
approved seat accessories may be used.
The following requirements must be strictly followed:
•Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or
components in any way.
• Do not use prior or future model year seat covers or
cushions not designated by FCA US LLC for the specific
model being repaired. Always use the correct seat cover
and cushion specified for the vehicle.
• Do not replace the seat cover or cushion with an
aftermarket seat cover or cushion.
• Do not add a secondary seat cover or mat.
• At no time should any Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) component or SRS related component or fastener be modified or replaced with any part except those
which are approved by FCA US LLC.
WARNING!
Unapproved modifications or service procedures to the
passenger seat assembly, its related components, seat
cover, or cushion may inadvertently change the air bag
deployment in case of a frontal collision. This could
result in death or serious injury to the front passenger
if the vehicle is involved in a collision. A modified
vehicle may not comply with required Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and/or Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS).
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the front air bags.
WARNING!
•
Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57

WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
Supplemental Driver And Front Passenger Knee Air
Bags
This vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental Driver Knee
Air Bag mounted in the instrument panel below the
steering column and a Supplemental Passenger Knee Air
Bag mounted in the instrument panel below the glove
compartment. The Supplemental Knee Air Bags provide
enhanced protection during a frontal impact by working
together with the seat belts, pretensioners, and front air
bags.
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Your vehicle is equipped with two types of side air bags:
1. Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs):
Located in the outboard side of the front seats. The
SABs are marked with a “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIR-
BAG” label sewn into the outboard side of the seats. The SABs may help to reduce the risk of occupant injury
during certain side impacts and/or vehicle rollover events,
in addition to the injury reduction potential provided by
the seat belts and body structure.
When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on the outboard
side of the seatback’s trim cover. The inflating SAB deploys
through the seat seam into the space between the occupant
and the door. The SAB moves at a very high speed and
with such a high force that it could injure occupants if they
are not seated properly, or if items are positioned in the
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

area where the SAB inflates. Children are at an even greater
risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
WARNING!
Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the Side Air Bags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could be
pushed into you, causing serious injury.
2. Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs): Located above the side windows. The trim
covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS AIRBAG” or
“AIRBAG.”
SABICs may help reduce the risk of head or other injuries
to front and rear seat outboard occupants in certain side
impacts and/or vehicle rollover events, in addition to the
injury reduction potential provided by the seat belts and
body structure.
The SABICs deploy downward, covering the side win-
dows. An inflating SABIC pushes the outside edge of the
trim out of the way and covers the window. The SABICs
inflate with enough force to injure occupants if they are not
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC)Label Location
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59

belted and seated properly, or if items are positioned in the
area where the SABICs inflate. Children are at an even
greater risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain rollover or side impact events.•The Air Bag Warning Light
does not come on
during the four to eight seconds when the ignition
switch is first in the ON/RUN position.
• The Air Bag Warning Light remains on after the four to
eight-second interval.
• The Air Bag Warning Light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving.
Reference the “Air Bag Warning Light” topic in “Supple-
mental Restraint System (SRS)” for further information.
WARNING!
• Your vehicle is equipped with left and right Supple-
mental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
Do not stack luggage or other cargo up high enough
to block the deployment of the SABICs. The trim
covering above the side windows where the SABIC
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WARNING! (Continued)
and its deployment path are located should remain
free from any obstructions.
• Your vehicle is equipped with SABICs. In order for
the SABICs to work as intended, do not install any
accessory items in your vehicle which could alter the
roof. Do not add an aftermarket sunroof to your
vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require perma-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for installation on
the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the
vehicle for any reason.
The SABICs and SABs (Side Air Bags) are designed to
activate in certain side impacts and certain rollover events.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the deployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular
side impact or rollover event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. Vehicle damage by itself is
not a good indicator of whether or not Side Air Bags should
have deployed.
Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt restraint
system. Side Air Bags deploy in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes. Occupants, including children, who are up
against or very close to Side Air Bags can be seriously
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

injured or killed. Occupants, including children, should
never lean on or sleep against the door, side windows, or
area where the Side Air Bags inflate, even if they are in an
infant or child restraint.
Seat belts (and child restraints where appropriate) are
necessary for your protection in all collisions. They also
help keep you in position, away from inflating Side Air
Bags. To get the best protection from the Side Air Bags,
occupants must wear their seat belts properly and sit
upright with their backs against the seats. Children must
be properly restrained in a child restraint or booster seat
that is appropriate for the size of the child.
WARNING!
•Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door or window. Sit upright in the center
of the seat.
• Being too close to the Side Air Bags during deploy-
ment could cause you to be severely injured or
killed.
• Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could lead to
more severe injuries in a collision. The Side Air Bags
work with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
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WARNING! (Continued)
some collisions, Side Air Bags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belt even though you have
Side Air Bags.
NOTE: Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment.
Side Impacts
In side impacts, the side impact sensors aid the ORC in
determining the appropriate response to impact events.
The system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags on the
impact side of the vehicle during impacts that require Side
Air Bag occupant protection. In side impacts, the Side Air
Bags deploy independently; a left side impact deploys the
left Side Air Bags only and a right side impact deploys the
right Side Air Bags only.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side collisions,
including some collisions at certain angles, or some side
collisions that do not impact the area of the passenger
compartment. The Side Air Bags may deploy during
angled or offset frontal collisions where the front air bags
deploy.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61

Rollover Events
Side Air Bags are designed to activate in certain rollover
events. The ORC determines whether the deployment of
the Side Air Bags in a particular rollover event is appro-
priate, based on the severity and type of collision. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of whether or not
Side Air Bags should have deployed.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all rollover events. The
rollover sensing-system determines if a rollover event may
be in progress and whether deployment is appropriate. A
slower-developing event may deploy the seat belt preten-
sioners on both sides of the vehicle. A faster-developing
event may deploy the seat belt pretensioners as well as the
Side Air Bags on both sides of the vehicle. The rollover
sensing-system may also deploy the seat belt pretension-
ers, with or without the Side Air Bags, on both sides of the
vehicle if the vehicle experiences a near rollover event.
If A Deployment Occurs
The front air bags are designed to deflate immediately after
deployment.
NOTE:Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all
collisions. This does not mean something is wrong with the
air bag system. If you do have a collision which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•
The air bag material may sometimes cause abrasions
and/or skin reddening to the occupants 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 instructions for
cleaning.
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