driver and occupied outboard front seat pas-
senger seat belts are buckled. The driver
should instruct all occupants to buckle their
seat belts.
Change Of Status
If the driver or outboard front seat passenger
unbuckles their seat belt while the vehicle is
traveling, the BeltAlert warning sequence will
begin until the seat belts are buckled again.
The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert
is not active when the outboard front passen-
ger seat is unoccupied. BeltAlert may be
triggered when an animal or other items are
placed 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.
Rear Seat BeltAlert
Rear Seat BeltAlert shows the driver whether
the seat belts in the rear seat are buckled or
unbuckled. When the ignition switch is in the
START or ON/RUN position, a Seat Belt Re-
minder Light turns on for each rear seatposition. If a seat belt is buckled, the Seat
Belt Reminder Light for that position will
illuminate solid green. If a seat belt is un-
buckled, the Seat Belt Reminder Light will
illuminate red. If a rear passenger unbuckles
a seat belt that was buckled at the start of the
trip, a single chime will sound and the Seat
Belt Reminder Light for that position will
change from solid green to blinking red. This
will alert the driver to stop the vehicle until
the rear passenger buckles the seat belt
again. After the driver and outboard front seat
passenger have buckled their seat belts all
Seat Belt Reminder Lights will turn off.
BeltAlert can be activated or deactivated by
your authorized dealer. FCA US LLC does not
recommend deactivating BeltAlert.
NOTE:
If BeltAlert has been deactivated, 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 shoulder 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.
• In a collision, you and your passengers
can suffer much greater injuries if you
are not properly buckled 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.
89
5. Position the shoulder belt across theshoulder and chest with minimal, if any
slack so that it is comfortable 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 stowed posi-
tion. 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 pos-sible to the anchor point.
2. At about 6 to 12 inches (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. 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 anchor-
age 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 button. To
verify the shoulder belt anchorage is latched,
pull downward on the shoulder belt anchor-
age until it is locked into position.
WARNING!
• Wearing your seat belt incorrectly could
make your injuries in a collision much
worse. You might suffer internal injuries,
or you could even slide out of the seat
belt. Follow these instructions to wear
Adjustable Anchorage
SAFETY
92
WARNING!
your seat belt safely and to keep your
passengers safe, too.
• Position the shoulder belt across the
shoulder and chest with minimal, if any
slack so that it is comfortable and not
resting on your neck. The retractor will
withdraw any slack in the shoulder belt.
• Misadjustment of the seat belt could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety
belt in a crash.
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
Seat belts must be worn by all occupants
including pregnant women: the risk of injury
in the event of an accident is reduced for the
mother and the unborn child if they are wear-
ing a seat belt.
Position the lap belt snug and low below the
abdomen and across the strong bones of the
hips. Place the shoulder belt across the chest
and away from the neck. Never place the
shoulder belt behind the back or under the
arm.
Seat Belt Pretensioner
The front seat belt system is 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 removing
slack from the seat belt early in a collision.
Pretensioners work for all size occupants,
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 posi-
tioned properly. The pretensioners are triggered by the Occu-
pant Restraint Controller (ORC). Like the air
bags, the pretensioners are single use items.
A deployed pretensioner or a deployed air bag
must be replaced immediately.
Energy Management Feature
The front seat belt system is equipped with
an Energy Management feature that may help
further reduce the risk of injury in the event of
a collision. The seat belt system has a retrac-
tor assembly that is designed to release web-
bing in a controlled manner.
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR) — If Equipped
The seat belts in the passenger seating posi-
tions may be equipped with a Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) which is
used to secure a child restraint system. For
additional information, refer to “Installing
Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt” under the “Child Restraints” section of
this manual. The figure below illustrates the
locking feature for each seating position.
Pregnant Women And Seat Belts
93
If the passenger seating position is equipped
with an ALR and is being used for normal
usage, only pull the seat belt webbing out far
enough to comfortably wrap around the occu-
pant’s mid-section so as to not activate the
ALR. If the ALR is activated, you will hear a
clicking sound as the seat belt retracts. Allow
the webbing to retract completely in this case
and then carefully pull out only the amount of
webbing necessary to comfortably wrap
around the occupant’s mid-section. Slide the
latch plate into the buckle until you hear a
"click."In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder
belt is automatically pre-locked. The seat
belt will still retract to remove any slack in
the shoulder belt. Use the Automatic Locking
Mode anytime a child restraint is installed in
a seating position that has a seat belt with
this feature. Children 12 years old and under
should always be properly restrained in the
rear seat of a vehicle with a rear seat.
WARNING!
• NEVER use a rearward facing child re-
straint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE
AIRBAG in front of it, DEATH or SERI-
OUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in
the rear seat of a vehicle with a rear seat.
• A deploying passenger 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.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt. 2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull down-
ward until the entire seat belt is extracted.
3. Allow the seat belt to retract. As the seat belt retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. This indicates the seat belt is now
in the Automatic Locking Mode.
How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt
and allow it to retract completely to disen-
gage the Automatic Locking Mode and acti-
vate the vehicle sensitive (emergency) lock-
ing mode.
WARNING!
• The seat belt assembly must be replaced if the switchable Automatic Locking Re-
tractor (ALR) feature or any other seat
belt function is not working properly
when checked according to the proce-
dures in the Service Manual.
• Failure to replace the seat belt assembly
could increase the risk of injury in colli-
sions.
• Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode
to restrain occupants who are wearing
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
SAFETY
94
WARNING!
the seat belt or children who are using
booster seats. The locked mode is only
used to install rear-facing or forward-
facing child restraints that have a har-
ness for restraining the child.
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS)
Some of the safety features described in this
section may be standard equipment on some
models, or may be optional equipment on
others. If you are not sure, ask your autho-
rized dealer.
The air bag system must be ready to protect
you in a collision. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) monitors the internal cir-
cuits and interconnecting wiring associated
with the electrical Air Bag System Compo-
nents. Your vehicle may be equipped with the
following Air Bag System Components:
Air Bag System Components
• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
• Steering Wheel and Column• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
• Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Supplemental Knee Air Bags
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Seat Belt Pretensioners
Air Bag Warning Light
The ORC monitors the readiness of the
electronic parts of the air bag system when-
ever the ignition switch is in the START or
ON/RUN position. If the ignition switch is in
the OFF position or in the ACC position, the
air bag system is not on and the air bags will
not inflate.
The ORC contains a backup power supply
system that may deploy the air bag system
even if the battery loses power or it becomes
disconnected prior to deployment.
The ORC turns on the Air Bag Warning Light
in the instrument panel for approximately
four to eight seconds for a self-check when the ignition switch is first in the ON/RUN
position. After the self-check, the Air Bag
Warning Light will turn off. If the ORC detects
a malfunction in any part of the system, it
turns on the Air Bag Warning Light, either
momentarily or continuously. A single chime
will sound to alert you if the light comes on
again after initial startup.
The ORC also includes diagnostics that will
illuminate the instrument panel Air Bag
Warning Light if a malfunction is detected
that could affect the air bag system. The
diagnostics also record the nature of the
malfunction. While the air bag system is
designed to be maintenance free, if any of the
following occurs, have an authorized dealer
service the air bag system immediately.
• 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 inter- mittently or remains on while driving.
95
with enough force to injure occupants if they
are not 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 (if equipped with SABICs) may
help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side
windows in certain side impact events.
WARNING!
• Do not mount equipment, or stack lug-gage or other cargo up high enough to
block the deployment of the SABICs.
The trim covering above the side win-
dows where the SABIC and its deploy-
ment path are located should remain
free from any obstructions.
• In order for the SABICs to work as in-
tended, 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 permanent attach-
ments (bolts or screws) for installation
WARNING!
on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the
roof of the vehicle for any reason.
Side Impacts
The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in
certain side impacts. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) determines whether the de-
ployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular
impact event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. The side impact
sensors aid the ORC in determining the ap-
propriate 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 de-
ploys the left Side Air Bags only and a right-
side impact deploys the right Side Air Bags
only. 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 side
collisions, including some collisions at cer-
tain angles, or some side collisions that do not impact the area of the passenger com-
partment. The Side Air Bags may deploy
during angled or offset frontal collisions
where the front air bags deploy.
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.
WARNING!
• Occupants, including children, who are
up against or very close to Side Air Bags
can be seriously injured or killed. Occu-
pants, 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 pro-
tection in all collisions. They also help
keep you in position, away from an in-
flating Side Air Bag. To get the best
protection from the Side Air Bags, occu-
pants must wear their seat belts properly
and sit upright with their backs against
SAFETY
100
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 causeabrasions and/or skin reddening to the oc-
cupants 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 blis-
tering, 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 gen-
erates the non-toxic gas used for air bag
inflation. These airborne particles may irri-
tate 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 manufac-
turer’s instructions for cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags
have deployed. 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 preten-
sioners cannot protect you in another col-
lision. Have the air bags, seat belt preten-
sioners, and the seat belt retractor
assemblies replaced by an authorized
dealer immediately. Also, have the Occu-
pant Restraint Controller System serviced
as well.
NOTE:
• Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim, but they will open during air
bag deployment. • After any collision, the vehicle should be
taken to an authorized dealer immediately.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact, if the communica-
tion network remains intact, and the power
remains intact, depending on the nature of
the event, the ORC will determine whether to
have the Enhanced Accident Response Sys-
tem perform the following functions:
• Cut off fuel to the engine (If Equipped)
• Cut off battery power to the electric motor(If Equipped)
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power
• Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as the battery has power or for 15
minutes from the intervention of the En-
hanced Accident Response System.
• Unlock the power door locks.SAFETY
102
Your vehicle may also be designed to perform
any of these other functions in response to
the Enhanced Accident Response System:
• Turn off the Fuel Filter Heater, Turn off theHVAC Blower Motor, Close the HVAC Circu-
lation Door
• Cut off battery power to the: – Engine
– Electric Motor (if equipped)
– Electric power steering
– Brake booster
– Electric park brake
– Automatic transmission gear selector
– Horn
– Front wiper
– Headlamp washer pump NOTE:
After an accident, remember to cycle the
ignition to the STOP (OFF/LOCK) position
and remove the key from the ignition switch
to avoid draining the battery. Carefully check
the vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine com-
partment and on the ground near the engine
compartment and fuel tank before resetting
the system and starting the engine. If there
are no fuel leaks or damage to the vehicle
electrical devices (e.g. headlights) after an
accident, reset the system by following the
procedure described below.
Enhanced Accident Response System Reset
Procedure
In order to reset the Enhanced Accident Re-
sponse System functions after an event, the
ignition switch must be changed from igni-
tion START or ON/RUN to ignition OFF. Care-
fully check the vehicle for fuel leaks in the
engine compartment and on the ground near
the engine compartment and fuel tank before
resetting the system and starting the engine.
Maintaining Your Air Bag System
WARNING!
•Modifications to any part of the air bag
system could cause it to fail when you
need it. You could be injured if the air bag
system is not there to protect you. Do not
modify the components or wiring, includ-
ing adding any kind of badges or stickers
to the steering wheel hub trim cover or the
upper right side of the instrument panel.
Do not modify the front bumper, vehicle
body structure, or add aftermarket side
steps or running boards.
• It is dangerous to try to repair any part of
the air bag system yourself. Be sure to
tell anyone who works on your vehicle
that it has an air bag system.
• Do not attempt to modify any part of your
air bag system. The air bag may inflate
accidentally or may not function prop-
erly if modifications are made. Take your
vehicle to an authorized dealer for any
air bag system service. If your seat, in-
cluding your trim cover and cushion,
needs to be serviced in any way (includ-
103