
Vehicles Without Passenger Seating Installed
All passenger occupants within the vehicle must be in a
seat equipped with a Seat Belt System and Head Restraint
for the safety of the passenger. If the passenger and/or rear
seats have been removed, do not ride in those areas.
This vehicle has been designed to maximize total perfor-
mance. In doing so, the deletion of passenger seats and/or
rear seat may affect the NVH (Noise, Vibration, and
Harshness) characteristics. As a result, the interior (driver
cockpit) Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) will be
louder overall.
WARNING!
•If the passenger and/or rear seats have been re-
moved, do not ride in those areas. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed.
• If this vehicle was not factory equipped with a
passenger seat, NEVER attempt to install a passenger
seat because the safety systems, including the air
bags and seatbelt, may not properly protect you.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in
this area are more likely to be seriously injured or
killed.
• Only ride in available seating positions equipped
with seat belt systems. Always properly wear your
seat belt. Failure to do so could result in an increased
risk of serious injury or death in the event of an
accident.
• Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly. Occupants, including the
driver, should always wear their seat belts whether
or not an air bag is also provided at their seating
positions to minimize the risk of severe injury or
death in the event of a crash.
• All occupants, including the driver, should not oper-
ate a vehicle or sit in a vehicle’s seat if the head
restraints are not in place of their proper positions in
order to minimize the risk of neck injury in the event
of a crash.
(Continued)
3
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE 49

•Also, if the front passenger uses the easy entry handle
and then lifts up the recliner handle without moving the
seat back to its original pre-set position, the recliner will
not lock until it is moved to the full recline position.
HEAD RESTRAINTS
Head restraints are designed to reduce the risk of injury by
restricting head movement in the event of a rear-impact.
Head restraints should be adjusted so that the top of the
head restraint is located above the top of your ear.
WARNING!
• All occupants, including the driver, should not oper-
ate a vehicle or sit in a vehicle’s seat until the head
restraints are placed in their proper positions in
order to minimize the risk of neck injury in the event
of a crash.
• Head restraints should never be adjusted while the
vehicle is in motion. Driving a vehicle with the head
restraints improperly adjusted or removed could
cause serious injury or death in the event of a
collision. NOTE:
Do not reverse the head restraints (making the rear
of the head restraint face forward) in an attempt to gain
additional clearance to the back of your head.
Reactive Head Restraints — Front Seats
The front driver and passenger seats are equipped with
Reactive Head Restraints (RHR). In the event of a rear
impact, the RHRs will automatically extend forward mini-
mizing the gap between the back of the occupants head
and the RHR.
The RHRs will automatically return to their normal position
following a rear impact. If the RHRs do not return to their
normal position, see your authorized dealer immediately.
3
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE 51

Rear Head Restraints
The rear outboard head restraints are non-adjustable and
are designed to reduce the risk of injury by restricting head
movement in the event of a rear impact.
Vehicles Without Passenger Seating Installed
All passenger occupants within the vehicle must be in a
seat equipped with a Seat Belt System and Head Restraint
for the safety of the passenger. If the passenger and/or rear
seats have been removed, do not ride in those areas.
This vehicle has been designed to maximize total perfor-
mance. In doing so, the deletion of passenger seats and/or
rear seat may affect the NVH (Noise, Vibration, and
Harshness) characteristics. As a result, the interior (driver
cockpit) Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) will be
louder overall.
WARNING!
•If the passenger and/or rear seats have been re-
moved, do not ride in those areas. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•If this vehicle was not factory equipped with a
passenger seat, NEVER attempt to install a passenger
seat because the safety systems, including the air
bags and seatbelt, may not properly protect you.
• It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in
this area are more likely to be seriously injured or
killed.
• Only ride in available seating positions equipped
with seat belt systems. Always properly wear your
seat belt. Failure to do so could result in an increased
risk of serious injury or death in the event of an
accident.
• Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly. Occupants, including the
driver, should always wear their seat belts whether
or not an air bag is also provided at their seating
positions to minimize the risk of severe injury or
death in the event of a crash.
(Continued)
3
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE 53

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 disengage the Automatic Locking
Mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency) lock-
ing mode.
WARNING!
• The seat belt assembly must be replaced if the
switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) fea-
ture or any other seat belt function is not working
properly when checked according to the procedures
in the Service Manual.
• Failure to replace the seat belt assembly could in-
crease the risk of injury in collisions.
• Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode to restrain
occupants who are wearing 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 harness for restraining the
child.
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS)
All passenger occupants within the vehicle must be in a
seat equipped with a Seat Belt System and Head Restraint
for the safety of the passenger.
Non-SRT Vehicles
If the passenger and/or rear seats have been removed do
not ride in those areas.
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 an authorized
dealer.
The air bag system must be ready to protect you in a
collision. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) moni-
tors the internal circuits and interconnecting wiring asso-
ciated with the electrical Air Bag System Components.
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
5
SAFETY 167

•Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
• Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Seat Belt Pretensioners
• Seat Track Position Sensors
Non-SRT Vehicles
NOTE: Vehicles with front passenger seat deleted will not
be equipped with the Seat Belt Buckle Switch, Seat Belt
Pretensioner, Supplemental Seat Mounted Side Airbag, and
Seat Track Position Sensors for the front passenger.
If the passenger and/or rear seats have been removed do
not ride in those areas.
All passenger occupants within the vehicle must be in a
seat equipped with a Seat Belt System and Head Restraint
for the safety of the passenger.Air Bag Warning Light
The ORC monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the air bag system whenever 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 Warn-
ing 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 diagnos-
tics also record the nature of the malfunction. While the air
168 SAFETY

•Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Seat Belt Pretensioners
• Seat Track Position Sensors
Non-SRT Vehicles
NOTE: Vehicles with front passenger seat deleted will not
be equipped with the Seat Belt Buckle Switch, Seat Belt
Pretensioner, Supplemental Seat Mounted Side Airbag, and
Seat Track Position Sensors for the front passenger.
All passenger occupants within the vehicle must be in a
seat equipped with a Seat Belt System and Head Restraint
for the safety of the passenger. If the passenger and/or rear
seats have been removed do not ride in those areas.
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.
5
SAFETY 177

outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their
rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should remain
in a forward-facing child seat with a harness for as long as
possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the forward-
facing limit for the child seat should use a belt-positioning
booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the
child cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat
cushion while the child’s back is against the seatback, they
should use a belt-positioning booster seat. The child and
belt-positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
seat belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an infant
or child restraint. It could come loose in a collision.
The child could be badly injured or killed. Follow
the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.
• After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do
not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward be-
cause it can loosen the child restraint attachments.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
Remove the child restraint before adjusting the ve-
hicle seat position. When the vehicle seat has been
adjusted, reinstall the child restraint.
• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchorages,
or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it loose in
the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it could
strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause serious
personal injury.
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
NOTE: If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat,
FCA recommends that you do not allow children 12 years
old and under to ride in your vehicle. If the rear seats are
not present in your vehicle, NEVER install a child restraint
in these positions.
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend over
the front of the seat when their back is against the seatback,
should use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple 5-step
test to decide whether the child can use the vehicle’s seat
belt alone:
184 SAFETY

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
What is the weight limit (child’s weight +
weight of the child restraint) for using the LATCH anchorage system to attach the child restraint? 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) Use the LATCH anchorage system until the combined
weight of the child and the child restraint is 65 lbs
(29.5 kg). Use the seat belt and tether anchor instead of the LATCH system once the combined weight is more than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the seat belt be used together to attach a rear-
facing or forward-facing child restraint? No Do not use the seat belt when you use the LATCH an-
chorage system to attach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Booster seats may be attached to the LATCH anchoragesif allowed by the booster seat manufacturer. See yourbooster seat owner ’s manual for more information.
Can two child restraints be attached us-
ing a common lower LATCH anchorage? No Never “share” a LATCH anchorage with two or more
child restraints. If the center position does not have
dedicated LATCH lower anchorages, use the seat belt to install a child seat in the center position next to a
child seat using the LATCH anchorages in an outboard position.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch the back of the front passenger seat? Yes The child seat may touch the back of the front passen-
ger seat if the child restraint manufacturer also allowscontact. See your child restraint owner ’s manual for more information.
Can the rear head restraints be removed? No
190 SAFETY