SAFETY
SAFETY FEATURES...........68
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)......68
Electronic Brake Control System.....69
AUXILIARY DRIVING SYSTEMS . .77
Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) . .77
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS..................84
Occupant Restraint Systems........84
Important Safety Precautions.......84
Seat Belt Systems..............85
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS). .92
Child Restraints — Carrying Children
Safely......................99
Transporting Pets..............112
SAFETY TIPS...............112
Transporting Passengers..........112
Exhaust Gas.................112
Safety Checks You Should Make
Inside The Vehicle.............113
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle.............114
SAFETY
67
SAFETY FEATURES
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides
increased vehicle stability and brake perfor-
mance under most braking conditions. The
system automatically prevents wheel lock,
and enhances vehicle control during braking.
The ABS performs a self-check cycle to en-
sure that the ABS is working properly each
time the vehicle is started and driven. During
this self-check, you may hear a slight clicking
sound as well as some related motor noises.
ABS is activated during braking when the
system detects one or more wheels begin to
lock. Road conditions such as ice, snow,
gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose debris,
or panic stops may increase the likelihood of
ABS activation(s).
You also may experience the following when
ABS activates:
• The ABS motor noise (it may continue to
run for a short time after the stop).
• The clicking sound of solenoid valves.• Brake pedal pulsations.
• A slight drop of the brake pedal at the end
of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
WARNING!
• The ABS contains sophisticated elec-
tronic equipment that may be suscep-
tible to interference caused by improp-
erly installed or high output radio
transmitting equipment. This interfer-
ence can cause possible loss of anti-lock
braking capability. Installation of such
equipment should be performed by
qualified professionals.
• Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will
diminish their effectiveness and may
lead to a collision. Pumping makes the
stopping distance longer. Just press
firmly on your brake pedal when you
need to slow down or stop.
• The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws
of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase braking or steering
efficiency beyond that afforded by the
WARNING!
condition of the vehicle brakes and tires
or the traction afforded.
• The ABS cannot prevent collisions, in-
cluding those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle
too closely, or hydroplaning.
• The capabilities of an ABS equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner that could
jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety
of others.
ABS is designed to function with the OEM
tires. Modification may result in degraded
ABS performance.
Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light
The yellow “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light”
will turn on when the ignition is turned to the
ON/RUN mode and may stay on for as long as
four seconds.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” re-
mains on or comes on while driving, it indi-
cates that the anti-lock portion of the brake
system is not functioning and that service is
SAFETY
68
required. However, the conventional brake
system will continue to operate normally if
the “Brake System Warning Light” is not on.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on,
the brake system should be serviced as soon
as possible to restore the benefits of anti-lock
brakes. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning
Light” does not come on when the ignition is
turned to the ON/RUN mode, have the light
repaired as soon as possible.
Electronic Brake Control System
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced
Electronic Brake Control system (EBC). This
system includes Electronic Brake Force Dis-
tribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS),
Hill Start Assist (HSA), Traction Control Sys-
tem (TCS), Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), and Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM).
These systems work together to enhance both
vehicle stability and control in various driving
conditions.
Your vehicle may also be equipped with
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) and Hill Descent
Control (HDC).
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
This function manages the distribution of the
braking torque between the front and rear
axles by limiting braking pressure to the rear
axle. This is done to prevent overslip of the
rear wheels to avoid vehicle instability, and to
prevent the rear axle from entering ABS be-
fore the front axle.
Brake System Warning Light
The red “Brake System Warning Light” will
turn on when the ignition is turned to the
ON/RUN mode and may stay on for as long as
four seconds.
If the “Brake System Warning Light” remains
on or comes on while driving, it indicates that
the brake system is not functioning properly
and that immediate service is required. If the
“Brake System Warning Light” does not
come on when the ignition is turned to the
ON/RUN mode, have the light repaired as
soon as possible.
Brake Assist System (BAS)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s
braking capability during emergency braking
maneuvers. The system detects an emer-
gency braking situation by sensing the rate
and amount of brake application and then
applies optimum pressure to the brakes. This
can help reduce braking distances. The BAS
complements the anti-lock brake system
(ABS). Applying the brakes very quickly re-
sults in the best BAS assistance. To receive
the benefit of the system, you must apply
continuous braking pressure during the stop-
ping sequence, (do not “pump” the brakes).
Do not reduce brake pedal pressure unless
braking is no longer desired. Once the brake
pedal is released, the BAS is deactivated.
WARNING!
The Brake Assist System (BAS) cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from
acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
the traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. BAS cannot prevent collisions,
including those resulting from excessive
69
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 occupants 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.
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.BeltAlert can be activated or deactivated by
your authorized dealer. FCA US LLC does not
recommend deactivating BeltAlert.
NOTE:
If BeltAlert has been deactivated and the
driver or outboard front seat passenger (if
equipped with outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert) is unbuckled the Seat Belt Re-
minder 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.
• It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a colli-
sion, 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.
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86
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit
back and adjust 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 latch plate into the buckle until
you hear a “click.”
4. Position the lap belt so that it is snug and
lies low across your hips, below your ab-
domen. 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 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.
Rear Center Lap/Shoulder Belt Retractor
Lockout
This feature is designed to lock the retractor
whenever the rear seatback is not fully
latched. This prevents someone from wearing
the rear center lap/shoulder belt when the
rear seatback is not fully latched.
NOTE:
If the rear center lap/shoulder belt cannot be
pulled out, check that the rear seatback is
fully latched. If the rear seatback is properly
latched and the rear center lap/shoulder belt
still cannot be pulled out, the Automatic-
Locking Retractor (ALR) system may be acti-
vated. To reset this feature you must let all of
the seat belt webbing return into the retrac-
tor. You will not be able to pull out more
webbing until all of the webbing has been
returned back into the retractor.
WARNING!
The rear center lap/shoulder belt is
equipped with a lock-out feature to ensure
that the rear seatback is in the fully up-
right and locked position when occupied.
Pulling Out The Latch Plate
1 — Seat Belt Latch Plate
2 — Seat Belt Buckle
SAFETY
88
WARNING!
If the rear seatback is not fully upright and
locked and the rear center lap/shoulder
belt can be pulled out of the retractor,
immediately take the vehicle to your au-
thorized dealer for service. Failure to fol-
low this warning could result in serious
injury or death.
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 beltanchorage 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
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
Adjustable Upper Anchorage
89
WARNING!
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
wearing 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
retractor assembly that is designed to release
webbing in a controlled manner.
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(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
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90
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 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 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.
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (Two-Door Models)
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (Four-Door Models)
91