SAFETY199
(Continued)
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 occupant’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.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder
belt.
2. Grab the shoulder portion and pull downward 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 disengage the
Automatic Locking Mode and activate the vehicle
sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
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.
If the front passenger and/or rear seats have been
removed do not ride in those areas.WARNING!
Never place a rear-facing child restraint in
front of an air bag. 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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat. If the vehicle
does not have a rear seat, do not transport a
rear-facing child restraint in that vehicle.
WARNING!WARNING!
The seat belt assembly must be replaced if the
switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
feature 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 increase 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.
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200SAFETY
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) monitors the internal circuits and
interconnecting wiring associated 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
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
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 front passenger and/or rear seats have been
removed do not ride in those areas.
Air Bag Warning Light
The Occupant Restraint Controller (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 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 igni
-
tion 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 intermit -
tently or remains on while driving.
NOTE:If the speedometer, tachometer, or any engine
related gauges are not working, the Occupant
Restraint Controller (ORC) may also be disabled. In
this condition the air bags may not be ready to
inflate for your protection. Have an authorized
dealer service the air bag system immediately.
21_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 200
SAFETY203
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper
passenger side of the instrument panel separate
and fold out of the way as the air bags inflate to
their full size. The front air bags fully inflate in less
time than it takes to blink your eyes. The front air
bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain
the driver and front passenger.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees
of the driver and front passenger, and position the
front occupants for improved interaction with the
front air bags.
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs).
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs)
are located in the outboard side of the front seats.
The SABs are marked with “SRS AIRBAG” or
“AIRBAG” on a label or on the seat trim on the
outboard side of the seats.
The SABs may help to reduce the risk of occupant
injury during certain side impacts, in addition to
the injury reduction potential provided by the seat
belts and body structure.
Front Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
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 area where the SAB inflates. Children are at an
even greater risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
WARNING!
Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee
impact bolsters in any way.
Do not mount any accessories to the knee
impact bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos,
citizen band radios, etc.
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.
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SAFETY205
(Continued)
NOTE:Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment.
Rollover Events
Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners are
designed to activate in certain rollover events. The
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether deployment in a particular 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 and seat
belt pretensioners should have deployed.
The Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners 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. In the event the vehicle experiences a
rollover or near rollover event, and deployment is
appropriate, the rollover sensing system will deploy
the side air bags and seat belt pretensioners on
both sides of the vehicle.
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.
Air Bag System Components
NOTE:The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors
the internal circuits and interconnecting wiring
associated with electrical Air Bag System Compo
-
nents listed below:
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
Front and Side Impact Sensors
Seat Belt Pretensioners
Seat Track Position Sensors
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.
WARNING!
Occupants, including children, who are up
against or very close to Side Air Bags can be
seriously 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 an
inflating Side Air Bag. 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
deployment 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 some collisions, Side Air Bags
won’t deploy at all. Always wear your seat belt
even though you have Side Air Bags.
WARNING!
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208SAFETY
NOTE:EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving condi -
tions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender,
age, and crash location) are recorded. However,
other parties, such as law enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required, and access to the vehicle or
the EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle
manufacturer, other parties, such as law
enforcement, that have the special equipment,
can read the information if they have access to the
vehicle or the EDR.
CHILD RESTRAINTS
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at
all times, including babies and children. Every
state in the United States, and every Canadian
province, requires that small children ride in
proper restraint systems. This is the law, and you
can be prosecuted for ignoring it. Children 12 years or younger should ride properly
buckled up in a rear seat, if available.
According to crash statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seats rather
than in the front.
If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat, FCA
US LLC 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.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost
large enough for an adult safety belt. Always check
the child seat Owner’s Manual to make sure you
have the correct seat for your child. Carefully read
and follow all the instructions and warnings in the
child restraint Owner’s Manual and on all the
labels attached to the child restraint.
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that
it has a label certifying that it meets all applicable
Safety Standards. You should also make sure that
you can install it in the vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:
For additional information, refer to http://
www.nhtsa.gov/parents-and-caregivers or
call: 1–888–327–4236
Canadian residents should refer to Transport
Canada’s website for additional information:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/road/
child-car-seat-safety.html
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become
a projectile inside the vehicle. The force required
to hold even an infant on your lap could become
so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured or killed. Any child riding
in your vehicle should be in a proper restraint for
the child’s size.
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SAFETY209
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
NOTE:If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat, FCA US LLC 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. If you must install a forward facing child restraint in the front passenger
seat, then you must use the seat belt system to secure the restraint. A top tether strap extension may be needed to reach the tether anchor on the rear shelf
directly behind the passenger seat.
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and ToddlersChildren who are two years old or younger and who
have not reached the height or weight limits of their
child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible Child
Restraint, facing rearward in a rear seat of the
vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who have
outgrown the height or weight limit of their
rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a five-point
Harness, facing forward in a rear seat of the
vehicle
Larger Children Children who have outgrown their forward-facing
child restraint, but are too small to properly fit the
vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the vehicle seat
belt, seated in a rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who have
outgrown the height or weight limit of their booster
seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in a rear seat of the
vehicle
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210SAFETY
(Continued)
(Continued)
Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rear-facing in the vehicle until they are two years
old or until they reach either the height or weight
limit of their rear-facing child restraint. Two types of
child restraints can be used rear-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children from birth
until they reach the weight or height limit of the
infant carrier. Convertible child seats can be used
either rear-facing or forward-facing in the vehicle.
Convertible child seats often have a higher weight
limit in the rear-facing direction than infant carriers
do, so they can be used rear-facing by children who
have outgrown their infant carrier but are still less
than at least two years old. Children should remain
rear-facing until they reach the highest weight or
height allowed by their convertible child seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
NOTE:If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat, FCA
US LLC 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. If you
must install a forward facing child restraint in the
front passenger seat, then you must use the seat
belt system to secure the restraint. A top tether
strap extension may be needed to reach the tether
anchor on the rear shelf directly behind the
passenger seat. Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child seat
can ride forward-facing in the vehicle.
Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are for
children who are over two years old or who have
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!
Never place a rear-facing child restraint in
front of an air bag. 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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat. If the vehicle
does not have a rear seat, do not transport a
rear-facing child restraint in that vehicle.
WARNING!
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 manufac
-
turer’s directions exactly when installing an
infant or child restraint.
21_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 210
SAFETY211
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
NOTE:If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat, FCA
US LLC 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:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against the
back of the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat while the child is
still sitting all the way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and not the
stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip? If the answer to any of these questions was “no,”
then the child still needs to use a booster seat in
this vehicle. If the child is using the lap/shoulder
belt, check seat belt fit periodically and make sure
the seat belt buckle is latched. A child’s squirming
or slouching can move the belt out of position. If
the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move
the child closer to the center of the vehicle, or use
a booster seat to position the seat belt on the child
correctly.
After a child restraint is installed in the
vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat forward
or rearward because it can loosen the child
restraint attachments. Remove the child
restraint before adjusting the vehicle 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.
WARNING!
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt
under an arm or behind their back. In a crash,
the shoulder belt will not protect a child properly,
which may result in serious injury or death. A
child must always wear both the lap and
shoulder portions of the seat belt correctly.
WARNING!
If the rear or front passenger seats are not
present in your vehicle, NEVER install a child
restraint in these positions.
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