SAFETY177
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 outboard 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 positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant 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 outboard 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 Retractors
(ALR)
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) which is used to secure a child restraint system
Úpage 192.
The figure below illustrates the locking feature for each
seating position.
Vehicle With Rear Seating Rear Seat Delete — Only Front Passenger Seat Available
Passenger Seats Deleted — No Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
6
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178SAFETY
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.
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
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!
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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SAFETY179
NOTE:Vehicles with the 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 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.
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.
Redundant Air Bag Warning Light
If a fault with the Air Bag Warning Light is
detected, which could affect the Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS), the Redundant Air Bag
Warning Light will illuminate on the instrument
panel. The Redundant Air Bag Warning Light will stay on
until the fault is cleared. In addition, a single chime will
sound to alert you that the Redundant Air Bag Warning
Light has come on and a fault has been detected. If the
Redundant Air Bag Warning Light comes on intermittently
or remains on while driving have an authorized dealer
service the vehicle immediately
Úpage 63.
WARNING!
Ignoring the Air Bag Warning Light in your instrument
panel could mean you won’t have the air bag system to
protect you in a collision. If the light does not come on
as a bulb check when the ignition is first turned on,
stays on after you start the vehicle, or if it comes on as
you drive, have an authorized dealer service the air bag
system immediately.
6
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SAFETY181
Front Air Bag Operation
Front Air Bags are designed to provide additional
protection by supplementing the seat belts. Front air bags
are not expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side,
or rollover collisions. The front air bags will not deploy in all
frontal collisions, including some that may produce
substantial vehicle damage — for example, some pole
collisions, truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of
impact, front air bags may deploy in crashes with little
vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe initial
deceleration.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration
over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are
not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should
have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all
collisions, and also are needed to help keep you in
position, away from an inflating air bag.
When the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) detects a
collision requiring the front air bags, it signals the inflator
units. A large quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to
inflate the front air bags.
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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23_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 181
182SAFETY
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Side Air Bag
Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs)
are located above the side windows. The trim covering the
SABICs is labeled “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG.”
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) Label
Location
SABICs may help reduce the risk of head and other injuries
to front and rear seat outboard occupants in certain side
impacts, in addition to the injury reduction potential
provided by the seat belts and body structure.
The SABIC deploys downward, covering the side windows.
An inflating SABIC pushes the outside edge of the
headliner out of the way and covers the window. The
SABICs inflate 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 may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain side impact events.
Side Impacts
The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in certain side
impacts. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
determines whether the deployment 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 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.
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 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.
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!
Do not mount equipment, or 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 and its deployment path are located
should remain free from any obstructions.
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 permanent attachments (bolts or screws) for
installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the
roof of the vehicle for any reason.
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.
23_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 182
SAFETY185
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder (EDR).
The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain crash or
near crash-like situations, such as an air bag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding
how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR is designed to
record data related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems
for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds or less. The
EDR in this vehicle is designed to record such data as:
How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts
were buckled/fastened;
How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the acceler -
ator and/or brake pedal; and,
How fast the vehicle was traveling. These data can help provide a better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
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 conditions 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
Do not attempt to modify any part of your air bag
system. The air bag may inflate accidentally or may
not function properly if modifications are made. Take
your vehicle to an authorized dealer for any air bag
system service. If your seat, including your trim cover
and cushion, needs to be serviced in any way
(including removal or loosening/tightening of seat
attachment bolts), take the vehicle to an authorized
dealer. Only manufacturer approved seat accesso -
ries may be used. If it is necessary to modify the air
bag system for persons with disabilities, contact an
authorized dealer.
WARNING!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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186SAFETY
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.
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.
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
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.
23_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 186
SAFETY187
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.
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.
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
because it can loosen the child restraint attach-
ments. 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!
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.
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