airbag DODGE CARAVAN 2010 Owners Manual

Sliding Side Door ...................... 41
▫ Power Sliding Side Door — If Equipped ..... 42
▫ Sliding Side Door Child Protection Lock ..... 46
 Liftgate ............................. 48
▫ Power Liftgate — If Equipped ............ 49
 Occupant Restraints ..................... 52
▫ Lap/Shoulder Belts .................... 54
▫ Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR)
Mode — If Equipped ................... 60
▫ Seat Belt Pretensioners — If Equipped ...... 61
▫ Supplemental Active Head Restraints
(AHR) — If Equipped .................. 61
▫ Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert) ......................... 65 ▫
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women .......... 67
▫ Seat Belt Extender ..................... 67
▫ Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) -
Airbags ............................ 67
▫ Airbag System Components .............. 69
▫ Advanced Front Airbag Features .......... 69
▫ Airbag Deployment Sensors And Controls . . . 74
▫ Event Data Recorder (EDR) .............. 81
▫ Integrated Child Booster Seat — If Equipped . . 83
▫ Integrated Child Seat — If Equipped ....... 86
▫ Child Restraints ...................... 86
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Gas props support the liftgate in the open position.
However, because the gas pressure drops with tempera-
ture, it may be necessary to assist the props when
opening the liftgate in cold weather.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:
•Three-point lap and shoulder belts for all seating
positions
•Advanced Front Airbags for driver and front passen-
ger
•Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR) located
on top of the front seats (integrated into the head
restraint) — if equipped
•Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
that span the front, second, and third row seating for
the driver and passengers seated next to a window —
if equipped
•Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Airbags — if
equipped
•An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheel
•Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
•Front seat belts incorporate pretensioners to enhance
occupant protection by managing occupant energy
during an impact event — if equipped
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If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems. For more information
on LATCH, see Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren
(LATCH).
NOTE:The Advanced Front Airbags have a multistage
inflator design. This allows the airbag to have different
rates of inflation based on the severity and type of
collision.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.WARNING!
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.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
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Seat Belt Pretensioners — If Equipped
The seat belts for both front seating positions may be
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt in the event of a collision.
These devices improve the performance of the seat belt
by assuring that the belt is tight about the occupant 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 Re-
straint Controller (ORC). Like the airbags, the pretension-
ers are single use items. A deployed pretensioner or a
deployed airbag must be replaced immediately.
Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR) —
If Equipped
These head restraints are passive, deployable compo-
nents, and vehicles with this equipment can not be
readily identified by any markings, only through visual
inspection of the head restraint. The head restraint will be
split in two halves, with the front half being soft foam
and trim, the back half being decorative plastic.
How the Active Head Restraints (AHR) Work
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the severity, or type of rear impact will require
the Active Head Restraints (AHR) to deploy. If a rear
impact requires deployment, both the driver and front
passenger seat AHRs will be deployed.
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NOTE:Although BeltAlert has been deactivated, the
Seat Belt Reminder Light will continue to illuminate
while the driver’s seat belt remains unbuckled or
retracted.
Seat Belts and Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use the seat belts
throughout their pregnancies. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe.
Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
Keep the belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is a collision.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is too short, even when fully extended and
when the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage (if
equipped) is in its lowest position, your authorized
dealer can provide you with a seat belt extender. This extender should be used only if the existing belt is not
long enough. When it is not required, remove the ex-
tender and stow it.
WARNING!
Using a seat belt extender when not needed can
increase the risk of injury in a collision. Only use
when the lap belt is not long enough when it is worn
low and snug, and in the recommended seating
positions. Remove and store the extender when not
needed.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) - Airbags
This vehicle has Advanced Front Airbags for both the
driver and front passenger as a supplement to the seat
belt restraint systems. The driver’s Advanced Front Air-
bag is mounted in the center of the steering wheel. The
passenger’s Advanced Front Airbag is mounted in the
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instrument panel, above the glove compartment. The
words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the airbag covers.
NOTE:These airbags are certified to the new Federal
regulations for Advanced Airbags. The Advanced Front Airbags have a multistage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation based on the severity and type of collision.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/or front
passenger seat track position sensors that may adjust the
inflation rate of the Advanced Front Airbags based upon
seat position.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front
passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whether
the driver or front passenger seat belt is fastened. The
seat belt buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the
Advanced Front Airbags.
This vehicle may also be equipped with Supplemental
Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC) to protect the
driver, front, and rear passengers sitting next to a win-
dow. If the vehicle is equipped with SABIC airbags, they
are located above the side windows and their covers are
also labeled: SRS AIRBAG.
Front Airbag Components
1 — Driver and Passenger Airbags 2 — Knee Bolsters
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NOTE:
•Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim;
but they will open during airbag deployment.
•After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Airbag System Components
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following airbag
system components:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•Airbag Warning Light
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Knee Impact Bolster
•Driver Advanced Front Airbag
•Passenger Advanced Front Airbag
•Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Airbags (SAB)
•Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
•Front and Side Impact Sensors
•Front Seat Belt Pretensioners, Seat Belt Buckle Switch,
and Seat Track Position Sensors
•Supplemental Active Head Restraint for Driver and
Front Passenger
Advanced Front Airbag Features
The Advanced Front Airbag system has multistage driver
and front passenger airbags. This system provides output
appropriate to the severity and type of collision as
determined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
which may receive information from the front impact
sensors.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires airbag deployment. The timing of
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the second stage determines whether the output force is
low, medium, or high. If a low output is sufficient to meet
the need, the remaining gas in the inflator is expended.
WARNING!
•No objects should be placed over or near the
airbag on the instrument panel, because any such
objects could cause harm if the vehicle is in a
collision severe enough to cause the airbag to
inflate.
•Do not put anything on or around the airbag
covers or attempt to open them manually. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags may no longer be functional.
The protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee bolster in
any way.
•Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band radios,
etc.
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Airbags (SAB) —
If Equipped
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Airbags provide en-
hanced protection to help protect an occupant during a
side impact. The Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air-
bag is marked with an airbag label sewn into the out-
board side of the front seats.
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When the airbag deploys, it opens the seam between the
front and side of the seat’s trim cover. Each airbag
deploys independently, that is a left side impact deploys
the left airbag only and a right-side impact deploys only
the right airbag.
Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC) — If Equipped
SABIC airbags may offer side-impact and vehicle rollover
protection to front and rear seat outboard occupants in
addition to that provided by the body structure. Each
airbag features inflated chambers placed adjacent to the
head of each outboard occupant that reduce the potential
for side-impact head injuries. The curtains deploy down-
ward, covering both windows on the impact side.
NOTE:
•Should a vehicle rollover occur, the pretensioners
and/or SABIC airbags on both sides of the vehicle
may deploy.
•Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim;
but they will open during airbag deployment.
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Airbag Label
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The system includes side impact sensors adjacent to both
front and rear seat occupants that are calibrated to deploy
the SABIC airbags during impacts that require airbag
occupant protection.
WARNING!
•If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC), do not stack luggage or other cargo up
high enough to block the location of the SABIC.
The area where the side curtain airbag is located
should remain free from any obstructions.
•Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the side airbags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could
be pushed into you, causing serious injury.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and the front passenger, and position front occu-
pants for the best interaction with the Advanced Front
Airbags.
Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Airbags work with the knee bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger. Side airbags
also work with seat belts to improve occupant protection.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying airbag:
Children 12 years old and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.
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