warning DODGE JOURNEY 2009 1.G User Guide

WARNING!
•Driving with the liftgate open can allow poison-
ous exhaust gases into your vehicle. These fumes
could injure you and your passengers. Keep the
liftgate closed when you are operating the vehicle.
•If you are required to drive with the liftgate open,
make sure that all windows are closed, and the
blower switch on the climate control is set at high
speed. DO NOT use the recirculation mode.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. The following safety
features are standard on your vehicle:
•Front airbags for both the driver and front passenger
•Supplemental side curtain airbags for the driver and
passengers seated next to a window
•Supplemental front seat mounted side airbags
•An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheel
•Knee Bolsters/Blockers for front seat occupants
•Three-point lap and shoulder belts for all seating
positions
•Pretensioning and load-limiting retractors for the front
seat belts to enhance occupant protection by managing
occupant energy during an impact event.
•All seat belt systems (except the driver’s and second
row center position) include Automatic Locking Re-
tractors (ALRs).
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If you will be carrying children too small for adult-size
belts, your seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether for
Children (LATCH) feature can also be used to hold infant
and child restraint systems.
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.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some
of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown
from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.
Everyonein a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are equipped with
lap/shoulder belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or impacts. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
normal conditions. However, in a collision, the belt will
lock and reduce your risk of striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.WARNING!
•It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision, 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.
• Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a seat
belt properly.
• Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat belts are
designed to go around the large bones of your body. These
are the strongest parts of your body and can take the forces
of a collision best.
• Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make your
injuries in a collision much worse. You might suffer internal
injuries, or you could even slide out of part of the belt.
Follow these instructions to wear your seat belt safely and to
keep your passengers safe, too.
• Two people should never be belted into a single seat belt.
People belted together can crash into one another in an
accident, hurting one another badly. Never use a lap/
shoulder belt or a lap belt for more than one person, no
matter what their size.
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3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”WARNING!
•A belt that is buckled into the wrong buckle will not protect
you properly. The lap portion could ride too high on your body,
possibly causing internal injuries. Always buckle your belt
into the buckle nearest you.
• A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well. In a
sudden stop, you could move too far forward, increasing the
possibility of injury. Wear your seat belt snugly.
• A belt that is worn under your arm is very dangerous. Your
body could strike the inside surfaces of the vehicle in a
collision, increasing head and neck injury. A belt worn under
the arm can cause internal injuries. Ribs aren’t as strong as
shoulder bones. Wear the belt over your shoulder so that your
strongest bones will take the force in a collision.
• A shoulder belt placed behind you will not protect you from
injury during a collision. You are more likely to hit your head
in a collision if you do not wear your shoulder belt. The lap and
shoulder belt are meant to be used together.
Connecting Latch Plate To Buckle
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WARNING!
•A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
internal injury in a collision. The belt forces won’t be
at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your
abdomen. Always wear the lap belt as low as pos-
sible and keep it snug.
• A twisted belt can’t do its job as well. In a collision,
it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt is straight.
If you can’t straighten a belt in your vehicle, take it to
your authorized dealer and have it fixed.
5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retractor
will withdraw any slack in the belt. 6. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle.
The belt will automatically retract to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the belt to retract fully.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision and
leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt system
periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately. Do
not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).
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Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder System (BeltAlert)
If the driver’s seat belt has not been buckled within 60
seconds of starting the vehicle and if the vehicle speed is
greater than 5 mph (8 km/h), the Enhanced Warning
System (BeltAlert) will alert the driver to buckle the seat
belt. The driver should also instruct all other occupants to
buckle their seat belts. Once the warning is triggered, the
BeltAlertwill continue to chime and flash the Seat Belt
Reminder Light for 96 seconds or until the driver’s seat
belt is buckled. The BeltAlert will be reactivated if the
driver’s seat belt is unbuckled for more than 10 seconds
and the vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h).
BeltAlert Programming
The BeltAlert can be enabled or disabled by your
authorized dealer or by performing the following steps:
NOTE: The manufacturer of this vehicle does not rec-
ommend deactivating the BeltAlert. 1. With all doors closed, and the ignition switch in any
position except ON or START, buckle the driver’s seat
belt.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position, (engine
does not need to be running). Wait for the Seat Belt
Reminder Light to turn off and then proceed to the next
step.
NOTE:
You must perform the following steps within 60
seconds of turning the ignition switch to the ON position.
3. Unbuckle the driver’s seat belt, allow the seat belt to
retract, and then re-buckle the driver’s seat belt at least
three times, ending with the seat belt buckled.
NOTE: Watch for the Seat Belt Reminder Light to turn
on while the seat belt retracts and turn off while re-
buckling the seat belt. It may be necessary to completely
retract the seat belt each time.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Seat Belts and Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use the seat belts
throughout their pregnancy. 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 so
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 store it.
WARNING!
Using a seat belt extender when not needed can increase
the risk of injury in a collision. Only use when the seat
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.
Driver and Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag
This vehicle has front airbags for both the driver and
front passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver’s airbag is mounted in the center of
the steering wheel. The passenger’s front airbag is
mounted in the top of the instrument panel. The words
SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the airbag covers.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:The front airbags are certified to the Federal
regulations that allow less forceful deployment. The front airbags have a multistage inflator design. This
may allow the airbag to have different rates of inflation
that are based on collision severity.
WARNING!
•Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to open them. You may damage
the airbags and you could be injured because the
airbags are no longer functional. These protective
covers for the airbag cushions are designed to
open only when the airbags are inflating.
•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, citizens band radios
etc.
1 — Driver’s Airbag
2 — Front Passenger’s Airbag
3 — Knee Bolsters THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
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WARNING!
•Do not stack luggage or other cargo up high enough
to block the location of the side curtain airbag. The
area where the side curtain airbag is located should
remain free from any obstructions. Do not have any
accessory items installed which will alter the roof,
including adding a 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.
• Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the supplemental front seat
mounted side airbags; the performance could be
adversely affected and/or objects could be pushed
into you, causing serious injury.
• Do not attach cupholders or any other objects on or
around the door. The inflating supplemental front
seat mounted side airbags could drive the object into
occupants, causing serious injury.
NOTE: Do not use a clothing bar mounted to the coat
hooks in this vehicle. A clothing bar will impede the
proper performance of the curtain airbags.
Along with the seat belts, front airbags work with the
instrument panel knee bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger. Side curtain
and seat airbags also work with seat belts to improve
occupant protection.
While the seat belts are designed to protect you in many
types of collisions, the front airbags will deploy in
moderate to severe frontal collisions. The supplemental
side curtain airbag and supplemental front seat mounted
side airbag on the crash side of the vehicle will also
trigger in moderate to severe side collisions. However,
even in collisions where the airbags deploy, you need the
seat belts to keep you in the correct position for the
airbags to protect you properly.
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Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1. Children 12 years old and younger should ride buck-
led up in the rear seat.
WARNING!
Infants in rear-facing child restraints should NEVER
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger
front airbag. An airbag deployment could cause
severe injury or death to infants in that position.
2. Children who are not big enough to wear the vehicle
seat belt properly should be secured in the rear seat in
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats. (Refer to
information on Child Restraint in this section) 3. Older children who do not use child restraints or
belt-positioning booster seats should ride properly buck-
led up in the rear seat. Never allow children to slide the
shoulder belt behind them or under their arm.
4. If a child from 1 to 12 years old must ride in the front
passenger’s seat because the vehicle is crowded, move
the seat as far back as possible and use the proper child
restraint. (Refer to information on Child Restraint in this
section.)
5. You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
6. All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
7. The driver’s seat and front passenger’s seat should be
moved back as far as practical to allow the airbags time to
inflate.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE