warning CHRYSLER PACIFICA 2008 1.G User Guide

NOTE:The front airbags have a multi stage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation that are based on collision severity.
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.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All the seats in your vehicle are equipped with Lap/
Shoulder Belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
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normal conditions. But in a collision, the belt will lock
and reduce the risk of your striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
²It 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 seri-
ously injured or killed.
²Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
²Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
WARNING!
²Wearing 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 the best.
²Wearing 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 pas-
sengers safe, too.
²Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in a collision, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or lap belt for more
than one person, no matter what their size.
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a ªclickº.WARNING!
²A 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.
²A 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.
²A 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.
²A 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
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. 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 belt
reduces the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision.WARNING!
²A 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.
²A 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 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.
Removing Slack From Belt
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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 assem-
blies must be replaced after a collision if they have
been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing, etc.).
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front seats, the shoulder belt anchorage can be
adjusted upward or downward to help position the belt
away from your neck. Press the button to release the
anchorage, and then move it up or down to the position
that serves you best.
Adjusting Upper Shoulder Belt
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belt assemblies for both front seating positions
are equipped with pretensioning devices that are de-
signed 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 are designed
to work for all size occupants.
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 front airbag con-
trol module (see Airbag Section). Like the front airbags,
the pretensioners are single use items. After a collision
that is severe enough to deploy the airbags and preten-
sioners, both must be replaced.
Enhanced Seat Belt Use 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), BeltAlert will alert the
driver or front passenger to buckle their seat belt. The
driver should also instruct all other occupants to buckle
their seat belts. Once the warning is triggered, BeltAlert
will continue to chime and flash the Seat Belt Warning
Light for 96 seconds or until the driver's seat belt is
buckled.
BeltAlert will be reactivated if the driver's or front
passenger's seat belt is unbuckled for more than 10
seconds and the vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8
km/h).
BeltAlert can be enabled or disabled by your authorized
dealer or by following these steps:
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NOTE:The following steps must occur within the first
60 seconds of the ignition switch being turned to the ON
or RUN position.DaimlerChrysler does not recommend
deactivating the Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlert).
1. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position, and
buckle the driver's seat belt.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN position (engine
does not need to be running), and wait for the Seat Belt
Warning Light to turn off.
3. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
RUN position, unbuckle and then re-buckle the driver's
seat belt at least three times within 10 seconds, ending
with the seat belt buckled.
NOTE:Watch for the Seat Belt Warning Light to turn on
while unbuckling and off while re-buckling the seat belt.
It may be necessary to retract the seat belt.4. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position. A single
chime will sound to signify that you have successfully
completed the programming.
The Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlert) can be reacti-
vated by repeating this procedure.
NOTE:Although BeltAlert has been deactivated, the
Seat Belt Warning Light will continue to illuminate while
the driver's seat belt remains unbuckled.
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.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
Driver and Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System - Airbag
This vehicle has airbags for both the driver and front
passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver's front airbag is mounted in the
center of the steering wheel. The passenger's front airbag
is mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove
compartment. The words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on
the airbag covers.NOTE:The front airbags are certified to the Federal
regulations that allow less forceful deployment in low
speed collisions.
The front airbags have a multi stage inflator design. This
may allow the airbag to have different rates of inflation
that are based on collision severity and occupant size.Front Airbags and Knee Bolsters Locations
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
²Do not put anything on or around the airbag covers
or attempt to manually open them. You may dam-
age the airbags and you could be injured because
the airbags are not there to protect you. These
protective covers for the airbag cushions are de-
signed to open only when the airbags are inflating.
²If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
window bags, 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.
²If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
window bags, do not have any accessory items
installed which will alter the roof, including add-
ing 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.
Front airbags, along with seat belts, and front seat belt
pretensioners, work with the instrument panel knee
blockers to provide improved protection for the driver
and front passenger. Left and right window bags also
work with seat belts to improve occupant protection.
The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags deploy in moderate to
severe frontal collisions.
NOTE:If equipped with an Occupant Classification
System (OCS), the passenger front airbag may not deploy
even when the driver front airbag has determined the
seat is empty or is occupied by a child.
If your vehicle is so equipped, the window bag on the
crash side of the vehicle is triggered in moderate to
severe side collisions. But even in collisions where the
airbags inflate, you need the seat belts to keep you in the
right position for the airbags to protect you properly.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
²Relying on the airbags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The airbags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions the airbags won't deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you have
airbags.
²Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during front airbag deployment could cause
serious injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit
back, comfortably extending your arms to reach
the steering wheel or instrument panel.
²If the vehicle has left and right window bags, they
also need room to inflate. Do not lean against the
door or window. Sit upright in the center of the
seat.ªThe Airbag Systemº consists of the following:
²Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
²AIRBAG Light
²Driver Airbag
²Front Passenger Airbag
²Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
Ð If Equipped
²Front Impact Sensors
²Side Impact Sensors Ð If Equipped
²Steering Wheel and Column
²Instrument Panel
²Seat Belt Reminder Light
²Driver Inflatable Knee Bolster Ð If Equipped
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE