CHRYSLER PACIFICA 2008 1.G Workshop Manual

Also, the front passenger airbag is certified to the Federal
regulations that define Occupant Restraint Controller
(ORC) system.
This vehicle may also be equipped with a driver inflat-
able knee blocker located on the instrument panel below
the steering column.
This vehicle may also be equipped with left and right
side curtain airbags to protect the driver and passengers
sitting next to a window. If the vehicle is equipped with
window bags, they are located above the side windows.
Their covers are also labeled SRS AIRBAG.
NOTE:Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim; but they will open to allow airbag deployment.
Side Curtain Airbags
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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

Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1. Children 12 years old and under should ride buckled
up in the rear seat.
2. Infants in rear-facing child restraints shouldNEVER
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.
3. Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle
seat belt properly (refer to information on Child Restraint
in this section) should be secured in the rear seat in child
restraints or belt-positioning booster seats.
4. 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.5. If a child from 1 to 12 years old must ride in the front
passenger 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).
6. You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
7. All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
8. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbags time to inflate.
9. If your vehicle has side curtain airbags do not lean
against the door, airbags will inflate forcefully into the
space between you and the door.
10. If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact the
Customer Center. Phone numbers are provided in the9If
You Need Customer Assistance9section in this manual.
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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

²Knee Impact Bolster
²Front Seat Belt Pretensioners
²Front Passenger Seat Occupant Classification System
(OCS) Ð If OCS Equipped
þOccupant Classification Module
þPassenger Airbag Disabled (PAD) Indicator Light
þInterconnecting Wiring
þBladder Assembly
þBelt Tension Sensor
How The Airbag System Works
²
TheOccupant Restraint Controller (ORC)determines
if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the
airbags to inflate. Based on the level of collision
severity, the front control module determines theproper rate of inflation. The front airbag inflators are
designed to provide different rates of airbag inflation.
²The ORC will not detect side, roll over, or rear impacts.
²The ORC monitors the readiness of the electronic parts
of the system whenever the ignition switch is in the
START or RUN positions. These include all of the
items listed above except the steering wheel and
column, instrument panel and passenger knee bol-
sters. If the key is in the OFF position, in the ACC
position, or not in the ignition, the airbags are not on
and will not inflate.
²Also, the ORC turns on the AIRBAG warn-
ing light and PAD indicator light in the
center of the instrument panel for 6 to 8
seconds for a self-check when the ignition is
first turned on. After the self-check, the AIRBAG
warning light will turn off. If equipped, the PAD
indicator light will function normally. If the ORC
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detects a malfunction in any part of the system, it turns
on the AIRBAG warning light either momentarily or
continuously. A single chime will sound if the light
comes on again after initial start up.
WARNING!
Ignoring the AIRBAG warning light in your instru-
ment panel could mean you won't have the airbags to
protect you in a collision. If the light does not come
on, stays on after you start the vehicle, or if it comes
on as you drive, have the airbag system checked right
away.
²TheDriver and Passenger Airbag/Inflator Unitsare
located in the center of the steering wheel and the right
side of the instrument panel. When the ORC and
impact sensors detects a collision requiring the air-
bags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity ofnontoxic gas is generated to inflate the front airbags.
Different airbag inflation rates may be possible based
on collision severity. The steering wheel hub trim
cover and the upper right side of the instrument panel
separate and fold out of the way as the airbags inflate
to their full size. The airbags fully inflate in about
50±70 milliseconds. This is about half of the time it
takes to blink your eyes. The airbags then quickly
deflate while helping to restrain the driver and front
passenger.
The driver's and passenger's front airbag gas is vented
through the airbag material towards the instrument
panel. In this way the airbags do not interfere with
your control of the vehicle.²TheSide Airbag Inflatable Curtainsare designed to
activate only in certain side collisions. When the ORC
and the side impact sensors (with side impact option)
detects a collision requiring the window bags to
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

inflate, it signals the inflators on the crash side of the
vehicle. A quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to
inflate the window bag. The inflating window bag
pushes the outside edge of the headliner out of the
way and covers the window. The airbag inflates in
about 30 milliseconds (about one quarter of the time it
takes to blink your eyes) with enough force to injure
you if you are not belted and seated properly, or if
items are positioned in the area where the window bag
inflates. This especially applies to children. The win-
dow bag is only about 3
1¤2inches (9 cm) thick when it
is inflated.
²When the ORC and the impact sensors detect a
collision requiring theDriver Inflatable Knee Blocker
Ð If Equipped,signals the inflator unit. A quantity of
nontoxic gas is generated to inflate the Driver Inflat-
able Knee Blocker. The Driver Inflatable Knee Blocker
inflates rearward towards the driver's knees to helpprotect the knees and position you for the best inter-
action with the front airbag. The Driver Inflatable
Knee Blocker fully inflates in about 50 milliseconds,
this is only about half of the time it takes you to blink
your eyes. It then quickly deflates while helping to
protect the driver's knees.
²TheKnee Impact Bolstershelp protect the knees, and
position everyone for the best interaction with the
front airbag.
²If your vehicle contains a Passenger Airbag Disable
indicator light, it will be equipped with theOccupant
Classification System (OCS).The OCS system will
classify an occupant into a size category based on
sensor readings from within the seat cushion. Occu-
pants should try to remain in a normally seated
position. If the occupant's weight is transferred to
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another object in the vehicle (i.e. feet on the dash-
board), the OCS may not be able to properly approxi-
mate occupant size. Furthermore, the occupant size
may appear to increase or decrease due to objects
hanging on the seat, other passengers pushing on the
seat, or objects lodged underneath the seat.
If there is a rapid change in temperature or humidity,
the OCS may not be able to properly approximate
occupant size. If your seat including your trim cover
and cushion needs to be serviced in any way (includ-
ing removal or loosening/tightening of seat attach-
ment bolts), take the vehicle to your authorized dealer.
Only manufacturer approved seat accessories may be
used.If there is a fault present in the system, the AIRBAG
warning light will illuminate indicating that you should
take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. In the presence
of an occupant in the passenger seat, if both the PAD
indicator light and AIRBAG warning light are illumi-
nated the airbag will be disabled.
The ORC will not allow front airbag deployment in the
event of a collision for occupants classified into the
empty or child size categories. The PAD indicator light
will illuminate indicating that the Passenger Airbag is
OFF when the OCS has determined that the occupant size
category is a child. Also, when the seat is empty or an
object that weighs less than a predetermined threshold is
placed on the seat, the light will remain OFF. (The PAD
indicator light is an amber light located on the center of
the instrument panel above the climate controls.)
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

For almost all sizes of properly seated adults, the airbag
will be enabled in the event of a collision. For small
teenagers and some small adults, depending on size, the
airbag may or may not be enabled in the event of a
collision. Both drivers and passengers should always use
the PAD indicator light as an indication if the frontpassenger is properly positioned or not. If the PAD
indicator light comes on when an adult is in the passen-
ger seat, have the passenger re-position themselves in the
seat until the light goes out.
Remember, if the PAD indicator light is illuminated the
passenger front airbag will not inflate. For properly
installed child restraint systems and children properly
seated on the front passenger seat, the airbag will be
disabled. If at all possible, place children 12 years and
younger in a back seat.
²TheOccupant Classification Module (OCM) Ð If
Equippedis located beneath the front passenger seat.
The OCM classifies the occupant into one of three size
categories based on the input from the Bladder Assem-
bly and Belt Tension Sensor. The size categories in-
clude empty, child, and adult. The OCM sends the
Occupant Classification to the ORC to identify if a
Passenger Airbag Light Ð If OCS Equipped
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front passenger airbag is allowed. If a fault is present,
the AIRBAG warning light is illuminated.
²ThePassenger Airbag Disabled (PAD) Indicator
Light Ð If Equippedindicates to the driver and
passenger when the airbag is turned OFF in the
presence of a properly seated occupant. When the PAD
indicator light is illuminated, the airbag is OFF. Also,
when the Occupant Classification System (OCS) de-
tects either an empty seat of a weight less than the
predetermined occupant threshold, the ORC will not
illuminate the PAD indicator light even though the
airbag is turned off. When the OCS detects an adult
the PAD indicator light will be off, and the airbag will
be enabled.
²TheBelt Tension Sensor (BTS) Ð If Equippedis
located at the outboard passenger lap belt anchor. The
BTS generates a signal based on outboard lap belt
tension. This signal is sent to the OCM to ensure thatthe resultant bladder pressure increase due to applied
lap belt tension does not cause a small occupant to be
classified as a larger occupant.
²TheBladder Assembly Ð If Equippedis located
beneath the seat cushion foam. The pressure sensor
sends a signal to the OCM.
The front passenger seat assembly contains critical com-
ponents that affect the front passenger airbag deploy-
ment. Correctly functioning front passenger seat compo-
nents are critical for the Occupant Classification System
(OCS) to properly classify the front passenger and calcu-
late the proper airbag deployment. Do not make any
modifications to the front passenger seat components,
assembly, or to the seat cover.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE