airbag CHRYSLER PT CRUISER 2008 1.G Owners Manual

mEmergency Seat Back Release (Sedan).........40
mEmergency Deck Lid Release Latch
(Convertible)...........................41
mPower Windows........................42
NAuto Down Feature....................43
NRear Window Switches..................43
NWind Buffeting........................44
mOccupant Restraints (Sedan)................44
NLap/Shoulder Belts.....................45
NLap/Shoulder Seat Belt Untwisting Procedure . .52
NAdjustable Upper Shoulder Seat Belt
Anchorage...........................52
NSeat Belt Pretensioners...................53NEnhanced Seat Belt Reminder System
(BeltAlertt) ..........................54
NSeat Belts And Pregnant Women............54
NDriver And Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) Airbag.............55
NChild Restraint........................72
mOccupant Restraints (Convertible)............81
NLap/Shoulder Belts.....................82
NLap/Shoulder Seat Belt Untwisting Procedure . .88
NSeat Belt Pretensioners...................88
NEnhanced Seat Belt Reminder System
(BeltAlertt) ..........................89
NSeat Belts And Pregnant Women............89
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WIND BUFFETING
Wind buffeting can be described as the perception of
pressure on the ears or a helicopter type sound in the
ears. Your vehicle may exhibit wind buffeting with the
windows down, or the sunroof (if equipped) in certain
open or partially open positions. This is a normal occur-
rence and can be minimized. If the buffeting occurs with
the rear windows open, open the front and rear windows
together to minimize the buffeting. If the buffeting occurs
with the sunroof open, adjust the sunroof opening to
minimize the buffeting.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS (SEDAN)
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. These include:
²Front and rear seat belts for all passengers
²Front airbags for both the driver and front passenger
²Pretensioning and load-limiting retractors for the front
seat belts.
²Knee Impact Blocker panels for front seat occupants.
²Supplemental front seat mounted side Head/Thorax
airbags for both the driver and front passenger (if
equipped).
²Front seat belt retractors that incorporate pretension-
ers to enhance occupant protection by managing oc-
cupant energy during an impact event.
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-size
seat belts, your seat belts or the LATCH feature also, can
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.
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As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you'll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
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 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.
Adjusting Upper Shoulder Belt
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DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
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.
Head/Thorax airbags (if equipped) are located inside the
driver and front passenger seats, and their covers are also
labeled SRS AIRBAG.
Front Panel SRS Features
1 Ð Driver Airbag 3 Ð Passenger Knee Blocker
2 Ð Passenger Airbag 4 Ð Driver Knee BlockerTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
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NOTE:Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim; but they will open to allow airbag deployment.
WARNING!
²Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee impact
blocker panels in any way.
²Do not mount any accessories to the knee blocker
panel such as alarm lights, stereos, citizens band
radios etc.
56 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
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are not there to protect you.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
²If your vehicle is equipped with Head/Thorax
airbags, do not use accessory seat covers or place
objects between you and the airbags; the perfor-
mance could be adversely affected and/or objects
could be pushed into you, causing serious injury.
Airbags inflate in moderate to high speed impacts. Along
with seat belts and pretensioners, front airbags work with
the instrument panel knee impact blockers to provideimproved protection for the driver and front passenger.
Head/Thorax side airbags 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. If your vehicle is equipped, the
Head/Thorax airbag on the crash side of the vehicle is
triggered in moderate to severe side collisions. In certain
types of collisions, both the front seat Head/Thorax
airbags may be triggered. But even in collisions where
the airbags work, you need to wear the seat belts to keep
you in the right position for the airbags to protect you
properly.
NOTE:The passenger front airbag may not deploy even
when the driver front airbag has if the Occupant Classi-
fication System (refer to9Occupant Classification System9
in this section) has determined the passenger seat is
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empty or is occupied by someone that is classified in the
ªchild9category. This could be a child, a teenager, or even
a small adult.
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 always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.
Infants in rear facing child restraints shouldNEVERride
in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front airbag.
An airbag deployment can cause severe injury or death to
infants in that position.
Children that are not big enough to properly wear the
vehicle seat belt (see Section on Child Restraints) should
be secured in the rear seat in child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats. Older children who do not use
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats shouldride properly buckled up in the rear seat. Never allow
children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under
their arm.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2. All occupants should wear their lap and shoulder belts
properly.
3. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the front airbags room to
inflate.
4. If your vehicle has supplemental side and or thorax
airbags, do not lean against the door, airbags will inflate
forcefully into the space between you and the door.
5. If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact the
Customer Center. Phone numbers are provided under9If
You Need Assistance9in Section 9 of this manual.
58 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.
²Seat airbags also need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door. Sit upright in the center of the
seat.The front airbag system consists of the following:
²Occupant Restraint Controller
²Side Remote Acceleration Sensors (If equipped)
²Airbag Warning Light
²Driver and Front Passenger Airbag
²Front Seat Mounted Head/Thorax Airbags (if
equipped)
²Steering Wheel and Column
²Instrument Panel
²Driver and Front Passenger Knee Impact Blockers
²Front Acceleration Sensors
²Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioners
²Passenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light
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The Head/Thorax airbag system (if equipped) consists
of the following:
²AIRBAG Readiness Light (shared with the front airbag
system)
²Front SeatÐ side mounted Head/Thorax Airbags Ð if
equipped
²Airbag Control Module (shared with the front airbag
system)
²Side impact sensors
How The Airbag System Works
²
TheOccupant Restraint Controller (ORC)determines
if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the
airbags to inflate. The front airbag inflators are de-
signed to provide different rates of airbag inflation
from direction provided by the ORC. The ORC mayalso modify the rate of inflation based on the occupant
size provided by the Occupant Classification Module.
The ORC will not detect roll over.
The ORC also 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, and knee blocker panels. 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.
During a moderate-to-severe rear impact the ORC may
deploy the seat belt pretensioners alone.
Also, the ORC turns on the AIRBAG warning
light and PAD indicator light in the instrument
panel for six to eight seconds for a self-check
when the ignition is first turned on. After the
self-check, the AIRBAG warning light will turn off. The
PAD indicator light will function normally (Refer to
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

9Passenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light9in this
section). If the ORC 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 light in your instrument 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.
²When the front airbag control module detects a colli-
sion requiring the front airbags, it signals the inflator
units. A large quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to
inflate the front airbags. The front airbag covers sepa-
rate and fold out of the way as the front airbags inflateto their full size. The front airbags fully inflate in about
50 milliseconds. This is only about half of the time it
takes you to blink your eyes. The front 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 holes in the sides of the
airbag. In this way the front airbags do not interfere
with your control of the vehicle.
²ThePassenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light
(an amber light located in the center of the instrument
panel) tells the driver and front passenger when the
front passenger airbag is turned off. The PAD Indica-
tor lamp illuminates the words9PASS AIRBAG OFF9
to show that the front passenger airbag will not inflate
during a collision requiring airbags. When the right
front passenger seat is empty or when very light
objects are placed on the seat, the passenger airbag
will not inflate even though the PAD indicator lamp is
not illuminated.
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