warning DODGE CALIBER SRT 2008 1.G User Guide

3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a ªclick.ºWARNING!
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, increas-
ing 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.
Inserting Latch Plate Into Buckle
36 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.
Positioning Lap 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
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front seat, the shoulder belt can be adjusted
upward or downward to position the belt away from
your neck. Push anchorage button to release the anchor-
age, and move it up or down to the position that serves
you best.
Adjustable Anchorage
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 Driver and 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 their seat
belt. The driver should also instruct all other occupants to
buckle their seat belts. Once the warning is triggered, the
Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlert) will continue to
chime and flash the Seat Belt Warning Light for 96
seconds or until the driver's seat belt is buckled. The
Enhanced Warning System (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).The Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlert) can be en-
abled or disabled by your authorized dealer or by
following these steps:
NOTE:The following steps must occur within the first
60 seconds of the ignition switch being turned to the ON
or START position. DaimlerChrysler Corporation does
not recommend deactivating the Enhanced Warning Sys-
tem (BeltAlert).
1. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position and
buckle the driver or front passenger seat belt.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position and wait
for the Seat Belt Warning Light to turn off.
3. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
ON position, unbuckle and then re-buckle the driver or
front passenger seat belt at least three times within 10
seconds, ending with the seat belt buckled.
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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 LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have success-
fully completed the programming.
The Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlert) can be reacti-
vated by repeating this procedure.
NOTE:Although the Enhanced Warning System
(BeltAlert) has been deactivated, the Seat Belt Warning
Light will continue to illuminate while the driver or front
passenger seat belt remains unbuckled.
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.
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.
44 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 side airbags, 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.
²If your vehicle is equipped with side airbags, do
not attach cup holders or any other objects on or
around the door. The inflating side airbag could
drive the object into occupants, causing serious
injury.Airbags inflate in moderate to high speed impacts. Along
with seat belts and pretensioners, front airbags work with
the driver inflatable knee blocker and the integrated
passenger knee blocker (non-inflatable) to provide im-
proved protection for the driver and front passenger. 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
side airbag on the crash side of the vehicle is triggered in
moderate to severe side collisions. In certain types of
collisions, both the front and side airbags may be trig-
gered. But even in collisions where the airbags work, you
need the seat belts to keep you in the right position for
the airbags to protect you properly.
46 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 side airbags, they 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 (ORC)
²Side Remote Acceleration Sensors (If Equipped)
²Airbag Warning Light
²Driver Airbag
²Front Passenger Airbag
²Supplemental Side Curtain Airbags above Side Win-
dows (If Equipped)
²Steering Wheel and Column
²Instrument Panel
²Interconnecting Wiring
²Seatbelt Reminder Light
²Knee Impact Bolsters
²Driver Inflatable Knee Blocker
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

²Front Acceleration Sensors
²Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioners
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. This ORC will
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 ON positions. These include all of the
items listed above except the knee bolster, the instru-
ment panel, and the steering wheel and column. If the
key is in the LOCK position, in the ACC position, or
not in the ignition, the airbags are not on and will not
inflate.The ORC also turns on the Airbag Warning
Light in the instrument panel for 6 to 8
seconds as a self-check when the ignition is
first turned on. After the self-check, the
Airbag Warning Light will turn off. If the ORC detects
a malfunction in any part of the system, it turns on the
Airbag Warning Light either momentarily or continu-
ously. 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.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
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properly, or if items are positioned in the area where the
side curtain airbag inflates. This especially applies to
children.
NOTE:If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
side curtain air bags, do not install a clothing bar
mounted to the coat hooks (or similarly mounted). A
clothing bar will impede the proper performance of the
bags.
²When the ORC and the impact sensors detect a
collision requiring theDriver Inflatable Knee
Blocker,it 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 help
protect 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.
WARNING!
Unapproved modifications or service procedures to
the front passenger seat assembly, its related compo-
nents, or seat cover may inadvertently change the
airbag deployment in case of a frontal crash. This
could result in death or serious injury to the front
seat passenger if the vehicle is involved in an acci-
dent. A modified vehicle may not comply with re-
quired Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS).
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
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WARNING!
Deployed airbags can't protect you in another colli-
sion. Have the airbags replaced by an authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact that causes airbag deployment,
with the vehicle stopped, and the vehicle communication
network intact, and the power intact, the Enhanced Acci-
dent Response System performs the following functions:
²Cuts off fuel to the engine.
²Flashes hazard lights.
²Turns on the interior lamps which remain on as long as
the battery has power or until the ignition key is
removed.
²Unlocks the doors automatically.
Maintaining Your Airbag System
WARNING!
²Modifications to any part of the airbag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured because the airbags are not there to
protect you. Do not modify the components or
wiring, including adding any kind of badges or
stickers to the steering wheel hub trim cover or the
upper passenger side of the instrument panel. Do
not modify the front bumper, vehicle body struc-
ture, or frame.
²You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee impact bolster.
²It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the
airbag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has airbags.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53
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