belt DODGE DAKOTA 2005 3.G Owner's Manual

or a weight less than the predetermined threshold, the
ORC will not illuminate the PAD indicator light even
though the airbag is turned OFF.
•Your vehicle has fourWeight Sensorslocated within
the seat structure or between the seat tracks and
cushion frame. The weight sensors measure applied
weight and transfers that information to the OCM.
•TheSide Impact SRS Window Bagsare designed to
activate only in certain side collisions. When the ORC
(with side impact option) detects a collision requiring
the window bags to 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
forcefully inflates in about one quarter of the time it
takes to blink your eye. Make sure you are seated and
belted properly and do not position items in the areawhere the window bag inflates. This especially applies
to children. The window bag is only about 3-1/2
inches (9 cm) thick when it is inflated.
•TheKnee Impact Bolstershelp protect the knees of
the driver and the front passenger, and position every-
one for the best interaction with the front airbag.
•The front passenger seat assembly contains critical
components that affect the front passenger airbag
deployment. Correctly functioning front passenger
seat components are critical for the Occupant Classifi-
cation System (OCS) to properly classify the front
passenger and calculate the proper airbag deploy-
ment. Do not make any modifications to the front
passenger seat components, assembly, or to the seat
cover. The following requirements must be strictly
adhered to:
•Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or
components in any way.
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NOTE:A frontal collision that is not severe enough to
need airbag protection will not activate the system. This
does not mean something is wrong with the airbag system.
If you do have a collision which deploys the airbags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•The nylon airbag material may sometimes cause abra-
sions and/or skin reddening to the driver and front
passenger as the airbags deploy and unfold. The
abrasions are similar to friction rope burns or those
you might get sliding along a carpet or gymnasium
floor. They are not caused by contact with chemicals.
They are not permanent and normally heal quickly.
However, if you haven’t healed significantly within a
few days, or if you have any blistering, see your doctor
immediately. As the airbags deflate you may see some
smoke-like particles. The particles are a normal by-
product of the process that generates the nontoxic gas
used for airbag inflation. These airborne particles mayirritate the skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin
or eye irritation, rinse the area with cool water. For
nose or throat irritation, move to fresh air. If the
irritation continues, see your doctor. If these particles
settle on your clothing, follow the garment manufac-
turer’s instructions for cleaning.•It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have deployed. If you are involved in another
collision, the airbags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the airbags,
seat belt pretensioners, and the front passenger seat
belt retractor assembly, replaced by an authorized
dealer as soon as possible. Also, have the Occupant
Classification System serviced as well.
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WARNING!
Whenever an airbag is turned off, even a lap/
shoulder belted passenger may hit their head, neck,
or chest on the dashboard (instrument panel) or
windshield in a crash. This may result in serious
injury or death.
NOTE:The Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch is not
available in the Quad Cab.
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•Airbag deployment level (if applicable)
•Seatbelt status
•Brake status (service and parking brakes)
•Accelerator status (including vehicle speed)
•Engine control status (including engine speed)
•Cruise control status
•Traction/stability control status
Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time - babies and children, too. Every state in the United
States and all Canadian provinces require that small
children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the law,
and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it. Children 12
years and under should ride properly buckled up in arear seat, if available. According to crash statistics, chil-
dren are safer when properly restrained in the rear seats
rather than in the front.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult seat belt. Always check the child seat
owner’s manual to ensure you have the right seat for
your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your child:
Infants and Small Children
•
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward facing: infant
carriers andconvertiblechild seats.
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•The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg).Convertiblechild seats can be
used either rearward-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rearward-facing direction than
infant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) but are
less than one year old. Both types of child restraints are
held in the vehicle by the seatbelt or the LATCH child
restraint anchorage system. (See the LATCH - Child
Seat Anchorage System section.)
•Rearward-facing child seats mustNEVERbe used in
the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger airbag
that does not have a switch to turn the airbag Off. An
airbag deployment could cause severe injury or death
to infants in this position.Older Children and Child Restraints
•Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who
are older than one year can ride forward-facing in the
vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and convertible
child seats used in the forward-facing direction are for
children who weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg), and are
older than one year old. These child seats are also held
in the vehicle by the seatbelt or the LATCH child
restraint anchorage system. (See the LATCH - Child
Seat Anchorage System section.)
•The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weigh-
ing more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small
to fit the vehicle’s seat belts properly. If the child
cannot sit with knees bent over the seat cushion while
the child’s back is against the seatback, they need a
belt-positioning booster seat. The child and booster
seat are held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt.
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Children Too Large for Booster Seats
•Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder
belt comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to
bend over the front of the seat when their back is
against the seat back should use the lap/shoulder belt
in a rear seat.
•Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
•The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
•Check belt fit periodically. A child’s squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position.
•If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. Never allow a
child to put the shoulder belt under an arm.
For additional information, refer to www.seatcheck.org.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
•A rearward facing infant restraint should only be
used in a rear seat of a vehicle that does not have
an airbag off switch. A rearward facing infant
restraint in the front seat may be struck by a
deploying passenger airbag which may cause se-
vere or fatal to the infant.
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Here are some tips for getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. The manufacturer recommends that you
try a child restraint in the vehicle seats where you will
use it before you buy it.
•The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
•The Club Cab first and Club/Quad Cab second row
outside seating positions have cinching latch plates.
These are designed to keep the lap portion tight
around the child restraint so that it is not necessary touse a locking clip. If the seat belt has a cinching latch
plate, pulling up on the shoulder portion of the
lap/shoulder belt will tighten the belt. The cinching
latch plate will keep the belt tight, however, any seat
belt system will loosen with time, so check the belt
occasionally and pull it tight if necessary.
•Buckle the child into the restraint exactly as the
manufacturer’s instructions tell you.
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
LATCH - Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren)
Each vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

provides for the installation of the child restraint without
using the vehicle’s seat belts, instead securing the child
restraint using lower anchorages and upper tether straps
from the child restraint to the vehicle structure. LATCH-
compatible child restraint systems are now available.
However, because the lower anchorages are to be intro-
duced over a period of years, child restraint systems
having attachments for those anchorages will continue to
also have features for installation using the vehicle’s seat
belts. Child restraints having tether straps and hooks for
connection to the top tether anchorages have been avail-
able for some time. For some older child restraints, many
child restraint manufacturers offer add-on tether strap
kits or retro-fit kits. You are urged to take advantage of all
the available attachments provided with your child re-
straint in any vehicle.Club Cab
•The Club Cab front and rear right (if equipped with a
rear seat) passenger seating positions have lower
anchorages for LATCH equipped child restraints.
Quad Cab
•The Quad Cab second row seat has lower anchorages
that are capable of accommodating LATCH-
compatible child seats having flexible, webbing-
mounted lower attachments at all three seating posi-
tions. Child seats with fixed lower attachments must
be installed in the outboard positions only. Regardless
of the specific type of lower attachment, NEVER install
LATCH compatible child seats such that two seats
share a common lower anchorage. If you are installing
LATCH-compatible child restraints in adjacent rear
seating positions, you can use the LATCH anchors or
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the vehicle’s seat belt for the outboard position, but
you must use the vehicle’s seat belt at the center
position.
If your child restraints are not LATCH compatible, you
can only install the child restraints using the vehicle’s
seat belts. Please refer to the next section for typical
installation instructions.
Installing the LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
System
We urge that you carefully follow the directions of the
manufacturer when installing your child restraint. Not all
child restraint systems will be installed as described here.
Again, carefully follow the installation instructions that
were provided with the child restraint system. The rear
seat lower anchorages are round bars, located at the rear
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat
Belt
The passenger seat belts are equipped with either cinch-
ing latch plates or automatic locking retractors, which are
designed to keep the lap portion tight around the child
restraint so that it should not be necessary to use a
locking clip. If the seat belt has a cinching latch plate,
pulling up on the shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder
belt will tighten the belt. The cinching latch plate will
keep the belt tight; however, any seat belt system will
loosen with time, so check the belt occasionally and pull
it tight if necessary. If the seat belt has an automatic
locking retractor, it will have a distinctive label. Pull the
belt from the retractor until there is enough to allow you
to pass through the child restraint and slide the latch
plate into the buckle. Then, pull the belt until it is all
extracted from the retractor. Allow the belt to return to
the retractor, pulling on the excess webbing to tighten the
lap portion about the child restraint. For automaticlocking retractor seat belts, refer toAutomatic Locking
Modeearlier in this section. If you have trouble tighten-
ing the lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because
the buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path
opening on the restraint, follow these steps. If the buckle
is webbing mounted, disconnect the latch plate from the
buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt to shorten it.
Insert the latch plate into the buckle with the release
button facing out. If the belt still can’t be tightened, the
buckle is not webbing mounted, or if by pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, you may need
to do something more. Disconnect the latch plate from
the buckle, turn the latch plate around, and insert the
latch plate into the buckle again. If you still can’t make
the child restraint secure, try a different seating position
or use the locking clip provided with your child restraint.
See the sectionChild Restraint Tether Anchorto com-
plete the child seat installation.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE