belt DODGE DURANGO 2011 3.G Owner's Manual

instrument panel, above the glove compartment. The
words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the air bag covers.
NOTE:These air bags are certified to the new Federal
regulations for Advanced Air Bags. The Advanced Front Air Bags have a multistage inflator
design. This allows the air bag to have different rates of
inflation based on the severity and type of collision.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/or front
passenger seat track position sensors that may adjust the
inflation rate of the Advanced Front Air Bags based upon
seat position.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front
passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whether
the driver or front passenger seat belt is fastened. The
seat belt buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the
Advanced Front Air Bags.
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Side Air Bag
Inflatable Curtains (SABIC) to protect the driver, front,
and rear passengers sitting next to a window. The SABIC
air bags, are located above the side windows and their
covers are also labeled: SRS AIRBAG.
Advanced Front Air Bag And Knee Bolster Locations
1 — Driver And Passenger Advanced Front Air Bags
2 — Knee Bolster
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Seat-
Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB) to provide enhanced
protection for an occupant during a side impact. The
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags are located in
the outboard side of the front seats.
NOTE:
•Air Bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
•After any accident, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Air Bag System Components
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following air bag
system components:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•Air Bag Warning Light
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Knee Impact Bolster
•Driver Advanced Front Air Bag
•Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
•Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB)
•Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABIC)
•Front and Side Impact Sensors
•Front Seat Belt Pretensioners, Seat Belt Buckle Switch,
and Seat Track Position Sensors
•Supplemental Active Head Restraint for Driver and
Front Passenger
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 69

Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Air Bags work with the knee bolsters to provide im-
proved protection for the driver and front passenger. Side
air bags also work with seat belts to improve occupant
protection.
Air Bag Deployment Sensors And Controls
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
TheORC is part of a Federally regulated safety system
required for this vehicle.
The ORC determines if deployment of the front and/or
side air bags in a frontal or side collision is required.
Based on the impact sensor’s signals, a central electronic
ORC deploys the Advanced Front Air Bags, SABIC air
bags, Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags, and
front seat belt pretensioners, as required, depending on
the severity and type of impact. Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat belts in
certain frontal collisions depending on the severity and
type of collision. Advanced Front Air Bags are not
expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or
rollover collisions.
The Advanced Front Air Bags will not deploy in all
frontal collisions, including some that may produce sub-
stantial vehicle damage — for example, some pole colli-
sions, truck underrides, and angle offset collisions. On
the other hand, depending on the type and location of
impact, Advanced Front Air Bags may deploy in crashes
with little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a
severe initial deceleration.
The side air bags will not deploy in all side collisions.
Side air bag deployment will depend on the severity and
type of collision.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration
over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are
not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should
have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all acci-
dents, and also are needed to help keep you in position,
away from an inflating air bag.
The ORC monitors the readiness of the electronic parts of
the air bag system whenever the ignition switch is in the
START or ON/RUN position. If the key is in the OFF
position, in the ACC position, or not in the ignition, the
air bag system is not on and the air bags will not inflate.
The ORC contains a backup power supply system that
may deploy the air bags even if the battery loses power or
it becomes disconnected prior to deployment.Also, the ORC turns on the Air Bag Warning
Light in the instrument panel for approxi-
mately four to eight seconds for a self-check
when the ignition is first turned on. After the
self-check, the Air Bag Warning Light will turn off. If the
ORC detects a malfunction in any part of the system, it
turns on the Air Bag Warning Light, either momentarily
or continuously. A single chime will sound if the light
comes on again after initial startup.
It also includes diagnostics that will illuminate the instru-
ment cluster Air Bag Warning Light if a malfunction is
noted that could affect the air bag system. The diagnos-
tics also record the nature of the malfunction.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75

Based on the severity and type of collision, the side air
bag inflator on the crash side of the vehicle may be
triggered, releasing a quantity of non-toxic gas. The
inflating SAB exits through the seat seam into the space
between the occupant and the door. The SAB fully inflate
in about 10 milliseconds. The side air bag moves at a very
high speed and with such a high force that it could injure
you if you are not seated properly, or if items are
positioned in the area where the side air bag inflates. This
especially applies to children.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC) Inflator Units
During collisions where the impact is confined to a
particular area of the side of the vehicle, the ORC may
deploy the SABIC air bags, depending on the severity
and type of collision. In these events, the ORC will
deploy the SABIC only on the impact side of the vehicle.A quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the
SABIC. The inflating SABIC pushes the outside edge of
the headliner out of the way and covers the window. The
SABIC inflates in about 30 milliseconds (about one-
quarter of the time that 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 SABIC inflates. This especially applies to
children. The SABIC is only about 3-1/2 in (9 cm) thick
when it is inflated.
Because air bag sensors estimate deceleration over time,
vehicle speed and damage are not good indicators of
whether or not an air bag should have deployed.
NOTE:
In a rollover the pretensioners and/or SAB and
SABIC air bags may deploy on both sides of the vehicle.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77

If you do have a collision which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•The nylon air bag material may sometimes cause
abrasions and/or skin reddening to the driver and
front passenger as the air bags 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 air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air
bag inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the
skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye
irritation, rinse the area with cool water. For nose orthroat irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation
continues, see your doctor. If these particles settle on
your clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s in-
structions for cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have de-
ployed. If you are involved in another collision, the air
bags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags,
seat belt pretensioners, and the front seat belt retrac-
tor assemblies replaced by an authorized dealer im-
mediately. Also, have the Occupant Restraint Con-
troller (ORC) system serviced as well.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

•Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts
were buckled/fastened;
•How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
•How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of
the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no per-
sonal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location)
are recorded. However, other parties, such as law en-
forcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a
crash investigation. To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed.
In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties,
such as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have access to the
vehicle or the EDR.
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time, including babies and children. 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 or under should ride properly buckled
up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seats rather than in the front.
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety 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.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a projectile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap can
become so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child’s
size.
Infants And Child Restraints
•
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 and convertible child seats.
•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). 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
lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH child restraint an-
chorage system. Refer to Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH).
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83

WARNING!
•Rearward-facing child seats must never be used in
the front seat of a vehicle with the front passenger
air bag unless the air bag is turned off. An air bag
deployment could cause severe injury or death to
infants in this position.
•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. A rearward-facing infant re-
straint in the front seat may be struck by a deploy-
ing passenger air bag which may cause severe or
fatal injury to the infant.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. Chrysler Group LLC also 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 second row seating positions are equipped with
automatic locking retractors (ALR). To install child
restraint seats pull the belt from the retractor until
there is enough allowance to pass it through the child
84 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

restraint and slide the latch plate into the buckle. Then,
pull the shoulder belt until it is fully extended from the
retractor. Allow the belt to return into the retractor,
pulling on the excess webbing to tighten the lap
portion around the child restraint. For additional
information, refer toAutomatic Locking Retractors
Mode earlier in the Occupant Restraints Section of the
owners’ manual.
•Buckle the child into the restraint exactly as the
manufacturer’s instructions tell you.
WARNING!
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 accident, it could strike the occupants
or seatbacks and cause serious personal injury. NOTE: For additional information, refer to
www.seatcheck.org or call 1–866–SEATCHECK. Cana-
dian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s web-
site for additional information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/
roadsafety/safedrivers/childsafety/index.htm
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 who are older
than one year. These child seats are also held in the
vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH child
restraint anchorage system. Refer to Lower Anchors and
Tether for CHildren (LATCH).
The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weighing
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
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 85