warning DODGE JOURNEY 2009 1.G Owner's Manual

8. Do not lean against the door, as the supplemental side
curtain airbags and supplemental front seat mounted
side airbags will inflate forcefully into the space between
you and the door.
9. 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 theIf
You Need Customer Assistance section.WARNING!
•Relying 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.
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during airbag deployment could cause seri-
ous injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back,
comfortably extending your arms to reach the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
•Supplemental side curtain airbags and supple-
mental front seat mounted side airbags also need
room to inflate. Do not lean against the door or
window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
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Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•Side Remote Pressure and Acceleration Sensors
•Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Airbag
•Front Passenger Airbag
•Supplemental Side Curtain Airbags
•Supplemental Front Seat Mounted Side Airbags
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Interconnecting Wiring
•Seat Belt Reminder Light
•Knee Impact Bolsters
•Front Acceleration Sensors
•Front Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioners
•Front Seat Track Position Sensors
How the Airbag System Works
•
TheOccupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the
airbags to inflate. If airbags are required, the ORC
determines the necessary rate of airbag inflation for
that event.
•The ORC determines if a side impact is severe enough
to deploy the supplemental side curtain airbag and
supplemental front seat mounted side airbag.
•The ORC detects rollover.
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•The ORC and other systems monitor the readiness of
the electronic components whenever the ignition
switch is in the START or ON position. These include
all of the items listed above except the knee impact
bolsters, the instrument panel, and the steering wheel
and column. Furthermore, the airbag system is not
active if the key is in the LOCK position, the ACC
position, or not in the ignition.
•The ORC commands Airbag Warning Light
operation. The Airbag Warning Light in the
instrument panel turns on for four to six
seconds as a self-check when the ignition is
first turned on. After the self-check, the light will turn
off. If the ORC detects a malfunction in any part of the
system, the light will turn on until the malfunction is
corrected. 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.
•The Driver and Front Passenger Airbag/Inflator
Units are located in the center of the steering wheel
and the passenger’s side of the instrument panel.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the air-
bags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity of
nontoxic 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 passenger’s side of the instrument
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WARNING!
Unapproved modifications or service procedures to
the front seat assembly, its related components, or
seat cover may inadvertently change the airbag de-
ployment in case of a frontal crash. This could result
in death or serious injury to the driver or front seat
passenger if the vehicle is involved in an accident. A
modified vehicle may not comply with required
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
If a Deployment Occurs
The airbag system is designed to deploy when the ORC
detects a moderate to severe collision to help restrain the
driver and front passenger and then to immediately
deflate.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 that 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.
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•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 may irritate 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 manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for cleaning.
•It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have been 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 pretensioner, and seat belt retractor assem-
bly 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 communication network intact, and the
power intact, the Enhanced Accident Response System
performs the following functions:
•Cuts off fuel to the engine.
•Flashes hazard lights.
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•Turns on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power or until the ignition key is
removed.
•Unlocks the doors automatically.
NOTE: The interior lights can only be deactivated if the
key is removed from the ignition switch or the vehicle is
driven.
Maintaining Your Airbag System
WARNING!
•Modifications 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’s side of the instrument panel.
Do not modify the front bumper, vehicle body
structure, or frame.
•You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee impact bolster.
•It 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.
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NOTE:Perchlorate Material — special handling may
apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Airbag Warning Light
You will want to have the airbags ready to
inflate for your protection in an impact. While
the airbag system is designed to be mainte-
nance free, if any of the following occurs, have an
authorized dealer service the system promptly:
•The Airbag Warning Light does not come on or flickers
during the four to six seconds when the ignition
switch is first turned ON.
•The light remains on or flickers after the four to six
second interval.
•The light flickers or comes on and remains on while
driving.
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
In the event of an accident, your vehicle is designed to
record up to five seconds of specific vehicle data param-
eters (see the following list) in an event data recorder
prior to the moment of airbag deployment, or near
deployment, and up to a quarter second of high-speed
deceleration data during and/or after airbag deploy-
ment. EDR data are ONLY recorded if an airbag deploys,
or nearly deploys, and are otherwise unavailable.
NOTE:
1. A near-deployment event occurs when the airbag
sensor detects severe vehicle deceleration usually indica-
tive of a crash, but not severe enough to warrant airbag
deployment.
2. Under certain circumstances, EDR data may not be
recorded (e.g., loss of battery power).
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Data Parameters that May Be Recorded:
•Diagnostic trouble code(s) and warning light status for
electronically-controlled safety systems, including the
airbag system
•Airbag disable light status (if equipped)
•Timeof airbag deployment (in terms of ignition
cycles and vehicle mileage)
•Airbag deployment level (if applicable)
•Impact acceleration and angle
•Seat belt status
•Brake status (service and parking brakes)
•Accelerator status (including vehicle speed)
•Engine control status (including engine speed)
•Transaxle gear selection
•Cruise control status
•Traction/stability control status
•Tire Pressure Monitoring System status (if equipped)
Child Restraint
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 and younger 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.
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WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a missile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap could
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.
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 correct seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child.
Infants and Child Restraints
•
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old andweigh 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 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 lap/shoulder belt or the
LATCH child restraint anchor system. Refer to
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NOTE:The lap portion of the seat belt should be low on
the hips and as snug as possible.
6. Once the seat belt is long enough to fit properly, insert
the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
7. To remove the slack from the lap belt, pull upward on
the shoulder portion of the seat belt. 8. To release the seat belt, push the red button on the
buckle.
WARNING!
Be certain that the seat cushion is locked securely
into position before using the seat. Otherwise, the
seat will not provide the proper stability for child
seats and/or passengers. An improperly latched seat
cushion could cause serious injury.
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
seatback should use the lap/shoulder belt in a rear seat.
•Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
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