child seat DODGE JOURNEY 2020 User Guide

SAFETY 121
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
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.

Here are some simple steps you can take to
mi

nimize the risk of harm from a deploying air bag:

1. C hildren 12 years old and under should
a
lways ride buckled up in the rear seat of a
vehicle with a rear seat.

2. A child who is not big enough to wear the
v
ehicle seat belt properly (Refer to “Child
Restraints” in this section for further
information) must be secured in the
appropriate child restraint or belt-positioning
booster seat in a rear seating position.

3. I f a child from 2 to 12 years old (not in a
r
ear-facing child restraint) must ride in the
front passenger seat, move the seat as far
back as possible and use the proper child
restraint (Refer to “Child Restraints” in this
section for further information). 4. N
ever allow children to slide the shoulder
b
elt behind them or under their arm.
5. Y ou should read the instructions provided
w
ith your child restraint to make sure that
you are using it properly.
6. A ll occupants should always wear their lap
a
nd shoulder belts properly.
7. T he driver and front passenger seats should
b
e moved back as far as practical to allow
the front air bags room to inflate.
8. D o not lean against the door or window.
I
f your vehicle has side air bags, and
d e

ployment occurs, the side air bags will
inflate forcefully into the space between
occupants and the door and occupants
could be injured.
9. I f the air bag system in this vehicle needs to
b
e modified to accommodate a disabled
person, refer to the “Customer Assistance”
section for customer service contact
information.
SEAT BELT SYSTEMS
Buckle up even though you are an excellent
driver, even on short trips. Someone on the road
may be a poor driver and could cause a collision
that includes you. This can happen far away
from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives,
an
d they can reduce the seriousness of injuries
in a collision. Some of the worst injuries happen
when people are thrown from the vehicle. Seat
belts reduce the possibility of ejection and the
risk of injury caused by striking the inside of the
vehicle. Everyone in a motor vehicle should be
belted at all times.
WARNING!

Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front
of an air bag. A deploying passenger front air
bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a
rear-facing child restraint.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat. If the vehicle
does not have a rear seat, do not transport a
rear-facing child restraint in that vehicle.

4

SAFETY 127
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women

Seat Belts And Pregnant Women

Seat belts must be worn by all occupants
i n

cluding pregnant women: the risk of injury in
the event of an accident is reduced for the
mother and the unborn child if they are wearing
a seat belt.
Position the lap belt snug and low below the
ab
domen and across the strong bones of the
hips. Place the shoulder belt across the chest
and away from the neck. Never place the
shoulder belt behind the back or under the arm.
Seat Belt Pretensioner
The front outboard seat belt system is equipped
with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt in the event of
a collision. These devices may improve the
performance of the seat belt by removing
slack from the seat belt early in a collision.
P r

etensioners work for all size occupants,
including those in child restraints.
NOTE:
These devices are not a substitute for proper
se
at belt placement by the occupant. The seat
belt still must be worn snugly and positioned
properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the
Oc
cupant Restraint Controller (ORC). Like the
air bags, the pretensioners are single use items.
A deployed pretensioner or a deployed air bag
must be replaced immediately.
Energy Management Feature — If
Equipped
The front outboard seat belt system is equipped
and the second row outboard seat belt system
may be equipped with an Energy Management
feature that may help further reduce the risk of
injury in the event of a collision. The seat belt system has a retractor assembly that is
designed to release webbing in a controlled
manner.
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR) — If Equipped
The seat belts in the passenger seating
positions may be equipped with a Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) which is
used to secure a child restraint system.

For additional information, refer to “Installing
C h

ild Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat Belt”
under the “Child Restraints” section of this
manual. The figure below illustrates the locking
feature for each seating position.

ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (T

hird Row Shown — If Equipped)

4

128 SAFETY
If the passenger seating position is equipped
with an ALR and is being used for normal usage,
only pull the seat belt webbing out far enough

to comfortably wrap around the occupant’s
m i

d-section so as to not activate the ALR. If the
ALR is activated, you will hear a clicking sound
as the seat belt retracts. Allow the webbing
to retract completely in this case and then
c a

refully pull out only the amount of webbing
necessary to comfortably wrap around the
occupant’s mid-section. Slide the latch plate
into the buckle until you hear a "click."
In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder belt is
au
tomatically pre-locked. The seat belt will still
retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt.
Use the Automatic Locking Mode anytime a
child restraint is installed in a seating position
that has a seat belt with this feature. Children
12 years old and under should always be
properly restrained in the rear seat of a vehicle
with a rear seat. How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode

1. B
uckle the combination lap and shoulder
b
elt.

2. G rasp the shoulder portion and pull
d
ownward until the entire seat belt is
extracted.
3. A llow the seat belt to retract. As the seat
b
elt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound.
This indicates the seat belt is now in the
Automatic Locking Mode. How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt
a
n

d allow it to retract completely to disengage
the Automatic Locking Mode and activate the
vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.WARNING!

Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front
of an air bag. A deploying passenger front air
bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a
rear-facing child restraint.

Never install a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
r e

ar-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
n o

t transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.
WARNING!
The seat belt assembly must be replaced if
the switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) feature or any other seat belt function
is not working properly when checked
according to the procedures in the Service
Manual.
Failure to replace the seat belt assembly
could increase the risk of injury in colli -
sions.
Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode to
restrain occupants who are wearing the
seat belt or children who are using booster
seats. The locked mode is only used to
install rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraints that have a harness for
restraining the child.

132 SAFETY
(Continued)
(Continued)

Front Air Bag/Knee Bolster Locations

Driver And Passenger Front Air Bag
Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has
multistage driver and front passenger air bags.
This system provides output appropriate to the
severity and type of collision as determined
by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
w h

ich may receive information from the front
impact sensors (if equipped) or other system
components. The first stage inflator is triggered immediately
d
u

ring an impact that requires air bag
deployment. A low energy output is used in less
severe collisions. A higher energy output is used
for more severe collisions.
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 buckled. The seat belt buckle switch
may adjust the inflation rate of the Advanced
Front Air Bags.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/or
f r

ont passenger seat track position sensors that
may adjust the inflation rate of the Advanced
Front Air Bags based upon seat position.
1 — Driver And Passenger Front Air Bags
2 — Passenger Knee Impact Bolster
3 — Driver Knee Impact Bolster/Supplemental
Dr

iver Knee Air Bag
WARNING!
Being too close to the steering wheel or
instrument panel during front air bag
deployment could cause serious injury,
including death. Air bags need room to
inflate. Sit back, comfortably extending
your arms to reach the steering wheel or
instrument panel.
Never place a rear-facing child restraint in
front of an air bag. A deploying passenger
front air bag can cause death or serious
injury to a child 12 years or younger,
including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
n o

t transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.
WARNING! (Continued)
WARNING!

No objects should be placed over or near the
air bag on the instrument panel or steering
wheel because any such objects could cause
harm if the vehicle is in a collision severe
enough to cause the air bag to inflate.

134 SAFETY
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side
Air Bags (SABs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
S e

at-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs).
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags
( S

ABs) are located in the outboard side of the
front seats. The SABs are marked with “SRS
AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” on a label or on the seat
trim on the outboard side of the seats.
The SABs may help to reduce the risk of
oc
cupant injury during certain side impacts,
in addition to the injury reduction potential
p r

ovided by the seat belts and body structure.

Front Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on
t
h

e outboard side of the seatback’s trim cover.
The inflating SAB deploys through the seat
seam into the space between the occupant and
the door. The SAB moves at a very high speed
and with such a high force that it could injure
occupants if they are not seated properly, or if
items are positioned in the area where the SAB
inflates. Children are at an even greater risk of
injury from a deploying air bag.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
( S

ABICs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
S i

de Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
( S

ABICs) are located above the side windows.
The trim covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS
AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG.”
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC)
La
bel Location

SABICs may help reduce the risk of head and
o t

her injuries to front and rear seat outboard
occupants in certain side impacts, in addition to
the injury reduction potential provided by the
seat belts and body structure.
The SABIC deploys downward, covering the side
wi
ndows. An inflating SABIC pushes the outside
edge of the headliner out of the way and covers
the window. The SABICs inflate with enough
force to injure occupants if they are not belted
and seated properly, or if items are positioned
in the area where the SABICs inflate. Children
are at an even greater risk of injury from a
deploying air bag.
WARNING!
Do not use accessory seat covers or place
objects between you and the Side Air Bags;
the performance could be adversely affected
and/or objects could be pushed into you,
causing serious injury.

SAFETY 135
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial
or complete ejection of vehicle occupants
through side windows in certain side impact
events. Side Impacts

The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in
c
e

rtain side impacts. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) determines whether the
deployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular
impact event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. The side impact
sensors aid the ORC in determining the
appropriate response to impact events.
The system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air
B a

gs on the impact side of the vehicle during
impacts that require Side Air Bag occupant
protection. In side impacts, the Side Air Bags
deploy independently; a left side impact deploys
the left Side Air Bags only and a right-side impact
deploys the right Side Air Bags only. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of
whether or not Side Air Bags should have
deployed.

The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side
c o

llisions, including some collisions at certain
angles, or some side collisions that do not
impact the area of the passenger compartment.
The Side Air Bags may deploy during angled or
offset frontal collisions where the front air bags
deploy. Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt
r
e

straint system. Side Air Bags deploy in less
time than it takes to blink your eyes.
WARNING!
Do not mount equipment, or stack luggage
or other cargo up high enough to block the
deployment of the SABICs. The trim
covering above the side windows where the
SABIC and its deployment path are located
should remain free from any obstructions.
In order for the SABICs to work as intended,
do not install any accessory items in your
vehicle which could alter the roof. Do not
add an aftermarket sunroof to your vehicle.
Do not add roof racks that require perma -
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for
i n

stallation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill
into the roof of the vehicle for any reason.
WARNING!
Occupants, including children, who are up
against or very close to Side Air Bags can be
seriously injured or killed. Occupants,
including children, should never lean on or
sleep against the door, side windows, or
area where the side air bags inflate, even if
they are in an infant or child restraint.
Seat belts (and child restraints where
appropriate) are necessary for your protec -
tion in all collisions. They also help keep
y o

u in position, away from an inflating Side
Air Bag. To get the best protection from the
Side Air Bags, occupants must wear their
seat belts properly and sit upright with their
backs against the seats. Children must be
properly restrained in a child restraint or
booster seat that is appropriate for the size
of the child.
4

SAFETY 139
Event Data Recorder (EDR)

This vehicle is equipped with an event data
recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like
situations, such as an air bag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in
understanding how a vehicle’s systems
performed. The EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems
for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record
such data as:

How various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
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
u n

derstanding of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE:
EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
no
n-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data (e.g., name,
gender, age, and crash location) are recorded.
However, other parties, such as law enforce -
ment, could combine the EDR data with the type
o f

personally identifying data routinely acquired
during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
e q

uipment 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
equipment, 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
at all times, including babies and children. Every
state in the United States, and every Canadian
province, requires that small children ride in
proper restraint systems. This is the law, and
you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride
p
r

operly 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.

Do not attempt to modify any part of your air
bag system. The air bag may inflate acciden -
tally or may not function properly if modifica -
tions are made. Take your vehicle to an
a u

thorized dealer for any air bag system
service. If your seat, including your trim cover
and cushion, needs to be serviced in any way
(including removal or loosening/tightening
of seat attachment bolts), take the vehicle to
an authorized dealer. Only manufacturer
approved seat accessories may be used. If it
is necessary to modify the air bag system for
persons with disabilities, contact an autho -
rized dealer.

WARNING! (Continued)
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can
become a projectile 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 or
killed. Any child riding in your vehicle should
be in a proper restraint for the child’s size.
4

140 SAFETY
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
make sure you have the correct seat for your
child. Carefully read and follow all the
instructions and warnings in the child restraint
Owner’s Manual and on all the labels attached
to the child restraint. Before buying any restraint system, make sure
th
at it has a label certifying that it meets all
applicable Safety Standards. You should also
make sure that you can install it in the vehicle
where you will use it. NOTE:
For additional information, refer to
http://
www.nhtsa.gov/parents-and-caregivers or
call: 1 –888–327–4236
Canadian residents should refer to Transport
Canada’s website for additional information:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/road/
child-car-seat-safety.html
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or AgeRecommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and ToddlersChildren who are two years old or younger and
w
h

o have not reached the height or weight limits
of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible Child
Re
straint, facing rearward in a rear seat of the
vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who
h
a

ve outgrown the height or weight limit of their
rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a five-point
Ha
rness, facing forward in a rear seat of the
vehicle
Larger Children Children who have outgrown their forward-facing
c
h

ild restraint, but are too small to properly fit
the vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the vehicle
s
e
at belt, seated in a rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who have
o
u

tgrown the height or weight limit of their
booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in a rear seat of the
v
e
hicle

SAFETY 141
Infant And Child Restraints

Safety experts recommend that children ride
rear-facing in the vehicle until they are two years
old or until they reach either the height or weight
limit of their rear-facing child restraint. Two types
of child restraints can be used rear-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats.

The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the
ve

hicle. It is recommended for children from
birth until they reach the weight or height limit of
the infant carrier. Convertible child seats can be
used either rear-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a
higher weight limit in the rear-facing direction
than infant carriers do, so they can be used
rear-facing by children who have outgrown their
infant carrier but are still less than at least two
years old. Children should remain rear-facing
until they reach the highest weight or height
allowed by their convertible child seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child seat
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 are over two years old or who
have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height
limit of their rear-facing convertible child seat.
Children should remain in a forward-facing child
seat with a harness for as long as possible, up
to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.

All children whose weight or height is above the
f o

rward-facing limit for the child seat should use
a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s
seat belts fit properly. If the child cannot sit with
knees bent over the vehicle’s seat cushion while
the child’s back is against the seatback, they
should use a belt-positioning booster seat. The
child and belt-positioning booster seat are held in
the vehicle by the seat belt.

WARNING!

Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front
of an air bag. A deploying passenger front air
bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a
rear-facing child restraint.

Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
n o

t transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not install a rear-facing car seat using a
rear support leg in this vehicle. The floor of
this vehicle is not designed to manage the
crash forces of this type of car seat. In a
crash, the support leg may not function as it
was designed by the car seat manufacturer,
and your child may be more severely injured
as a result.
4

142 SAFETY
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 seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple
5-step test to decide whether the child can use
the vehicle’s seat belt alone:

1. C an the child sit all the way back against
t
he back of the vehicle seat?

2. D o the child’s knees bend comfortably over
t
he front of the vehicle seat – while the child
is still sitting all the way back?
3. D oes the shoulder belt cross the child’s
s
houlder between the neck and arm?
4. I s the lap part of the belt as low as possible,
t
ouching the child’s thighs and not the
stomach?
5. C an the child stay seated like this for the
w
hole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was “no,”
t
h

en the child still needs to use a booster seat in
this vehicle. If the child is using the lap/shoulder
belt, check seat belt fit periodically and make
sure the seat belt buckle is latched. 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, or use a booster seat to position the seat
belt on the child correctly.
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 child restraint
manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
After a child restraint is installed in the
vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat
forward or rearward because it can loosen
the child restraint attachments. Remove
the child restraint before adjusting the
vehicle seat position. When the vehicle seat
has been adjusted, reinstall the child
restraint.
When your child restraint is not in use,
secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or
LATCH anchorages, 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.
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt
under an arm or behind their back. In a crash,
the shoulder belt will not protect a child
properly, which may result in serious injury or
death. A child must always wear both the lap
and shoulder portions of the seat belt
correctly.