DODGE MAGNUM 2008 1.G Workshop Manual

How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap and shoulder belt and
allow it to retract completely to disengage the automatic
locking mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emer-
gency) locking mode.
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.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is too short, even when fully extended, and
when the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage (if so
equipped) is in its lowest position, your dealer can
provide you with a seat belt extender. This extender
should be used only if the existing belt is not long
enough. When it is not required, remove the extender,
and store it.
WARNING!
Using a seat belt extender when not needed can
increase the risk of injury in a collision. Only use
when the seat belt is not long enough when it is worn
low and snug, and in the recommended seating
positions. Remove and store the extender when not
needed.
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Driver and Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag
This vehicle has front airbags for both the driver and
front passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver's airbag is mounted in the center of
the steering wheel. The passenger's front airbag is
mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove com-
partment. The words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the
airbag covers.
NOTE:The front airbags are certified to the Federal
regulations that allow less forceful deployment.
The front airbags have a multistage inflator design. This
may allow the airbag to have different rates of inflation
that are based on collision severity.
Front Airbag Components
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
²Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured because
the airbags are no longer functional. These protective
covers for the airbag cushions are designed to open
only when the airbags are inflating.
²Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee bolster in
any way.
²Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizens band radios etc.
This vehicle may also be equipped with supplemental
side curtain airbags to protect the driver and passengers
sitting next to a window and/or supplemental front-seat-
mounted side airbags.If the vehicle is equipped with supplemental side curtain
airbags, they are located above the side windows. Their
covers are also labeled SRS AIRBAG.
NOTE:Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim; but they will open to allow airbag deployment.Window Airbag
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If the vehicle is equipped with supplemental front-seat-
mounted side airbags, they are marked with an SRS label
sewn into the outboard side of the seat.WARNING!
²If your vehicle is equipped with supplemental front-seat-
mounted side airbags, do not use accessory seat covers or
place objects between you and the seat airbags; the per-
formance could be adversely affected and/or objects could
be pushed into you, causing serious injury.
²If your vehicle is equipped with supplemental front-seat-
mounted side airbags, do not attach cup holders or any
other objects on or around the door. The inflating seat
airbag could drive the object into occupants, causing
serious injury.
²If your vehicle is equipped with supplemental side curtain
airbags, do not stack luggage or other cargo up high
enough to block the location of the side curtain airbag.
The area where the side curtain airbag is located should
remain free from any obstructions.
²If your vehicle is equipped with supplemental side curtain
airbags, do not have any accessory items installed which
will alter the roof, including adding a sunroof to your
vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require permanent
attachments (bolts or screws) for installation on the ve-
hicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the vehicle for any
reason.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:Do not use a clothing bar mounted to the coat
hooks in this vehicle. A clothing bar will impede the
proper performance of the curtain airbags.
Along with the seat belts, front airbags work with the
instrument panel knee bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger. Side curtain
and seat airbags also work with seat belts to improve
occupant protection.
While the seat belts are designed to protect you in many
types of collisions, the front airbags will deploy in
moderate to severe frontal collisions. For vehicles so
equipped, the supplemental side curtain airbag and
front-seat-mounted side airbag on the crash side of the
vehicle will also trigger in moderate to severe side
collisions. However, even in collisions where the airbags
deploy, you need the seat belts to keep you in the correct
position for the airbags to protect you properly.Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1. Children 12 years old and under should ride buckled
up in the rear seat.
2. Infants in rear-facing child restraints shouldNEVER
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front
airbag. An airbag deployment could cause severe injury
or death to infants in that position.
3. Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle
seat belt properly (refer to information on Child Restraint
in this section) should be secured in the rear seat in child
restraints or belt-positioning booster seats.
4. Older children who do not use child restraints or
belt-positioning booster seats should ride properly buck-
led up in the rear seat. Never allow children to slide the
shoulder belt behind them or under their arm.
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5.If a child from 1 to 12 years old must ride in the front
passenger seat because the vehicle is crowded, move the seat
as far back as possible, and use the proper child restraint
(refer to information on Child Restraint in this section).
6. You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
7. All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
8. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbags time to inflate.
9. If your vehicle has supplemental side curtain airbags
and/or supplemental front-seat-mounted side airbags,
do not lean against the door, airbags will inflate forcefully
into the space between you and the door.
10. 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 the9If
You Need Customer Assistance9section in this manual.
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 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.
²If the vehicle has side curtain airbags, they also
need room to inflate. Do not lean against the door
or window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Air Bag System Components
The 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)
²Supplemental Front-Seat-Mounted Side Airbags (if
equipped)
²Steering Wheel and Column
²Instrument Panel
²Interconnecting Wiring
²Seat Belt Reminder Light
²Knee Impact Bolsters
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. The ORC will not
detect roll over.
²For vehicles so equipped, The ORC also determines if
a side impact is severe enough to deploy the supple-
mental side curtain airbag and/or supplemental front-
seat-mounted side airbag as required for each type of
impact.
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²The 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 they will
not inflate.
²The 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 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.
²TheDriver and Front Passenger Airbag/Inflator
Unitsare located in the center of the steering wheel
and the passenger side of the instrument panel. When
the ORC detects a collision requiring the airbags, 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 colli-
sion severity. The steering wheel hub trim cover, and
the upper passenger side of the instrument panel
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

separate and fold out of the way, as the bags inflate to
their full size. The bags fully inflate in about 50 - 70
milliseconds. This is about half of the time that it takes
to blink your eyes. The bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front passenger. The
driver's front airbag gas is vented through vent holes
in the sides of the airbag. The passenger's front airbag
gas is vented through vent holes in the sides of the
airbag. In this way, the airbags do not interfere with
your control of the vehicle.
²TheKnee Impact Bolstershelp protect the knees of
the driver and the front passenger, and position every-
one for the best interaction with the front airbag.
²TheSupplemental Side Impact SRS Side Curtain
Airbagsare designed to activate only in certain side
collisions. When the ORC (with side impact option)
detects a collision requiring the side curtain airbag to
inflate, it signals the inflators on the crash side of thevehicle. A quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to
inflate the side curtain airbag. The inflating side cur-
tain airbag pushes the outside edge of the headliner
out of the way and covers the window. The airbag
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 side curtain airbag inflates. This especially applies
to children. The side curtain airbag is only about 3-1/2
inches (9 cm) thick when it is inflated.
²TheSupplemental Front-Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
are designed to activate only in certain side collisions.
When the ORC (with side impact option) detects a
collision requiring the front-seat-mounted side airbag
to inflate, it signals the inflators on the crash side of the
vehicle. A quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to
inflate the front-seat-mounted side airbag. The inflat-
ing front-seat-mounted side airbag pushes through the
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seam in the seat's trim cover and opens into the space
between the occupant and the door. The airbag inflates
at a very high speed and with enough force to injure
you if you are not belted and seated properly, or if
items are positioned in the area where the front-seat-
mounted side airbag inflates. This especially applies to
children.
The following requirements must be strictly adhered to:
²Do not make any modifications to the front seat
components, assembly, or to the seat cover in any
way.
²Do not use prior or future model year seat covers
not designated for the specific model being re-
paired. Always use the correct seat cover specified
for the vehicle.
²Do not replace the seat cover with an aftermarket
seat cover.
²Do not add a secondary seat cover other than those
approved by DaimlerChrysler/Mopar.t
²At no time should any supplemental restraint sys-
tem (SRS) component or SRS related component or
fastener be modified or replaced with any part
except those which are approved by
DaimlerChrysler/Mopar.t
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).
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE