DODGE STRATUS COUPE 2004 2.G Owners Manual

WARNING!
²Do not sit on the edge of the seat or lean your head
or chest close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel. Do not put your feet or legs on or against
the instrument panel.
²Seat all infants and children 12 years of age and
under in the rear seat properly restrained using an
appropriate child restraint system.
WARNING!
²Infants and small children should never ride
unrestrained, or lean against the instrument
panel. They should never ride held in your arms
or on your lap. They could be seriously injured or
killed in a collision, especially when the air bag
inflates. Children should be properly seated in
the rear seat in an appropriate child restraint
system. Refer to ``Child Restraints'' on page 76.
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WARNING!
²REAR- FACING CHILD RESTRAINTS must
NOT be used in the front passenger seat as it
places an infant too close to the passenger air bag.
The force of an inflating air bag could kill or cause
serious injuries to the child.
Rear-facing child restraints must only be used in
the rear seat.
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Air bag cover
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WARNING!
²FRONT- FACING CHILD RESTRAINTS should
be used in the rear seat whenever possible. If they
must be used in the front passenger seat, move the
seat to the full rear position. Failure to do so could
kill or cause serious injuries to the child.
²Older children up to and including 12 year olds,
should be seated in the rear seat with their seat
belt properly worn and with an appropriate
booster seat if needed.
How the Supplemental Restraint System works
The SRS includes the following components:
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1. Air bag module (Driver)
2. Air bag module (Passenger)
3. Air bag control unit (including the front impact sen-
sors)
4. SRS warning light5. Side air bag modules (if so equipped)
6. Side impact sensors (if so equipped)
The air bag control unit monitors the readiness of the
electronic parts of the system whenever the ignition
switch is in the ``ON'' or ``START'' position. These
include all of the items listed above and all related
wiring.
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The air bags will operate only when the ignition switch is
in the ``ON'' or ``START'' position.
When an impact sensor detects a front or side impact of
sufficient force, it automatically ignities materials in the
module inflator which generate gas and inflates the
appropriate air bags.
NOTE:A collision that is not severe enough to need
airbag protection will not activate the system. This does
not mean something is wrong with the air bag system.
Deployment of the air bags produces a sudden, loud
noise and releases some smoke and powder. This is not
dangerous and does not indicate a fire in the vehicle.
People with breathing problems may feel some tempo-
rary irritation from chemicals used to inflate the bags. If
irritation continues see your doctor. You may open the
windows after air bags inflates, if it is safe to do so.
After deployment, the air bags deflate very rapidly, so
there is little danger of not being able to see. The time
between the sensors first detecting an impact and the air
bags deflating after deployment is shorter than a blink of
an eye.
WARNING!
²Air bags inflate very quickly and with great force.
In certain situations, contact with an inflating air
bag may cause small cuts, abrasions, and bruises.
Driver 's and passenger 's front air bag system
Driver
Front passenger
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WARNING!
²Do not attach anything to the steering wheel's
padded cover, such as trim material, badges, etc.
These could strike and injure an occupant if the
air bag inflates.
WARNING!
²Do not set anything on, or attach anything to, the
instrument panel above the glove compartment. Such
items could strike and injure an occupant if the air
bag inflates.
²Do not mount or locate any aftermarket equipment
on or behind the knee bolsters.
²Do not attach accessories to, or put them in front of,
the windshield. They could restrict the air bag infla-
tion, or strike and injure an occupant, when the air
bag inflates.
²Do not put packages, pets or other objects between the
air bags and either the driver or the front passenger.
This could affect air bag performance, or could cause
severe or even fatal injury when the air bag inflates.
²Right after air bag inflation, several parts of the air
bag system will be hot. Do not touch them. You could
be burned.
²The air bag system is designed to work only once.
After the air bags deploy, they will not work again.
They must promptly be replaced and the entire air
bag system inspected by an authorized dealer.
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Side air bag system (if so equipped)
The side air bags (A) are contained in the driver and front
passenger seatbacks.A label is attached to the seatbacks in vehicles with side
air bags.
The side air bag is designed to inflate only on the side of
the vehicle that is hit.
Because the side air bags do not protect the occupants in
all types of collisions, be sure to always wear your seat
belts properly.
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WARNING!
²The side air bags are designed to supplement the
driver and front passenger seat belts in certain
side impacts. Seat belts should always be worn
properly, and the driver and front passenger
should sit well back and upright in their seats
without leaning against the window or door.
WARNING!
²The side air bag inflates with great force. In order
to reduce the risk of serious or possibly fatal
injury when the air bag is inflating, the driver and
front passenger should not put their arms out in
the windows or lean against the doors.
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WARNING!
²In order to reduce risk of injury from a deploying
side air bag, do not allow any rear seat passengers
to hold onto the back of either front seat. Special
care should be taken with children.
²Do not place any objects near or around the front
of either front seatback. Such objects could inter-
fere with proper side air bag inflation, and could
also cause injury if thrown by the deployment of
the side air bag.
²Do not place stickers, labels or additional trim on
the back of either front seat. It could interfere
with proper side air bag inflation.
²Do not install seat covers on seats with side air
bags. Do not re-cover the seats that have side air
bags. Covers could interfere with proper side air
bag inflation.
WARNING!
²Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the front
passenger seat. Rear-facing child restraints MUST
ONLY be used in the rear seat. Forward-facing child
restraints should also be used in the rear seat. If a
forward-facing child restraint must be used in the front
passenger seat, move the seat as far back as possible,
and make sure that the child stays in the child restraint
and away from the door.
Do not allow the child to lean against or close to the
passenger door even if the child is seated in a child
restraint system. The child's head should also not lean
against or be close to the section of the seatback where
the side air bag is located. It is dangerous if the side air
bag inflates. Failure to follow all of these instructions
could lead to serious or fatal injury to the child.
²Work done around and on the side air bag system
components should only be done by an authorized
dealer. Improper work methods could cause an acci-
dental side air bag deployment, or could make a side
air bag inoperable. Either of these situations could
result in serious injury. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has air bags.
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SRS warning light
There is a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) warning
light on the instrument panel. The system checks itself
each time the ignition is turned on and the light indicates
if there is a problem.
When the ignition key is turned to the ``ON'' or ``START''
position, the warning light should come on for several
seconds and then go out. This means the system isworking properly. The SRS warning light is shared by the
driver 's air bag, the front passenger 's air bag, and the
optional side air bags.
The air bags will operate only when the ignition switch is
in the ``ON'' or ``START'' position
WARNING!
²If any of the following conditions occur, the SRS
is not working properly and you should immedi-
ately have it inspected by an authorized dealer;
²The SRS warning light does not illuminate
when you start the vehicle.
²The SRS warning light does not go out after
several seconds.
²The SRS warning light comes on while driving.
SRS servicing
The entire SRS must be inspected by an authorized dealer
10 years after the vehicle's manufacture date as shown on
the certification label located on the center pillar of the
vehicle, on the driver's side.
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