warning DODGE VIPER 2008 ZB II / 2.G User Guide

WARNING!
²It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these
areas are more likely to be injured seriously or killed.
²Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and seat belts.
²Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
seat belt properly.
²Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat belts
are designed to go around the large bones of your body.
These are the strongest parts of your body and can take
the forces of a collision the best.
²Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make your
injuries in a collision much worse. You might suffer
internal injuries, or you could even slide out of part of
the belt. Follow these instructions to wear your seat belt
safely and to keep your passengers safe, too.
²Two people should never be belted into a single seat belt.
People belted together can crash into one another in an
accident, hurting one another badly. Never use a lap/
shoulder belt or a lap belt for more than one person, no
matter what their size.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and
adjust the seat.
2. The seat belt latch plate is located at the side of your
seat back. Grasp the latch plate and pull out the belt.
Latch Plate (Convertible Shown)
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3. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as far as necessary
to make the belt go around your lap.
4. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a ªclick.ºWARNING!
²A belt that is buckled into the wrong buckle will not
protect you properly. The lap portion could ride too
high on your body, possibly causing internal injuries.
Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.
²A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well. In
a sudden stop, you could move too far forward, increas-
ing the possibility of injury. Wear your seat belt snugly.
²A belt that is worn under your arm is very dangerous.
Your body could strike the inside surfaces of the
vehicle in a collision, increasing head and neck injury.
A belt worn under the arm can cause internal injuries.
Ribs aren't as strong as shoulder bones. Wear the belt
over your shoulder so that your strongest bones will
take the force in a collision.
²A shoulder belt placed behind you will not protect
you from injury during a collision. You are more likely
to hit your head in a collision if you do not wear your
shoulder belt. The lap and shoulder belt are meant to be
used together.
Latch Plate To Buckle (Convertible Shown)
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 33
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5. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull up
a little on the shoulder belt, as shown.
6. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight, lift up on the
shoulder belt and pull on the lap belt. A snug belt reduces
the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision.WARNING!
²A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
internal injury in a collision. The belt forces won't be
at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your
abdomen. Always wear the lap belt as low as pos-
sible and keep it snug.
²A twisted belt can't do its job as well. In a collision,
it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt is straight.
If you can't straighten a belt in your vehicle, take it to
your dealer and have it fixed.
7. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retractor
will withdraw any slack in the belt.
Removing Slack From Belt (Convertible Shown)
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8. To release the belt, push the red button in the buckle.
The belt will retract automatically to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow it to retract fully.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision and
leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt system
periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately. Do
not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted lap/
shoulder belt.
1. Position the latch plate as close as possible to the
anchor point.
2. At about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) above the latch
plate, grasp and twist the belt webbing 180É to create a
fold that begins immediately above the latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing.
The folded webbing must enter the slot at the top of the
latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the
folded webbing.
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Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder System (BeltAlertT)
If the driver does not buckle their seat belt and vehicle
speed exceeds 5 mph (8 km/h), or if the passenger does
not buckle their seat belt within 10 seconds of vehicle
speed exceeding 5 mph (8 km/h), the Enhanced Warning
System (Belt Alert) will alert the occupant(s) to buckle
their seat belt(s). Once triggered, the Enhanced Warning
System (Belt Alert) will flash the Seat Belt Reminder light
and chime for up to 96 seconds to alert the occupant(s) to
buckle their seat belt(s). If the driver unbuckles their seat
belt while vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h),
or if the passenger unbuckles their seat belt for more than
10 seconds while vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8
km/h), the Enhanced Warning System (Belt Alert) will
reactivate.
BeltAlerttProgramming
The Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlertt) can be en-
abled or disabled by your authorized dealer or by
performing the following steps:NOTE:DaimlerChrysler does not recommend deacti-
vating the Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlertt).
1. Close all doors.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
3. Buckle the driver's seat belt.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position, but
do not start the engine. Wait for the Seat Belt Reminder
light to turn off and then proceed to the next step.
NOTE:You must perform the following steps within 60
seconds of turning the ignition switch to the ON/RUN
position.
5. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
ON/RUN position, unbuckle and then re-buckle the
driver's seat belt at least three times within 10 seconds,
ending with the seat belt buckled.
36 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:Watch for the Seat Belt Reminder light to turn on
while unbuckling the seat belt and turn off while re-
buckling the seat belt. It may be necessary to retract the
seat belt.
6. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have com-
pleted the programming successfully.
The Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlertt) can be reac-
tivated by repeating this procedure.
NOTE:When the Enhanced Warning System
(BeltAlertt) is deactivated, the Seat Belt Reminder light
will continue to illuminate as long as the driver's seat belt
or the passenger's seat belt is unbuckled.Automatic Locking Mode
The seat belts for both occupants are equipped with
emergency locking retractors for normal use. Emergency
locking retractors activate during very sudden stops or
impacts. The passenger seat belt in your vehicle can also
be converted to an automatic locking retractor to secure
child restraint systems. Seat belts equipped with auto-
matic locking retractors have a distinctive label on the
webbing.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
To convert the passenger seat belt from emergency lock-
ing mode to automatic locking mode, grasp the shoulder
portion of the belt and pull all of the webbing out of the
retractor. Then, allow some of the webbing to retract back
into the retractor. As the belt retracts, you will hear a
clicking sound indicating that the belt is now in auto-
matic locking mode.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37
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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 portion 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 extended fully, your
dealer can provide you with a seat belt extender. This
extender should only be used if the existing belt is not
long enough. When it is not required, remove the ex-
tender, 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.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
2

Driver and Passenger Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) - Airbag
This vehicle is equipped with airbags for the driver and
passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver airbag is mounted in the steering
wheel. The passenger airbag is mounted underneath a
cover in the passenger's side of the instrument panel. The
words SRS/AIRBAG is embossed on the airbag covers.
NOTE:The airbags are certified to the Federal regula-
tions that allow less forceful deployment. The passenger
airbag is certified to the Federal regulations that define
Occupant Classification (Refer to ªHow The Airbag Sys-
tem Worksº in this section).
The airbags have a multi stage inflator design. This may
allow the airbag to have different rates of inflation that
are based on collision severity and occupant size.
WARNING!
²Do not put anything on or around the airbag covers or
attempt to open them manually. 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.
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 serious injury.
Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back, extending your
arms comfortably to reach the steering wheel or instru-
ment panel.
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5. Never allow a child to place the shoulder belt behind
them or under the arm.
6. Never allow a child to lean forward toward the
instrument panel as a passenger airbag deployment
could cause severe injury or death to a child in this
position.
7. For a child from 1 to 12 years old: Move the passenger
seat as far back as possible. For a child from 20 to 60
pounds (9 kg to 27 kg): Secure them in the appropriate
child safety seat or booster seat. If too large for a booster
seat, the child should wear the lap/shoulder belt prop-
erly.
8. Read the instructions provided with your child re-
straint to make sure that you are using it properly.
9. Read the instructions provided with your child safety
seat or booster seat to make sure that you are using it
properly.10. All occupants should wear their lap and shoulder
belts properly.
11. Position the driver seat and passenger seat as far
away from the instrument panel as practical to allow the
airbags room to inflate. Note that the power adjustable
pedals allow for more driver's seat adjustment options.
Refer to ªAdjustable Pedalsº in Section 3 of this manual
for details.
Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
²Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
²Airbag Warning Light
²Driver Airbag
²Passenger Airbag
²Passenger Airbag Off Light
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The ORC turns on the Airbag warning light
and Passenger Airbag Disable (PAD) indica-
tor light 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 and
the PAD indicator light will function normally (Refer to
ªPassenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Lightº in
this section). If the ORC detects a malfunction in any
part of the system, it turns on the Airbag warning light
either momentarily or continuously. A single chime will
sound if the light comes on again after initial start up.
WARNING!
Ignoring the Airbag Warning Light in your instrument
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 Airbag/Inflator Unitis mounted in the
steering wheel. ThePassenger Airbag/Inflator Unitis
mounted underneath a cover in the passenger side of
the instrument panel. When the ORC detects a colli-
sion requiring the airbags, it signals the inflator units.
A large quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate
the airbags. Different airbag inflation rates may be
possible based on collision severity and occupant size.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right
side of the instrument panel separate and then fold out
of the way, as the bags inflate to their full size. The
bags inflate fully in about 50±70 milliseconds. This is
about half of the time it takes to blink your eyes. The
bags then deflate quickly while helping to restrain the
driver and passenger. The airbag gas is vented toward
the instrument panel through vent holes in the airbag
material. In this way, the airbags do not interfere with
your control of the vehicle.
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE