belt JEEP COMPASS 2009 1.G Owners Manual

Failure to use driver and passenger seat beltsprovided
is a major cause of severe or fatal injury. In fact, the U.S.
government notes that the universal use of existing seatbelts could cut the highway death toll by 10,000 or more
each year and could reduce disabling injuries by two
million annually. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a person wearing
a seat belt. Always buckle up.
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
Consult the Table of Contents to determine which section
contains the information you desire.
The detailed index at the back of this Owner’s Manual
contains a complete listing of all subjects.
Consult the following table for a description of the
symbols that may be used on your vehicle or throughout
this Owner’s Manual:
Rollover Warning Label
INTRODUCTION 5
1

▫Remote Key Unlock, Driver Door/All First
Press .............................. 21
▫Illuminated Approach — If Equipped....... 22
▫To Lock The Doors And Liftgate........... 22
▫Sound Horn With Remote Key Lock........ 22
▫Flash Lights With Remote Key Lock/Unlock . . 23
▫Using The Panic Alarm................. 24
▫Programming Additional Transmitters....... 24
▫General Information.................... 24
▫RKE Transmitter Battery Replacement....... 25
Door Locks........................... 26
▫Manual Door Locks.................... 26
▫Power Door Locks..................... 27▫Child-Protection Door Lock System
(Rear Doors) — If Equipped.............. 31
Power Windows — If Equipped............ 32
▫Power Window Switches................ 32
▫Auto Down.......................... 33
▫Window Lockout Switch................ 34
Liftgate.............................. 34
Occupant Restraints..................... 36
▫Lap/Shoulder Belts.................... 37
▫Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage . . . 42
▫Second Row Center Lap/Shoulder Belt
Operating Instructions.................. 42
▫Seat Belt Pretensioners.................. 46
10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

▫Enhanced Driver Seat Belt Reminder System
(BeltAlert).......................... 46
▫Seat Belt Extender..................... 47
▫Seat Belts And Pregnant Women........... 48
▫Driver And Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag............ 48
▫Event Data Recorder (EDR).............. 58
▫Child Restraint....................... 60Engine Break-In Recommendations.......... 68
Safety Tips............................ 69
▫Exhaust Gas......................... 69
▫Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle............................. 69
▫Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle.................... 70
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 11
2

Gas props support the liftgate in the open position.
However, because the gas pressure drops with tempera-
ture, it may be necessary to assist the props when
opening the liftgate in cold weather.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. These include the front
and rear seat belts for the driver and all passengers, front
airbags for both the driver and front passenger and if
equipped, side airbags for both the driver and front
passenger. If you will be carrying children too small for
adult-size seat belts, your seat belts or the LATCH feature
also, can be used to hold infant and child restraint
systems.
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.
WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buckled
up. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or other
passengers, or you can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Always be sure you and others in your vehicle are
buckled up properly.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and 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, and 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
36 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.Everyonein a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All the seats in your vehicle are equipped with Lap/
Shoulder Belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
normal conditions. But in a collision, the belt will lock
and reduce the risk of you striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
•It 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 seri-
ously injured or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
•Wearing 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.
(Continued)
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37
2

WARNING! (Continued)
•Wearing 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 pas-
sengers safe, too.
•Two 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 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 above the back of the front
seat, next to your arm. Grasp the latch plate and pull out
the belt. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as far as
necessary to allow the belt to go around your lap.Pulling Out The Latch Plate
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”WARNING!
•A 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.
•A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well.
In a sudden stop you could move too far forward,
increasing the possibility of injury. Wear your seat
belt snugly.
(Continued)
Inserting Latch Plate Into Buckle
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
2

WARNING! (Continued)
•A belt that is worn under your arm is very danger-
ous. 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.
•A 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.4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull up
on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight,
tilt the latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug belt
reduces the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision.
Positioning Lap Belt
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•A 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
possible and keep it snug.
•A 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 authorized dealer and have
it fixed.
5. 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.6. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle.
The belt will automatically retract to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the belt 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.).
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41
2

Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front seat, the shoulder belt can be adjusted
upward or downward to position the belt away from
your neck. Push the anchorage button to release the
anchorage, and move it up or down to the position that
fits you best.As a guide, if you are shorter than average you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average
you’ll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
Second Row Center Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating
Instructions
The second row center lap/shoulder belt features a
three-point seat belt with a mini-latch and buckle, which
allows the shoulder belt to detach from the lower anchor
when the seat is folded. The mini-buckle and shoulder
belt can then be stored out of the way in the right side
trim panel for added convenience.
Adjustable Anchorage
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE