child seat JEEP GLADIATOR 2023 Owner's Manual

312SAFETY
Lighter Weight Passengers (Including Small Adults)
When a lighter weight passenger, including a small
adult, occupies the passenger seat, the Passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag may be deactivated.
Therefore, the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag may or may not be activated for a lighter weight
passenger, including a small adult (depending on
size) who is seated in the passenger seat. This
does not mean that the OCS is working improperly.
The driver and passenger must always use the PAD
Indicator Light as a determination of whether the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag is activated or
deactivated. If the PAD Indicator Light is
illuminated with the words “PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF” when an adult is in the front passenger seat,
have the passenger reposition his or her body in
the seat until the PAD Indicator Light goes out.
If the PAD Indicator Light is illuminated with the
words “PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF” the Passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag will not inflate in the event
of a collision.
Do Not Decrease OR Increase The Front
Passenger’s Seated Weight On The Front
Passenger Seat
The front passenger’s seated weight must be
properly positioned on the front passenger seat.
Failure to do so may result in serious injury or
death. The OCS determines the most probable
classification of the occupant that it detects. The
OCS will detect the front passenger’s decreased or
increased seated weight, which may result in
deactivation or activation of the Passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag in a collision. This does not
mean that the OCS is working improperly.
Decreasing the front passenger’s seated weight on the front passenger seat may result in deactivation
of the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag causing
serious injury or death. Increasing the front
passenger’s seated weight on the front passenger
seat may result in activation of the Passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag. Examples of improper
front passenger seating include:
The front passenger’s weight is transferred to
another part of the vehicle (like the door, arm
rest or instrument panel).
The front passenger leans forward, sideways, or
turns to face the rear of the vehicle.
The front passenger’s seatback is not in the full
upright position.
The front passenger carries or holds an object
while seated (e.g., backpack, box, etc.).
Objects are lodged under the front passenger
seat.
Objects are lodged between the front passenger
seat and center console.
Accessories that may change the seated weight
on the front passenger seat are attached to the
front passenger seat.
Anything that may decrease or increase the
front passenger’s seated weight.
WARNING!
If the PAD Indicator Light remains illuminated
for an adult passenger, have an authorized
dealer service the air bag system immediately.
Failure to do so may cause serious injury or
death. If the PAD Indicator Light is illuminated
with the words "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF,"
the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag will not
deploy in the event of a collision.
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.
Children 12 years or younger should always
ride buckled up in the rear seat of a vehicle
with a rear seat.

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SAFETY313
The OCS determines the front passenger’s most
probable classification. If an occupant in the front
passenger seat is seated improperly, the occupant
may provide an output signal to the OCS that is
different from the occupant’s properly seated
weight input, for example:

Not Seated Properly
Not Seated Properly Not Seated Properly
Not Seated Properly

The Air Bag Warning Light will illuminate
whenever the OCS is unable to classify the front
passenger seat status.
A malfunction in the OCS may affect the operation
of the air bag system. If the Air Bag Warning
Light does not come on, or stays on after you
WARNING!
If a child restraint system, child, small teen -
ager or adult in the front passenger seat is
seated improperly, the occupant may provide
an output signal to the OCS that is different
from the occupant’s properly seated weight
input. This may result in serious injury or death
in a collision.
Always wear your seat belt and sit properly,
with the seatback in an upright position, your
back against the seatback, sitting upright,
facing forward, in the center of the seat, with
your feet comfortably on or near the floor.
Do not carry or hold any objects (e.g., back -
packs, boxes, etc.) while seated in the front
passenger seat. Holding an object may
provide an output signal to the OCS that is
different than the occupant’s properly seated
weight input, which may result in serious injury
or death in a collision.6

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SAFETY315
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs).
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs)
are located in the outboard side of the front seats.
The SABs are marked with a “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 occupant
injury during certain side impacts, in addition to
the injury reduction potential provided by the seat
belts and body structure.

Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label

When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on the
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.
Side Impacts
The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in
certain 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 Bags 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
collisions, 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
restraint system. Side Air Bags deploy in less time
than it takes to blink your eyes.
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.
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 appro
-
priate) are necessary for your protection in all
collisions. They also help keep you in position,
away from an inflating Side Air Bag. To get the
best protection from the Side Air Bags, occu -
pants 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.
6

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318SAFETY
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 oper -
ating;
Whether or not the driver and passenger safety
belts were buckled/fastened;
How far (if at all) the driver was pressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE:EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving condi -
tions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender,
age, and crash location) are recorded. However,
other parties, such as law enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment 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 properly
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 accidentally
or may not function properly if modifications are
made. Take your vehicle to an authorized 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
authorized dealer.

WARNING!
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.

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SAFETY319
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 that 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: https://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 Age Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and ToddlersChildren who are two years old or younger and who
have not reached the height or weight limits of their
child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible Child
Restraint, facing rearward in a rear seat of the
vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who have
outgrown the height or weight limit of their
rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a five-point
Harness, facing forward in a rear seat of the
vehicle
Larger Children Children who have outgrown their forward-facing
child restraint, but are too small to properly fit the
vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the vehicle seat
belt, seated in a rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who have
outgrown the height or weight limit of their booster
seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in a rear seat of the
vehicle
6

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320SAFETY
(Continued)
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
vehicle. 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
forward-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 not transport a
rear-facing child restraint in that vehicle.
WARNING!
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 manufac
-
turer’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.

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SAFETY321
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. Can the child sit all the way back against the
back of the vehicle seat?

2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat while the child is
still sitting all the way back? 3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s
shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and not the
stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was “no”,
then 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.
Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
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.
Restraint Type
Combined Weight of the
Child + Child Restraint Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below
LATCH – Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt Only LATCH – Lower
Anchors + Top Tether Anchor Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lb (29.5 kg) XX
Rear-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lb (29.5 kg) X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lb (29.5 kg)
XX
Forward-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lb (29.5 kg)
X
6

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322SAFETY
Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren
(LATCH)

LATCH Label
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint
anchorage system called LATCH, which stands for
Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The
LATCH system has three vehicle anchor points for
installing LATCH-equipped child seats. There are
two lower anchorages located at the back of the
seat cushion where it meets the seatback and one
top tether anchorage located behind the seating
position. These anchorages are used to install
LATCH-equipped child seats without using the
vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating positions may
have a top tether anchorage but no lower
anchorages. In these seating positions, the seat
belt must be used with the top tether anchorage to
install the child restraint. Please see the following
table for more information.
LATCH Positions For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle

LATCH Positions

Lower Anchorage Symbol
(2 Anchorages Per Seating Position)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

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SAFETY323
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
What is the weight limit (child’s weight + weight of the child
restraint) for using the LATCH anchorage system to attach the child
restraint? 65 lb (29.5 kg)Use the LATCH anchorage system until the combined weight of the
child and the child restraint is 65 lb (29.5 kg). Use the seat belt
and tether anchor instead of the LATCH system once the combined
weight is more than 65 lb (29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the seat belt be used together to
attach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint? NoDo not use the seat belt when you use the LATCH anchorage
system to attach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Booster seats may be attached to the LATCH anchorages if allowed
by the booster seat manufacturer. See your booster seat owner’s
manual for more information.
Can a child seat be installed in the center position using the inner
LATCH lower anchorages from the outboard seating positions? YesYou can install child restraints with flexible lower anchors in the
center position. The inner anchorages are 19.2 inches (488 mm)
apart. Do not install child restraints with rigid lower anchors in the
center position.
Can two child restraints be attached using a common lower LATCH
anchorage? NoNever “share” a LATCH anchorage with two or more child restraints.
If the center position does not have dedicated LATCH lower
anchorages, use the seat belt to install a child seat in the center
position next to a child seat using the LATCH anchorages in an
outboard position.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch the back of the front
passenger seat? YesThe child seat may touch the back of the front passenger seat if the
child restraint manufacturer also allows contact. See your child
restraint owner’s manual for more information.
Can the rear head restraints be removed? YesThe center head restraint can be removed if it interferes with the
installation of the child restraint Ú
page 48.
6

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324SAFETY
Locating The LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round bars
that are found at the rear of the seat
cushion where it meets the seatback,
adjacent to the anchorage symbols on
the seatback. They are just visible when you lean
into the rear seat to install the child restraint. You
will easily feel them if you run your finger along the
gap between the seatback and seat cushion.

LATCH Anchorages

Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages
located behind each of the rear seats.
Tether Strap Anchorages

LATCH-compatible child restraint systems will be
equipped with a rigid bar or a flexible strap on each
side. Each will have a hook or connector to attach
to the lower anchorage and a way to tighten the
connection to the anchorage. Forward-facing child
restraints and some rear-facing child restraints will
also be equipped with a tether strap. The tether
strap will have a hook at the end to attach to the
top tether anchorage and a way to tighten the strap
after it is attached to the anchorage.
Center Seat LATCH
Do not install child restraints with rigid lower
attachments in the center seating position. Only
install this type of child restraint in the outboard
seating positions. Child restraints with flexible,
webbing mounted lower attachments can be
installed in any rear seating position. Always follow the directions of the child restraint
manufacturer when installing your child restraint.
Not all child restraint systems will be installed as
described here.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint
If the selected seating position has a Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) seat belt, stow
the seat belt, following the instructions below.
Ú
page 325 to check what type of seat belt each
seating position has.

1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on the tether strap of the child seat so that
you can more easily attach the hooks or
connectors to the vehicle anchorages.

WARNING!
Never use the same lower anchorage to attach
more than one child restraint. If you are
installing LATCH-compatible child restraints next
to each other, you must use the seat belt for the
center position. You can then use either the
LATCH anchors or the vehicle’s seat belt for
installing child seats in the outboard positions.
Please Ú page 324 for typical installation
instructions.

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