Chrysler Crossfire (2008 year). Instruction — part 3

side of the vehicle is not fastened. This also does not
mean something is wrong with your airbag system.

If you do have a collision which deploys the airbags, any
or all of the following may occur:

• The nylon airbag material may sometimes cause abra-

sions and/or skin reddening to the driver and passen-
ger as the airbags deploy and unfold. The abrasions
are similar to friction rope burns or those you might
get sliding along a carpet or gymnasium floor. They
are not caused by contact with chemicals. They are not
permanent and normally heal quickly. However, if you
haven’t healed significantly within a few days, or if
you have any blistering, see your doctor immediately.

• As the airbags deflate, you may see some smoke-like

particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the nontoxic nitrogen gas used
for airbag inflation. These airborne particles may irri-
tate the skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or

eye irritation, rinse the area with cool water. For nose
or throat irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation
continues, see your doctor. If these particles settle on
your clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s in-
structions for cleaning.

• It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the

airbags have been deployed. If you are involved in
another collision, the airbags will not be in place to
protect you.

How the Side Impact Airbag System Works

• The side impact airbags are located in the doors above

the armrest.

• The ORC determines if a side impact is severe enough

to require the airbag on the side of the vehicle sub-
jected to an impact. As with the frontal system, the
sensors are connected to the diagnostic unit and the
airbag/inflator units.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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• When a side impact above a predetermined threshold

occurs, the sensors signal the inflator on the impacted
side of the vehicle. A large quantity of nontoxic
nitrogen gas is generated to inflate the airbag. The
door panel opens to allow the airbag to inflate to its
full size.

WARNING!

• Do not put anything on or around the airbag

covers or attempt to instructionly open them. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are not there to protect you.
These protective covers are designed to open only
when the airbags are inflated.

• Do not attach cup holders or any other objects on

or around the door. The inflating side airbag could
drive the objects into occupants, causing serious
injury.

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

• The operational readiness of the side airbag system is

verified by the airbag indicator light in the instrument
cluster when turning the key in the ignition switch to
the ON/RUN position. If no fault is detected, the light
will go out after approximately four seconds. After the
light goes out, the system continues to monitor the
components and circuitry of the airbag system and
will indicate a malfunction by coming on again. If the
light does not come on at all, or if it fails to go out after
the four seconds, or if it comes on thereafter, a mal-
function in the system has been detected. See your
authorized dealer for service.

WARNING!

• The door mounted side airbag deploys with consid-

erable force. Being too close to the door panel during
airbag deployment could cause serious injury or
death.

• All occupants must be in the appropriate restraint for

their size and age, especially children 12 and under.

• To help avoid the potential for serious injury and

death should the side airbag be activated, please
follow these guidelines:

1. Occupants, especially children, should never lean
against the door in the area where the side airbag
inflates;

2. Occupants need to sit upright in the center of the seat
to give the side airbag room to inflate;

3. Always use the appropriate restraint for the occupant
and ensure it is properly used.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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How the Occupant Classification System (OCS)
System Works
The Occupant Classification System (OCS) will classify
an occupant in the front passenger seat into a size
category based on sensor readings from within the seat
cushion. Occupants should try to remain in a normally
seated position. If the occupant’s weight is transferred to
another object in the vehicle (i.e. feet on the dashboard),
the OCS may not be able to properly approximate
occupant size. Furthermore, the occupant size may ap-
pear to increase or decrease due to objects hanging on the
seat, other passengers pushing on the seat, or objects
lodged underneath the seat. If there is a rapid change in
temperature or humidity, the OCS may not be able to
properly approximate occupant size. If your seat includ-
ing your trim cover and cushion needs to be serviced in
any way, take the vehicle to your authorized dealer. Only
manufacturer approved seat accessories may be used. If
there is a fault present in the system, the AIRBAG

warning light will light indicating that you should take
the vehicle to an authorized dealer. In the presence of an
occupant in the passenger seat, if both the Passenger
Airbag Disable (PAD) indicator light (located in the
center console) and AIRBAG warning light (located in
the instrument cluster) are illuminated the airbag will be
disabled. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) will
not allow front airbag deployment in the event of a
collision for occupants classified into the empty or child
size categories. The PAD indicator light will illuminate
indicating that the Passenger Airbag is OFF when the
OCS has determined that the occupant size category is a
child. Also, when the seat is empty or an object that
weighs less than a predetermined threshold is placed on
the seat, the light will remain OFF. (The PAD indicator
light is an amber light located in the center console.) For
almost all sizes of properly seated adults, the passenger
frontal airbag will be enabled in the event of a collision.
For small teenagers and some small adults, depending on

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

size, the airbag may or may not be enabled in the event
of a collision. Both drivers and passengers should always
use the PAD indicator light as an indication if the front
passenger is properly positioned or not. If the PAD
indicator light comes on when an adult is in the passen-
ger seat, have the passenger re-position themselves in the
seat until the light goes out. Remember, if the PAD
indicator light is illuminated the passenger front airbag
will not inflate. For most children properly seated on the
front seat and most properly installed child restraint
systems, the airbag will be disabled and the PAD indica-
tor light will be on. However, under certain conditions
even with the child restraint system has been installed
properly, the PAD indicator light may not be on even
though the air bag is disabled. This can occur if the child
restraint is lighter than the threshold weight necessary to
turn the PAD indicator light on. If this happens to you,
you can check to ensure the airbag is disabled by
performing the following simple procedure. Place the

ignition key in the RUN position and apply downward
pressure to the child restraint on the surface that the child
will be sitting on. Slowly count to 10 and watch the PAD
indicator light. The PAD indicator light should turn on.
When you release the pressure, the PAD indicator light
may stay on or may turn off but the airbag is disabled. If
at all possible, place children 12 years and younger in a
back seat.

The following requirements must be strictly adhered to:

• Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or

components in any way.

• Do not modify the front seat center console or center

position seat in any way.

• Do not use prior or future model year seat covers not

designated for the specific model being repaired.

• Always use the correct seat cover specified for the

vehicle.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

45

2

• Do not replace the seat cover with an aftermarket seat

cover.

• Do not add a secondary seat cover other than those

approved by DaimlerChrysler/Mopar

t.

• At no time should any supplemental restraint system

(SRS) component or SRS related component or fas-
tener be modified or replaced with any part except
those which are approved by DaimlerChrysler/
Mopar

t.

How the Occupant Classification Module (OCM)
Works
The Occupant Classification Module (OCM) is located
beneath the passenger seat. The OCM classifies the
occupant into one of three size categories based on the
input from the Bladder Assembly and a Belt Tension
Sensor. The size categories include empty, child, and
adult. The OCM sends the Occupant Classification to the

ORC to determine if a front passenger airbag is allowed.
If a fault is present, the AIRBAG warning light is illumi-
nated.

How the Passenger Airbag Disabled (PAD)
Indicator Light Works
The Passenger Airbag Disabled (PAD) Indicator Light
indicates to the driver and passenger when the airbag is
turned OFF. In the presence of a properly seated occu-
pant, when the PAD indicator light is illuminated, the
airbag is OFF. Also, when the Occupant Classification
System detects either an empty seat or a weight less than
the predetermined threshold, the ORC will not illuminate
the PAD indicator light even though the airbag is turned
OFF.

How the Belt Tension Sensor (BTS) Works
The Belt Tension Sensor (BTS) is located at the outboard
passenger lap belt anchor. The BTS creates a signal based
on outboard lap belt tension. This signal is sent to the

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

OCM to ensure that the resultant bladder pressure in-
crease due to applied lap belt tension does not cause a
small occupant to be classified as a larger occupant

How the Bladder Mat and Pressure Sensor Works
The Bladder Mat and Pressure Sensor are located beneath
the seat cushion foam. The pressure sensor sends a signal
to the OCM. The passenger seat assembly contains criti-
cal components that affect the passenger airbag deploy-
ment. Correctly functioning passenger seat components
are critical for the Occupant Classification System (OCS)
to properly classify the passenger and calculate the
proper airbag deployment. Do not make any modifica-
tions to the passenger seat components, assembly, or to
the seat cover.

How the Driver/Passenger Inflatable Knee
Blockers Works
When the ORC and the impact sensors detect a collision
requiring the Driver/Passenger Inflatable Knee Blockers,

it signals the inflator unit. A quantity of nontoxic gas is
generated to inflate the Driver/Passenger Inflatable Knee
Blockers. The Driver/Passenger Inflatable Knee Blockers
inflates rearward towards the driver’s knees to help
protect the knees and position you for the best interaction
with the front airbag. The Driver/Passenger Inflatable
Knee Blockers fully inflates in about 50 milliseconds, this
is only about half of the time it takes you to blink your
eyes. It then quickly deflates while helping to protect the
driver’s knees.

The Knee Impact Blockers help protect the knees and
position the occupant.

Passenger Front Airbag On/Off Switch
The ON/OFF switch is located at the right end of the
instrument panel and is accessible by opening the pas-
senger door.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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2

NOTE:

When using certain types of child seats, the

passenger airbag light will remain off even though the
passenger front airbags are disabled.

It is always recommended to turn off the passenger front
air bags using the passenger front airbags on/off switch
located at the right end of the instrument panel when the
passenger is:

• an infant (less than 1 year old),
• a child, age 1 to 12,
• an adult with a medical condition which makes pas-

senger airbag inflation (deployment) a greater risk for
the passenger than the risk of hitting the dashboard
(instrument panel) or windshield in a crash.

The on/off switch is accessible by opening the passenger
door.

If the airbag is turned off when there is any other
occupant at that position, the supplemental restraint
provided by the airbag will not be available.

To turn OFF the passenger front airbag, use the on/off
switch located on the instrument panel.

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:

When the passenger airbag is turned off, the

yellow airbag off light will illuminate.

To Shut Off the Passenger Airbag:

• Place the ignition key in the on/off switch, turn the

key clockwise, and remove the key from the switch.
This will shut off the passenger front airbag.

• The air bag will remain off until the switch is turned

back to the ON position.

• The switch does NOT turn off the side airbag.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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To Turn On the Passenger Airbag:

• Place the ignition key in the on/off switch, turn the

key counterclockwise, and remove the key from the
switch. This will turn on the passenger airbag. The
Passenger Airbag Off light on the console will turn off,
or will not be illuminated when the ignition is turned
to the ON position.

WARNING!

The airbag may malfunction and serious injury could
result if key is left in the airbag shut off switch.
Always remove the key.

Maintaining Your Airbag System

WARNING!

• Unapproved modifications or service procedures to

the front passenger seat assembly, its related compo-
nents, or seat cover may inadvertently change the
airbag deployment in case of a frontal crash. This
could result in death or serious injury to the front seat
passenger if the vehicle is involved in an accident. A
modified vehicle may not comply with required Fed-
eral Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

• You need proper knee impact protection in a collision.

Do not mount or locate any aftermarket equipment on
or behind the knee impact blocker.

• You can be injured if you are too close to either airbag

cover when the airbags inflate. It is dangerous to try
to repair any part of the airbag system yourself. Don’t
try to repair the airbag system. Be sure to tell anyone
who works on your vehicle that it has airbags.

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The following requirements must be strictly adhered to:

• Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or

components in any way.

• Do not modify the front seat center console or center

position seat in any way.

• Do not use prior or future model year seat covers not

designated for the specific model being repaired.

• Always use the correct seat cover specified for the

vehicle.

• Do not replace the seat cover with an aftermarket seat

cover.

• Do not add a secondary seat cover other than those

approved by DaimlerChrysler/Mopar

t.

• At no time should any supplemental restraint system

(SRS) component or SRS related component or fastener

be modified or replaced with any part except those
which are approved by DaimlerChrysler/Mopar

t.

Airbag Light

You will want to have the airbags ready for
your protection in case of a collision. While the
airbag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) is
designed to be maintenance free, if any of the

following occurs, have an authorized dealer service the
system immediately.

• The AIRBAG light does not come on or flickers during

the four seconds when the ignition switch is first
turned on.

• The light remains on or flickers after the four second

interval.

• The light flickers or comes on and remains on while

driving.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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Child Restraint

Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time, including babies and children. Every state in the
United States and all Canadian provinces require that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.

WARNING!

In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a missile 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. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child’s
size.

Infants and Child Restraints
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 Instruction to ensure you have the right seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child:

• Safety experts recommend that children ride

rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats.

• The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the

vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg). Convertible child seats can be
used either rearward-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rearward-facing direction than

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

infant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) but are
less than one year old. Both types of child restraints are
held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the
Lower Anchors and Tether for Children (LATCH)
child restraint anchorage system. (See the LATCH -
Child Seat Anchorage System section.)

• Rearward-facing child seats must NEVER be used in

the front seat of a vehicle with the front passenger
airbag unless the airbag is turned off. An airbag
deployment could cause severe injury or death to
infants in this position.

WARNING!

• A rearward facing infant restraint must not be

used unless the passenger airbag has been shut
off.A rearward facing infant restraint may be
struck by a deploying passenger airbag which may
cause severe or fatal injury to the infant.

• Improper installation can lead to failure of a child

restraint. It could come loose in a collision. The
child could be badly injured or killed. Follow the
manufacturer’s directions exactly when installing
a child restraint.

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53

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Here are some tips on getting the most out of your child
restraint:

• Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it

has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. We also recommend that you make sure
that you can install the child restraint in the vehicle
where you will use it before you buy it.

• The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s

weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.

• Carefully follow the instructions that come with the

restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.

• Buckle the child into the seat according to the seat

manufacturer’s directions.

• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the

vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.

Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants and cause
serious personal injury.

NOTE:

For

additional

information

refer

to

www.seatcheck.org or call 1–866–SEATCHECK.

Older Children and Child Restraints
Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who are
older than one year 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 weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg) and who are older
than one year. These child seats are also held in the
vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH child
restraint anchorage system. (See LATCH - Child Seat
Anchorage System section.)

The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weighing
more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small to fit
the vehicle’s seat belts properly. If the child cannot sit

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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
lap/shoulder belt.

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 lap/shoulder belt.

• Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
• The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug

as possible.

• Check belt fit periodically. 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. Never allow a
child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind
their back.

LATCH - Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower
Anchors and Tether for Children)
Your vehicle’s passenger seat is equipped with the child
restraint anchorage system called LATCH. The LATCH
system provides for the installation of the child restraint
without using the vehicle’s belts, instead securing the
child restraint using lower anchorages and upper tether
straps from the child restraint to the vehicle structure.
LATCH-compatible child restraints are now available.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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Installing the LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
System
We urge that you carefully follow the directions of the
manufacturer when installing your child restraint. These
are general instructions, and not all child restraint sys-
tems will be installed exactly as described here. Again,
carefully follow the installation instructions that were
provided with the child restraint system.

The passenger seat lower anchorages are round bars,
located at the rear of the seat cushion where it meets the
seatback, and are just visible when you lean in to install
the child restraint. You will easily feel them if you run
your finger along the intersection of the seatback and seat
cushion surfaces.

The passenger seat tether anchorage is located on the
back of the seat cushion frame. It is visible by moving the
passenger seat forward in the vehicle.

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE