Chrysler 2008 Automobile User Manual


 
indicates that you should take the vehicle to an autho-
rized dealer. The Airbag Warning Light is turned on
whenever there is fault that can affect the operation of the
airbag system. If there is a fault present in the PAD
Indicator Light the Airbag Warning Light remains illu-
minated to show that the passenger airbag is turned off
until the fault is cleared. If an object is lodged under the
seat and interferes with operation of the weight sensors,
a fault will occur which turns on both the PAD Indicator
Light and the Airbag Warning Light. Once the lodged
object is removed, the fault will be automatically cleared
after a short period of time.
The Driver and Passenger Airbag/Inflator Units are
located in the center of the steering wheel and the right
side of the instrument panel. When the ORC detects a
collision requiring the airbags, it signals the inflator
units. A large quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to
inflate the front airbags. Different airbag inflation rates
may be possible based on collision severity and occu-
pant size. The steering wheel hub trim cover and the
upper right side of the instrument panel separate and
fold out of the way as the bags inflate to their full size.
The bags fully inflate in about 50 - 70 milliseconds.
This is about half of the time it takes to blink your eyes.
The bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain
the driver and front passenger. The driver’s front
airbag gas is vented through vent holes in the sides of
the airbag. The passenger’s front airbag gas is vented
through vent holes in the sides of the airbag. In this
way the airbags do not interfere with your control of
the vehicle.
The Occupant Classification Module (OCM) is lo-
cated beneath the front passenger seat. The OCM
classifies the occupant into categories based on the
measurements made by the seat weight sensors. The
OCM communicates with the ORC. The ORC uses the
occupant category to determine whether the front
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE