Restraints and Safety Systems: Service Precautions
WARNING
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), never attempt to repair the electrically conductive circuits or wiring components related to the SRS for which there is no MOPAR wiring repair kit. It is important to use ONLY the recommended splicing kit and procedure. For applicable and available MOPAR wiring repair kits, please visit the MOPAR Connector Web Site at the following address on the internet: (http://dto.vftis.com/mopar/disclaimer.asp). Inappropriate repairs can compromise the conductivity and current carrying capacity of those critical electrical circuits, which may cause SRS components not to deploy when required, or to deploy when not required. Only minor cuts or abrasions of wire and terminal insulation where the conductive material has not been damaged, or connector insulators where the integrity of the latching and locking mechanisms have not been compromised may be repaired using appropriate methods.
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury during and following any seat belt or child restraint anchor service, carefully inspect all seat belts, buckles, mounting hardware, retractors, tether straps, and anchors for proper installation, operation, or damage. Replace any belt that is cut, frayed, or torn. Straighten any belt that is twisted. Tighten any loose fasteners. Replace any belt that has a damaged or ineffective buckle or retractor. Replace any belt that has a bent or damaged latch plate or anchor plate. Replace any child restraint anchor or the unit to which the anchor is integral that has been bent or damaged. Never attempt to repair a seat belt or child restraint component. Always replace damaged or ineffective seat belt and child restraint components with the correct, new and unused replacement parts listed in the Chrysler Mopar(R) Parts Catalog. Failure to follow these instructions may result in possible serious or fatal injury.
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with air bags, disable the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the SRS. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.
WARNING: To avoid potential physical injury or damage to sensitive electronic circuits and systems, always disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable and the positive cable, then ground the positive cable to discharge the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) capacitor before performing any welding operations on the vehicle. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment, possible damage to the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) circuits and components, and possible damage to other electronic circuits and components. Whenever a welding process is being performed within 12 inches (30 centimeters) of an electronic module or wiring harness, then that module or harness should be relocated out of the way, or disconnected. Always protect against component or vehicle damage from weld spatter by using weld blankets and screens.
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury, do not attempt to dismantle an airbag unit or tamper with its inflator. Do not puncture, incinerate or bring into contact with electricity. Do not store at temperatures exceeding 93° C (200° F). An airbag inflator unit may contain sodium azide and potassium nitrate. These materials are poisonous and extremely flammable. Contact with acid, water, or heavy metals may produce harmful and irritating gases (sodium hydroxide is formed in the presence of moisture) or combustible compounds. An airbag inflator unit may also contain a gas canister pressurized to over 17.24 kPa (2500 psi). Failure to follow these instructions may result in possible serious or fatal injury.
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury when handling a seat belt tensioner retractor. Exercise proper care to keep fingers out from under the retractor cover and away from the seat belt webbing where it exits from the retractor cover. Failure to follow these instructions may result in possible serious or fatal injury.
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury, replace all Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) components only with parts specified in the Chrysler Mopar(R) Parts Catalog. Substitute parts may appear interchangeable, but internal differences may result in inferior occupant protection.
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury, the fasteners, screws, and bolts originally used for the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) components must never be replaced with any substitutes. These fasteners have special coatings and are specifically designed for the SRS. Anytime a new fastener is needed, replace it with the correct fasteners provided in the service package or specified in the Chrysler Mopar(R) Parts Catalog.
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury when a steering column has an airbag unit attached, never place the column on the floor or any other surface with the steering wheel or airbag unit face down. Failure to follow these instructions may result in possible serious or fatal injury.