2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Owner Manual - Page 99

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 99 may be possible based on collision severity and occupant 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 located 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 Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC). The ORC uses the occupant category to determine whether the front passenger airbag should be turned off. It also determines the rate of airbag inflation during a collision. • Your vehicle has four Weight Sensors located between the seat and the floor pan. The weight sensors measure applied weight and transfers that information to the OCM. • The Side Impact (SRS) Seat Mounted Side Airbags (If equipped) are designed to activate only in certain side collisions. The ORC module determines if a side collision is severe enough to require the side airbags to inflate. The side airbag control module will not detect roll over, front or rear collisions. The ORC Module monitors the readiness of the electronic parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in the START or ON positions. These include all of the items previously mentioned. 2