2008 Jeep Patriot Owner's Manual - Page 55

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53 • Front Acceleration Sensors • Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioners How The Airbag System Works • The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the airbags to inflate. The front airbag inflators are designed to provide different rates of airbag inflation from direction provided by the ORC. This ORC will detect rollover. • The ORC also 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 listed above except the knee impact bolster, the instrument panel, and the steering wheel and column. If the key is in the LOCK position, in the ACC position, or not in the ignition, the airbags are not on and will not inflate. • The ORC also turns on the Airbag Warning Light in the instrument panel for six to eight seconds as a self-check when the ignition is first turned on. After the self-check, the Airbag Warning Light will turn off. If the ORC detects a malfunction in any part of the system, it turns on the Airbag Warning Light either momentarily or continuously. A single chime will sound if the light comes on again after initial start up. 2 WARNING! Ignoring the AIRBAG Warning Light in your instrument panel could mean you won't have the airbags to protect you in a collision. If the light does not come on, stays on after you start the vehicle, or if it comes on as you drive, have the airbag system checked right away.