Seat Belt Buckle

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, Occupant Classification System (OCS), 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 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 DaimlerChrysler Mopar® Parts Catalog.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with the Occupant Classification System (OCS), do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or center floor console in any way. Do not use any prior year, subsequent year, secondary or aftermarket seat trim covers. At no time should any Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) or OCS component be modified or replaced with any part except those which are specified for the particular vehicle application in the DaimlerChrysler Mopar® Parts Catalog. Failure to observe these precautions could cause an OCS miscalibration condition, which may result in the passenger airbag failing to deploy when required or deploying when not required.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury, never strike or drop a seat weight sensor or the passenger side front seat assembly to which the sensors are secured as it can damage the sensors or affect their calibration. The seat weight sensors and the passenger side front seat assembly must be handled with care to avoid damage to the sensors. Do not sit upon or place any loads upon a passenger side front seat while it is removed from its mounts in or outside of the vehicle. If an individual sensor is dropped or damaged, replace the sensor with a new and unused unit. If a seat has been dropped during removal or loaded while removed from its mounts, replace each of the seat weight sensors with new and unused units. Failure to observe this warning could result in an accidental, incomplete, or improper passenger side front Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) component deployment.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with the Occupant Classification System (OCS), any time the passenger side front seat assembly has been removed or loosened from the vehicle for service of any vehicle component or system the Occupant Classification System (OCS) Verification Test must be performed using a diagnostic scan tool and the Occupant Classification Seat Weight special tool following reinstallation. Refer to the appropriate diagnostic procedures. Failure to

observe this warning could result in an accidental, incomplete, or improper passenger side front Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) component deployment.

NOTE: The following procedure is for replacement of an ineffective or damaged seat belt buckle unit. The front seat belt buckle in this vehicle may include a seat belt tensioner. If the front seat belt buckle is equipped with a tensioner that is ineffective or damaged, but the seat belt tensioner is not deployed, review the recommended procedures for handling non-deployed supplemental restraints. If the seat belt tensioner has been deployed, review the recommended procedures for service after a supplemental restraint deployment before removing the unit from the vehicle. See STANDARD PROCEDURE.

1. Move the front seat to its middle position for easiest access to the front seat mounting provisions. 2. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before further service. 3. Remove the front seat from the vehicle. Refer to REMOVAL . 4. Disconnect the seat belt tensioner (if equipped) and seat belt switch pigtail wire (3) connector from the seat wire harness connector located under the seat cushion near the inboard side of the seat. 5. Remove the screw (2) that secures the front seat belt buckle (1) lower anchor and, if equipped, the tensioner unit to the back of the inboard seat cushion frame. 6. Pull the buckle or the buckle and tensioner unit away from the inboard side of the seat while feeding the pigtail wire and connector from under the seat out through the clearance hole in the inboard seat cushion frame. 7. Remove the seat belt buckle or the buckle and tensioner from the front seat as a unit.

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 DaimlerChrysler Mopar® Parts Catalog.

NOTE: The anchor plates for the left outboard second row seat belt buckle and the second row center seat belt anchor are secured to each other by a soft metal grommet as an assembly aid during the manufacturing process and, once removed, the grommet does not require reinstallation.

1. Remove the four screws (1) that secure the second row seat cushion legs (8) to the rear floor panel (9). 2. Lift the front edge of the seat cushions (10) up against the seat backs for access to the second row center seat belt and left outboard seat belt buckle anchors (5) on the rear floor panel. 3. Remove the nut (3) that secures the center seat belt and left buckle anchors to the stud (4) on the rear floor panel. 4. Lift the anchors off of the stud on the rear floor panel. 5. Using an appropriate drill or chisel, carefully remove the soft metal grommet that secures the two anchor plates to each other. 6. Remove the second row left outboard buckle and anchor from between the seat back and the seat cushion

as a unit.

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 DaimlerChrysler Mopar® Parts Catalog.

1. Remove the four screws (1) that secure the second row seat cushion legs (8) to the rear floor panel (9). 2. Lift the front edge of the seat cushions (10) up against the seat backs for access to the forward end of the right center seat bracket (7). 3. Remove the screw (6) that secures the lower anchor for the center and right seat belt buckle unit (2) to the inboard side of the right center seat bracket. 4. Remove the center and right seat belt buckle unit from between the second row seat cushions as a unit.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, Occupant Classification System (OCS), 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 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 DaimlerChrysler Mopar® Parts Catalog.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with the Occupant Classification System (OCS), do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or center floor console in any way. Do not use any prior year, subsequent year, secondary or aftermarket seat trim covers. At no time should any Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) or OCS component be modified or replaced with any part except those which are specified for the particular vehicle application in the DaimlerChrysler Mopar® Parts Catalog. Failure to observe these precautions could cause an OCS miscalibration condition, which may result in the passenger airbag failing to deploy when required or deploying when not required.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury, never strike or drop a seat weight sensor or the passenger side front seat assembly to which the sensors are secured as it can damage the sensors or affect their calibration. The seat weight sensors and the passenger side front seat assembly must be handled with care to avoid damage to the sensors. Do not sit upon or place any loads upon a passenger side front seat while it is removed from its mounts in or outside of the vehicle. If an individual sensor is dropped or damaged, replace the sensor with a new and unused unit. If a seat has been dropped during removal or loaded while removed from its mounts, replace each of the seat weight sensors with new and unused units. Failure to observe this warning could result in an accidental, incomplete,

or improper passenger side front Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) component deployment.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with the Occupant Classification System (OCS), any time the passenger side front seat assembly has been removed or loosened from the vehicle for service of any vehicle component or system the Occupant Classification System (OCS) Verification Test must be performed using a diagnostic scan tool and the Occupant Classification Seat Weight special tool following reinstallation. Refer to the appropriate diagnostic procedures. Failure to observe this warning could result in an accidental, incomplete, or improper passenger side front Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) component deployment.

NOTE: The following procedure is for replacement of an ineffective or damaged seat belt buckle unit. The front seat belt buckle in this vehicle may include a seat belt tensioner. If the front seat belt buckle is equipped with a tensioner that is ineffective or damaged, but the seat belt tensioner is not deployed, review the recommended procedures for handling non-deployed supplemental restraints. If the seat belt tensioner has been deployed, review the recommended procedures for service after a supplemental restraint deployment before removing the unit from the vehicle. See STANDARD PROCEDURE.

1. Position the front seat belt buckle or the buckle and tensioner unit (1) to the inboard seat cushion frame. 2. Insert the seat belt tensioner (if equipped) and seat belt switch pigtail wire (3) connector under the seat through the clearance hole in the inboard seat cushion frame. 3. Position the front seat belt buckle lower anchor to the back of the inboard seat cushion frame. 4. Install and tighten the screw (2) that secures the front seat belt buckle anchor to the seat cushion frame.

Tighten the screw to 43 N.m (32 ft. lbs.). 5. Reconnect the seat belt buckle tensioner (if equipped) and the seat belt switch pigtail wire connector to the seat wire harness connector located under the seat cushion near the inboard side of the seat. 6. Reinstall the front seat into the vehicle. Refer to INSTALLATION . 7. If the buckle is equipped with a tensioner, do not reconnect the battery negative cable at this time. The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) verification test procedure should be performed following service of any SRS component. See STANDARD PROCEDURE.

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 DaimlerChrysler Mopar® Parts Catalog.

NOTE: The anchor plates for the left outboard second row seat belt buckle and the second row center seat belt anchor are secured to each other by a soft metal grommet as an assembly aid during the manufacturing process and, once removed, the grommet does not require reinstallation.

1. Position the second row left outboard buckle anchor plate (5) between the seat back and the seat cushion (10). 2. Lower the second row center seat belt and left outboard seat belt buckle anchors over the stud (4) on the rear floor panel (9). 3. Install and tighten the nut (3) that secures the anchors to the stud on the rear floor panel. Tighten the nut to 62.5 N.m (46 ft. lbs.). 4. Lower the front edge of the seat cushions downward and align the seat cushion legs (8) to the holes in the rear floor panel. 5. Install and tighten the four screws (1) that secure the legs to the floor panel. Tighten the screws to 54 N.m (40 ft. lbs.).

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 DaimlerChrysler Mopar® Parts Catalog.

1. Position the center and right seat belt buckle unit (2) between the second row seat cushions (10).

2. Position the lower anchor of the seat belt buckle unit to the inboard side of the right center seat bracket (7). Be certain that the anti-rotation tab on the anchor is engaged in the notch of the bracket. 3. Install and tighten the screw (6) that secures the buckle anchor to the right center seat bracket. Tighten the screw to 55 N.m (41 ft. lbs.). 4. Lower the front edge of the seat cushions downward and align the seat cushion legs (8) to the holes in the rear floor panel (9). 5. Install and tighten the four screws (1) that secure the legs to the floor panel. Tighten the screws to 54 N.m (40 ft. lbs.).

SEAT BELT AND RETRACTOR

A driver side seat belt buckle tensioner supplements the dual front and side curtain airbags for all versions of this vehicle. In vehicles manufactured for export markets, a passenger side seat belt buckle tensioner also supplements the dual front and side curtain airbags. This tensioner is integral to the front seat belt buckle unit, which is secured by a large screw to the outside of the inboard seat cushion frame of the front seat. The buckle tensioner consists primarily of a buckle (2), a molded plastic scabbard (1), a cable and piston, a cable guide and bracket (5), a steel cylinder tube (4), and a small pyrotechnically activated gas generator.

The buckle tensioner is controlled by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) and is connected to the vehicle electrical system through a dedicated take out of the seat wire harness by a keyed and latching yellow molded plastic connector insulator to ensure a secure connection. The buckle tensioner connector is shared by two pigtail harnesses (3): one two-wire squib pigtail and a second two-wire pigtail for the integral seat belt switch.

The buckle tensioner cannot be repaired and, if ineffective or damaged, the entire front seat belt buckle unit must be replaced. If the front airbags have been deployed, the buckle tensioners have also been deployed. The buckle tensioners are not intended for reuse and must be replaced following any front airbag deployment. See