Jeep Wrangler JK (2018 year). Manual

WARNING!

• Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact

bolsters in any way.

• Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact

bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.

Supplemental Side Air Bags

Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs)

This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Seat-Mounted
Side Air Bags (SABs).

Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs) are
located in the outboard side of the front seats. The SABs are
marked with a “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” label sewn
into the outboard side of the seats.

The SABs may help to reduce the risk of occupant injury
during certain side impacts, in addition to the injury
reduction potential provided by the seat belts and body
structure.

When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on the outboard
side of the seatback’s trim cover. The inflating SAB deploys
through the seat seam into the space between the occupant
and the door. The SAB moves at a very high speed and
with such a high force that it could injure occupants if they
are not seated properly, or if items are positioned in the
area where the SAB inflates. Children are at an even greater
risk of injury from a deploying air bag.

Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Location

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243

WARNING!

Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the Side Air Bags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could be
pushed into you, causing serious injury.

Side Impacts

The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in certain side
impacts. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) deter-
mines whether the deployment of the Side Air Bags in a
particular impact event is appropriate, based on the sever-
ity and type of collision. The side impact sensors aid the
ORC in determining the appropriate response to impact
events. The system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags
on the impact side of the vehicle during impacts that
require Side Air Bag occupant protection. In side impacts,
the Side Air Bags deploy independently; a left side impact
deploys the left Side Air Bags only and a right-side impact
deploys the right Side Air Bags only. Vehicle damage by
itself is not a good indicator of whether or not Side Air
Bags should have deployed.

The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side collisions,
including some collisions at certain angles, or some side
collisions that do not impact the area of the passenger

compartment. The Side Air Bags may deploy during
angled or offset frontal collisions where the front air bags
deploy.

Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt restraint
system. Side Air Bags deploy in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes.

WARNING!

• Occupants, including children, who are up against or

very close to Side Air Bags can be seriously injured
or killed. Occupants, including children, should
never lean on or sleep against the door, side win-
dows, or area where the side air bags inflate, even if
they are in an infant or child restraint.

• Seat belts (and child restraints where appropriate)

are necessary for your protection in all collisions.
They also help keep you in position, away from an
inflating Side Air Bag. To get the best protection
from the Side Air Bags, occupants must wear their
seat belts properly and sit upright with their backs
against the seats. Children must be properly re-
strained in a child restraint or booster seat that is
appropriate for the size of the child.

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SAFETY

WARNING!

• Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not lean

against the door or window. Sit upright in the center
of the seat.

• Being too close to the Side Air Bags during deploy-

ment could cause you to be severely injured or
killed.

• Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could lead to

more severe injuries in a collision. The Side Air Bags
work with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, Side Air Bags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belt even though you have
Side Air Bags.

NOTE:

Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior

trim, but they will open during air bag deployment.

Air Bag System Components

The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors the
internal circuits and interconnecting wiring associated
with electrical Air Bag System Components listed below:
• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light

• Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
• Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Seat Belt Pretensioners
• Seat Track Position Sensors

If A Deployment Occurs

The front air bags are designed to deflate immediately after
deployment.

NOTE:

Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all

collisions. This does not mean something is wrong with the
air bag system.

If you do have a collision which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
• The air bag material may sometimes cause abrasions

and/or skin reddening to the occupants as the air bags
deploy and unfold. The abrasions are similar to friction

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245

rope burns or those you might get sliding along a carpet
or gymnasium floor. They are not caused by contact with
chemicals. They are not permanent and normally heal
quickly. However, if you haven’t healed significantly
within a few days, or if you have any blistering, see your
doctor immediately.

• As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like

particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air bag
inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the skin, eyes,
nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irritation, rinse the
area with cool water. For nose or throat irritation, move to
fresh air. If the irritation continues, see your doctor. If these
particles settle on your clothing, follow the garment manu-
facturer’s instructions for cleaning.

Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have deployed.
If you are involved in another collision, the air bags will
not be in place to protect you.

WARNING!

Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags, seat

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

belt pretensioners, and the seat belt retractor assem-
blies replaced by an authorized dealer immediately.
Also, have the Occupant Restraint Controller System
serviced as well.

NOTE:
• Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,

but they will open during air bag deployment.

• After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an

authorized dealer immediately.

Enhanced Accident Response System

In the event of an impact, if the communication network
remains intact, and the power remains intact, depending
on the nature of the event, the ORC will determine whether
to have the Enhanced Accident Response System perform
the following functions:
• Cut off fuel to the engine.
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or

until the hazard light button is pressed. The hazard
lights can be deactivated by pressing the hazard light
button.

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SAFETY

• Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as

the battery has power.

• Unlock the power door locks.

Enhanced Accident Response System Reset
Procedure

In order to reset the Enhanced Accident Response System
functions after an event, the ignition switch must be
changed from ignition START or ON/RUN to ignition OFF.
Carefully check the vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine
compartment and on the ground near the engine compart-
ment and fuel tank before resetting the system and starting
the engine.

Maintaining Your Air Bag System

WARNING!

• Modifications to any part of the air bag system could

cause it to fail when you need it. You could be
injured if the air bag system is not there to protect
you. Do not modify the components or wiring, in-
cluding adding any kind of badges or stickers to the
steering wheel hub trim cover or the upper right side

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

of the instrument panel. Do not modify the front
bumper, vehicle body structure, or add aftermarket
side steps or running boards.

• It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the air bag

system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who works on
your vehicle that it has an air bag system.

• Do not attempt to modify any part of your air bag

system. The air bag may inflate accidentally or may
not function properly if modifications are made.
Take your vehicle to an authorized dealer for any air
bag system service. If your seat, including your trim
cover and cushion, needs to be serviced in any way
(including removal or loosening/tightening of seat
attachment bolts), take the vehicle to your authorized
dealer. Only manufacturer approved seat accessories
may be used. If it is necessary to modify the air bag
system for persons with disabilities, contact your
authorized dealer.

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247

Event Data Recorder (EDR)

This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder
(EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist
in understanding how a vehicle’s systems performed. The
EDR is designed to record data related to vehicle dynamics
and safety systems for a short period of time, typically 30
seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle is designed to
record such data as:
• How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts

were buckled/fastened;

• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accel-

erator and/or brake pedal; and,

• How fast the vehicle was traveling.

These data can help provide a better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.

NOTE:

EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a

non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as law enforcement,
could combine the EDR data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired during a crash investi-
gation.

To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In
addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the special equipment, can read
the information if they have access to the vehicle or the
EDR.

Child Restraints

Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times, including babies and children. Every state in the
United States, and every Canadian province, requires that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.

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SAFETY

Children 12 years or younger should ride properly buckled
up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seats rather than in the front.

WARNING!

In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to hold
even an infant on your lap could become so great that
you could not hold the child, no matter how strong you
are. The child and others could be badly injured or
killed. Any child riding in your vehicle should be in a
proper restraint for the child’s size.

There are different sizes and types of restraints for children
from newborn size to the child almost large enough for an
adult safety belt. Always check the child seat Owner’s
Manual to make sure you have the correct seat for your

child. Carefully read and follow all the instructions and
warnings in the child restraint Owner’s Manual and on all
the labels attached to the child restraint.

Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety Stan-
dards. You should also make sure that you can install it in
the vehicle where you will use it.

NOTE:
• For additional information, refer to www.safercar.gov/

parents/index.htm or call: 1–888–327–4236

• Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s

website

for

additional

information:

http://

www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-
childsafety-index-53.htm

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249

Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles

Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age

Recommended Type Of Child Re-

straint

Infants and Toddlers

Children who are two years old or

younger and who have not reached

the height or weight limits of their

child restraint

Either an Infant Carrier or a Convert-

ible Child Restraint, facing rearward

in the rear seat of the vehicle

Small Children

Children who are at least two years

old or who have outgrown the

height or weight limit of their rear-

facing child restraint

Forward-Facing Child Restraint with

a five-point Harness, facing forward

in the rear seat of the vehicle

Larger Children

Children who have outgrown their

forward-facing child restraint, but

are too small to properly fit the vehi-

cle’s seat belt

Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the

vehicle seat belt, seated in the rear

seat of the vehicle

Children Too Large for Child Re-

straints

Children 12 years old or younger,
who have outgrown the height or

weight limit of their booster seat

Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear

seat of the vehicle

Infant And Child Restraints

Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing in
the vehicle until they are two years old or until they reach
either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing child

restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used rear-
facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.

The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle. It
is recommended for children from birth until they reach
the weight or height limit of the infant carrier. Convertible

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SAFETY

child seats can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing
in the vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rear-facing direction than infant carriers
do, so they can be used rear-facing by children who have
outgrown their infant carrier but are still less than at least
two years old. Children should remain rear-facing until
they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat.

WARNING!

• Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an

air bag. A deploying passenger front air bag can
cause death or serious injury to a child 12 years or
younger, including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.

• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle

with a rear seat.

Older Children And Child Restraints

Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and con-
vertible child seats used in the forward-facing direction are
for children who are over two years old or who have
outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their

rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should remain
in a forward-facing child seat with a harness for as long as
possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.

All children whose weight or height is above the forward-
facing limit for the child seat should use a belt-positioning
booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the
child cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat
cushion while the child’s back is against the seatback, they
should use a belt-positioning booster seat. The child and
belt-positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
seat belt.

WARNING!

• Improper installation can lead to failure of an infant

or child restraint. It could come loose in a collision.
The child could be badly injured or killed. Follow
the child restraint manufacturer’s directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.

• After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do

not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward be-
cause it can loosen the child restraint attachments.

(Continued)

SAFETY

251

WARNING! (Continued)

Remove the child restraint before adjusting the ve-
hicle seat position. When the vehicle seat has been
adjusted, reinstall the child restraint.

• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in

the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchorages,
or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it loose in
the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it could
strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause serious
personal injury.

Children Too Large For Booster Seats

Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend over
the front of the seat when their back is against the seatback,
should use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple 5-step
test to decide whether the child can use the vehicle’s seat
belt alone:

1. Can the child sit all the way back against the back of the

vehicle seat?

2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of

the vehicle seat – while the child is still sitting all the
way back?

3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder be-

tween their neck and arm?

4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the

child’s thighs and not the stomach?

5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” then the
child still needs to use a booster seat in this vehicle. If the
child is using the lap/shoulder belt, check seat belt fit
periodically and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched.
A child’s squirming or slouching can move the belt out of
position. If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck,
move the child closer to the center of the vehicle, or use a
booster seat to position the seat belt on the child correctly.

WARNING!

Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an
arm or behind their back. In a crash, the shoulder belt
will not protect a child properly, which may result in
serious injury or death. A child must always wear both
the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt correctly.

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SAFETY

Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints

Restraint Type

Combined

Weight of the

Child + Child

Restraint

Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below

LATCH – Lower

Anchors Only

Seat Belt Only

LATCH – Lower

Anchors + Top

Tether Anchor

Seat Belt + Top

Tether Anchor

Rear-Facing

Child Restraint

Up to 65 lbs

(29.5 kg)

Rear-Facing

Child Restraint

More than 65 lbs

(29.5 kg)

Forward-Facing

Child Restraint

Up to 65 lbs

(29.5 kg)

Forward-Facing

Child Restraint

More than 65 lbs

(29.5 kg)

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253

Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System

Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchorage
system called LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors
and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system has three
vehicle anchor points for installing LATCH-equipped child
seats. There are two lower anchorages located at the back
of the seat cushion where it meets the seatback and one top
tether anchorage located behind the seating position. These
anchorages are used to install LATCH-equipped child seats
without using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating posi-
tions may have a top tether anchorage but no lower
anchorages. In these seating positions, the seat belt must be
used with the top tether anchorage to install the child
restraint. Please see the following table for more
information.

LATCH Label

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SAFETY

LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints In
This Vehicle

LATCH Positions (Two-Door Models)

Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per Seating Position)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

LATCH Positions (Four-Door Models)

Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per Seating Position)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

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255

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH

What is the weight limit (child’s

weight + weight of the child re-

straint) for using the LATCH anchor-

age system to attach the child re-

straint?

65 lbs (29.5 kg)

Use the LATCH anchorage system

until the combined weight of the

child and the child restraint is 65 lbs

(29.5 kg). Use the seat belt and tether

anchor instead of the LATCH system

once the combined weight is more

than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).

Can the LATCH anchorages and the

seat belt be used together to attach a

rear-facing or forward-facing child

restraint?

Do not use the seat belt when you

use the LATCH anchorage system to

attach a rear-facing or forward-facing

child restraint.

Booster seats may be attached to the

LATCH anchorages if allowed by the

booster seat manufacturer. See your

booster seat owner’s manual for

more information.

Can a child seat be installed in the

center position using the inner

LATCH lower anchorages?

Yes

Four Door Only: You can install child

restraints with flexible lower anchors

in the center position. The inner an-

chorages are 19 inches (484 mm)

apart. Do not install child restraints

with rigid lower anchors in the cen-

ter position.

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SAFETY

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH

Can two child restraints be attached

using a common lower LATCH an-

chorage?

Never “share” a LATCH anchorage

with two or more child restraints. If

the center position does not have

dedicated LATCH lower anchorages,

use the seat belt to install a child seat

in the center position next to a child

seat using the LATCH anchorages in

an outboard position.

Can the rear-facing child restraint

touch the back of the front passenger

seat?

Yes

The child seat may touch the back of

the front passenger seat if the child

restraint manufacturer also allows

contact. See your child restraint own-

er’s manual for more information.

Can the head restraints be removed?

No — Four Door

Yes — Two Door

Two Door Models — All

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257

Locating The LATCH Anchorages

The lower anchorages are round bars that are
found at the rear of the seat cushion where it
meets the seatback, below the anchorage sym-
bols on the seatback. They are just visible when

you lean into the rear seat to install the child restraint. You
will easily feel them if you run your finger along the gap
between the seatback and seat cushion.

LATCH Anchorages (Two-Door Models)

LATCH Anchorages (Four-Door Models)

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Jeep Wrangler JK (2018 year). Manual - part 16