Dodge Nitro. Manual - part 245

Fig. 59: Identifying Airbag Housing, Nuts & Passenger Airbag Instrument Panel Bracket 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

1. Place the passenger airbag on a suitable work surface with the housing (1) facing up. Be certain to take 

the proper precautions to prevent the airbag door from receiving cosmetic damage during the following 
procedures.  

2. Carefully position the passenger airbag instrument panel bracket (3) over the two studs on the top of the 

airbag housing.  

3. Install and tighten the two nuts (2) that secure the bracket to the studs on the housing. Tighten the nuts to 

20 N.m (15 ft. lbs.).  

4. Reinstall the passenger airbag onto the instrument panel. See INSTALLATION.  

INSTALLATION 

PASSENGER AIRBAG 

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, use extreme care to prevent any foreign 
material from entering the passenger airbag, or becoming entrapped 
between the passenger airbag cushion and the passenger airbag door. 
Failure to observe this warning could result in occupant injuries upon 
airbag deployment.

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 RESTRAINTS Service Information - Nitro

  

Fig. 60: Identifying Glove Box Latch Striker, Upper Glove Box Opening & Nuts 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

1. Position the passenger airbag, airbag door and instrument panel bracket to the opening in the face of the 

instrument panel base trim as a unit.  

2. Reconnect the two connector insulators of the instrument panel wire harness take outs to the airbag 

inflator connector receptacles on each side of the airbag housing by pressing straight in on the connectors. 
Be certain to engage each keyed and color-coded connector to the matching connector receptacle. You 
can be certain that each connector is fully engaged in its receptacle by listening carefully for a distinct, 
audible click as the connector latches snap into place.  

3. Slide the passenger airbag forward being certain that the instrument panel bracket is engaged between the 

dash panel and the instrument panel structural support at the lower windshield fence line and that the two 
lower studs of the airbag are engaged in the holes of the instrument panel base trim. It may be necessary 
to angle the forward end of the unit slightly downward and then roll it upward to engage the instrument 
panel bracket properly between the fence line and the structural support.  

4. Reach up into the instrument panel above the upper glove box opening (2) to install and tighten the two 

nuts (3) that secure the passenger airbag lower studs to the instrument panel base trim on each side of the 

WARNING:

To avoid serious or fatal injury, the passenger airbag door must never be 
painted. Replacement passenger airbag units are serviced with doors in 
the original colors. Paint may change the way in which the material of the 
airbag door responds to an airbag deployment. Failure to observe this 
warning could result in occupant injuries upon airbag deployment.

NOTE:

The following procedure is for replacement of an ineffective or damaged 
passenger airbag. If the airbag is ineffective or damaged, but not deployed, 
review the recommended procedures for handling non-deployed supplemental 
restraints. See HANDLING NON-DEPLOYED SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINTS. If 
the passenger airbag has been deployed, review the recommended procedures 
for service after a supplemental restraint deployment before removing the 
airbag from the vehicle. 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 RESTRAINTS Service Information - Nitro

  

glove box latch striker (1). Tighten the nuts to 7 N.m (62 in. lbs.). 

5. Reinstall the glove box into the instrument panel. Refer to INSTALLATION . 

Fig. 61: Identifying Windshield, Instrument Panel, Screw Guide & Screws 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

6. Work through the rectangular hole in the top of the instrument panel to install and tighten the one screw 

that secures the center tab of the passenger airbag instrument panel bracket to the instrument panel 
structural duct. Tighten the screw to 2.9 N.m (25 in. lbs.).  

7. Position the screw guide (3) onto the top of the instrument panel (2) near the windshield (1) and, using 

hand pressure, press the screw guide downward until both integral latch features snap into place.  

8. Install and tighten the two screws (4) through the screw guide that secure the instrument panel bracket for 

the passenger airbag to the dash panel. Tighten the screws to 29.5 N.m (21.5 ft. lbs.).  

9. Using hand pressure, press the top of the passenger airbag door forward and downward until each snap 

feature on the upper edge of the airbag door is fully engaged into its receptacle in the instrument panel 
base trim.  

10. Using hand pressure, wrap the passenger airbag door downward tightly against the instrument panel, then 

push forward until each snap feature on the lower edge of the airbag door is fully engaged into its 
receptacle in the instrument panel base trim.  

11. Visually verify that each of the snap features of the airbag door is fully engaged in the instrument panel. 

There will be a distinct bulge in the door over any snap that is not fully engaged.  

12. Reinstall the top cover onto the instrument panel. Refer to INSTALLATION .  

13. 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 
VERIFICATION TEST - SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM.  

PASSENGER AIRBAG ON/OFF INDICATOR 

DESCRIPTION 

PASSENGER AIRBAG ON/OFF INDICATOR 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 RESTRAINTS Service Information - Nitro

  

Fig. 62: Identifying Occupant Classification System Switches & Indicators 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

Vehicles equipped with the Occupant Classification System (OCS) include a passenger airbag on/off indicator 
(4), which is located just to the right of the hazard switch (3) in the center of the instrument panel switch pod (1) 
near the base of the instrument panel center bezel. The passenger airbag on/off indicator consists of a molded 
plastic housing and a rectangular dark translucent outer lens. 

The opaque text PASS AIRBAG OFF and an opaque International Control and Display Symbol icon for 
Passenger Airbag Off or Not Available are imprinted on the back of the lens within the indicator. The dark 
outer lens prevents the indicator text and icon from being clearly visible when it is not illuminated. An amber 
Light Emitting Diode (LED) behind the lens causes the text and icon to appear silhouetted against an amber 
field through the translucent lens when the indicator is illuminated from behind by the LED. 

The passenger airbag on/off indicator cannot be repaired or adjusted and, if ineffective or damaged, the switch 
pod unit must be replaced. Refer to REMOVAL . 

OPERATION 

PASSENGER AIRBAG ON/OFF INDICATOR 

In the Occupant Classification System (OCS) the passenger airbag on/off indicator gives an indication when the 
passenger airbag and seat belt tensioner deployment circuits are disabled by the Occupant Restraint Controller 
(ORC). This indicator is controlled by a transistor within the ORC through a hard wired output based upon 
ORC programming and electronic occupant classification messages received by the ORC over the Controller 
Area Network (CAN) data bus from the Occupant Classification Module (OCM). 

The passenger airbag on/off indicator Light Emitting Diode (LED) is completely controlled by the ORC. The 
LED receives a battery current input on a fused ignition switch output (run) circuit. Therefore, the LED will 
always be OFF when the ignition switch is in any position except ON. The LED only illuminates when it is 
provided a path to ground by the ORC transistor. The ORC will turn ON the passenger airbag on/off indicator 
for the following reasons: 



Bulb Test - Each time the ignition switch is turned to the ON position the passenger airbag on/off 
indicator is illuminated for about six seconds.  



Child Seat Detected (or Load Less Than Minimum Weight Threshold) Occupant Classification 
Message - Each time the ORC receives an electronic message from the OCM indicating a child seat has 
been detected in the passenger side front seat (or that the seat load is less than a minimum weight 
threshold) the passenger airbag and seat belt tensioner deployment circuits are deactivated and the 
passenger airbag on/off indicator will be illuminated. The indicator remains illuminated until the ORC 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 RESTRAINTS Service Information - Nitro