ECU DODGE AVENGER 2012 2.G Owner's Manual

between the two posts. If not possible, lower the head
restraint and pass the tether strap around the outboard
side of the head restraint.
3. Attach the tether strap hook (A) of the child restraint
to the anchor (B) and remove slack in the tether strap
according to the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions.
WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchor positions directly behind
the child seat to secure a child restraint top tether
strap.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with an Automatic Locking Retractor to secure
a Child Restraint System (CRS). These types of seat belts
are designed to keep the lap portion of the seat belt tight
around the child restraint so that it is not necessary to use
a locking clip. The ALR will make a ratcheting noise if
you extract the entire belt from the retractor and then
allow the belt to retract into the retractor. For additional
information on ALR, refer to “Automatic Locking Mode”
description under “Seat Belts In Passenger Seating Posi-
tions” section. The chart below defines the seating posi-
tions with an Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) or a
cinching latch plate.
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Driver Center Passenger
CRS Lock CRS Lock CRS Lock
First Row N/A N/A ALR
Second Row ALR ALR ALR
•N/A — Not Applicable
•ALR — Automatic Locking Retractor
Installing a Child Restraint with an ALR:
1. To install a child restraint with ALR, first, pull enough
of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to route it
through the belt path of the child restraint. Slide the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.” Next,
extract all the seat belt webbing out of the retractor and
then allow the belt to retract into the retractor. As the belt
retracts, you will hear a ratcheting sound. This indicates
the safety belt is now in the Automatic Locking mode. 2. Finally, pull on any excess webbing to tighten the lap
portion around the child restraint. Any seat belt system
will loosen with time, so check the belt occasionally, and
pull it tight if necessary.
In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path opening
on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate from the
buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt several times
to shorten it. Insert the latch plate into the buckle with the
release button facing out.
If the belt still can’t be tightened, or if pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect the
latch plate from the buckle, turn the buckle around, and
insert the latch plate into the buckle again. If you still
can’t make the child restraint secure, try a different
seating position.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83

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 lap/shoulder belt in a rear seat.
Make sure that:
•The child is upright in the seat.
•The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
•Check belt fit periodically. 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. Never allow a
child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind
their back.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine and
drivetrain (transmission and axle) in your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or
55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental and should be avoided.
84 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that they
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals
or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
WARNING!
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of
vehicle control and increase the risk of serious per-
sonal injury.
•Always make sure that floor mats are properly
attached to the floor mat fasteners.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Never place or install floor mats or other floor
coverings in the vehicle that cannot be properly
secured to prevent them from moving and inter-
fering with the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
•Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on
top of already installed floor mats. Additional
floor mats and other coverings will reduce the size
of the pedal area and interfere with the pedals.
•Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Al-
ways properly reinstall and secure floor mats that
have been removed for cleaning.(Continued)
88 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

▫Lights On Reminder .................. 154
▫ Instrument Panel Dimmer .............. 154
▫ Map/Reading/Interior Lights ........... 155
 Windshield Wipers And Washers .......... 156
▫ Intermittent Wiper System .............. 157
▫ Windshield Washers .................. 158
▫ Mist Feature ........................ 159
▫ Headlights With Wipers Feature (Available
With Automatic Headlights Only) ......... 159
 Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column .......... 160
 Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped ..... 161
▫ To Activate ......................... 162
▫ To Set A Desired Speed ................ 162
▫ To Deactivate ....................... 162 ▫
To Resume Speed .................... 163
▫ To Vary The Speed Setting .............. 163
▫ To Accelerate For Passing .............. 163
 Garage Door Opener — If Equipped ........ 164
▫ Before You Begin Programming
HomeLink ........................ 165
▫ Programming A Rolling Code ........... 166
▫ Programming A Non-Rolling Code ........ 168
▫ Canadian/Gate Operator Programming .... 169
▫ Using HomeLink ................... 170
▫ Security ........................... 171
▫ Troubleshooting Tips .................. 171
▫ General Information .................. 172
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 93

WARNING!
•Be certain that the seatback is securely locked into
position. If the seatback is not securely locked into
position the seat will not provide the proper
stability for child seats and/or passengers. An
improperly latched seat could cause serious injury.
•The rear cargo area of the vehicle (with the rear
seatbacks in the locked-up or folded down posi-
tion) should not be used as a play area by children.
They could be seriously injured in a collision.
Children should be seated and using the proper
restraint system.
Folding Rear Seat Center Armrest
The rear seat is equipped with a folding armrest with
cupholders.
Folding Rear Seat Armrest
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 147

TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HOOD
To open the hood, two latches must be released.
1. Pull the hood release lever located under the left side
of the instrument panel.2. Lift the secondary latch located under the front edge
of the hood, near the center and raise the hood.
Use the hood prop rod to secure the hood in the open
position. Place the upper end of the prop rod in the hole
on the left underside of the hood.
Hood Release Lever
Hood Safety Catch
148 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

On steep hills, a greater speed loss or gain may occur so
it may be preferable to drive without Electronic Speed
Control.
WARNING!
Electronic Speed Control can be dangerous where the
system cannot maintain a constant speed. Your ve-
hicle could go too fast for the conditions, and you
could lose control and have an accident. Do not use
Electronic Speed Control in heavy traffic or on roads
that are winding, icy, snow-covered or slippery.
GARAGE DOOR OPENER — IF EQUIPPED
HomeLinkreplaces up to three hand-held transmitters
that operate devices such as garage door openers, motor-
ized gates, lighting or home security systems. The
HomeLink unit is powered by your vehicles 12 Volt
battery. The HomeLink
buttons, located on either the overhead
console, headliner or sunvisor, designate the three differ-
ent HomeLink channels. The HomeLink indicator is
located above the center button.
HomeLink Buttons/Overhead Consoles
164 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:HomeLink is disabled when the Vehicle Secu-
rity Alarm is active.
Before You Begin Programming HomeLink 
Be sure that your vehicle is parked outside of the garage
before you begin programming. For more efficient programming and accurate transmis-
sion of the radio-frequency signal it is recommended that
a new battery be placed in the hand-held transmitter of
the device that is being programmed to the HomeLink

system.
Erase all channels before you begin programming. To
erase the channels place the ignition in the ON/RUN
position and press and hold the two outside HomeLink 
buttons (I and III) for up 20 seconds or until the red
indicator flashes.
NOTE:
•Erasing all channels should only be performed when
programming HomeLink for the first time. Do not
erase channels when programming additional buttons.
•If you have any problems, or require assistance, please
call toll-free 1–800–355–3515 or, on the Internet at
www.HomeLink.com for information or assistance.
HomeLink Buttons/Sunvisor/Headliner
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 165

4. Watch for the HomeLinkindicator to change flash
rates. When it changes, it is programmed. It may take up
to 30 seconds or longer in rare cases. The garage door
may open and close while you are programming.
5. Press and hold the programmed HomeLink button
and observe the indicator light.
•If the indicator light stays on constantly, program-
ming is complete and the garage door/device
should activate when the HomeLink button is
pressed.
•To program the two remaining HomeLink buttons,
repeat each step for each remaining button. DO
NOT erase the channels.
If you unplugged the garage door opener/device for
programming, plug it back in at this time.
Reprogramming A Single HomeLink Button
To reprogram a channel that has been previously trained,
follow these steps:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position.
2. Press and hold the desired HomeLink button until
the indicator light begins to flash after 20 seconds. Do not
release the button.
3. Without releasing the button proceed with
“Canadian/Gate Operator Programming” Step 2 and
follow all remaining steps.
Using HomeLink
To operate, press and release the programmed
HomeLink button. Activation will now occur for the
programmed device (i.e., garage door opener, gate opera-
tor, security system, entry door lock, home/office light-
ing, etc.,). The hand-held transmitter of the device may
also be used at any time.
170 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE