warning DODGE CALIBER 2010 1.G User Guide

Once unlocked, the liftgate can be opened or closed
without using the key. To open the liftgate, squeeze the
liftgate release and pull the liftgate open with one fluid
motion.NOTE:
•In the event of a power malfunction, or the RKE
transmitter is inoperative, insert the key into the
liftgate lock cylinder and turn it to the right (manual
lock models only). Using the liftgate handle, pull the
liftgate open with one fluid motion.
•Although the liftgate has no inside release mechanism,
the liftgate trim panel includes an opening with a
snap-in cap that provides access to release the latch in
the event of an electrical system malfunction.
WARNING!
•Driving with the liftgate open can allow poison-
ous exhaust gases into your vehicle. You and your
passengers could be injured by these fumes. Keep
the liftgate closed when you are operating the
vehicle.
(Continued)
Liftgate Handle
36 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)
•If you are required to drive with the liftgate open,
make sure that all windows are closed, and the
climate control blower switch is set at high speed.
DO NOT use the recirculation mode.
Gas props support the liftgate in the open position.
However, because the gas pressure drops with tempera-
ture, it may be necessary to assist the props when
opening the liftgate in cold weather.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:
•Three-point lap and shoulder belts for all seating
positions
•Advanced Front Airbags for driver and front passen-
ger
•Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR) located
on top of the front seats (integrated into the head
restraint)
•Supplemental driver side knee airbag
•Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
for the driver and passengers seated next to a window
•Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Airbags (SAB) — if
equipped
•An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheel
•Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
•Front seat belts incorporate pretensioners to enhance
occupant protection by managing occupant energy
during an impact event — if equipped
•All seat belt systems (except the driver’s) include
Automatic Locking Retractors (ALRs), which lock the
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37

seat belt webbing into position by extending the belt
all the way out and then adjusting the belt to the
desired length to restrain a child seat or secure a large
item in a seat — if equipped
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems. For more information
on LATCH, see Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren
(LATCH).
NOTE: The Advanced Front Airbags have a multistage
inflator design. This allows the airbag to have different
rates of inflation based on the severity and type of
collision.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buckled
up. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or other
passengers, or you can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Always be sure you and others in your vehicle are
buckled up properly.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some
of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown
from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.Everyone in a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All the seating positions in your vehicle are equipped
with combination lap/shoulder belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
normal conditions. However in a collision, the belt will
lock and reduce the risk of you striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
•It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be seriously injured
or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
•Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat
belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and can take the forces of a collision the best.
(Continued)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39

WARNING! (Continued)
•Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You might
suffer internal injuries, or you could even slide out
of part of the belt. Follow these instructions to
wear your seat belt safely and to keep your pas-
sengers safe, too.
•Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in a collision, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or lap belt for more
than one person, no matter what their size.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and
adjust the seat.2. The seat belt latch plate is along side the pillar near the
back of your seat. Grasp the latch plate and pull out the
belt. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as far as
necessary to allow the belt to go around your lap.Pulling Out the Latch Plate
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”WARNING!
•A belt that is buckled into the wrong buckle will
not protect you properly. The lap portion could
ride too high on your body, possibly causing
internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the
buckle nearest you.
•A belt that is too loose will not protect you
properly. In a sudden stop you could move too far
forward, increasing the possibility of injury. Wear
your seat belt snugly.(Continued)
Inserting Latch Plate into Buckle
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41

WARNING! (Continued)
•A belt that is worn under your arm is dangerous.
Your body could strike the inside surfaces of the
vehicle in a collision, increasing head and neck
injury. A belt worn under the arm can cause
internal injuries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder
bones. Wear the belt over your shoulder so that
your strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.
•A shoulder belt placed behind you will not protect
you from injury during a collision. You are more
likely to hit your head in a collision if you do not
wear your shoulder belt. The lap and shoulder belt
are meant to be used together.4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull up
on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight,
tilt the latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug belt
reduces the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision.
Positioning Lap Belt
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
internal injury in a collision. The belt forces won’t
be at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across
your abdomen. Always wear the lap belt as low as
possible and keep it snug.
•A twisted belt can’t do its job properly. In a
collision, it could even cut into you. Be sure the
belt is straight. If you can’t straighten a belt in
your vehicle, take it to your authorized dealer
immediately and have it fixed.
5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retractor
will withdraw any slack in the belt. 6. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle.
The belt will automatically retract to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the belt to retract fully.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision and
leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt system
periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately. Do
not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43

WARNING!
•The belt and retractor assembly must be replaced
if the seat belt assembly Automatic Locking Re-
tractor (ALR) feature or any other seat belt func-
tion is not working properly when checked ac-
cording to the procedures in the Service Manual.
•Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly
could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR)
These head restraints are passive, deployable compo-
nents, and vehicles with this equipment cannot be readily
identified by any markings, only through visual inspec-
tion of the head restraint. The head restraint will be split
in two halves, with the front half being soft foam and
trim, the back half being decorative plastic.How the Active Head Restraints (AHR) Work
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the severity, or type of rear impact will require
the Active Head Restraints (AHR) to deploy. If a rear
impact requires deployment, both the driver and front
passenger seat AHRs will be deployed.
When AHRs deploy during a rear impact, the front half
of the head restraint extends forward to minimize the gap
between the back of the occupant’s head and the AHR.
This system is designed to help prevent or reduce the
extent of injuries to the driver and front passenger in
certain types of rear impacts.
NOTE:
The Active Head Restraints (AHR) may or may
not deploy in the event of a front or side impact.
However if during a front impact, a secondary rear
impact occurs, the AHR may deploy based on the sever-
ity and type of the impact.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert)
If the driver’s seat belt has not been buckled within
60 seconds of starting the vehicle and if the vehicle speed
is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h), the BeltAlertwill alert
the driver to buckle the seat belt. The driver should also
instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat belts.
Once the warning is triggered, the BeltAlert will con-
tinue to chime and flash the Seat Belt Reminder Light for
96 seconds or until the driver’s seat belt is buckled. The
BeltAlert will be reactivated if the driver’s seat belt is
unbuckled for more than 10 seconds and the vehicle
speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h).
BeltAlert Programming
BeltAlertcan be enabled or disabled by your authorized
dealer or by performing the following procedure: NOTE:
The following steps must occur within the first
60 seconds of the ignition switch being turned to the ON
or START position. Chrysler Group LLC does not recom-
mend deactivating BeltAlert.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position and
buckle the driver’s seat belt.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position and wait
for the Seat Belt Reminder Light to turn off.
3. Unbuckle and then re-buckle the driver’s seat belt at
least three times within 10 seconds, ending with the seat
belt buckled.
NOTE: Watch for the Seat Belt Reminder Light to turn
on while unbuckling and off while re-buckling the seat
belt. It may be necessary to retract the seat belt.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have success-
fully completed the programming.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55