warning DODGE AVENGER 2008 User Guide

AUTO WINDOW UP Ð IF EQUIPPED
Lift the window switch to the second detent, release, and
the window will go up automatically.
To cancel the Auto Up movement, operate the switch
either in the up or down direction and release the switch.
To close the window part way, lift the window switch to
the first detent and release it when you want the window
to stop.
NOTE: ANTI-PINCH PROTECTION
² If the window runs into an obstacle during auto-
closure, it will reverse direction and then stop. Remove
the obstacle and use the window switch again to close
the window.
² Any impact due to rough road conditions may trigger
the auto reverse function unexpectedly during auto-
closure. If this happens, pull the switch lightly to the
first detent and hold to close window manually. WARNING!When the window is almost closed, there is no
anti-pinch protection. To avoid personal injury, be
sure to clear your arms, hands, fingers and all objects
from the window path before closing.
RESET AUTO UP
Any time the vehicle battery goes dead, the auto-up
function will be disabled. To reactivate the auto-up
feature, pull the window switch up to close the window
completely and continue to hold the switch up for an
additional two seconds after the window is closed. THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37
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TRUNK RELEASE
From inside the car the trunk lid
can be released by depressing the
Trunk Release Button located on
the instrument panel to the left of
the steering wheel. The transmis-
sion must be in Park before the
switch will operate.
NOTE: The gear selector lever must be in PARK for this
switch to operate.
To unlatch the trunk lid from outside the vehicle, press
and release the TRUNK button on the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter two times.
With the ignition ON, the word ªdeckº will display in
place of the odometer display indicating that the trunk is
open. The odometer display will reappear once the trunk
is closed or if the trip button is depressed. With the key in the lock position or with the key out, the
word ªdeckº will display until the trunk is closed.
On EVIC equipped vehicles, the words ªTrunk Ajarº will
display.
TRUNK SAFETY WARNING
WARNING!Do not allow children to have access to the trunk,
either by climbing into the trunk from outside, or
through the inside of the vehicle. Always close the
trunk lid when your vehicle is unattended. Once in
the trunk, young children may not be able to escape,
even if they entered through the rear seat. If trapped
in the trunk, children can die from suffocation or
heat stroke. THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
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² Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
that span the front and second rows for sedans Ð if
equipped
² Supplemental seat side (Thorax) airbags Ð if
equipped
² Front seat belt retractors incorporate pretensioners to
enhance occupant protection by managing occupant
energy during an impact event.
² All seat belt systems (except the driver's) include
Automatic Locking Retractors (ALRs), which lock the
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 you will be carrying children too small for adult-size
seat belts, your seat belts or the LATCH feature also can
be used to hold infant and child restraint systems. NOTE: The front airbags have a multi stage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation that are based on collision severity.
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. THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41
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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
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 seating positions in your vehicle are equipped with
Lap/Shoulder Belts.
The belt webbing retractor will lock only during very
sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the shoul-
der part of the belt to move freely with you under normal conditions. But in a collision, the belt will lock and reduce
your risk of striking the inside of the vehicle or being
thrown out.
WARNING!² Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
² It is extremely 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 seri-
ously injured or killed.
² 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.42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!² 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.
² Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in an accident, 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 above the back of the front
seat, next to your arm. 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 PlateTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43
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3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a ªclick.º
WARNING!² 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.
² A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well.
In a sudden stop, you could move too far forward,
increasing the possibility of injury. Wear your seat
belt snugly. Inserting Latch Plate Into Buckle44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!² A belt that is worn under your arm is very danger-
ous. 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 stron-
gest bones will take the force in a collision.
² 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 the Lap BeltTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 45
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WARNING!² 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 pos-
sible and keep it snug.
² A twisted belt can't do its job as well. 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 dealer 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.).
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted lap/
shoulder belt.46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

REAR SEAT BELTS
Three point belts are nonadjustable for outboard and
center rear passengers on sedans. The center belt is
mounted to the rear shelf panel and exits through a bezel
in the panel.
SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt in the event of a collision.
These devices improve the performance of the seat belt
by assuring that the belt is tight about the occupant early
in a collision. Pretensioners work for all size occupants,
including those in child restraints.
In addition, the front passenger seat belt includes a
two-stage load-limiting feature to enhance occupant pro-
tection for the same reason. NOTE: These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still must be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Re-
straint Controller (ORC) (see Airbag Section). Like the
front airbags, the pretensioners are single use items. After
a collision that is severe enough to deploy the airbags and
pretensioners, both must be replaced.
ENHANCED SEAT BELT REMINDER SYSTEM
(BELTALERT T )
If the occupied 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), BeltAlert t will
alert the driver to buckle their seat belt. The driver
should also instruct all other occupants to buckle their
seat belts. Once the warning is triggered, BeltAlert t will
continue to chime and flash the Seat Belt Warning Light
for 96 seconds or until the driver's seat belt is buckled.48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

BeltAlert t 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 T PROGRAMMING
BeltAlert t can be enabled or disabled by your authorized
dealer or by following these steps:
NOTE: The following steps must occur within the first
60 seconds of the ignition switch being turned to the ON
or START position. DaimlerChrysler does not recom-
mend deactivating BeltAlert t .
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 Warning Light to turn off. 3. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
ON position, 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 Warning Light to turn on
while unbuckling and off while re-buckling the seat belt.
It may be necessary to retract the seat belt partially each
time when unbuckling.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have success-
fully completed the programming.
BeltAlert t can be reactivated by repeating this procedure.
NOTE: Although BeltAlert t has been deactivated, the
Seat Belt Warning Light will continue to illuminate while
the driver's seat belt remains unbuckled. THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
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