warning DODGE AVENGER 2009 2.G User Guide

WARNING!
Never leave children in a vehicle, with the keys in
the ignition switch. Occupants, particularly unat-
tended children, can become entrapped by the win-
dows while operating the power window switches.
Such entrapment may result in serious injury or
death.
Auto Window Down — If Equipped
The front window controls on the driver and passenger
door trim panels have an Auto Down feature. These
switches are labeled AUTO to indicate this capability.
Push the window switch past the first detent, release, and
the window will go down automatically.
To open the window part way, push the window switch
to the first detent and release it when you want the
window to stop.To cancel the Auto Down movement, operate the switch
either in the up or down direction and release the switch.
For vehicles not equipped with the Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC), the power window switches
will remain active for 45 seconds after the ignition switch
is turned to the LOCK position. Opening either door will
cancel this feature.
For vehicles equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC), the power window switches will
remain active for up to 10 minutes after the ignition
switch is turned off. Opening either door will cancel this
feature. The time for this feature is programmable. Refer
to “Key-Off power Delay” under “Personal Settings
(Customer-Programmable Features)” in the “Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC),” in Section 4 of this
manual.
36 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Auto Window Up — 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
•If the window runs into any obstacle during auto-
closure, it will reverse direction and then stop. Remove
the obstacle and use the window switch again to close
the window.
•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
2

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.
NOTE:The shift 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 “deck” 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 “deck” will display until the trunk is closed.
On Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)
equipped vehicles, the words “Trunk Ajar” 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
2

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. Refer
to “Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)” in
this section.
NOTE:The front airbags have a multistage 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.
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
42 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 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!
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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.
•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.
•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.
(Continued)
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43
2

WARNING! (Continued)
•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.3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
Pulling Out the Latch Plate
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 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 Buckle
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 45
2

WARNING!
•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 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 the Lap Belt
46 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 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 authorized 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 (i.e., bent retractor, torn web-
bing, etc.).
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47
2

Rear Seat Belts
The shoulder belt anchorages of the rear three point belts
are nonadjustable for outboard and center rear passen-
gers 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)
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), BeltAlertwill
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, BeltAlertwill
continue to chime and flash the Seat Belt Reminder Light
for 96 seconds or until the driver’s seat belt is buckled.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
2