warning DODGE AVENGER 2009 2.G Owner's Guide

Airbag Warning Light
You will want to have the airbags ready to
inflate for your protection in a collision. While
the airbag system is designed to be mainte-
nance free, if any of the following occurs, have
an authorized dealer service the system immediately.
•The Airbag Warning Light does not come on during
the six to eight seconds when the ignition switch is
first turned on.
•The light remains on after the six to eight second
interval.
•The light comes on and remains on while driving.
NOTE:If the speedometer, tachometer, or any engine
related gauges are not working, the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) may also be disabled. The airbags may
not be ready to inflate for your protection. Promptly
check fuse block for blown fuses. Refer to the labellocated on the inside of the fuse block cover for the
proper airbag fuses. See your authorized dealer if the
fuse is good.
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
In the event of an accident, your vehicle is designed to
record up to five seconds of specific vehicle data param-
eters (see the following list) in an event data recorder
prior to the moment of airbag deployment, or near
deployment, and up to a quarter second of high-speed
deceleration data during and/or after airbag deploy-
ment. EDR data are ONLY recorded if an airbag deploys,
or nearly deploys, and are otherwise unavailable.
NOTE:
1. A near-deployment event occurs when the airbag
sensor detects severe vehicle deceleration usually indica-
tive of a crash, but not severe enough to warrant airbag
deployment.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Data parameters that may be recorded:
•Diagnostic trouble code(s) and warning light status for
electronically-controlled safety systems, including the
airbag system
•Airbag disable light status (if equipped)
•Timeof airbag deployment (in terms of ignition
cycles and vehicle mileage)
•Airbag deployment level (if applicable)
•Impact acceleration and angle
•Seat belt status
•Brake status (service and parking brakes)
•Accelerator status (including vehicle speed)
•Engine control status (including engine speed)
•Transmission gear selection
•Cruise control status
•Traction/Stability Control status
•Tire Pressure Monitoring System status (if equipped)
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time, including babies and children. Every state in the
United States and all Canadian provinces require that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years and younger should ride properly
buckled up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seats, rather than in the front.
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a missile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap could
become so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child’s
size.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat owner’s manual to ensure you have the correct seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child.
Infants And Small Children
•
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats. Both types of child
restraints are held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder
belt or the LATCH child restraint anchorage system.
Refer to “Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren
(LATCH)” in this section.
•The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg). Convertible child seats can be
used either rearward-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rearward-facing direction than
infant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) but are
less than one year old.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 69
2

WARNING!
Rearward-facing child seats must NEVER be used in
the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger
airbag. An airbag deployment could cause severe
injury or death to infants in this position.
Older Children and Child Restraints
Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who are
older than one year can ride forward-facing in the
vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are for children
who weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg) and who are older
than one year. These child seats are also held in the
vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH child
restraint anchorage system. Refer to “Lower Anchors and
Tether for CHildren (LATCH)” in this section.
The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weighing
more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small to fit
the vehicle’s seat belts properly. If the child cannot sit
with knees bent over the vehicle’s cushion while the
child’s back is against the seatback, then the child should
use a belt-positioning booster seat. The child and booster
seat are held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt.
(Some booster seats are equipped with a front shield and
are held in the vehicle by the lap portion.)
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
(Continued)
70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)
•A rearward facing child restraint should only be
used in a rear seat. A rearward facing child re-
straint in the front seat may be struck by a deploy-
ing passenger airbag which may cause severe or
fatal injury to the infant.
Here are some tips on getting the most out of your
child restraints:
•
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.
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. We also recommend that you make surethat you can install the child restraint in the vehicle
where you will use it, before you buy it.
•The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
•All passenger seating positions contain automatic
locking retractors. However, 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 of the
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71
2

reach. If the buckled seat belt interferes with the child
restraint installation, instead of tucking the seat belt
behind the child restraint, route the seat belt through
the child restraint belt path and then buckle it. This
should stow the seat belt out of the reach of an
inquisitive child. Remind all children in the vehicle
that the seat belts are not toys and should not be
played with, and never leave your child unattended in
the vehicle.
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of an infant or
child restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.
Installing Child Restraint Tether Strap
1. Rotate the cover over the anchor directly behind the
seat where you are placing the child restraint.
1— Cover A—Tether Strap Hook
3— Attaching Strap B—Tether Anchor 76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

2. Route the tether strap to provide the most direct path
for the strap between the anchor and the child seat. If
your vehicle is equipped with adjustable rear head
restraints, raise the head restraint, and where possible,
route the tether strap under the head restraint and
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 in-
creased 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 passenger seat belts are equipped with Automatic
Locking Retractors (ALRs), which are designed to keep
the lap portion tight around the child restraint.
The seat belt must be in the Automatic Locking Mode in
order to enable a child restraint to be tightly installed.
Refer to “Automatic Locking Mode” in this section for
details. A locking clip should not be necessary once the
automatic locking feature is enabled. Position the shoul-
der and lap belt on the child restraint. The Automatic
Locking Retractor (ALR) is activated by first attaching
the child seat, then pulling all of the webbing out of the
retractor, then allowing the webbing to retract. As the
webbing retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This
indicates the safety belt is now in the Automatic Locking
Mode. To release, simply unbuckle the seat belt by
depressing the button, and allow the webbing to retract
into the retractor.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77
2

SAFETY TIPS
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO) which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO),
follow these safety tips:
Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in confined
areas any longer than needed to move your vehicle in or
out of the area.
If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the engine
running, adjust your heating or cooling controls to force
outside air into the vehicle. Set the blower at high speed.
WARNING!
If you are required to drive with the deck lid 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.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside the
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after
a collision if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor,
torn webbing, etc.). If there is any question regarding belt
or retractor condition, replace the seat belt.
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Airbag Warning Light
The Airbag Warning Light should come on and remain
on for six to eight seconds as a bulb check when the
ignition switch is first turned ON. If the LED is not lit
during starting, have it checked. If the light stays on or
comes on while driving, have the system checked by an
authorized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield.
NOTE:If the defrost feature is not functioning, the
cause should be located and corrected immediately by an
authorized service center. The windshield could fog up
while driving and obscure your visibility.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
the Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear or uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread. Inspect tread and sidewall for cuts or
cracks. Check wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires
(including spare) for proper pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. In addition, if
gasoline fumes are detected or fuel, power steering fluid,
transmission fluid, or brake fluid leaks are suspected, the
cause should be located and corrected immediately.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81
2

Adjusting Side View Mirrors
Outside Mirror — Driver’s Side
Adjust the outside mirror to center on the adjacent lane of
traffic, with a slight overlap of the view obtained on the
inside mirror.
Outside Mirror — Passenger’s Side
Adjust the convex outside mirror so you can just see the
side of your vehicle in the part of the mirror closest to the
vehicle.
WARNING!
Vehicles and other objects seen in the right side convex
mirror will look smaller and farther away than they
really are. Relying too much on your right side mirror
could cause you to collide with another vehicle or other
object. Use your inside mirror when judging the size or
distance of a vehicle seen in this convex mirror.
Illuminated Vanity Mirrors — If Equipped
An illuminated vanity mirror is on each sun visor. To use
the mirror, rotate the sun visor down and swing the
mirror cover upward. The lights will turn on automati-
cally. Closing the mirror cover turns off the lights.
Illuminated Vanity Mirror
90 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE