air conditioning DODGE CARAVAN 2004 4.G Owners Manual

The liftgate sill plate has a raised line with the statement
ªLoad To This Lineº. This line indicates how far rearward
cargo can be placed without interfering with liftgate
closing.Cargo Organizer Ð If Equipped
Long wheel base vehicle with rear air conditioning may
be equipped with a cargo organizer that mounts on the
floor behind the rear seat. Items may be placed on the flat
surface or stored in the three storage compartments.
WARNING!
²To avoid tipping, lock the shelf securely in all
positions.
²Do not drive this vehicle with the liftgate open, or
use the shelf as a seat.
²Failure to follow these warnings could result in
serious or fatal injury.
1. To raise the cargo organizer pull up on the handle and
pull towards the rear of the vehicle.
136 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

NTime Button.........................186
NChanging Modes......................186
NRemoving Discs From The CD Changer.....187
NCD Changer Operation With The Changer
Off ...............................187
m6 Disc CD/Digital Video Disc (DVD)
Changer Ð If Equipped..................187
NOperating Instructions Ð CD/DVD Changer . . 188
NEject (EJT) Button.....................189
NOperating Instructions Ð Remote Control....189
NOperating Instructions Ð Video Screen......191
NOperating Instructions Ð Headphones......192
NOperating Instructions Ð MP3 Player.......194NOperating Instructions Ð Video
Games/Camcorders...................195
mRemote Sound System Controls Ð If Equipped . . 195
NRadio Operation......................196
NTape Player.........................196
NCD Player..........................197
mCassette Tape And Player Maintenance.......197
mCD/DVD Disc Maintenance...............198
mRadio Operation And Cellular Phones........198
mClimate Controls.......................199
NManual Air Conditioning And Heating
System.............................199
NFront Mode Control...................200
146 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

NManual Air Conditioning Operation........203
NManual Rear Zone Climate Control Ð If
Equipped...........................206
NInfrared Three-Zone Automatic Temperature
Control Ð If Equipped.................208
mRear Window Features...................219
NIntermittent Rear Wiper Operation Ð Manual
Temperature Control Only...............219
NRear Washer Operation Ð Manual Temperature
Control Only........................219NRear Wiper Operation Ð Automatic
Temperature Control Only...............220
NIntermittent Rear Wiper Operation Ð
Automatic Temperature Control Only.......220
NRear Washer Operation Ð Automatic
Temperature Control Only...............221
NElectric Rear Window Defroster Ð If
Equipped...........................222
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 147
4

CLIMATE CONTROLS
The Air Conditioning and Heating System is designed to
make you comfortable in all types of weather.
Manual Air Conditioning and Heating System
Front Blower Control
The Front Blower Control selects whether the Cli-
mate Control System is ON or OFF. When the blowercontrol is set to the O (OFF) position the front blower will
turn off and the system will be placed in the Recirculation
mode. When the blower control is set to any position
other than off, it selects the amount of air delivered to the
passenger compartment. There are four blower speeds.
The fan speed increases as you
move the control clockwise.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 199
4

Defrost Mode
Air comes from the windshield and side window demist
outlets. Use this setting when necessary to defrost your
windshield and side windows.
NOTE:For improved safety, the compressor is activated
and the recirculation mode is deactivated when Mix orDefrost modes are selected. This is done to assist in
drying the air and it will help in keeping the windows
from fogging.
Manual Air Conditioning Operation
To turn on the air conditioning, set the front
blower control to any position except O (OFF) and
press the A/C button which is located next to the
recirculation button. An indicator light on the A/C
button shows that the air conditioning is on.
Cool dehumidified air comes through the outlets selected
by the Mode Control. To turn off the air conditioning,
press the A/C button a second time. The indicator light
will turn off.
NOTE:
²The compressor will not engage until the engine has
been running for a few seconds.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 203
4

²If your air conditioning performance seems lower than
expected, check the A/C air filter and the front of the
A/C condenser for an accumulation of dirt or insects.
The A/C condenser is located in front of the radiator.
The A/C air filter is located under the instrument
panel on the passenger side.
²Fabric type fascia protectors tend to block the amount
of air to the condenser and may reduce air condition-
ing performance.
Economy Mode
If economy mode is desired, press the A/C button to turn
off the indicator light, and the A/C compressor. Move the
temperature control lever to the desired temperature.
Recirculation Control
Press the recirculation button to recirculate the
air inside the vehicle. This is located next to the
A/C button. An indicator light on the button
shows that air is being recirculated. Use therecirculation mode to rapidly cool the inside of the
vehicle. The recirculation mode can also be used to
temporarily block out outside odors, smoke, and dust.
NOTE:
²When the ignition switch is turned OFF, the recircula-
tion feature will be cancelled.
²In cold weather, use of the Recirculation mode may
lead to excessive window fogging. The Recirculation
mode is not allowed in the Mix and Defrost modes to
improve window clearing operation. Recirculation
will be disabled automatically if these modes are
selected.
²If the recirculation button is pressed while in the Mix
or Defrost mode, the indicator light in the recirculation
button will flash 3 times indicating that recirculation is
not allowed.
204 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Defrost Mode
Air comes from the windshield and side window demist
outlets. Use this setting when necessary to defrost your
windshield and side windows.
Depress the ªA/Cº button to turn on and off the
air conditioning during manual operation only.
Cool dehumidified air comes through the outletsselected by the Mode Control. To turn off the air condi-
tioning, press the A/C button a second time. The A/C
symbol in the display will turn off.
Recirculation Control
When the outside air contains smoke, odors,
high humidity, or if rapid cooling is desired
you may wish to recirculate interior air by
pressing the recirculation icon button. The re-
circulation mode should only be used temporarily. The
recirculate symbol will illuminate in the display when
this button is selected. You may select the recirculation
mode separately or with the A/C feature, if rapid cooling
is desired. Push in on the buttons a second time to turn
the systems off.
NOTE:In cold weather, use of the Recirculation mode
may lead to excessive window fogging. The Recirculation
mode is not allowed in the Mix and Defrost modes to
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 213
4

A/C Air Filter Ð If Equipped
The climate control system filters out dust, pollen and
some odors from the air. Strong odors can not be totally
filtered out. Refer to section 7 ªAir Conditioningº for
filter replacement instructions.
REAR WINDOW FEATURES
Intermittent Rear Wiper Operation Ð Manual
Temperature Control Only
The controls are located on the Manual Tempera-
ture Control head above the front blower control.
When the button is pressed and released and the
Ignition Switch in ON, the rear wiper will operate at a
fixed interval of about 8 seconds. As vehicle speed
increases, the time delay will shorten. The LED indicator
will light when the wiper is ON. Pressing and releasing
the button again with turn the wiper off.
Rear Washer Operation Ð Manual Temperature
Control Only
The controls are located on the Manual Tempera-
ture Control head above the front blower control.
Press and hold the button for as long as spray is
desired. If the button is depressed and held while the
Intermittent wiper is on, the wiper will operated for a few
seconds after the button is released, then resume inter-
mittent operation. If the button was pressed and held
when the intermittent wiper is off, the wiper will operate
for two cycles, then turn off. The LED will not illuminate
when Washer is selected and Intermittent is OFF.
NOTE:The washer will stop spraying if the switch is
pressed longer than 10 seconds.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 219
4

IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
²On the highways Ð Slow down.
²In city traffic Ð While stopped, put transaxle in
neutral, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE:There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition. If your air conditioner
is on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the engine cooling system and turning off the A/C
removes this heat. You can also turn the Temperature
control to maximum heat, the Mode control to floor, and
the fan control to High. This allows the heater core to act
as a supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If temperature gauge reads ªHº, pull
over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the
air conditioner turned off until the pointer drops
back into the normal range. If the pointer remains on
the ªHº, turn the engine off immediately, and call for
service.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 281
6

WARNING!
²Use only refrigerants approved by this manufac-
turer for your air conditioning system. Some un-
approved refrigerants are flammable and can ex-
plode, injuring you. Other unapproved
refrigerants can cause the system to fail, requiring
costly repairs.
²Never add air conditioning refrigerant to correct a
non-cooling problem unless pressure gauges are
connected to the system by a certified technician.
Lack of cooling could be due to a restriction and
adding refrigerant may cause a dangerous pres-
sure rise and you could be injured.
Refrigerant Recovery And Recycling
The air conditioning system of your vehicle contains
R-134a, a refrigerant that does not deplete the ozone layer
in the upper atmosphere. The manufacturer recommendsthat air conditioning service be done by facilities using
refrigerant recycling and recovery equipment that meets
SAE standard J1991.
A/C Air Filter
The filter access door is located under the instrument
panel on the passenger side. To replace the filter slide the
lock toward the rear of the vehicle (unlock position).
Remove the access door and pull the filter downward.
When installing a new filter, ensure its proper orienta-
tion. Align the black arrow on the bottom of the filter
frame with the direction of airflow (away from the
blower motor and towards the center of the car).
Refer to the ªMaintenance Schedulesº section of this
manual for the recommended air conditioning filter
replacement intervals.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 313
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