warning DODGE CARAVAN 2010 Service Manual

WARNING!
The vehicle tether anchor is designed to be used with
a child restraint only. It should not be used for any
other purpose. Before use, inspect the tether anchor
strap for nicks, abrasions, discoloration, and loose
threads. If these or any other condition that might
affect the performance of the strap is observed, DO
NOT USE that strap. Personal injury may result.
Contact your authorized dealership for a replacement
part.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine and
drivetrain (transmission and axle) in your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or
55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws, contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental and should be avoided.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with anticipated climate
conditions under which vehicle operations will occur. For
the recommended viscosity and quality grades refer to
“Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your Ve-
hicle”. NON-DETERGENT OR STRAIGHT MINERAL
OILS MUST NEVER BE USED.
A new engine may consume some oil during its first few
thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This should be
considered a normal part of the break-in and not inter-
preted as an indication of difficulty.
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SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE CARGO
AREA.
WARNING!
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
•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.
•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.
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.
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Airbag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for four to eight
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned ON. If the light is not lit during starting, see your
authorized dealer. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes
on while driving, have the system checked by an autho-
rized 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. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is
inoperable.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the foot well of
your vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal
area unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that
they cannot slip out of position and interfere with the
pedals or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other
ways.
WARNING!
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of
vehicle control and increase the risk of serious per-
sonal injury.
•Always make sure that floor mats are properly
attached to the floor mat fasteners.(Continued)
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WARNING! (Continued)
•Never place or install floor mats or other floor
coverings in the vehicle that cannot be properly
secured to prevent them from moving and inter-
fering with the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
•Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on
top of already installed floor mats. Additional
floor mats and other coverings will reduce the size
of the pedal area and interfere with the pedals.
•Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Al-
ways properly reinstall and secure floor mats that
have been removed for cleaning.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the
driver foot well while the vehicle is moving.
Objects can become trapped under the brake pedal
and accelerator pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
•If required, mounting posts must be properly
installed, if not equipped from the factory.
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or
mounting can cause interference with the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal operation causing loss
of control of the vehicle.
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▫Front Fog Lights — If Equipped .......... 160
▫ Battery Protection .................... 160
▫ Multifunction Lever .................. 160
▫ Turn Signals ........................ 160
▫ Lane Change Assist ................... 161
▫ High/Low Beam Switch ............... 161
▫ Flash-To-Pass ....................... 162
 Windshield Wiper And Washers ........... 162
▫ Rain Sensing Wipers — If Equipped ....... 164
 Tilt Steering Column ................... 165
 Adjustable Pedals — If Equipped .......... 166
 Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped ..... 168
▫ To Activate ......................... 169 ▫
To Set At A Desired Speed .............. 169
▫ Deactivating Electronic Speed Control ...... 169
▫ Resuming Speed ..................... 169
▫ Varying The Speed Setting .............. 170
▫ Accelerating To Pass .................. 170
 Parksense Rear Park Assist — If Equipped . . . 171
▫ Parksense Sensors................... 172
▫ Parksense Warning Display ............ 172
▫ Parksense Display................... 173
▫ Enabling/Disabling Parksense .......... 177
▫ Service Parksense ................... 177
▫ Cleaning Parksense .................. 177
▫ Parksense System Usage Precautions ...... 178
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▫Second Row Seat Storage Bins —
If Equipped ........................ 204
▫ Storage Bin Safety Warning ............. 206
▫ Coat Hooks ........................ 207
▫ Cargo Area Storage ................... 208
 Console Features ...................... 208
▫ Basic Console ....................... 208 ▫
Premium Console — If Equipped ......... 209
 Rear Window Features .................. 213
▫ Rear Window Defroster ................ 213
 Load-Leveling System .................. 214
 Roof Luggage Rack — If Equipped ......... 215
 Sun Screens — If Equipped .............. 217
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CAUTION!
To avoid damage to the mirror during cleaning, never
spray any cleaning solution directly onto the mirror.
Apply the solution onto a clean cloth and wipe the
mirror clean.
Outside Mirrors
To receive maximum benefit, adjust the outside mirror(s)
to center on the adjacent lane of traffic with a slight
overlap of the view obtained on the inside mirror.
WARNING!
Vehicles and other objects seen in an outside convex
mirror will look smaller and farther away than they
really are. Relying too much on side convex mirrors
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 a side convex
mirror.
Automatic Dimming Mirror
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When the vehicle is started, the BSM warning light will
be momentarily illuminated in both outside rear view
mirrors to let the driver know that the system is opera-
tional. The BSM system sensors operate when the vehicle
is in any forward gear or REVERSE and enters stand by
mode when the vehicle is in PARK.
The BSM detection zone covers approximately one lane
on both sides of the vehicle (11 ft or 3.35 m). The zone
starts at the outside rear view mirror and extends ap-
proximately 20 ft (6 m) to the rear of the vehicle. The BSM
system monitors the detection zones on both sides of the
vehicle when the vehicle speed has reached approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h) or higher and will alert the
driver of vehicles in these areas.NOTE:
•The BSM system does NOT alert the driver about
rapidly approaching vehicles that are outside the
detection zones.
•The BSM system detection zone DOES NOT change if
your vehicle is towing a trailer. Therefore, visually
verify the adjacent lane is clear for both your vehicle
and trailer before making a lane change. If the trailer
or other object (i.e., bicycle, sports equipment) extends
beyond the side of your vehicle, this may result in the
BSM warning light remaining illuminated the entire
time the vehicle is in a forward gear.3
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The area on the rear fascia where the radar sensors are
located must remain free of snow, ice, and dirt/road
contamination so that the BSM system can function
properly. Do not block the area of the rear fascia where
the radar sensors are located with foreign objects
(bumper stickers, bicycle racks, etc.).The BSM system notifies the driver of objects in the
detection zones by illuminating the BSM warning light
located in the outside mirrors.
The BSM system can also be configured to sound an
audible (chime) alert and mute the radio to notify the
driver of objects that have entered the detection zones.
Refer to “Modes Of Operation” for further information.
Sensor Locations
BSM Warning Light
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Overtaking Traffic
If you pass another vehicle slowly (with a relative speed
less than 10 mph (16 km/h) and the vehicle remains in
the blind spot for approximately 1.5 seconds, the warning
light will be illuminated. If the difference in speed
between the two vehicles is greater than 10 mph
(16 km/h), the warning light will not illuminate.The BSM system is designed not to issue an alert on
stationary objects such as guardrails, posts, walls, foliage,
berms, etc. However, occasionally the system may alert
on such objects. This is normal operation and your
vehicle does not require service.
Overtaking/Approaching
Overtaking/Passing
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