ECU DODGE DAKOTA 2005 3.G User Guide

•Airbag deployment level (if applicable)
•Seatbelt status
•Brake status (service and parking brakes)
•Accelerator status (including vehicle speed)
•Engine control status (including engine speed)
•Cruise control status
•Traction/stability control status
Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time - babies and children, too. 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 under should ride properly buckled up in arear seat, if available. According to crash statistics, chil-
dren are safer when properly restrained in the rear seats
rather than in the front.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult seat belt. Always check the child seat
owner’s manual to ensure you have the right 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 andconvertiblechild seats.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59
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Here are some tips for getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. The manufacturer recommends that you
try a child restraint in the vehicle seats 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.
•The Club Cab first and Club/Quad Cab second row
outside seating positions have cinching latch plates.
These are designed to keep the lap portion tight
around the child restraint so that it is not necessary touse a locking clip. If the seat belt has a cinching latch
plate, pulling up on the shoulder portion of the
lap/shoulder belt will tighten the belt. The cinching
latch plate will keep the belt tight, however, any seat
belt system will loosen with time, so check the belt
occasionally and pull it tight if necessary.
•Buckle the child into the restraint exactly as the
manufacturer’s instructions tell you.
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
LATCH - Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren)
Each vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

provides for the installation of the child restraint without
using the vehicle’s seat belts, instead securing the child
restraint using lower anchorages and upper tether straps
from the child restraint to the vehicle structure. LATCH-
compatible child restraint systems are now available.
However, because the lower anchorages are to be intro-
duced over a period of years, child restraint systems
having attachments for those anchorages will continue to
also have features for installation using the vehicle’s seat
belts. Child restraints having tether straps and hooks for
connection to the top tether anchorages have been avail-
able for some time. For some older child restraints, many
child restraint manufacturers offer add-on tether strap
kits or retro-fit kits. You are urged to take advantage of all
the available attachments provided with your child re-
straint in any vehicle.Club Cab
•The Club Cab front and rear right (if equipped with a
rear seat) passenger seating positions have lower
anchorages for LATCH equipped child restraints.
Quad Cab
•The Quad Cab second row seat has lower anchorages
that are capable of accommodating LATCH-
compatible child seats having flexible, webbing-
mounted lower attachments at all three seating posi-
tions. Child seats with fixed lower attachments must
be installed in the outboard positions only. Regardless
of the specific type of lower attachment, NEVER install
LATCH compatible child seats such that two seats
share a common lower anchorage. If you are installing
LATCH-compatible child restraints in adjacent rear
seating positions, you can use the LATCH anchors or
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63
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Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat
Belt
The passenger seat belts are equipped with either cinch-
ing latch plates or automatic locking retractors, which are
designed to keep the lap portion tight around the child
restraint so that it should not be necessary to use a
locking clip. If the seat belt has a cinching latch plate,
pulling up on the shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder
belt will tighten the belt. The cinching latch plate will
keep the belt tight; however, any seat belt system will
loosen with time, so check the belt occasionally and pull
it tight if necessary. If the seat belt has an automatic
locking retractor, it will have a distinctive label. Pull the
belt from the retractor until there is enough to allow you
to pass through the child restraint and slide the latch
plate into the buckle. Then, pull the belt until it is all
extracted from the retractor. Allow the belt to return to
the retractor, pulling on the excess webbing to tighten the
lap portion about the child restraint. For automaticlocking retractor seat belts, refer toAutomatic Locking
Modeearlier in this section. If you have trouble tighten-
ing 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, follow these steps. If the buckle
is webbing mounted, disconnect the latch plate from the
buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt to shorten it.
Insert the latch plate into the buckle with the release
button facing out. If the belt still can’t be tightened, the
buckle is not webbing mounted, or if by pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, you may need
to do something more. Disconnect the latch plate from
the buckle, turn the latch plate around, and insert the
latch plate into the buckle again. If you still can’t make
the child restraint secure, try a different seating position
or use the locking clip provided with your child restraint.
See the sectionChild Restraint Tether Anchorto com-
plete the child seat installation.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
seat failure and injury to the child. In a collision, the
seat could come loose and allow the child to crash
into the inside of the vehicle or other passengers, or
even be thrown from the vehicle. Use only the
anchor positions directly behind the child restraint
to secure a child restraint top tether strap. See your
dealer for help if necessary.
Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision. Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in
pet harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine in
your new 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.
Avoid wide open throttle acceleration in low gear.
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.
The recommended viscosity and quality grades are
shown in Section 7.
NON-DETERGENT OR STRAIGHT MINERAL OILS
MUST NEVER BE USED.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

▫Erasing Homelink Buttons...............138
▫Reprogramming a Single Homelink Button . . . 138
▫Security............................139

Electrical Power Outlets..................139
▫Electrical Outlet Use With Engine Off
(Battery Fed Configuration)..............140

Floor Console — If Equipped..............141
▫Floor Console Features.................141
Center Storage Compartment — If Equipped . . . 142

Cup Holders..........................143

Tailgate..............................143

Slide-In Campers.......................144
▫Camper Applications...................144
▫General Information...................145
▫Carbon Monoxide Warning Vehicles Equipped
With A Cap Or Slide-In Campers..........145
80 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Using HomeLink
To operate, simply press and release the programmed
HomeLink button. Activation will now occur for the
trained device (i.e. garage door opener, gate operator,
security system, entry door lock, home/office lighting,
etc.). For convenience, the hand-held transmitter of the
device may also be used at any time. In the event that
there are still programming difficulties or questions,
contact HomeLink at:www.homelink.com or 1-800-355-
3515.
Erasing HomeLink Buttons
To erase programming from the three buttons (individual
buttons cannot be erased but can bereprogrammed-
note below), follow the step noted:
•Press and hold the two outer HomeLink buttons until
the indicator light begins to flash-after 20 seconds.
Release both buttons. Do not hold for longer that 30seconds. HomeLink is now in the train (or learning)
mode and can be programmed at any time beginning
withProgramming- step 2.
Reprogramming a Single HomeLink Button
To program a device to HomeLink using a HomeLink
button previously trained, follow these steps:
1. Press and hold the desired HomeLink button.Do
NOTrelease the button.
2. The indicator light will begin to flash after 20 seconds.
Without releasing the HomeLink button, proceed with
Programmingstep 2
For questions or comments, contact HomeLink at:
www.homelink.com or 1-800-355-3515.
138 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Security
Garage Door Opener Operation with Security
Alarm (if equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped with the Security Alarm
feature, the operation of the HomeLink feature will be
purposely inhibited if the Security Alarm isArmed.
This prevents HomeLink operation due to un-authorized
vehicle entry. HomeLink operation will be re-stored
when the Security Alarm has beenDisarmed.
If you sell your vehicle, be sure to erase the frequencies.
To erase all of the previously trained frequencies, hold
down both outside buttons until the green light begins to
flash.
This device complies with part 15 of FCC rules and with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the
following conditions:
•This device may not cause harmful interference.
•This device must accept any interference that may be
received including interference that may cause undes-
ired operation.
NOTE:Changes or modifications not expressly ap-
proved by the party responsible for compliance could
void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
HomeLinkis a trademark owned by Johnson Controls,
Inc.
ELECTRICAL POWER OUTLETS
This vehicle has two 12V auxiliary power outlets that can
provide up to 20 Amps of current for accessories de-
signed for use with standard power outlet adapters. The
outlets are located in the instrument panel, below the
temperature control setting knob, and the other inside the
full - size center console. As a safety precaution, the outlet
in the instrument panel only operates with the ignition
switch ON. When the optional Cigar Lighter heating
element is used, it heats when pushed in and pops out
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 139
3

CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If the temperature light is on,
safely pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle
in neutral with the air conditioner turned off until
the light turns off. If the if the light remains on, turn
the engine off immediately, and call for service.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call a service center if your
vehicle overheats. If you decide to look under the
hood yourself, see Section 7 of this manual. Follow
the warnings under the Cooling System Pressure
Cap paragraph.
9. Speedometer
Shows the vehicles speed.
10. Voltage Light
This light monitors the electrical system voltage.
The light should turn on momentarily as the
engine is started. If the light stays on or turns on while
driving, it indicates a problem with the charging system.
Immediate service should be obtained.
11. Security Light
This light will flash rapidly for approximately 15 seconds
when the vehicle theft alarm is arming. The light will
flash at a slower speed continuously after the alarm is set.
The security light will also come on for about three
seconds when the ignition is first turned on.
154 INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONTROLS

NOTE:If steps 1 or 2 of either the Preferred or Alternate
Procedure are not satisfied prior to attempting the shift or
if they no longer are being met while the shift attempt is
in process then the indicator light will flash and the
current transfer case position will be maintained. To retry
the selection, turn the control knob back to the current
position wait five (5) seconds, and retry shift.
NOTE:The ignition key must be ON for a shift to take
place and for the position indicator lights to be operable.
If the key is not ON then the shift will not take place and
no position indicator lights will be on or flashing.
NV244 Transfer Case Operating Information /
Precautions
The NV244 is an electric shift transfer case and is
operated by the 4WD Control Switch, which is located on
the instrument panel.The NV244 transfer case provides 4 mode positions -
Normal all wheel drive high range, 4 wheel drive high
range, 4 wheel drive low range, and neutral.
This transfer case is equipped with an inter-axle differ-
ential that allows driving the vehicle in the normal all
wheel drive position (AWD) at all times on any given
road surface, including dry hard surfaced roads. The
AWD mode allows the front and rear wheels to rotate at
different speeds. This eliminates driveline binding and
component wear normally associated with driving the
vehicle in the 4HI position on dry hard surfaced roads.
This feature provides the safety, security, and conve-
nience of operating in all wheel drive at all times
regardless of road conditions.
212 STARTING AND OPERATING