ECU DODGE DAKOTA 2010 3.G User Guide

WARNING!
•Do not start or run an engine in a closed garage or
confined area. Exhaust gas contains Carbon Mon-
oxide (CO) which is odorless and colorless. Car-
bon Monoxide is poisonous and can cause serious
injury or death when inhaled.
•Keep Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitters
away from children. Operation of the Remote Start
System, windows, door locks or other controls
could cause serious injury or death.
To Enter Remote Start
Press and release the REMOTE START button
on the RKE transmitter twice, within five sec-
onds. The parking lights will flash and the horn
will chirp twice (if programmed). Then, the
engine will start and the vehicle will remain in the
Remote Start mode for a 15-minute cycle. NOTE:
•The park lamps will turn on and remain on during
Remote Start mode.
•For security, power window and power sunroof op-
eration (if equipped) are disabled when the vehicle is
in the Remote Start mode.
•The engine can be started two consecutive times (two
15-minute cycles) with the RKE transmitter. However,
the ignition switch must be cycled to the ON position
before you can repeat the start sequence for a third
cycle.
Remote start will also cancel if any of the following occur:
•The engine stalls or RPM exceeds 2500
•Any engine warning lamps come on
•The hood is opened
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 27

•The hazard switch is pressed
•The transmission is moved out of PARK
•The brake pedal is pressed
To Exit Remote Start Mode without Driving the
Vehicle
Press and release the REMOTE START button one time,
or allow the engine to run for the entire 15-minute cycle.
NOTE:To avoid unintentional shut downs, the system
will disable the one time press of the REMOTE START
button for two seconds after receiving a valid Remote
Start request.
To Exit Remote Start Mode and Drive the Vehicle
Before the end of the 15-minute cycle, press and release
the UNLOCK button on the RKE transmitter to unlock
the doors and disarm the Vehicle Security Alarm (if
equipped). Then, prior to the end of the 15-minute cycle,
insert the key into the ignition switch and turn the switch
to the ON position.
NOTE:
•The ignition switch must be in the ON position in
order to drive the vehicle.
28 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•For personal security and safety in the event of an
accident, lock the vehicle doors as you drive, as
well as when you park and leave the vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the key in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
Power Door Locks
A power door lock switch is on each front door trim
panel. Use this switch to lock or unlock the doors.
Power Door Lock Switch
30 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
Infants in rear-facing child restraints should NEVER
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger
front airbag. An airbag deployment can cause severe
injury or death to infants in that position.
Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat
belt properly (see Section on Child Restraints) should be
secured in the rear seat in child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats. Older children who do not use
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats should
ride properly buckled up in the rear seat. Never allow
children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under
their arm.
If a child from 1 to 12 years old (not in a rear facing child
seat) must ride in the front passenger seat, move the seat
as far back as possible and use the proper child restraint.
(Refer to “Child Restraints”) You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
All occupants should ALWAYS wear their lap and shoul-
der belts properly.
The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the Advanced Front
Airbags room to inflate.
Do not lean against the door. If your vehicle has side
airbags, and deployment occurs, the side airbags will
inflate forcefully into the space between you and the
door.
If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be modified
to accommodate a disabled person, contact the Customer
Center. Phone numbers are provided under
If You Need
Assistance.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

Child Restraint
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.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a projectile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap can 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 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 andconvertible child seats.
•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). Convertiblechild 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
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61

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 Extended Cab first, and Crew 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 seatbacks and
cause serious personal injury.
LATCH - Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren) — if equipped
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
64 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
available 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
restraint in any vehicle.Extended Cab
•The Extended Cab front and right rear (if equipped
with a rear seat) passenger seating positions have
lower anchorages for LATCH-equipped child re-
straints.
LATCH Anchors
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65

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. 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 fully extended from the retractor.
Allow the belt to return to the retractor, pulling on the
excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the
child restraint. For automatic locking retractor seat belts,
refer toAutomatic Locking Mode. If you 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, 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 tight-
ened, the buckle is not webbing-mounted, or if 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. To complete the child seat installation, refer to
Child Restraint Tether Anchor.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 69

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 authorized
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.Multiple Child Restraints
1 — Inner Anchor Strap Rings 4 — Passenger Side Rear ChildSeat
2 — Snap Hook 5 — Center Rear Child Seat
3 — Tether Strap 6 — Drivers Side Rear Child Seat
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 73

▫Gate Operator/Canadian Programming .... 152
▫ Using HomeLink ................... 152
▫ Reprogramming A Single HomeLink
Button ............................ 153
▫ Security ........................... 153
▫ Troubleshooting Tips .................. 153
▫ General Information .................. 154
 Electrical Power Outlets ................. 154
 Cupholders .......................... 156
 Rear Crate ’N Go Storage — If Equipped .... 157
▫ Plastic Grocery Bag Retainers ............ 159
 Console Features — If Equipped ........... 159
▫ Floor Console Features ................ 159 
Cargo Area Features ................... 161
▫
Rear Cargo Area Utility Rails — If Equipped. . 161
 Rear Window Features .................. 162
▫ Rear Window Defroster — If Equipped ..... 162
▫ Sliding Rear Window — If Equipped ...... 163
 Slide-In Campers ...................... 164
▫ Camper Applications .................. 164
▫ General Information .................. 164
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warning-Vehicles
Equipped With A Cap Or Slide-In Campers . . 164
 Tailgate ............................ 165
▫ Tailgate Removal .................... 165
▫
Two–Position Tailgate/Upper Load Platform. . 166
82 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE