warning DODGE DAKOTA 2011 3.G Owner's Guide

If the belt still can’t be tightened, or if pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect the
latch plate from the buckle, turn the buckle 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.
Child Restraint Tether Anchor
The Extended Cab model has one routing strap
located at the bottom of the rear outboard
seating position. The tether anchor itself is
located in the center of vehicle, in between the
two seating positions. When there is a rear seat delete
option, the tether anchorage located on the cab back
panel is designed to be used for the front seat center
seating position. The Crew Cab model has three anchor-
ages located behind each of the rear seating positions
(rear left, rear center, and rear right).
WARNING!
•With a child restraint installed in the rear passen-
ger side locations, use care when adjusting the
front seat(s) rearward, to avoid the front seatback
coming in contact with the belted child directly
behind the seat. The child could be injured.
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be seriously injured or
killed. Make sure the child restraint tether strap is
always routed through the proper anchor strap
inner loop.
72 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 authorized
dealer for help, if necessary.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags 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
an accident. 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 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.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75

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.
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.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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.
76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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. If you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate 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.
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into
the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the com-
plete exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken,
damaged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open
seams or loose connections could permit exhaust fumes
to seep into the passenger compartment. In addition,
inspect the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace as required.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77

Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the 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 belt.
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 footwell 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.(Continued)
78 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)
•Always make sure that floor mats are properly
attached to the floor mat fasteners.
•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 footwell while the vehicle is moving. Ob-
jects 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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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

▫Reprogramming A Single
HomeLink Button................... 158
▫ Security ........................... 158
▫ Troubleshooting Tips .................. 159
▫ General Information .................. 159
 Electrical Power Outlets ................. 160
 Cupholders .......................... 162
 Rear Crate ’N Go Storage — If Equipped .... 163
▫ Plastic Grocery Bag Retainers ............ 165
 Console Features — If Equipped ........... 165
▫ Floor Console Features ................ 165
 Cargo Area Features ................... 167
▫ Rear Cargo Area Utility Rails —
If Equipped ........................ 167 
Rear Window Features .................. 169
▫ Rear Window Defroster — If Equipped ..... 169
▫ Sliding Rear Window — If Equipped ...... 170
 Slide-In Campers ...................... 170
▫ Camper Applications .................. 170
▫ General Information .................. 170
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warning-Vehicles
Equipped With A Cap Or Slide-In Campers . . 171
 Tailgate ............................ 171
▫ Tailgate Removal .................... 171
▫ Two-Position Tailgate/Upper
Load Platform ...................... 172
84 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

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 the passenger side
convex mirror will look smaller and farther away
than they really are. Relying too much on your
passenger 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 the passenger side mirror.
Outside Mirrors Folding Feature — If Equipped
Folding outside mirrors are hinged, and may be moved
either forward or rearward, to resist damage.
Power Mirrors
The power mirror controls are located on the driver ’s
door trim panel.
Power Mirror Switch
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 87

To adjust a mirror, turn the control wand toward the left
or right mirror positions indicated. Tilt the control wand
in the direction you want the mirror to move.
When you are finished adjusting the mirror, turn the
control to the center position to prevent accidentally
moving a mirror.WARNING!
Vehicles and other objects seen in the passenger side
convex mirror will look smaller and farther away
than they really are. Relying too much on your
passenger 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 the passenger side mirror.
Uconnect™ Phone — IF EQUIPPED
Uconnect™ Phone is a voice-activated, hands-free, in-
vehicle communications system. Uconnect™ Phone al-
lows you to dial a phone number with your mobile
phone using simple voice commands (e.g., “Call”\b
“Mike” \b“Work” or “Dial” \b“248-555-1212”). Your
mobile phone’s audio is transmitted through your vehi-
cle’s audio system; the system will automatically mute
your radio when using the Uconnect™ Phone.
Mirror Directions
88 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:The Uconnect™ Phone requires a mobile phone
equipped with the Bluetooth “Hands-Free Profile”, Ver-
sion 0.96 or higher. See the Uconnect™ website for
supported phones.
For Uconnect™ customer support, visit the following
websites:
•www.chrysler.com/uconnect
•www.dodge.com/uconnect
•www.jeep.com/uconnect
•or call 1–877–855–8400
Uconnect™ Phone allows you to transfer calls between
the system and your mobile phone as you enter or exit
your vehicle and enables you to mute the system’s
microphone for private conversation.
The Uconnect™ Phone is driven through your Bluetooth
“Hands-Free Profile” mobile phone. Uconnect™ features Bluetooth
technology - the global standard that enables
different electronic devices to connect to each other with-
out wires or a docking station, so Uconnect™ Phone
works no matter where you stow your mobile phone (be
it your purse, pocket, or briefcase), as long as your phone
is turned on and has been paired to the vehicle’s
Uconnect™ Phone. The Uconnect™ Phone allows up to
seven mobile phones to be linked to the system. Only one
linked (or paired) mobile phone can be used with the
system at a time. The system is available in English,
Spanish, or French languages.
WARNING!
Any voice commanded system should be used only
in safe driving conditions following local laws and
phone use. All attention should be kept on the
roadway ahead. Failure to do so may result in a
collision causing serious injury or death.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 89