DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2009 5.G Workshop Manual

When the RKE transmitter button is pressed and the
Flash Lights feature is enabled, the tail lights will flash to
signal that the liftgate is opening or closing.WARNING!
During power operation, personal injury or cargo
damage may occur. Ensure the liftgate travel path is
clear. Make sure the liftgate is closed and latched
before driving away.
NOTE:
If anything obstructs the power liftgate while it is
closing or opening, the liftgate will automatically
reverse to the closed or open position, provided it
meets sufficient resistance.
There are also pinch sensors attached to the side of the
liftgate opening. Light pressure anywhere along these
strips will cause the liftgate to return to the open
position. Rear Power Liftgate Switch
THINGS T O KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49 2

The power liftgate must be in the full open or close
positions for any of the buttons to operate. If the
liftgate is not in the full open or close positions, it must
be opened or closed manually.
If the liftgate release button is activated while the
power liftgate is closing, the liftgate will reverse to the
full open position.
The power liftgate buttons will not operate if the shift
lever is in gear or the vehicle speed is above 0 mph
(0 km/h).
The power liftgate will not operate in temperatures
below
12°F (24°C) or temperatures above 143°F
(62°C). Be sure to remove any buildup of snow or ice
from the liftgate before pressing any of the power
liftgate buttons.
If the power liftgate encounters multiple obstructions
within the same cycle, the system will automatically
stop and must be opened or closed manually. WARNING!

Driving with the liftgate open can allow poison-
ous exhaust gases into your vehicle. You and your
passengers could be injured by these fumes. Keep
the liftgate closed when you are operating the
vehicle.
If you are required to drive with the 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.
Gas props support the liftgate in the open position.
However, because the gas pressure drops with tempera-
ture, it may be necessary to assist the props when
opening the liftgate in cold weather.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

STORAGE BIN SAFETY WARNING
Safety W
arning
Carefully follow these warnings to help prevent personal
injury or damage to your vehicle: WARNING!

Always close the storage bin covers when your
vehicle is unattended.
Do not allow children to have access to the second
row seat storage bins. Once in the storage bin,
young children may not be able to escape. If
trapped in the storage bin, children can die from
suffocation or heat stroke.
In an accident, serious injury could result if the
seat storage bin covers are not properly latched.
(Continued) WARNING! (Continued)

Do not drive the vehicle with the storage bin
covers open.
Keep the storage bin covers closed and latched
while the vehicle is in motion.
Do not operate the storage bin covers while the
vehicle is in motion.
Do not use a storage bin latch as a tie down. CAUTION!
The storage bin cover must be flat and locked to
avoid damage from contact with the front seat tracks,
which have minimal clearance to the cover.
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Seat Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release LeverAs a security measure, your vehicle may be built with a
Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release is built into the
storage bin cover latching mechanism.
NOTE:
In the event of an individual being locked inside
the storage bin, the storage bin cover can be opened from inside of the bin by pulling on the glow-in-the-dark lever
attached to the storage bin cover latching mechanism.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:
Three-point lap and shoulder belts for all seating
positions
Pretensioning and load-limiting retractors for the front
seat belts
Advanced multistage driver and new active-vent front
passenger airbags
Supplemental side airbags that span the front, second,
and third row seating for the driver and passengers
seated next to a window.
An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheelStorage Bin Cover Emergency Release Lever
52 THINGS
TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
Front seat belt retractors incorporate pretensioners to
enhance occupant protection by managing occupant
energy during an impact event.
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems.
NOTE: The front airbags have a multistage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation that are based on collision severity.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible. WARNING!In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buckled
up. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or other
passengers, or you can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Always be sure you and others in your vehicle are
buckled up properly.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some
of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown
from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53 2

ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.Everyone in a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seats in your vehicle are equipped with lap/shoulder
belts.
The belt webbing in the retractor is designed to lock
during very sudden stops or collisions. This feature
allows the shoulder part of the belt to move freely with
you under normal conditions. But in a collision, the belt
will lock and reduce the risk of you striking the inside of
the vehicle or being thrown out. WARNING!

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.
Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat
belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and can take the forces of a collision the best. (Continued)
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)
Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You might
suffer internal injuries, or you could even slide out
of part of the belt. Follow these instructions to
wear your seat belt safely and to keep your pas-
sengers safe, too.
Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in a collision, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or lap belt for more
than one person, no matter what their size.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and
adjust the seat. 2. The seat belt latch plate is near the seatback of the
front seats and next to your arm in the rear seats. Grasp
the latch plate and pull out the belt. Slide the latch plate
up the webbing as far as necessary to allow the belt to go
around your lap. Pulling Out Belt and Latch Plate
THINGS T

O KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55 2

WARNING!
A belt that is worn under your arm is very danger-
ous. Your body could strike the inside surfaces of
the vehicle in a collision, increasing head and neck
injury. A belt worn under the arm can cause
internal injuries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder
bones. Wear the belt over your shoulder so that
your strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.
A shoulder belt placed behind you will not protect
you from injury during a collision. You are more
likely to hit your head in a collision if you do not
wear your shoulder belt. The lap and shoulder belt
are meant to be used together. 3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click”. Inserting Latch Plate into Buckle
56 THINGS

TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
A belt that is buckled into the wrong buckle will
not protect you properly. The lap portion could ride
too high on your body, possibly causing internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle
nearest you.
 A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well.
In a sudden stop you could move too far forward,
increasing the possibility of injury. Wear your seat
belt snugly.
4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull up
on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight,
tilt the latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug belt
reduces the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision. Removing Slack from Belt
THINGS T

O KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57 2

WARNING!
A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
internal injury in a collision. The belt forces won’t be
at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your
abdomen. Always wear the lap belt as low as pos-
sible and keep it snug.
 A twisted belt can’t do its job as well. In a collision,
it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt is straight.
If you can’t straighten a belt in your vehicle, take it to
your authorized dealer and have it fixed.
5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retractor
will withdraw any slack in the belt.
6. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle.
The belt will automatically retract to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the belt to retract fully. WARNING!A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision and
leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt system
periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately. Do
not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).
Third Row Center Shoulder Belt Instructions
The shoulder belt for the third row center seat is located
in the headliner slightly behind the third row seat.
Pull the strap down and secure the small latch plate of
the lap belt into the small buckle until you hear a “click”.
Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. When the belt
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE