ABS DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2011 5.G Owners Manual

If the Vehicle Security Alarm is armed and the battery
becomes disconnected, the Vehicle Security Alarm will
remain armed when the battery is reconnected; the
exterior lights will flash, the horn will sound. If this
occurs, disarm the Vehicle Security Alarm.
Tamper Alert
If something has triggered the Vehicle Security Alarm in
your absence, the horn will sound three times and the
exterior lights blink three times when you unlock the
doors. Check the vehicle for tampering.
Security System Manual Override
The Vehicle Security Alarm will not arm if you lock the
doors using the manual door lock plunger.
ILLUMINATED ENTRY — IF EQUIPPED
The courtesy lights will turn on when you use the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter to unlock the
doors or open any door.This feature also turns on the approach lighting in the
outside mirrors (if equipped). Refer to “Mirrors” in
“Understanding The Features Of Your Vehicle” for fur-
ther information.
The lights will fade to off after approximately 30 seconds,
or they will immediately fade to off once the ignition
switch is turned to ON/RUN from the OFF position.
NOTE:
•The front courtesy overhead console and door cour-
tesy lights do not turn off if the dimmer control is in
the “Dome ON” position (extreme top position).
•The illuminated entry system will not operate if the
dimmer control is in the “dome defeat” position
(extreme bottom position).
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 19

•An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheel
•Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
•All seat belt systems (except the driver ’s and third row
center) include Automatic Locking Retractors (ALRs),
which lock the seat belt webbing into position by
extending the belt all the way out and then adjusting
the belt to the desired length to restrain a child seat or
secure a large item in a seat
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. 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. For more information
on LATCH, refer to Lower Anchors and Tether for
CHildren (LATCH).
NOTE:
The Advanced Front Air Bags have a multistage
inflator design. This allows the air bag to have different
rates of inflation based on the severity and type of
collision.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying air bag:
1. Children 12 years old and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Seat-
Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB) to provide enhanced
protection for an occupant during a side impact. The
SABs are located in the outboard side of the front seats.
NOTE:
•Air Bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
•After any accident, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Air Bag System Components
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following air bag
system components:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•Air Bag Warning Light
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag
•Knee Impact Bolster
•Driver Advanced Front Air Bag
•Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
•Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB)
•Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABIC)
•Front and Side Impact Sensors
•Front Seat Belt Pretensioners, Seat Belt Buckle Switch,
and Seat Track Position Sensors
•Supplemental Active Head Restraint for Driver and
Front Passenger
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag
The Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag provides
enhanced protection and works together with the Driver
Advanced Front Air Bag during a frontal impact.
Knee Impact Bolster
The Knee Impact Bolster helps protect the knees of the
passenger side front passenger by positioning the pas-
senger for the best interaction with the Advanced Front
Air Bags.
Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Air Bags work with the Supplemental Driver Side Knee
Air Bag and the passenger side knee bolster to provide
improved protection for the driver and front passenger.
Side air bags also work with seat belts to improve
occupant protection.
Air Bag Deployment Sensors And Controls
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
TheORC is part of a Federally regulated safety system
required for this vehicle.
The ORC determines if deployment of the front and/or
side air bags in a frontal or side collision is required.
Based on the impact sensor’s signals, a central electronic
ORC deploys the Advanced Front Air Bags, SABIC air
bags, SABs, Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag, and
front seat belt pretensioners, as required, depending on
the severity and type of impact.
Advanced Front Air Bags and Supplemental Driver Side
Knee Air Bag are designed to provide additional protec-
tion by supplementing the seat belts in certain frontal
collisions depending on the severity and type of collision.
Advanced Front Air Bags are not expected to reduce the
risk of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions.
78 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The super console contains a pass through storage area
accessible for both the driver and front passenger.
The super console tambour doors are opened by pushing
down on the finger tabs and sliding the door. The front
tambour door slides forward, the rear tambour door
slides rearward.NOTE:
The front cupholder light ring and pass through
lighting is controlled by a dimming switch located on the
Front Lower Pass Through
Super Console
1 — Front Sliding Tambour Door
2 — Cupholder Light Ring
3 — Rear Sliding Tambour Door
230 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

REAR LOAD-LEVELING SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED
The automatic load-leveling system will provide a level
riding vehicle under most passenger and cargo loading
conditions.
A hydraulic pump contained within the shock absorbers
raises the rear of the vehicle to the correct height. It takes
approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) of driving for the leveling
to complete depending on road surface conditions.
If the leveled vehicle is not moved for approximately
15 hours, the leveling system will bleed itself down. The
vehicle must be driven to reset the system.
ROOF LUGGAGE RACK — IF EQUIPPED
The crossbars on your vehicle are delivered stowed
within the roof rack side rails. If adding cargo, deploy the
crossbars. Distribute cargo weight evenly on the roof rack
crossbars, to maximum of 150 lbs (68 kg). The roof rack
does not increase the total load carrying capacity of the
vehicle. Be sure the total load of cargo inside the vehicleplus that on the external rack does not exceed the
maximum vehicle load capacity.
The crossbars and side rails are designed to carry weight
on vehicles equipped with a luggage rack. The load must
not exceed 150 lbs (68 kg), and should be uniformly
distributed over the luggage rack crossbars.Crossbar Stowed In Side Rail
234 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal, slowly, three times
within 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
NOTE:If the indicator message illuminates when you
start the engine, the oil change indicator system did not
reset. If necessary, repeat these steps.
Compass Mini-Trip Computer (CMTC) Display — If
Equipped
On vehicles equipped with Compass Mini-Trip Com-
puter (CMTC), the display provides the outside tempera-
ture, one of eight compass headings to indicate the
direction the vehicle is facing, and the current radio
station. For further information, refer to “Compass Mini-
Trip Computer”. Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) Display
— If Equipped
The Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) fea-
tures a driver-interactive display that is located in the
instrument cluster. For further information, refer to
“Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)”.
7. Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) Light
This light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS). The light will turn on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON/RUN position and
may stay on for as long as four seconds.
If the ABS light remains on or turns on while driving, it
indicates that the Anti-Lock portion of the brake system
is not functioning and that service is required. However,
the conventional brake system will continue to operate
normally if the BRAKE warning light is not on.
252 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of Anti-Lock
brakes. If the ABS light does not turn on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON/RUN position, have
the light inspected by an authorized dealer.
8. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light — If
EquippedEach tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.) As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure telltale.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 253

If the light remains on when the parking brake has been
disengaged, and the fluid level is at the full mark on the
master cylinder reservoir, it indicates a possible brake
hydraulic system malfunction or that a problem with the
Brake Booster has been detected by the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) / Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system.
In this case, the light will remain on until the condition
has been corrected. If the problem is related to the brake
booster, the ABS pump will run when applying the brake
and a brake pedal pulsation may be felt during each stop.
The dual brake system provides a reserve braking capac-
ity in the event of a failure to a portion of the hydraulic
system. A leak in either half of the dual brake system is
indicated by the Brake Warning Light, which will turn on
when the brake fluid level in the master cylinder has
dropped below a specified level.
The light will remain on until the cause is corrected.NOTE:
The light may flash momentarily during sharp
cornering maneuvers, which change fluid level condi-
tions. The vehicle should have service performed, and
the brake fluid level checked.
If brake failure is indicated, immediate repair is neces-
sary.
WARNING!
Driving a vehicle with the red brake light on is
dangerous. Part of the brake system may have failed.
It will take longer to stop the vehicle. You could have
a collision. Have the vehicle checked immediately.
Vehicles equipped with the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), are also equipped with Electronic Brake Force
Distribution (EBD). In the event of an EBD failure, the
Brake Warning Light will turn on along with the ABS
Light. Immediate repair to the ABS system is required.
258 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

▫Flowing/Rising Water ................. 363
▫ Shallow Standing Water ............... 364
 Power Steering ....................... 365
▫ Power Steering Fluid Check ............. 366
 Parking Brake ........................ 367
 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............ 369
▫ Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light .......... 371
 Electronic Brake Control System ........... 371
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ........... 371
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) .............. 372
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......... 373
 Tire Safety Information ................. 377
▫ Tire Markings ....................... 377 ▫
Tire Identification Number (TIN) ......... 380
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ......... 381
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure .......... 382
 Tires — General Information ............. 386
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... 386
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures ................ 387
▫ Tire Pressures For High-Speed Operation . . . 388
▫ Radial-Ply Tires ..................... 389
▫ Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire
And Wheel – If Equipped .............. 389
▫ Compact Spare Tire – If Equipped ........ 390
▫ Full Size Spare – If Equipped ............ 391
▫ Limited-Use Spare – If Equipped ......... 391
348 STARTING AND OPERATING