lock DODGE NITRO 2007 1.G Owner's Manual

Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle have combination
lap/shoulder belts. The belt webbing retractor is de-
signed 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 colli-
sion, the belt will lock and reduce the risk of you striking
the inside of the vehicle or being thrown out.WARNING!
•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. 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 instruc-
tions to wear your seat belt safely and to keep
your passengers safe, too.
•Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in an accident, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt for
more than one person, no matter what their size.
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you’ll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
Automatic Locking Mode — If Equipped
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-
locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in
the shoulder belt.
When To Use The Automatic Locking Mode
Anytime a child safety seat is installed in the rear center
seating position. Children 12 years old and under should
be properly restrained in the rear seat whenever possible.
How To Use The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until
the entire belt is extracted.3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will
hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is
now in the automatic locking mode.
How to Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Disconnect the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow
it to retract completely to disengage the automatic lock-
ing mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency)
locking mode.
Energy Management Feature
This vehicle has a safety belt system with an energy
management feature in the front seating positions to help
further reduce the risk of injury in the event of a head-on
collision.
This safety belt system has a retractor assembly that is
designed to release webbing in a controlled manner. This
feature is designed to help reduce the belt force acting on
the occupant’s chest.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43
2

WARNING!
•The belt and retractor assembly must be replaced
if the seat belt assembly “automatic locking re-
tractor” feature or any other seat belt function is
not working properly when checked according to
the procedures in the Service Manual.
•Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly
could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The driver and front passenger seat belts are equipped
with pretensioning devices that are designed to remove
any slack from the seat belt systems in the event of a
collision. These devices improve the performance of the
seat belt by assuring that the belt is tight around the
occupant early in a collision. Pretensioners work for all
size occupants, including those in child restraints.NOTE:These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt must still be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Re-
straint Control (ORC) Module. Like the front airbags, the
pretensioners are a single use item. After a collision that
is severe enough to deploy the airbags and pretensioners,
they must be replaced.
Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert)
If the driver seat belt has not been buckled within 60
seconds of starting the vehicle and if the vehicle speed is
greater than 5 mph (8 km/h), the Enhanced Warning
System (BeltAlert) will alert the driver to buckle their seat
belt. The driver should also instruct all other occupants to
buckle their seat belts. Once the warning is triggered, the
Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlert) will continue to
chime and flash the Seat Belt Warning Light for 96
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

This vehicle is equipped with window bags to protect the
driver, front, and rear passengers sitting next to a win-
dow. They are located above the side windows. Their
covers are also labeled SRS/AIRBAG.
NOTE:Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim; but they will open to allow airbag deployment.WARNING!
•Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You
may damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are no longer functional.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are in-
flating.
•Do not stack luggage or other cargo up high
enough to block the location of the window bag.
The area where the window bag is located should
remain free from any obstructions.
•Do not have any accessory items installed which
will alter the roof, including adding a sunroof to
your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require
permanent attachments (bolts or screws) for in-
stallation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the
roof of the vehicle for any reason.
•Do not cover or place items on the airbag covers.
These items may cause serious injury during
inflation.Window Airbag Location
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioner
•Occupant Classification System (OCS) — Front Pas-
senger Seat Only
Occupant Classification Module
Passenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light
Weight Sensors
How The Airbag System Works
•
TheOccupant Restraint Control (ORC) Modulede-
termines if a frontal, side, or rollover collision is severe
enough to require the airbags to inflate. The front
airbag inflators are designed to provide different rates
of airbag inflation from direction provided by the
ORC. The ORC may also modify the rate of inflation
based on the occupant size provided by the Occupant
Classification Module. The ORC will not detect roll
over, or rear impacts.The ORC also monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in
the START or ON positions. These include all of the
items listed above except the knee bolster, the instru-
ment panel, and the steering wheel and column. If the
key is in the LOCK position, in the ACC position, or
not in the ignition, the airbags are not on and will not
inflate.
Also, the ORC turns on the “Airbag Warning
Light” and “PAD Indicator Light” for 6 to 8
seconds for a self-check when the ignition is
first turned on. After the self-check, the
“Airbag Warning Light” will turn off. The “PAD
Indicator Light” will function normally (Refer toPas-
senger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Lightin this
section). If the ORC detects a malfunction in any part
of the system, it turns on the “Airbag Warning Light”
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•As the airbags deflate you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the nontoxic gas used for airbag
inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the skin,
eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irritation,
rinse the area with cool water. For nose or throat
irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation continues,
see your doctor. If these particles settle on your
clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for cleaning.
•It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have deployed. If you are involved in another
collision, the airbags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the airbags,
seat belt pretensioner, and seat belt retractor assem-
bly, replaced by an authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Also, have the Occupant Classification
System serviced as well.
Enhanced Accident Response Feature
If the airbags deploy after an impact and the electrical
system remains functional, vehicles equipped with
power door locks will unlock automatically. In addition,
approximately 5 seconds after the vehicle has stopped
moving, the interior lights will illuminate to aid visibility.
NOTE:The interior lights can only be deactivated if the
key is removed from the ignition switch or the vehicle is
driven.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 also 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.
•Except for the second row center seating position, all
passenger seat belts are equipped with “automatic
locking retractors identified by a distinctive label.”
The second row center position has a cinching latchplate identified by a distinctive label. Both types of
seat belts are designed to keep the lap portion tight
around the child restraint so that it is not 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 may loosen with time, so check the belt
occasionally and pull it tight if necessary. For the
second row seat belts with the automatic locking
retractors, 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 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 additional information, refer toAuto-
matic Locking Modeearlier in this section.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 is not 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. However, any seat belt system may loosen with
time, so check the belt occasionally and pull it tight if
necessary.
If the seat belt has a 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, pullingon the excess webbing to tighten the lap portion about
the child restraint. Refer to “Automatic Locking Mode”
earlier in this section.
In the rear seat, you may 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. Disconnect the latch plate from the
buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt several times
to shorten it. Insert the latch plate into the buckle with the
release button facing out.
If the belt still can’t be tightened, 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 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.
To attach a child restraint tether strap:
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

▫To Set At A Desired Speed...............126
▫To Deactivate........................126
▫To Resume Speed.....................126
▫To Vary The Speed Setting...............126
▫Manual Transmission..................127
▫To Accelerate For Passing...............127

Electronic Brake Control System............128
▫ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System)............128
▫TCS (Traction Control System)............129
▫BAS (Brake Assist System)...............129
▫ERM (Electronic Roll Mitigation)..........130
▫ESP (Electronic Stability Program).........131
▫ESP/BAS Warning Lamp................134
Garage Door Opener — If Equipped.........134
▫Programming The Universal Transceiver.....136
▫“Rolling Code” Programming............138
▫Canadian Programming/Gate Programming . . 139
▫Operation...........................140
▫Reprogramming A Single Button..........140
▫Security............................140

Power Sunroof — If Equipped.............141
▫Opening Sunroof - Express..............142
▫Closing Sunroof - Express...............142
▫Pinch Protect Feature...................142
▫Pinch Protect Override.................143
▫Venting Sunroof - Express...............143
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 79
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Illuminated Vanity Mirrors — If Equipped
An illuminated vanity mirror is on each sun visor. To use
the mirror, rotate the sun visor down and swing the
mirror cover upward. The lights will turn on automati-
cally. Closing the mirror cover will turn off the light.
Sun Visor “Slide-Out” Feature
The sun visor “slide-on rod ” feature allows for addi-
tional flexibility in positioning the visor to block out the
sun.
1. Fold down sun visor.
2. Pull the sun visor toward inside rearview mirror to
extend.
HANDS–FREE COMMUNICATION (UConnect™) —
IF EQUIPPED
UConnect™ is a voice-activated, hands-free, in- vehicle
communications system. UConnect™ allows you to dial
a phone number with your cellular phone using simple
voice commands (e.g.,Call”“Mike””WorkorDial”
“248-555-1212). Your cellular phone’s audio is trans-
mitted through your vehicle’s audio system; the system
will automatically mute your radio when using the
UConnect™ system.
Lighted Vanity Mirror
84 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE