DODGE NITRO 2010 1.G Owners Manual

NOTE:
•The head restraints should only be removed by quali-
fied technicians, for service purposes only. If either of
the head restraints require removal, see your autho-
rized dealer.
•In the event of deployment of an Active Head Re-
straint, refer to “Occupant Restraints/Resetting Active
Head Restraints (AHR)” in “Things to Know Before
Starting Your Vehicle” for further information.
WARNING!
•Driving a vehicle with the head restraints removed
or improperly adjusted could cause serious injury
or death in the event of a collision. The head
restraints should always be checked prior to oper-
ating the vehicle and never adjusted while the
vehicle is in motion. Always adjust the head
restraints when the vehicle is in PARK.(Continued)
Active Head Restraint (Tilted)
140 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not place items over the top of the Active Head
Restraint, such as coats, seat covers or portable
DVD players. These items may interfere with the
operation of the Active Head Restraint in the event
of an accident and could result in serious injury or
death.
•Active Head Restraints may be deployed if they
are struck by an object such as a hand, foot or loose
cargo. To avoid accidental deployment of the Ac-
tive Head Restraint ensure that all cargo is se-
cured, as loose cargo could contact the Active Head
Restraint during sudden stops. Failure to follow
this warning could cause personal injury if the
Active Head Restraint is deployed.
Heated Seats — If Equipped
This feature heats the front driver and passenger seats.
The controls for each seat are located on a switch bank
near the bottom center of the instrument panel.
After turning the ignition ON, you can choose from High,
Low or Off heat settings. Amber indicator lights in each
switch indicate the level of heat in use. Two indicator
lights will illuminate for High, one for Low and none for
Off.Press the switch once to select High-level heat-
ing. Press the switch a second time to select
Low-level heating. Press the switch a third time
to shut the heating elements Off.
When High-level is selected, the heaters provide a
boosted heat level during the first four minutes of
operation after heating is activated. The heat output then
drops to the normal High-level setting. If High-level is
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 141

selected, the system will automatically switch to Low-
level after approximately 30 minutes of continuous op-
eration. At that time, the number of illuminated LEDs
changes from two to one, indicating the change. Opera-
tion on Low-level also turns Off automatically after
approximately 30 minutes.
NOTE:Once a heat setting is selected, heat will be felt
within two to five minutes.
WARNING!
•Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes,
spinal cord injury, medication, alcohol use, ex-
haustion or other physical condition must exercise
care when using the seat heater. It may cause burns
even at low temperatures, especially if used for
long periods of time.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not place anything on the seat that insulates
against heat, such as a blanket or cushion. This
may cause the seat heater to overheat. Sitting in a
seat that has been overheated could cause serious
burns due to the increased surface temperature of
the seat.
CAUTION!
Repeated overheating of the seat could damage the
heating element and/or degrade the material of the
seat.
60/40 Split Folding Rear Seat with Fold-Flat
Feature
To provide additional storage area, each rear seat can be
folded flat to allow for extended cargo space and still
maintain some rear seating room.
142 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

The rear seatback also reclines for additional passenger
comfort. Pull the release strap while sitting in the rear
seat to recline the seatback.WARNING!
Do not ride with the seatback reclined so that the
shoulder belt is no longer resting against your chest.
In a collision you could slide under the seat belt and
be seriously or even fatally injured. Use the recliner
only when the vehicle is parked.
NOTE:
•Prior to folding the rear seat, it may be necessary to
reposition the front seat to its mid-track position.
•Be sure that the front seats are fully upright and
positioned forward. This will allow the rear seat to
fold down easily.
Rear Seat Release Strap
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 143

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.
To Lower Rear Seat
1. Locate the release strap on the lower outboard side of
each rear seatback.
2. Pull the release strap (toward the front of the vehicle).3. Fold the rear seat completely forward.
4. Push down on the seatback to lock it in the folded
position.
Rear Seat Release Strap
144 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

To Raise Rear Seat
If locked in the folded position, pull the release strap
(toward the front of the vehicle).
Raise the seatback and lock it into place. If interference
from the cargo area prevents the seatback from fully
locking, you will have difficulty returning the seat to its
proper position.
WARNING!
Be certain that the seatback is securely locked into
position. If the seatback is not securely locked into
position, the seat will not provide the proper stability
for child seats and/or passengers. An improperly
latched seat could cause serious injury.
TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HOOD
To open the hood, there are two latches that must be
released.
1. Pull the hood release lever located under the left side
of the instrument panel.
Hood Release Lever
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 145

2. Push the safety latch lever to the right. It is located
between the grille and hood opening left of the center.CAUTION!
To prevent possible damage:
•Do not slam the hood to close it.
•Lower the hood to approximately 6 in (15.2 cm)
above the closed position and drop the hood to
latch it.
•Never drive your vehicle unless the hood is fully
closed, with both latches engaged.
NOTE: Ensure hood prop rod is fully seated into clip
before closing hood to prevent damage to grille.
Safety Latch
146 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
Be sure the hood is fully latched before driving your
vehicle. If the hood is not fully latched, it could open
when the vehicle is in motion and block your vision.
Failure to follow this warning could result in serious
injury or death.
LIGHTS
Multifunction Lever
The multifunction lever controls the operation of the
parking lights, headlights, headlight beam selection,
passing light, fog lights, instrument panel light dimming
and turn signals. The multifunction lever is located on
the left side of the steering column.
Multifunction Lever
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 147

Headlights and Parking Lights
Turn the end of the multifunction lever to the first detent
for parking lights and instrument panel lights. Turn to
the second detent for headlight operation.To change the brightness of the instrument panel lights,
rotate the center portion of the multifunction lever up or
down.
NOTE:
If the driver’s door is left open, and the head-
lights or parking lights are left on, a chime will sound.
Instrument Panel Dimmer
Rotate the center portion of the lever to the extreme
bottom position to fully dim the instrument panel lights
and prevent the interior lights from illuminating when a
door is opened.
Rotate the center portion of the lever up to increase the
brightness of the instrument panel lights when the park-
ing lights or headlights are on.
Rotate the center portion of the lever upward to the next
detent position to brighten the odometer and radio when
the parking lights or headlights are on.
Headlight Switch
148 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Rotate the center portion of the lever upward to the last
detent to turn on the interior lighting.Lights-On Reminder
If the headlights or parking lights are on after the ignition
is turned OFF, a chime will sound when the driver’s door
is opened.
High/Low Beam Switch
Push the multifunction lever away from you to switch
the headlights to high beams. Pull the lever toward you
to switch the headlights back to low beams.
Flash-to-Pass
You can signal another vehicle with your headlights by
lightly pulling the multifunction lever toward the steer-
ing wheel. This will turn on the high beam headlights
until the lever is released.
Dimmer Control
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 149