park assist DODGE STRATUS SEDAN 2005 Owners Manual

WARNING!
•Leaving children in a vehicle unattended is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be injured. Children should be warned not
to touch the parking brake or the gear selector.
Don’t leave the keys in the ignition. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and an accident.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with power assisted brakes as
standard equipment. In the event power assist is lost for
any reason (for example, repeated brake applications
with the engine off), the brakes will still function. The
effort required to brake the vehicle will be much greater
than that required with the power system operating.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly an accident. Driving with your foot resting
or riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You wouldn’t have your full
braking capacity in an emergency.
If either of the two hydraulic systems lose normal capa-
bility, the remaining system will still function with some
loss of overall braking effectiveness. This will be evident
by increased pedal travel during application and greater
pedal force required to slow or stop.
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5

MMT in Gasoline
MMT is a manganese containing metallic additive that is
blended into some gasoline to increase the octane num-
ber. Gasolines blended with MMT offer no performance
advantage beyond gasolines of the same octane number
without MMT. Gasolines blended with MMT have shown
to reduce spark plug life and reduce emission system
performance in some vehicles. The manufacturer recom-
mends using gasolines without MMT. Since the MMT
content of gasoline may not be indicated on the pump,
you should ask your gasoline retailer whether or not
his/her gasoline contains MMT.
It is even more important to look for gasolines without
MMT in Canada because MMT can be used at higher
levels than allowed in the United States.
MMT is prohibited in both Federal and California refor-
mulated gasolines.
Materials Added to Fuel
All gasoline sold in the United States is required to
contain effective detergent additives. Use of additional
detergents or other additives is not needed under normalconditions and would result in additional cost. Therefore
you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
Fuel System Cautions
CAUTION!
Follow these guidelines to maintain your vehicle’s
performance:
•The use of leaded gas is prohibited by Federal law.
Using leaded gasoline can impair engine performance,
or damage the emission control system.
•An out-of-tune engine, or certain fuel or ignition
malfunctions, can cause the catalytic converter to
overheat. If you notice a pungent burning odor or
some light smoke, your engine may be out-of-tune or
malfunctioning and may require immediate service.
Contact your dealer for service assistance.
•The use of fuel additives which are now being sold as
octane enhancers are not recommended. Most of these
products contain high concentrations of methanol.
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5

Safety Checks Inside Vehicle............... 49
Safety Checks Outside Vehicle.............. 50
Safety Defects, Reporting................. 274
Safety Information, Tire.................. 154
Safety Tips............................. 49
Schedule, Maintenance................... 249
Seat Belt Maintenance................... 234
Seat Belt Reminder...................... 32
Seat Belts.............................. 27
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Anchorage...... 31
And Pregnant Women.................. 33
Child Restraint....................41,42,46
Extender............................ 33
Front Seat............................ 28
Inspection........................... 49
Operating Instructions.................. 28
Pretensioners......................... 31
Reminder............................ 94
Seats................................. 59
Adjustment.......................... 59
Cleaning............................ 232
Head Restraints....................... 61
Lumbar Support....................... 60Power.............................. 60
Rear Folding......................... 61
Reclining............................ 59
Security Alarm (Theft Alarm)............... 23
Selection of Coolant..................222,245
Sentry Key.......................... 11,13
Service Assistance...................... 270
Service Contract........................ 272
Service Engine Soon Light (Malfunction Indicator)
..................................... 90
Service Manuals........................ 274
Setting the Clock........................ 98
Shoulder Belt Upper Anchorage............. 31
Side Airbag............................ 40
Side Window Demisters...............130,135
Signals, Turn........................... 90
Slippery Surfaces, Driving On............. 196
Snow Tires............................ 170
Spare Tire.........................166,167
Spark Plugs........................... 210
Speed Control........................71,89
Speedometer........................... 90
Starting.............................. 142
290 INDEX