DODGE VIPER 2008 ZB II / 2.G Owner's Guide

NOTE:Gas props support the trunk lid in the open
position. However, because the gas pressure drops with
temperature, it may be necessary to assist the props when
opening the trunk lid in cold weather.
TRUNK SAFETY WARNING Ð CONVERTIBLE
MODELS ONLY
WARNING!
Do not allow children to have access to the trunk,
either by climbing into the trunk from outside, or
through the inside of the vehicle. Always close the
trunk lid when your vehicle is unattended. Once in
the trunk, young children may not be able to escape.
If trapped in the trunk, children can die from suffo-
cation or heat stroke.
Trunk Emergency Release
The trunk of your vehicle is equipped with an emergency
release handle. It is located on the inside of the trunk lid,
near the latch, and is coated so that it glows in a darkened
trunk. Pull on the handle to open the trunk.
Emergency Release
30 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. These include the seat
belts and the airbags for the driver and passenger.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It explains how to use your restraint system
properly to keep you and your passenger as safe as
possible. Note that all of the warnings in this section
apply no matter which system you have.
WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passenger can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not buckled up
properly. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or
your passenger, or you can be thrown out of the
vehicle. Always be sure you and your passenger 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 street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives. They also
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
ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.Everyonein a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.Lap/Shoulder Belts
Each seat belt is a combined lap/shoulder belt system.
The belt webbing retractor will lock only during very
sudden stops or impacts. This feature allows the shoulder
portion of the belt to move freely with you under normal
conditions. However, in a collision, the belt will lock and
reduce your risk of striking the inside of the vehicle or
being thrown out.
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WARNING!
²It 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 injured seriously or killed.
²Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and seat belts.
²Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
seat belt properly.
²Wearing 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.
²Wearing 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 passengers safe, too.
²Two 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.
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 located at the side of your
seat back. Grasp the latch plate and pull out the belt.
Latch Plate (Convertible Shown)
32 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

3. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as far as necessary
to make the belt go around your lap.
4. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a ªclick.ºWARNING!
²A 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.
²A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well. In
a sudden stop, you could move too far forward, increas-
ing the possibility of injury. Wear your seat belt snugly.
²A belt that is worn under your arm is very dangerous.
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.
²A 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.
Latch Plate To Buckle (Convertible Shown)
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5. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull up
a little on the shoulder belt, as shown.
6. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight, lift up on the
shoulder belt and pull on the lap belt. A snug belt reduces
the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision.WARNING!
²A 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.
²A 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 dealer and have it fixed.
7. 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.
Removing Slack From Belt (Convertible Shown)
34 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

8. To release the belt, push the red button in the buckle.
The belt will retract automatically to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow it 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.).
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted lap/
shoulder belt.
1. Position the latch plate as close as possible to the
anchor point.
2. At about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) above the latch
plate, grasp and twist the belt webbing 180É to create a
fold that begins immediately above the latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing.
The folded webbing must enter the slot at the top of the
latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the
folded webbing.
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Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder System (BeltAlertT)
If the driver does not buckle their seat belt and vehicle
speed exceeds 5 mph (8 km/h), or if the passenger does
not buckle their seat belt within 10 seconds of vehicle
speed exceeding 5 mph (8 km/h), the Enhanced Warning
System (Belt Alert) will alert the occupant(s) to buckle
their seat belt(s). Once triggered, the Enhanced Warning
System (Belt Alert) will flash the Seat Belt Reminder light
and chime for up to 96 seconds to alert the occupant(s) to
buckle their seat belt(s). If the driver unbuckles their seat
belt while vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h),
or if the passenger unbuckles their seat belt for more than
10 seconds while vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8
km/h), the Enhanced Warning System (Belt Alert) will
reactivate.
BeltAlerttProgramming
The Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlertt) can be en-
abled or disabled by your authorized dealer or by
performing the following steps:NOTE:DaimlerChrysler does not recommend deacti-
vating the Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlertt).
1. Close all doors.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
3. Buckle the driver's seat belt.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position, but
do not start the engine. Wait for the Seat Belt Reminder
light to turn off and then proceed to the next step.
NOTE:You must perform the following steps within 60
seconds of turning the ignition switch to the ON/RUN
position.
5. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
ON/RUN position, unbuckle and then re-buckle the
driver's seat belt at least three times within 10 seconds,
ending with the seat belt buckled.
36 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:Watch for the Seat Belt Reminder light to turn on
while unbuckling the seat belt and turn off while re-
buckling the seat belt. It may be necessary to retract the
seat belt.
6. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have com-
pleted the programming successfully.
The Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlertt) can be reac-
tivated by repeating this procedure.
NOTE:When the Enhanced Warning System
(BeltAlertt) is deactivated, the Seat Belt Reminder light
will continue to illuminate as long as the driver's seat belt
or the passenger's seat belt is unbuckled.Automatic Locking Mode
The seat belts for both occupants are equipped with
emergency locking retractors for normal use. Emergency
locking retractors activate during very sudden stops or
impacts. The passenger seat belt in your vehicle can also
be converted to an automatic locking retractor to secure
child restraint systems. Seat belts equipped with auto-
matic locking retractors have a distinctive label on the
webbing.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
To convert the passenger seat belt from emergency lock-
ing mode to automatic locking mode, grasp the shoulder
portion of the belt and pull all of the webbing out of the
retractor. Then, allow some of the webbing to retract back
into the retractor. As the belt retracts, you will hear a
clicking sound indicating that the belt is now in auto-
matic locking mode.
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NOTE:Once the belt is in automatic locking mode, you
will not be able to pull any more of the webbing out of
the retractor. In this mode, you will only be able to retract
excess webbing into the retractor to secure the child
restraint.
How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Simply allow all of the webbing to retract back into the
retractor to disengage the automatic locking mode. This
will return the retractor to the emergency locking mode
for normal use.
Six-Point Belt System - If equipped
This six-point belt system meets SCCA standards and it
should only be used when engaging in performance
related driving events. In turn, the standard lap/
shoulder belt should be used whenever the vehicle is
operated on the street.
Six-Point Belt Operating Instructions
1. Place the anti-submarining belt on the seat so that it
points upward.
2. Buckle the left and right lap belts and strap both legs.
3. Buckle the left and right shoulder belts.
4. Adjust the belts by pulling on the web ends and/or
repositioning the web clips and straps as required.
5. To release the belts, turn the belt latch mechanism
1¤4
turn in either the clockwise or the counter-clockwise
direction.
NOTE:The anti-submarining belt and the shoulder belt
are attached to eye bolts at designated locations and they
should be removed from the vehicle when not in use. The
lap belts and straps can be stored behind or to the side of
the seat after removal.
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Seat Belts and Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use the seat belts
throughout their pregnancy. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe.
Pregnant women should wear the lap portion of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
Keep the belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is a collision.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is too short, even when extended fully, your
dealer can provide you with a seat belt extender. This
extender should only be used if the existing belt is not
long enough. When it is not required, remove the ex-
tender, and store it.
WARNING!
Using a seat belt extender when not needed can
increase the risk of injury in a collision. Only use
when the seat belt is not long enough when it is worn
low and snug, and in the recommended seating
positions. Remove and store the extender when not
needed.
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