2004 DODGE DAKOTA warning

A new engine may consume some oil during its first few
thousand miles of operation. This is a normal part of the
break-in and is not an indication of difficulty.
SAFETY TIPS
Exhaust System
WARNING!
Exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an ex-
tremely toxic gas that by itself is colorless and
odorless. To avoid inhaling these gases, the follow-
ing precautions should be observed:
²Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in confined
areas any longer than needed to move your vehicle in
or out of the area.
²It may be necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running for more than a short period. If so,
adjust your climate control system to force outside air
into the vehicle. Set the blower at high speed and the
controls in any position except OFF or RECIRC.
²The best protection against carbon monoxide entry
into the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine
exhaust system.
Be aware of changes in the sound of the exhaust system;
exhaust fumes detected inside the vehicle; or damage to
the underside or rear of the vehicle. Have a competent
mechanic inspect the complete exhaust system and adja-
cent body areas for broken, damaged, deteriorated or
mispositioned parts. Open seams or loose connections
could permit exhaust fumes to seep into the passenger
compartment. In addition, inspect the exhaust system
each time the vehicle is raised for lubrication or oil
change. Replace or adjust as required.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53
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NManual Compass Calibration..............80
NOutside Temperature....................81
mGarage Door Opener....................81
NProgramming Homelink.................82
NCanadian Programming/Gate Programming . . .84
NUsing Homelink.......................85
NErasing Homelink Buttons................85
NReprogramming a Single Homelink Button....85
NSecurity.............................85
mElectrical Power Outlets Ð If Equipped......86
NElectrical Outlet Use With Engine Off........87
mFloor Console Ð If Equipped..............88
NFloor Console Features..................88
mCenter Storage Compartment Ð If Equipped...89
mCup Holders..........................89
mTailgate..............................90
mSlide-In Campers.......................90
NCamper Applications....................90
NGeneral Information....................91
NCarbon Monoxide Warning Vehicles Equipped
With A Cap Or Slide-In Campers...........91
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 57
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WARNING!
Vehicles and other objects seen in the right side
convex mirror will look smaller and farther away
than they really are. Relying too much on your right
side mirror could cause you to collide with another
vehicle or other object. Use your inside mirror when
judging the size or distance of a vehicle seen in the
right side mirror.
Heated Mirrors Ð If Equipped
Heated mirrors are automatically activated when you
depress the rear window defroster switch located on the
instrument panel. The light will illuminate to indicate
that the heating elements are ON. Turning OFF the
ignition will deactivate the heated mirrors.
SEATS
Seat Adjustment
The adjusting lever is at the front of the seat, near the
floor. Lift the lever and move the seat to the desired
position.
Using body pressure, move forward and rearward on the
seat to be sure the seat adjusters have latched.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 61
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WARNING!
Adjusting a seat while the vehicle is moving is
dangerous. The sudden movement of the seat could
cause you to lose control. The seat belt might not be
properly adjusted and you could be injured. Adjust
any seat only while the vehicle is parked.
Reclining Seats
Both the bucket seats and the split-bench seats are
equipped with recliners. The reclining mechanism is
operated by a control located on the outboard side of the
seat. To recline, lean forward slightly before lifting the
lever, then push back to the desired angle and release the
lever. Lean forward and lift the lever to return the
seatback to its normal position.
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.
62 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

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 seriously
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.
Club Cab/Quad Cab Rear Seat
More cargo space is available by lifting up on the rear
seat cushion.The Club Cab/Quad Cab rear seat is a 60/40 split
cushion and full back. Either cushion can be raised
independently.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 65
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WARNING!
If the hood is not fully latched, it could fly up when
the vehicle is moving and block your forward vision.
Be sure all hood latches are fully latched before
driving.
LIGHTSInterior Lights
Courtesy and dome lights are turned on when the front
doors are opened, when the dimmer control (rotating
wheel on the right side of the switch) is rotated to the
second upward detent position, or if equipped, when the
UNLOCK button is pressed on the key fob. Rotating the
dimmer control to the optional fully upward position will
turn on the cargo light located on the back of the cab.
When a door is open and the interior lights are on,
rotating the dimmer control all the way down to the OFF
detent will cause all the interior lights to go out. This is
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 67
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The intermittent feature of this system was designed for
use when weather conditions make a single wiping cycle,
with a variable pause between cycles, desirable. For
maximum delay between cycles, rotate the control knob
into the upper end of the delay range.
The delay interval decreases as you rotate the knob until
it enters the LO continual speed position. The delay can
be regulated from a maximum of about 15 seconds
between cycles, to a cycle every 2 seconds.
WARNING!
Sudden loss of visibility through the windshield
could lead to an accident. You might not see other
vehicles or other obstacles. To avoid sudden icing of
the windshield during freezing weather, warm the
windshield with defroster before and during wind-
shield washer use.
Speed-Sensitive Intermittent Wipe Ð If Equipped
For vehicles equipped with Speed-Sensitive Intermittent
Wipe, if the vehicle is moving at a speed of less than 10
mph (16 km/h), the delay time between wipes will be
doubled, resulting in a longer time between wipes (1±36
seconds).
Windshield Washers
To use the washer, push in on the knob on the end of the
multifunction control lever and hold while spray is
desired. If the knob is depressed while in the delay range,
the wiper will operate for several seconds after the knob
is released. It will then resume the intermittent interval
72 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

previously selected. If the knob is pushed while in the
OFF position, the wiper will wipe approximately three
wipes, after the wash knob is released.
To prevent freeze-up of your windshield washer system
in cold weather, select a solution or mixture that meets or
exceeds the temperature range of your climate. This
rating information can be found on most washer fluid
containers.
TILT STEERING COLUMN Ð IF EQUIPPED
To tilt the column, push down on the lever below the turn
signal control and move the wheel up or down, as
desired. Push the level back up to lock the column firmly
in place.
WARNING!
Tilting the steering column while the vehicle is
moving is dangerous. Without a stable steering col-
umn, you could lose control of the vehicle and have
an accident. Adjust the column only while the ve-
hicle is stopped. Be sure it is locked before driving.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 73
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