2004 DODGE INTREPID child seat

Standards. We also recommend 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.
•Buckle the child into the seat according to the seat
manufacturer’s directions.
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
NOTE:For additional information, refer to
www.seatcheck.org or call 1–866–SEATCHECK.
Older Children and Child Restraints
Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who are
older than one year can ride forward-facing in the
vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are for children
who weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg) and who are older
than one year. These child seats are also held in the
vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH anchor-
age system. (See the LATCH — Child Seat Anchorage
System Section.)
The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weighing
more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small to fit
the vehicle’s seat belts properly. If the child cannot sit
with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat cushion while the
child’s back is against the seat back, they should use a
belt-positioning booster seat. The child and belt-
positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
lap/shoulder belt.
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend
over the front of the seat when their back is against the
seatback, should use the lap/shoulder belt in the rear
seat.
•Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
•The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
•Check belt fit periodically. A child’s squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position.
•If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. Never allow a
child to put the shoulder belt behind their back or
under their arm.
LATCH – Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower
Anchors and Tether for CH ildren)
Your vehicle’s rear seat is equipped with the child
restraint anchorage system called LATCH. The LATCH
system provides for the installation of the child restraints
without using the vehicle’s seat belts, instead securingthe child restraint using lower anchorages and upper
tether straps from the child restraint to the vehicle
structure.
LATCH-compatible child restraint systems are now avail-
able. However, because the lower anchorages are to be
introduced over a period of years, child restraint systems
having attachments for those achorages will continue to
also have features for installation using the vehicle’s seat
belts. Child restraints having tether straps and hooks for
connection tot he top tether anchorages have been avail-
able for some time. For some older child restraints, many
child restraint manufacturers offer add-on tether strap
kits or retro-fit kits. You are urged to take advantage of all
the available attachments provided with your child re-
straint in any vehicle.
All three rear seating positions have lower
anchorages that are capable of accomodating
LATCH-compatible child seats. These are
round bars, located at the lower area of the seat
back. Install your child seat as per child seat manufac-
turer recommendations.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43
2

Installing the LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
System
We urge that you carefully follow the directions of the
manufacturer when installing your child restraint. Not all
child restraint systems will be installed as described here.
Again, carefully follow the installation instructions that
were provided with the child restraint system.
The rear seat lower anchorages are round bars, located at
the rear of the seat cushion where it meets the seat back,
and are just visible when you lean into the rear seat toinstall the child restraint. You will easily feel them if you
run your finger alon the intersection of the seatback and
seat cushion surfaces.
In addition, there are tether strap anchorages
behind each rear seating position located in the
panel between the rear seat back and the rear
window. These tether strap anchorages are
under a hinged plastic cover with this symbol on it.
Many, but not all restraint systems will be equipped with
separate straps on each side, with each having a hook or
connector for attachment to the lower anchorage and a
means of adjusting the tension in the strap. Forward-
facing toddler restraints and some rear-facing infant
restraints will also be equipped with a tether strap, a
hook for attachment to the tether strap anchorage and a
means of adjusting the tension of the strap.
You will first loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and
on the tether strap so that you can more easily attach the
hooks or connectors over the top of the anchorage bars,
pushing aside the seat cover material. Then lift the tether
anchorage cover directly behind the seat where you are
placing the child restraint and attach the tether strap to
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

the anchorage, being careful to route the tether strap to
provide the most direct path between the anchor and the
child restraint. If your vehicle is equipped with adjust-
able rear head restraints, raise the head restraint and,
where possible, route the tether strap under the head
restraint and between the two posts. If not possible,
lower the head restraint and route the tether strap around
the outboard side of the head restraint. Finally, tighten all
three straps as you push the child restraint rearward and
downward into the seat, removing slack in the straps
according to the child restraint manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of an infant or
child restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.
Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat
Belts
The passenger seat belts are equipped with cinching latch
plates which are designed to keep the lap portion of the
lap/shoulder belt tight around the child restraint so that
it is not necessary to use a locking clip. Pull up on the
shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder belt to tighten the
belt. The cinching latch plate will keep the belt tight,
however, any seat belt system will loosen with time, so
check the belt occasionally and pull it tight if necessary.
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
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 45
2

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:
1. Lift the cover over the anchor directly behind the seat
where you are placing the child restraint.
2. Route the tether strap to provide the most direct path
for the strap between the anchor and the child seat. If
your vehicle is equipped with adjustable rear head
restraints, raise the head restraint and route the tether
strap under the head restraint and between the two posts.If not possible, lower the head restraint and pass the
tether strap around the outboard side of the head re-
straint.
3. Attach the tether strap hook (A) of the child restraint to
the anchor (B) and remove slack in the tether strap
according to the child restraint manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchor positions directly behind
the child seat to secure a child restraint top tether
strap.
Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision.
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
The cargo area in the rear of the vehicle (with the
rear seatbacks in the locked-up or folded down
position) should not be used as a play area by
children when the vehicle is in motion. They could
be seriously injured in an accident. Children should
be seated and using the proper restraint system.
TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HOOD
To open the hood, two latches must be released. First pull
up on the hood release lever located under the instru-
ment panel.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 59
3

POWER SUN ROOF — IF EQUIPPED
The sun roof controls are located on the overhead con-
sole.
To Open the sunroof from the Closed position, press and
release the OPEN button. The sunroof will open fully,
then stop automatically.
To Close the sunroof from an open or vent position, press
andholdthe CLOSE button. The sunroof will close fully
and stop automatically. Release the CLOSE button to stop
sunroof travel at any point.If the sun roof is vented and you wish to open it, press
and hold the OPEN button. If the sun roof is open and
you wish to vent it, press and hold the VENT button.
The sunshade can be opened manually. It will also open
as the sun roof opens. The sunshade cannot be closed if
the sun roof is open.
WARNING!
In an accident, there is a greater risk of being thrown
from a vehicle with an open sun roof. You could also
be seriously injured or killed. Always fasten your
seatbelt properly and make sure all passengers are
properly secured too.
Do not allow small children to operate the sun roof.
Never allow fingers or other body parts, or any
object to project through the sun roof opening.
Injury may result.
76 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Location.........................159,181
Saving Feature....................60,61,63
Belts, Engine.......................... 180
Body Mechanism Lubrication.............. 184
Brake, Parking......................... 132
Brake System.......................134,192
Anti-Lock........................... 134
Fluid Check......................... 193
Hoses.............................. 192
Master Cylinder...................... 193
Warning Light.....................92,132
Brake/Transmission Interlock...........129,130
Break-In Recommendations, New Vehicle...... 47
Bulb Replacement...................... 204
Bulbs, Light........................... 204
Capacities, Fluid....................... 208
Capacity, Cargo Weight.................. 148
Car Washes........................198,199
Cargo Compartment
Capacity............................ 148
Luggage Carrier...................... 148
Carpeting............................. 199Cassette Tape and Player Maintenance....... 112
Cassette Tape Player................93,100,112
Catalytic Converter..................... 178
CD Changer.....................103,108,109
CD Player.......................98,105,107
Central Door Locks...................... 15
Chains, Tire........................... 140
Changing A Flat Tire.................... 153
Charging System Light................... 91
Checks, Safety.......................... 47
Child Restraint...................40,42,44,45
Child Restraint Tether Anchors...........43,44
Child Safety Locks....................... 16
Circuit Breakers........................ 202
Clean Air Gasoline...................... 144
Cleaning
Carpets............................. 199
Cloth.............................. 199
Glass.............................. 200
Headlights.......................... 200
Instrument Panel..................... 200
Seat Belts........................... 201
Vinyl.............................. 199
INDEX 239
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