2004 DODGE INTREPID warning

floor. They are not caused by contact with chemicals.
They are not permanent and normally heal quickly.
However, if you haven’t healed significantly within a
few days, or if you have any blistering, see your doctor
immediately.
•As the airbags deflate you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the nontoxic gas used for airbag
inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the skin,
eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irritation,
rinse the area with cool water. For nose or throat
irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation continues,
see your doctor. If these particles settle on your
clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for cleaning.
•It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have been deployed. If you are involved in
another collision, the airbags will not be in place to
protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags can’t protect you in another colli-
sion. Have the airbags replaced by an authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
How the Side Airbag System Works
•
The side impact airbag control module determines if a
side collision is severe enough to require the airbag to
inflate. The ACM will not detect rollover, front or rear
impacts.
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•The side impact airbag control module monitors the
readiness of the electronic parts of the system when-
ever the ignition switch is in the “START” or “RUN”
positions. These include all of the items listed above
except for the AIRBAG light (which is controlled by
the frontal airbag system).
•In moderate to severe side collisions, the side airbag
inflator on the crash side of the vehicle is triggered,
releasing a quantity of nontoxic gas. The inflating side
airbag exits through the seat seam into the space
between the occupant and the door. The side airbag
moves at a very high speed and with such a high force,
that it could injure you if you are not seated properly,
or if items are positioned in the area where the side
airbag inflates. This especially applies to children.
Maintaining Your Airbag System
WARNING!
•Modifications to any part of the airbag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured because the airbag is not there to
protect you. Do not modify the components or
wiring, including adding any kind of badges or
stickers to the airbag covers. Do not modify the
front bumper or vehicle body structure.
•You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee impact bolsters.
•It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the
airbag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has airbags.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
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Airbag Light
You will want to have the airbags ready for your
protection in an impact. While the airbag system
is designed to be maintenance free, if any of the
following occurs, have an authorized dealer service the
system immediately.
•The AIRBAG light does not come on or flickers during
the 6 to 8 seconds when the ignition switch is first
turned on.
•The light remains on or flickers after the 6 to 8 second
interval.
•The light flickers or comes on and remains on while
driving.
Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time– babies and children too. Every state in the United
States and all Canadian provinces require that small
children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the law,
and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.Children 12 years and under should ride properly buck-
led up in a rear seat. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seat rather than the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny
baby, can become a missile inside the vehicle. The
force required to hold even an infant on your lap
could become so great that you could not hold the
child, no matter how strong you are. The child and
others could be badly injured. Any child riding in
your vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the
child’s size.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat owner’s manual to ensure you have the right seat for
your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your child:
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Infants and Child Restraints
•
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers and “convertible” child seats.
•The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg). “Convertible” child seats can be
used either rearward-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rearward-facing direction than
infant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) but are
less than one year old. Both types of child restraints are
held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the
LATCH anchorage system. (See the LATCH — Child
Seat Anchorage System section for greater explana-
tion.)
•Rearward-facing child seats mustNEVERbe used in
the front seat of a vehicle with a front passengerairbag. An airbag deployment could cause severe
injury or death to infants in this position.
WARNING!
•A rearward facing infant restraint should only be
used in a rear seat. A rearward facing infant
restraint in the front seat may be struck by a
deploying passenger airbag which may cause se-
vere or fatal injury to the infant.
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
Here are some tips on getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41
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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
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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

Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
The engine in your new vehicle does not require a long
break-in period.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or 55
mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration, within the
limits of local traffic laws, contributes to a good break-in.
Wide open throttle acceleration in low gear can be
detrimental and should be avoided.
The crankcase oil installed in the engine at the factory is
a high quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with expected climate con-
ditions under which vehicle operations will occur. The
recommended viscosity and quality grades are in Section
7 of this manual.
Do not use non-detergent or straight mineral oils.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 not an indication of a problem.SAFETY TIPS
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO) which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO)
follow the safety tips below.
•Do 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.
•If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running, adjust your heating or cooling con-
trols to force outside air into the vehicle. Set the blower
at high speed.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47
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Electric Remote Control Mirrors
Press the L or R button located on the driver’s door panel
for Left or Right mirror selection.
Tilt the mirror control up or down, or side to side to
adjust the view in the mirror.
NOTE:Place the mirror switch in the neutral position to
prevent accidental changing of the mirror setting.
Mirror Adjustment
Outside Mirror — Driver’s Side
Adjust the outside mirror to center on the adjacent lane of
traffic, with a slight overlap of the view obtained on the
inside mirror.
Right Side Mirror
Adjust the convex outside mirror so you can just see the
side of your vehicle. This type of mirror will give a much
wider view to the rear, and especially of the lane next to
your vehicle.
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 this
convex mirror.
54 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE