2004 DODGE SPRINTER warning

46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLEPEDALSThe freedom of movement of the pedals must not be
impaired in any way, such as by floormats.
ENGINE BREAK-IN SPECIFICATIONS
The first 1,000 miles (about 1,500 km)The more cautiously you treat your vehicle during the
break-in period, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance later on. Therefore, drive your vehicle
during the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) at moderate
vehicle and engine speed.
Avoid depressing the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point (kickdown). Do not manually shift
down.
Avoid accelerating by kickdown. It is not
recommended to brake the vehicle by manually
shifting to a lower gear. We recommend that you select
positions "3", "2" or "1" only at moderate speeds (for
hill driving).
After 1,000 miles (about 1,500 km) you can gradually
increase road and engine speeds to normal driving and
requirements.
WARNING!
Do not lay any objects in the driver’s footwell. Be
careful that floor mats or carpets in the driver’s
footwell have sufficient clearance for the pedals.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers the
objects could get caught between the pedals. You
could then no longer brake or accelerate. This
could cause an accident which could in turn lead
to injuries.
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48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLEINHA LA TION OF EXHA UST GA S TIE DOWN RINGS (OPTIONA L)
1. Tie Down Rings
The rings (1) are used to attach the load with the help
of tension belts. Place the tension belt around the load,
secure it on the rings (1) and tie it down.
WARNING!
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide
and inhaling it can cause unconsciousness and
lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas (such as a
garage) which are not properly ventilated. If you
think that exhaust gas fumes are entering the
vehicle while driving, have the cause determined
and corrected immediately. If you must drive
under these conditions, drive only with at least
one window fully open.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
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NOTE: Use neither elastic fastening straps nor nets
when lashing down the load. These are only intended
as anti-slip protection for lighter loads.
The means used to tie down the load must not be run
over sharp edges or corners. Sharp edges or corners
should be given protective padding. Observe the
operating instructions for the material used to tie down
the material. Spread the load evenly between the
anchorages. If using a tensioning device, do not
overstress the lashing rings.
WARNING!
If you tension the tensioning belts between the
sidewalls, the maximum permissible load for the
lashing rings could be exceeded if the brakes are
applied suddenly or in the event of an accident.
The load would no longer be secured, which could
result in serious injuries caused by the load slip-
ping.
For this reason, do not tension a tensioning belt
between the side walls.
Observe the loading guidelines.
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54 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLESEAT ADJUSTMENT
Driver’s and Front Passenger’s Seat
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 the seat only while the vehicle is
parked.
WARNING!
Do not ride with the seat back 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.
WARNING!
The rear area of the vehicle should not be used as
a play area by children when the vehicle is in mo-
tion. They could be seriously injured in an acci-
dent. Children should be seated and using the
proper restraint system.
WARNING!
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these area 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.
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56 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLEArmrest (Optional)Tilt adjustment (1)
By adjusting the tilt adjustment (thumbwheel) (1) the
tilt of the armrest can be changed.
Head RestraintIf you need to remove the head restraint, press the
catch at the head restraint socket and pull the head
restraint up and out.
WARNING!
You should never drive the vehicle if the head re-
straint has been removed for an occupied seat. This
could result in severe personal injuries and death in
case of an accident. Adjust the head restraint so that
it touches the back of the head at about ear level.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 57
3
Folding Seat at Partition (Optional)Key (1)
Seat cushion (2)
Fold down the seat cushion of the folding seat.
SEAT HEATER (OPTIONAL)The seat heater switch is located on
the center section of the dashboard.
The seat heater only works when the
key is in position 2 in the ignition
lock .
Low heating output, press top of the seat heater switch.
The left indicator lamp in the switch illuminates.
High heating output, press bottom of seat heater
switch. The right indicator lamp in the switch
illuminates.WARNING!
When folding down the seat cushion, make sure
that nobody can become trapped.
The risk of injury to the front-passenger is
increased in the event of sharp steering
movements or an accident if a key is inserted in
the passenger/cargo area sliding door lock.
Remove the key from the load compartment
sliding door before using the folding seat.
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58 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLEREA R SEA T BENCH REMOVA L A ND
INSTALLATION
Unlocked (1)
Locked (2)
To remove:
1. Turn all release levers on the legs of the appropriate
rear bench seat up. The rear bench seat can then
move in the seat mounting cups.
2. Lift the rear bench seat up and out of the seat
mounting cups.
WARNING!
The integrated seat belt can only offer the degree
of protection for which it is designed if you install
the specified rear bench seats correctly. Never op-
erate vehicle unless all rear bench seats are prop-
erly installed and all release levers are locked.
When retrofitting seat benches, make sure that the
exterior seat shells have four cross-ribs.
Keep the seat bench mounting cups in the vehicle
floor free from dirt and foreign objects. This is the
only way to guarantee that the locking
mechanisms will engage securely.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 59
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To install:
1. With the rear bench seat facing in the direction of
travel, insert the legs of the rear bench seat in the
respective seat mounting cups on the floor.
2. Slide the rear bench seat forwards with some force
as far as it will go, until the release levers are heard
to engage and all release levers are parallel to the
vehicle floor.
Retrofitting Seat Mounting Cups
WARNING!
Additional rear bench seats can be added if seat
mounting cups are properly installed.
Seat mounting cups may only be installed by an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Never exceed the maximum permissible number
of rear bench seats for the specific vehicle.
For more information contact your authorized
Sprinter Dealer.
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