2004 DODGE SPRINTER Owners Manual

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 33
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To close:
Pull the doors away from the retaining plates on the
outer sidewalls.
Passenger/Cargo A rea DoorNOTE: The maximum cargo area door height is 5 feet
7 inches (176 cm).
WARNING!
Always drive with the doors properly closed, be-
cause if the vehicle is operated with the doors
open, serious personal injury may result.
To prevent possible personal injury, always keep
hands and fingers away from the door opening
when closing a door. Be especially careful when
small children are around.
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34 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLETo Unlock the Door from the Passenger Area
To unlock, turn key to left (1)
To open door (2)
To close door and lock (3)To Unlock the Door from the Cargo Area (Optional)
To unlock, press latch in direction (1)
To open door (2)
To close door and lock (3)Freightliner-all.book Pag e 34 Monday , December 1, 2003 2:54 PM

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 35
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OCCUPA NT RESTRA INTSSeat belts, belt tensioners, airbag and child restraint
systems are independent restraint systems whose
functions complement each other.
All states and provinces require use of child restraints
that comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213.
All child restraint systems are designed to be secured
in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap-shoulder belt.
For your safety and that of your passengers, you must
use the seat belts and child restraint systems and use
them properly. We strongly recommend their use.
WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
injuries, including fatalities, if you are not proper-
ly buckled up. You can strike the interior of your
vehicle or other passengers, or you can be thrown
out of the vehicle. Always be sure you and others
in your vehicle are buckled up properly.
WARNING!
An airbag system component integrated in the
steering wheel gets hot after the airbag has inflat-
ed. Do not touch.
No modifications of any kind may be made to any
components or wiring of the restraint system.
Keep area between airbag and occupants free of
objects (e.g. packages, purses, umbrellas, etc.).
In addition, through improper work there is the
risk of rendering the restraint system inoperative.
Work on the restraint system must therefore only
be performed by an authorized Sprinter Dealer.
When discarding of the airbag unit or emergency
tensioning retractor, you must follow our safety
instructions. These instructions are available at
your Sprinter Dealer.
Given the considerable deployment speed and the
textile structure of the airbag, there is the
possibility of injuries and even death resulting
from being positioned too close to the airbag
when it deploys.
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36 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLEDo not seat children less than 5 feet tall or 12 years
and under in the front. The back seat is the safest
place for children. If the vehicle is not equipped
with a back seat, children less than 5 feet tall or
12 years and under must never ride in this vehicle.
Children less than 5 feet tall or 12 years and under
require a special restraint system for protection in
the event of an accident as they may be too small
to wear seat belts properly.
Never place an infant seat on the front passenger
seat.
Children should never ride sitting on the lap of
another occupant. In an accident they will be
completely without protection and could even be
injured by the person they are sitting on. For the
safety of all occupants read the child restraint
system manufacturer’s instructions carefully
when fitting any child restraint system.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove it
from the vehicle or secure it with the seat belt to
prevent the child restraint from becoming a
projectile in the event of an accident.
Do not leave children unsupervised in the vehicle,
even if they are secured by a child restraint
system.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37
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SEAT BELTS
WARNING!
 Wearing 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. Wearing your belt in the
wrong place could make your injuries in a colli-
sion much worse. You might suffer internal in-
juries, 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.
 Two 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.
WARNING!
A 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 inju-
ries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle near-
est you.
A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well.
In a sudden stop you could move too far forward,
increasing the possibility of injury. Wear your
seat belt snugly.
A 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.
A 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.
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38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLESeat Belt Warning Lamp and A irbag MalfunctionWhen the key is in position 2 in the ignition lock, the
warning lamp < lights up for about 6 seconds; this
takes place whether or not the driver’s seat belt is
fastened.
The warning lamp< must go out after about
6seconds.
If the warning lamp< flashes after about 6 seconds,
the malfunction indicator lamp1 is defective.
The fault should be repaired as soon as possible by an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
NOTE: When the key is turned to position 2 in the
ignition lock, a warning buzzer sounds for about
6 seconds if the driver’s safety belt is not pressed into
the belt buckle. The buzzer stops as soon as the safety
belt is fastened. Press the safety belt into the belt
buckle.
Fastening and RemovingBelt tongue (1)
Belt buckle (2)
Release button (3)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
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Fastening Seat Belts
1. Pull the seat belt over the body. The seat belt must
not be twisted or you could be injured.
2. Press the tongue into the buckle and make sure that
it is heard to engage.
3. The seat belt must be tight across the body. Check
this immediately after fastening the seat belt, and at
regular intervals during the trip.
If necessary, tension the lap belt by pulling the
shoulder strap up in front of the body.Removing Seat Belts
1. Press the release button in the belt buckle.
2. Guide the seat belt back to its rest position.
Seat Belt Warning System
When the key is turned to position 2 in the ignition
lock, a warning buzzer sounds for about 6 seconds if
the driver’s safety belt is not pressed into the belt
buckle. The buzzer stops as soon as the safety belt is
fastened. Press the safety belt into the belt buckle.
WARNING!
A 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 part as low as
possible and keep it snug.A twisted belt cannot do it’s job as well. In a
collision it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt
is straight. If you cannot straighten a belt in your
vehicle, take it to your dealer and have it fixed.
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 im-
mediately. Do not disassemble or modify the sys-
tem. Seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision if they have been damaged (bent retrac-
tor, torn webbing, etc.).
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40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLEBelt Height AdjustmentBelt height adjustment button 4
Do not adjust the belt height while the vehicle is
moving.
To lower:
Press the button and move the belt sash guide down.
To raise:
Move the belt sash guide up.
The shoulder strap must pass between the neck and the
shoulder.
A IRBA G A ND BELT TENSIONERSThe vehicle is equipped with an airbag for the driver
and the front seat passenger as well as belt tensioners
for the driver and the front passenger. The system is
known as a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). It
has been designed to work together with the seat belt
and to supplement.SRS Malfunction Indicator LampWhen the key is in position 2 in the ignition lock, the
malfunction indicator lamp1 will light up in the
instrument cluster for about 4 seconds as a function
check.
WARNING!
Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You
may damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are not there to protect you.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
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