2004 DODGE STRATUS COUPE window

WARNING!
²IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS WEAR
YOUR SEAT BELT PROPERLY EVEN WITH
AN AIR BAG.
²Seat belts help keep the driver and front pas-
senger properly positioned. This reduces the
risk of injury in all collisions, and reduces the
risk of serious or fatal injuries when the air bags
inflate. During sudden braking just before a
collision, an unrestrained or improperly re-
strained driver or front passenger can move
forward into direct contact with, or within close
proximity to, the air bag when it begins to
inflate. The beginning stage of air bag inflation
is the most forceful and can cause serious or
fatal injuries if the occupant comes in contact
with the air bag at this time.
²Seat belts reduce the risk of injury in rollovers,
side or rear impact collisions, and in lower-
speed frontal collisions, because the air bags are
not designed to inflate in those situations.
²Seat belts reduce the risk of being thrown from
your vehicle in a collision or rollover.
WARNING!
²IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BE PROPERLY
SEATED.
A driver or front passenger sitting too close to the
steering wheel or instrument panel during air bag
deployment can be killed or seriously injured
Air bags inflate very quickly and with great force. If
the driver and front passenger are not properly
seated and restrained, the air bag may not provide
proper protection, and could cause serious or fatal
injuries when it inflates.
²Before driving, adjust the driver 's seat as far back
as possible without affecting your ability to be in
complete control of the vehicle.
²Before driving, adjust the front passenger seat as
far back as possible.
²Make sure all vehicle occupants are always prop-
erly restrained using the available seat belts.
²With seat belts properly fastened, the driver and
front passenger should sit well back in their seats
and remain upright without leaning against the
window or door.
90 SEATS, SEAT BELTS, CHILD RESTRAINTS AND AIR BAGS

The air bags will operate only when the ignition switch is
in the ``ON'' or ``START'' position.
When an impact sensor detects a front or side impact of
sufficient force, it automatically ignities materials in the
module inflator which generate gas and inflates the
appropriate air bags.
NOTE:A collision that is not severe enough to need
airbag protection will not activate the system. This does
not mean something is wrong with the air bag system.
Deployment of the air bags produces a sudden, loud
noise and releases some smoke and powder. This is not
dangerous and does not indicate a fire in the vehicle.
People with breathing problems may feel some tempo-
rary irritation from chemicals used to inflate the bags. If
irritation continues see your doctor. You may open the
windows after air bags inflates, if it is safe to do so.
After deployment, the air bags deflate very rapidly, so
there is little danger of not being able to see. The time
between the sensors first detecting an impact and the air
bags deflating after deployment is shorter than a blink of
an eye.
WARNING!
²Air bags inflate very quickly and with great force.
In certain situations, contact with an inflating air
bag may cause small cuts, abrasions, and bruises.
Driver 's and passenger 's front air bag system
Driver
Front passenger
SEATS, SEAT BELTS, CHILD RESTRAINTS AND AIR BAGS 95
3

WARNING!
²The side air bags are designed to supplement the
driver and front passenger seat belts in certain
side impacts. Seat belts should always be worn
properly, and the driver and front passenger
should sit well back and upright in their seats
without leaning against the window or door.
WARNING!
²The side air bag inflates with great force. In order
to reduce the risk of serious or possibly fatal
injury when the air bag is inflating, the driver and
front passenger should not put their arms out in
the windows or lean against the doors.
98 SEATS, SEAT BELTS, CHILD RESTRAINTS AND AIR BAGS

NChanging the setting for warning operation . . . 118
NAutomatic transaxle indicator
(if so equipped).......................119
NTraction Control System warning light
(if so equipped).......................119
NWasher fluid level indicator..............119
mCombination headlights, dimmer and
turn signal lever
.......................120
NHeadlights..........................120
NLight auto-cutout feature
(headlights, fog lights, etc.)...............120
NWhen you want to keep the lights on
(time delay)..........................120
NHeadlight reminder chime...............121
NHeadlight flasher (high/low beam).........121
NDimmer (high/low beam change)..........122
NTurn signals..........................122
mFog light switch (if so equipped)...........123
mHazard warning flasher switch............124
mInstrument panel light dimmer control.......125
mElectric rear window defroster.............125
mWindshield wipers......................126
mIntermittent wipers.....................127
mWindshield washer.....................128
mPrecautions to observe when using wipers
and washers
..........................128
mDome light...........................129
mLights (dome lights, etc.) auto-cutout
function
.............................130
mReading lights.........................131
mRear personal lights.....................132
mHorn switch..........................132
mGarage door opener (if so equipped)........132
NTraining the Universal Transceiver..........133
104 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS

INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT DIMMER CONTROL
The brightness of the instrument panel lights can be
adjusted by turning this knob while the light switch is in
the ON ª
º orªº position.
ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER
The electric rear window defogger can be operated when
the ignition key is in the ªONº position.
When the switch is pressed, an indicator in the switch
(amber) will illuminate to indicate the electric rear win-
dow defogger is on, and electric current will flow
through the heating wire on the rear window to clear
away fog or frost.
E15A0380
DimBright
E17A0450
Indicator
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 125
4

It will turn off automatically in about 17 minutes.
To turn off the defogger before 17 minutes has lapsed,
push the switch again.
CAUTION!
²The rear window defroster is not designed to melt
snow. Remove snow before use of the rear win-
dow defroster.
²Use the rear window defroster only after the
engine has started and is running.
Be sure to turn the defroster switch off immedi-
ately after the window is clear in order to prevent
excessive battery discharge.
²Do not place stickers, tape or other items that are
attached with adhesive over the grid wires on the
rear window.
²When cleaning the inside rear window from in-
side, use a soft cloth and wipe lightly over the
heating wires.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS
The windshield wipers can be operated when the wiper
lever is moved as illustrated above and the ignition key is
in the ªONº or ªACCº position.
MIST = Misting function
The wipers will operate once
OFF = Off
INT = Speed sensitive
Interval between wipers varies in accordance
with vehicle speed
E13A1500
126 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS

WARNING!
²Leaving children in a vehicle unattended is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be injured. Children should be warned not
to touch the parking brake or the gear selector.
Don't leave the keys in the ignition. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
²Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and an accident.
BRAKE PEDAL
Excessive use of the brake can cause fading, resulting in
poor brake response and premature wear of brake lin-
ings.
When driving down a long or steep grade, use engine
braking by shifting the transaxle into a lower gear
(manual transaxle and Autostick A/T) or ª3º (THIRD) or
ª2º (SECOND) or ªLº (LOW) position (except Autostick
A/T).
WARNING!
Do not leave any objects on the floor near the brake
pedal or permit a floor mat to interfere with the
brake pedal. Doing so could prevent proper depres-
sion of the pedal. Make sure that the pedal can be
operated freely at all times.
STARTING AND DRIVING 171
5

INSIDE DAY/NIGHT REARVIEW MIRRORS
WARNING!
²Do not attempt to adjust the rearview mirrors
while driving. This can be dangerous.
²Your passenger's side mirror is convex. The ob-
jects you see in the mirror will look smaller and
farther away than they actually are. Do not use
this mirror to estimate the distance of following
vehicles when changing lanes.
Adjust the inside mirror to maximize the view through
the rear window. Make this adjustment while the day/
night knob (A) is in the daytime position (1). To reduce
glare from other vehicle's headlights, switch the lever to
the night position (2).
I08A0620
STARTING AND DRIVING 177
5