2005 DODGE CARAVAN warning

•It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have deployed. If you are involved in another
collision, the airbags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags, seat belt pretensioners and driver
inflatable knee blocker cannot protect you in an-
other collision. Have the airbags, seat belt preten-
sioners, driver inflatable knee blocker and the front
passenger seat belt retractor assembly, replaced by
an authorized dealer as soon as possible. Also, have
the Occupant Classification System serviced as well.
Enhanced Accident Response
If the airbags and seat belt pertensioners deploy after an
impact and the electrical system remains functional,
vehicles equipped with power door locks will unlock
automatically. In addition, approximately 10 seconds
after the vehicle has stopped moving, the interior lights
will illuminate until the ignition switch is turned off.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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
airbags are not there to protect you. Do not modify the
components or wiring, including adding any kind of
badges or stickers to the steering wheel hub trim cover or
the upper right side of the instrument panel. Do not modify
the front bumper, vehicle body structure, or frame.
•Do not attempt to modify any part of your advanced airbag
system. The airbag may inflate accidentally or may not
function properly if modifications are made. Take your
vehicle to an authorized dealer for any advanced airbag
system service. If your seat including your trim cover and
cushion needs to be serviced in any way (including removal
or loosening/tightening of seat attachment bolts), take the
vehicle to your authorized dealer. Only manufacturer ap-
proved seat accessories may be used. If it is necessary to
modify an advanced airbag system for persons with dis-
abilities, contact your authorized dealer.
WARNING!
•You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee 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 67
2

Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times—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
seats, rather than in 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.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 69
2

WARNING!
•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.
•A rearward facing child restraint should only be
used in a rear seat. A rearward facing child re-
straint in the front seat may be struck by a
deploying passenger airbag which may cause se-
vere or fatal injury to the infant.
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
Standards. We also recommend that you make sure
that you can install the child restraint in the vehicle
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.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

over the top of the seatback. For bench seats with split
seatbacks, route the tether between the seatbacks.
When using the tether anchorages in the center position
on 3rd row store in the floor seating, ensure that the strap
is routed over the top of the seatback and under the head
restraint between the head restraint posts.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.
Child restraint systems having attachments designed to
connect to the lower anchorages are now available. Child
restraints having tether straps and hooks for connection
to the seatback tether anchorage have been available for
some time. In fact, many child restraint manufacturers
will provide add-on tether strap kits for some of their
older products.
NOTE:If your child restraint seat is not LATCH com-
patible, install the restraint using the vehicle seat belts.
Tether Strap Mounting
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75
2

Fleet vehicles equipped with the LATCH system on the
3-passenger bench seat must have the seat adjusted to the
full rear position on the tracks when the LATCH system
is used. Also, when using the LATCH system, be sure the
seatback is two clicks rear of its full upright position.
Because the lower anchorages are to be introduced to
passenger carrying vehicles over a period of years, child
restraint systems having attachments for those anchor-
ages will continue to have features for installation in
vehicles using the lap or lap/shoulder belt. They will also
have tether straps, and you are urged to take advantage
of all of the available attachments provided with your
child restraint in any vehicle.Installing the Child Restraint System
If your fleet vehicle is equipped with LATCH anchorages
on the 3-passenger bench seat, do not install three child
restraints at the same time in this seat. The anchorages in
this seat are not designed to restrain three child restraints
at one time. Instead, you may install one child restraint at
the center position, or one child restraint at each of the
right and left positions.
WARNING!
Fleet Vehicles Only:
Do not install child restraint systems equipped with
LATCH attachments at all three seating positions in
the seat at one time. The LATCH anchorages in this
seat are designed to restrain no more than two child
restraints at a time in the event of a collision. Failure
to follow this may result in serious or fatal injury.
76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

We urge that you carefully follow the directions of the
manufacturer when installing your child restraint. Many,
but not all, restraint systems will be equipped with
separate straps on each side, with each having a hook or
connector and a means for adjusting the tension in the
strap. Forward-facing toddler restraints and some
rearward-facing infant restraints will also be equipped
with a tether strap, a hook and means for adjusting the
tension in the strap.
In general, you will first loosen the adjusters on the lower
straps and tether straps so that you can more easily attach
the hook or connector to the lower anchorages and tether
anchorages. Then tighten all three straps as you push the
child restraint rearward and downward into the seat.
Not all child restraint systems will be installed as we
have described here. Again, carefully follow the instruc-
tions that come with the child restraint system.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.
Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet could be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77
2

REAR SEAT DELETE FEATURE (COMMERCIAL
VEHICLES ONLY)—IF EQUIPPED
Commercial cargo vehicles are not designed for use as a
family vehicle and are not intended for carrying children
in the front passenger seat. However, if you must carry a
child in a vehicle without a rear seat, the passenger seat
should be moved to the full rearward position and the
child must be in a proper restraint system based on it’s
age, size and weight. NEVER carry a child in a rear facing
infant carrier in a vehicle without rear seats. In an
accident, serious injury or death may occur from the
deploying passenger air bag.This vehicle is equipped with a child restraint tether
anchor located on the floor, behind the front passenger
seat.Use this tether anchor to secure only forward
facing child restraints equipped with an upper tether
strap.
WARNING!
Rear Facing Infant restraints must never be secured
in the passenger seat of a vehicle with a passenger
airbag. In an accident a passenger airbag may deploy
causing severe injury or death to infants riding in
rear facing infant restraints.
78 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE