2005 DODGE DAKOTA child restraint

▫Battery Replacement....................26

Security Alarm System — If Equipped.........27
▫To Set The Alarm......................27
▫To Disarm The System...................28

Windows.............................29
▫Power Windows.......................29
▫Auto Down..........................30
▫Window Lockout Switch.................30
▫Sliding Rear Window...................31
▫Wind Buffeting........................31

Occupant Restraints......................31
▫Lap/Shoulder Belts.....................32
▫Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage....37▫Automatic Locking Mode (If Equipped)......38
▫Center Lap Belts.......................38
▫Seat Belt Pretensioners...................38
▫Enhanced Driver Seat Belt Reminder System
(BeltAlert)...........................39
▫Seat Belts And Pregnant Women............40
▫Seat Belt Extender......................40
▫Driver And Right Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)—Airbags...........41
▫Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch – If
Equipped............................55
▫Event Data Recorder (EDR)...............57
▫Child Restraint........................59

Engine Break-In Recommendations...........72
8 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Sliding Rear Window
A locking device in the center of the window helps to
prevent entry from the rear of the vehicle. Squeeze the
lock to release the window.
WIND BUFFETING
Wind buffeting can be described as the perception of
pressure on the ears or a helicopter type sound in the
ears. Your vehicle may exhibit wind buffeting with the
windows down or partially open.. This is a normal
occurrence and can be minimized. If the buffeting occurs
with the rear windows open, open the front and rear
windows together to minimize the buffeting.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. These include the front
and rear seat belts for the driver and all passengers, knee
bolsters, front airbags for both the driver and front
passenger, and if equipped left and right side curtain
airbags for the driver and passengers seated next to a
window. If you will be carrying children too small for
adult-size seat belts, your seat belts or the LATCH feature
(refer to the Child Restraint section in this manual), can
be used to hold infant and child restraint systems.
Sliding Window Light Latch
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 31
2

Automatic Locking Mode (if equipped)
To convert from the normal emergency locking mode to
the automatic locking mode, grasp the shoulder belt
portion and pull all of the webbing out of the retractor.
Allow some of the webbing to retract into the retractor, as
the belt retracts you will hear a clicking sound to indicate
the seat belt is now in the automatic locking mode. Once
the automatic locking mode has been activated, you will
not be able pull the webbing back out of the retractor. To
disengage the automatic locking mode, simply allow the
seat belt to retract fully into the retractor to return the seat
belt to the normal emergency locking mode.
Center Lap Belts
The center seat position on the front seat bench has a lap
belt only. To fasten the lap belt, slide the latch plate into
the buckle until you hear a “click.” To lengthen the lap
belt, tilt the latch plate and pull. To remove slack, pull theloose end of the webbing. Wear the lap belt snug against
the hips. Sit back and erect in the seat, then adjust the belt
as tightly as is comfortable.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belts for front outboard seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove any slack from the seat belt system in the event of
a collision. These devices improve the performance of the
seat belt by assuring that the belt is tight about the
occupant early in a collision. Pretensioners work for all
size occupants, including those in child restraints.
NOTE:These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still must be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Along with the seat belts, front airbags work with the
instrument panel knee bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger. Window
bags also work with seat belts to improve occupant
protection.
The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags deploy in moderate to
severe frontal collisions.
NOTE:The passenger front airbag may not deploy even
when the driver front airbag has if the Occupant Classi-
fication System (refer toOccupant Classification System
in this section) has determined the passenger seat is
empty or is occupied by someone that is classified in the
small childcategory.
If your vehicle is so equipped, the window bag on the
crash side of the vehicle is triggered in moderate to
severe side collisions. But even in collisions where theairbags work, you need the seat belts to keep you in the
right position for the airbags to protect you properly.
Here are some simple steps you can follow to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1. Children 12 years and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat in an appropriate child restraint.
Infants in rear-facing child restraints shouldNEVERride
in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front airbag.
An airbag deployment can cause severe injury or death to
infants in that position.
If a child from 1 to 12 years old must ride in the front
passenger seat because the vehicle is crowded, move the
seat as far back as possible, and use the proper child
restraint. SeeChild Restraintin this section.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43
2

NOTE:Children 12 years and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat in an appropriate child restraint.
•ThePassenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light
(an amber light located in the center of the instrument
panel) tells the driver and front passenger when the
front passenger airbag is turned off.If the passenger frontal air bag is automatically turned
off by the OCS, or by using the manual on/off switch
(on vehicles so equipped), the PAD Indicator lamp
iluminates the passenger frontal airbag symbol and
the wordOFFto show that the passenger airbag will
not inflate during a collision requiring airbags.
When the right front passenger seat is empty or when
very light objects are placed on the seat, the passenger air
bag will not inflate even though the Passenger Airbag
Disable (PAD) indicator lamp is not illuminated.
The PAD indictor light should not be illuminated when
teenagers, most children in a forward facing child re-
straint or booster seats, most children that can properly
wear the vehicle’s seat belt, and when an adult passenger
is properly seated in the front passenger seat. In this case,
the air bag is ready to be inflated if a collision requiring
an airbag occurs.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47
2

For almost all properly installed rear facing child re-
straints, the PAD indicator light will be illuminated
indicating that the front passenger airbag is turned off
and will not inflate. If the PAD indicator light is not
illuminated, DO NOT assume the air bag is turned off
and move the child restraint to the second row of seats (if
equipped). A deploying passenger air bag can cause
death or serious injury to a child in a rear facing infant
seat. For vehicles with a manual on/off switch, the
passenger frontal airbag can be manually turned off. See
section on how to use the switch later in this section.
NOTE:Even though this vehicle is equipped with an
occupant classification system, children 12 years and
under should always ride buckled up in a rear seat (if
equipped) in an appropriate child restraint (see section
on child restraints).Front Passenger Seat
OccupantPassenger Airbag
Disable (PAD)
Indicator LightAirbag
Status
Adult OFF ON
Grocery Bags, Heavy
Briefcases and Other
Relatively Light
ObjectsON OFF
Empty or Very Small
ObjectsOFF* OFF
* Since the system senses weight, some small objects
will turn the PAD Indicator Light on.
The OCS classifies an occupant using weight sensors
mounted in the base of the front passenger seat. Objects
hanging on the seat or other passengers pushing down
on the seat will also be sensed. The weight of an adult
will cause the system to turn the airbag on. In this case,
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•The light remains on or flickers after the 6 to 8 second
interval.
•The light flickers or comes on and remains on while
driving.
NOTE:If the speedometer, tachometer or any engine
related gauges are not working, the airbag control mod-
ule may also be disabled. The airbags may not be ready
to inflate for your protection. Promptly check fuse block
for blown fuses. Refer to the label located on the inside of
the fuse block cover for the proper airbag fuses. See your
dealer if the fuse is good.
Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch – If Equipped
The passenger front airbag is to be turned off only if the
passenger:
•is an infant (less than 1 year old) who must ride in the
front seat because there is no rear seat, because the rear
seat is too small for a rear-facing infant restraint orbecause the infant has a medical condition which
makes it necessary for the driver to be able to see the
infant,
•is a child, age 1 to 12 who must ride in the front seat
because there is no rear seat, because there is no rear
seat position available, or because the child has a
medical condition which makes it necessary for the
driver to be able to see the child,
•has a medical condition which makes passenger airbag
inflation (deployment) a greater risk for the passenger
than the risk of hitting the dashboard (instrument
panel) or windshield in a crash.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
2

•Airbag deployment level (if applicable)
•Seatbelt status
•Brake status (service and parking brakes)
•Accelerator status (including vehicle speed)
•Engine control status (including engine speed)
•Cruise control status
•Traction/stability control status
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 buckled up in arear seat, if available. According to crash statistics, chil-
dren are safer when properly restrained in the rear seats
rather than in the front.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult seat 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:
Infants and Small Children
•
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 andconvertiblechild seats.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59
2