Page 12 of 302

ILLUMINATED ENTRY SYSTEM
The interior lights will come on when you open either
door, unlock the vehicle with the remote keyless entry or
central unlock from the driver’s side (if so equipped).
They will remain on for about 30 seconds after all doors
are closed then fade to off.
The lights also will turn off if you turn on the ignition
after you close all doors.
DOOR LOCKS
WARNING!
For personal security and safety in the event of an
accident, lock the vehicle doors as you drive and
when you park and leave the vehicle.
WARNING!
When leaving the vehicle always remove the key
from the ignition lock, and lock your vehicle. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of
vehicle equipment may cause severe personal inju-
ries and death.
Power Door Locks
There is a door lock switch on each front door located to
the front of each door handle. Press this switch to lock or
unlock the doors.
12 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 29 of 302

Driver and Right Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag
This vehicle has front airbags for both the driver and
front passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver’s airbag is mounted in the center of
the steering wheel. The passenger’s front airbag is
mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove com-
partment. The words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the
airbag covers.
NOTE:These airbags are certified to the new Federal
regulations that allow less forceful airbags.
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 in-
flating.
•Do not drill, cut or tamper with knee bolster in
any way.
•Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizens band radios
etc.
Airbags inflate in moderate to high speed impacts. Along
with the seat belts, front airbags work with the instru-
ment panel knee bolsters to provide improved protection
for the driver and front passenger.
Front Airbag Components
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 29
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Page 58 of 302
Outside Mirror Adjustment — Driver’s Side
Adjust the outside mirror to center on the adjacent lane of
traffic, with a slight overlap of the view obtained on the
inside mirror.
Right Side Mirror Adjustment
Adjust the convex outside mirror so you can just see the
side of your vehicle in the part of the mirror closest to the
vehicle.
WARNING!
Vehicles and other objects seen in the right side
convex mirror will look smaller and farther away
than they really are. Relying too much on your right
side mirror could cause you to collide with another
vehicle or other object. Use your inside mirror when
judging the size or distance of a vehicle seen in this
convex mirror.
Illuminated Vanity Mirrors
An illuminated vanity mirror is on each sun visor. To use
the mirror, rotate the sun visor down and swing the
mirror cover upward. The lights will turn on automati-
cally. Closing the mirror cover turns off the lights.
Illuminated Vanity Mirror
58 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
Page 64 of 302
Use the hood prop rod to secure the hood in the open
position. Place the upper end of the prop rod in the hole
marked “prop” on the underside of the hood.
To prevent possible damage, do not slam the hood to
close it. Use a firm downward push at the center of the
hood to ensure that both latches engage.
WARNING!
If the hood is not fully latched it could fly up when
the vehicle is moving and block your forward vision.
You could have a collision. Be sure all hood latches
are fully latched before driving.
LIGHTS
Front Map/Reading Lights
These lights, located under the rearview mirror, come on
whenever a door is opened or the illuminated entry
system is activated. The lights can also be turned on with
the doors closed by means of switches located on the
front of the rearview mirror.
Hood Safety Catch
64 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
Page 71 of 302
WARNING!
Tilting the steering column while the vehicle is
moving is dangerous. Without a stable steering col-
umn, you could lose control of the vehicle and have
an accident. Adjust the column only while the ve-
hicle is stopped. Be sure it is locked before driving.
TRACTION CONTROL— IF EQUIPPED
To turn the Traction Control System Off, press
the switch located on the top of the steering
column, to the right of the hazard switch, until
the Traction Control indicator in the instrument
cluster lights up.
To turn the Traction Control System On, press the switch
until the Traction Control indicator in the instrument
cluster turns off.
Tilt Steering Column Control
Traction Control Switch
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 71
3
Page 91 of 302

your Owner Manual for more details). If the bulb does
not come on when turning the key from OFF to ON,
have the condition checked promptly.
Certain conditions such as a loose or missing gas cap or
poor fuel quality may illuminate the light after engine
start. The vehicle should be serviced if the light stays on
through several of your typical driving cycles. In most
situations the vehicle will drive normally and will not
require towing.
The Malfunction Indicator Light flashes to alert to serious
conditions that could lead to immediate loss of power or
severe catalytic converter damage. The vehicle should be
serviced as soon as possible if this occurs. (See page 215
for more information.)
11. Fog Light Indicator — If Equipped
This light shows when the fog lights are ON.
(See page 68 for more information.)
12. Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge shows engine coolant
temperature. Any reading within the normal
range (approximately mid point on the scale)shows that the cooling system is operating properly.
The gauge pointer may show a higher than normal
temperature when driving in hot weather, up moun-
tain grades, in heavy stop and go traffic, or when
towing a trailer.
If the pointer rises to the “H” mark, stop the vehicle and
turn off the engine until the problem is corrected.
There are steps that you can take to slow down an
impending overheat condition. If your air conditioning is
on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the cooling system and turning off the A/C removes this
heat. You can also turn the Temperature control to
maximum heat, the Mode control to Floor and the Fan
control to High. This allows the heater core to act as a
supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the cooling system.
13. Engine Temperature Warning Light
This light warns of an overheated engine cool-
ant condition.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 91
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You should not increase the gloss level, especially on top
of the instrument panel top surface. Higher gloss levels
will increase the reflectivity in the windshield that could
decrease visibility under bright light driving conditions.
WARNING!
Do not use volatile solvents for cleaning purposes.
Many are potentially flammable, and if used in
closed areas they may cause respiratory harm.
Leather Seat Care and Cleaning
CAUTION!
Never use polishes, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents,
detergents, or ammonia based cleaners to clean the
leather. The leather has already been pretreated. The
application of any leather conditioner may damage
the factory applied top coat.
Leather is best preserved by regular cleaning with a
damp soft cloth. Small particles of dirt can act as an
abrasive and damage the leather surface and should be
removed immediately with a damp cloth. Stubborn soils
can be removed easily with a soft cloth and Mopar Total
Clean or equivalent. Care should be taken to avoid
soaking the leather with any liquid.
Cleaning Headlights
Your vehicle has plastic headlights that are lighter and
less susceptible to stone breakage than glass headlights.
Plastic is not as scratch resistant as glass and therefore
different lens cleaning procedures must be followed.
To minimize the possibility of scratching the lenses and
reducing light output, avoid wiping with a dry cloth. To
remove road dirt, wash with a mild soap solution fol-
lowed by rinsing.
Do not use abrasive cleaning components, solvents, steel
wool or other aggressive material to clean the lenses.
244 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 288 of 302

About Your Brakes...................... 155
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System)............. 155
Adding Engine Coolant (Antifreeze)......... 233
Adding Fuel.......................... 183
Adding Washer Fluid.................... 230
Additives, Fuel........................ 179
Aiming Headlights...................... 257
Air Cleaner, Engine (Engine Air Cleaner Filter) . 222
Air Conditioner Maintenance.............. 226
Air Conditioning....................129,136
Air Conditioning Controls................ 129
Air Conditioning, Operating Tips........135,141
Air Conditioning Refrigerant.............. 227
Air Conditioning System..............136,226
Air Pressure, Tires...................... 168
Airbag................................ 29
Airbag Deployment....................31,32
Airbag Light.....................32,34,43,89
Airbag Maintenance...................... 34
Alarm Light............................ 94
Alarm, Panic........................... 17
Alarm System (Security Alarm)...........19,94
Alignment and Balance.................. 174Alterations/Modifications, Vehicle............ 6
Antenna, Satellite Radio.................. 125
Antifreeze (Engine Coolant)............233,257
Capacities........................... 257
Disposal............................ 234
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)............. 155
Anti-Lock Warning Light.................. 92
Anti-Theft Security Alarm (Theft Alarm)...... 19
Appearance Care....................... 241
Automatic Dimming Mirror................ 56
Automatic Door Locks..................14,15
Automatic Headlights.................... 68
Automatic Temperature Control (ATC)....... 129
Automatic Transaxle.........149,151,209,239,259
Adding Fluid........................ 259
Filter.............................. 240
Fluid and Filter Changes................ 240
Fluid Level Check..................... 240
Interlock System.....................9,150
Reset Mode......................... 151
Selection Of Lubricant...............239,259
Shifting............................ 151
Special Additives..................... 241
288 INDEX