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Failure to use driver and passenger seat beltsprovided
is a major cause of severe or fatal injury. In fact, the U.S.
government notes that the universal use of existing seat
belts could cut the highway death toll by 10,000 or more
each year, and could reduce disabling injuries by 2
million annually. In a roll over crash an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a person wearing
a seat belt. Always buckle up.
This manual has been prepared with the assistance of
service and engineering specialists to acquaint you with
the operation and maintenance of your new vehicle. It is
supplemented by a Warranty Information Booklet and
various customer oriented documents. You are urged to
read these publications carefully. Following the instruc-
tions and recommendations in this manual will help
assure safe and enjoyable operation of your vehicle.NOTE: After you read the manual, it should be stored
in the vehicle for convenient reference and remain with
the vehicle when sold so that the new owner will be
aware of all safety warnings.
When it comes to service, remember that your authorized
dealer knows your vehicle best, has the factory-trained
technicians and genuine Moparparts, and is interested
in your satisfaction.
6 INTRODUCTION
Page 9 of 440
VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS / ALTERATIONS
WARNING!
Any modifications or alterations to this vehicle
could seriously affect its roadworthiness and safety
and may lead to an accident resulting in serious
injury or death.
INTRODUCTION 9
1
Page 13 of 440
Safety Tips............................69
▫Exhaust Gas..........................69
▫Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle ..............................70▫Safety Checks You Should Make Outside The
Vehicle ..............................71
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 13
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2. This device must accept any interference that may be
received, including interference that may cause undes-
ired operation.
ILLUMINATED ENTRY
The interior lights come on when you open any door.
They will remain on for about 30 seconds after all doors
are closed then fade to off.
The lights also will fade to off if you turn on the ignition
after you close all the doors.
DOORS AND DOOR LOCKS
Manual Door Locks
Use the manual door lock plunger to lock the doors from
inside the vehicle. If the plunger is down when the door
is closed, the door will lock. Therefore, make sure the
keys are not inside the vehicle before closing the door.
WARNING!
For personal security, and safety in the event of an
accident, lock the vehicle doors as you drive as well
as 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.
18 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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open or partially open positions. This is a normal occur-
rence and can be minimized. If the buffeting occurs with
the sunroof open, adjust the sunroof opening 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, front
airbags for both the driver and right front passenger, and,
window bags for the driver and passengers seated next to
a window. If you will be carrying children too small for
adult-size belts, your seat belts also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems.
NOTE:The front airbags have a multi stage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation that are based on collision severity.Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
injuries, including fatalities, if you are not properly
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.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision which includes you. This can
happen far away from home or on your own street.
32 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you’ll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
Automatic Locking Mode — If Equipped
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-
locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in
the shoulder belt.
When To Use The Automatic Locking Mode
Anytime a child safety seat is installed in a second or
third row seating position. Children 12 years old and
under should be properly restrained in a rear seat when-
ever possible.
How To Use The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until
the entire belt is extracted.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will
hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is
now in the automatic locking mode.
How to Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Disconnect the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow
it to retract completely to disengage the automatic lock-
ing mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency)
locking mode.
Energy Management Feature
This vehicle has a safety belt system with an energy
management feature in the front seating positions to help
further reduce the risk of injury in the event of a head-on
collision.
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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This safety belt system has a retractor assembly that is
designed to release webbing in a controlled manner. This
feature is designed to help reduce the belt force acting on
the occupant’s chest.
WARNING!
•The belt and retractor assembly must be replaced
if the seat belt assembly “automatic locking re-
tractor” feature or any other seat belt function is
not working properly when checked according to
the procedures in the Service Manual.
•Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly
could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The driver and front passenger seat belts are equipped
with a pretensioning device that is designed to remove
any slack from the seat belt systems in the event of a
collision. This device improves the performance of the
seat belt by assuring that the belt is tight around 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 must still be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Re-
straint Control (ORC) Module. Like the front airbags, the
pretensioners are a single use item. After a collision that
is severe enough to deploy the airbags and pretensioners,
they must be replaced.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
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WARNING!
Ignoring the “Airbag Warning Light” in your instru-
ment panel could mean you won’t have the airbags
to protect you in a collision. If the light does not
come on, stays on after you start the vehicle, or if it
comes on as you drive, have the airbag system
checked right away.
•TheOccupant Classification System (OCS)is part of
a Federally regulated safety system required for this
vehicle. It is designed to turn off the front passenger
airbag in the unlikely event that a rear-facing infant
seat is in the front passenger seat.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. The “PAD Indi-
cator Light” illuminates the wordsPASS AIR BAG
OFFto 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 airbag
will not inflate even though the “PAD Indicator Light”
is not illuminated.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE