2007 DODGE CARAVAN heater

Heated Seats — If Equipped
This feature heats the front driver and passenger seats.
The controls for the heated seats are located on the
instrument panel above the radio. You may choose LOW, HIGH or No Heat. The switch
position as well as an indicator light will show when the
LOW or HIGH heat is ON.
WARNING!
Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes,
spinal cord injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaus-
tion or other physical condition must exercise care
when using the seat heater. It may cause burns even
at low temperatures, especially if used for long
periods of time. Do not place anything on the seat
that insulates against heat, such as a blanket or
cushion. This may cause the seat heater to overheat.
Heated seat switches
126 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

recirculation mode to rapidly cool the inside of the
vehicle. The recirculation mode can also be used to
temporarily block out outside odors, smoke, and dust.
NOTE:
•When the ignition switch is turned OFF, the recircula-
tion feature will be cancelled.
•In cold weather, use of the Recirculation mode may
lead to excessive window fogging. The Recirculation
mode is not allowed in the Mix and Defrost modes to
improve window clearing operation. Recirculation
will be disabled automatically if these modes are
selected.
•If the recirculation button is pressed while in the Mix
or Defrost mode, the indicator light in the recirculation
button will flash 3 times indicating that recirculation is
not allowed.
A/C Recirculation Programming
The recirculation control is programmed to cancel the
recirculation mode when the ignition key is turned OFF
and will reset to outside air mode when the ignition key
is turned ON. The frequent use of outside air will help
keep odors from building up within the air conditioner-
heater housing. It is recommended that the recirculation
mode be used as little as possible, especially in humid
climates.
For hot and dry climates, or people who are allergic to
pollen and find frequent use of the recirculation mode
necessary, the recirculation mode can be programmed to
not automatically reset to the outside mode by using the
following procedures:
•Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.
•Set the mode control to “PANEL”.
•Depress and hold in the “Rear Wipe/Wash” button.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 285
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CAUTION!
Interior air enters the Manual Rear Zone Climate
Control system through an intake grille located in
the passenger side trim panel behind the third seat.
The heater outlets are located in the passenger side
trim panel just behind the sliding door. Do not block
or place objects directly in front of the inlet grille or
heater outlets. The electrical system could overload
causing damage to the blower motor.
Rear Temperature And Mode Control
When the center knob on the front climate control unit is
set to the “REAR” position, the second seat occupants
have control of the rear temperature and modes as
follows:
•The rear temperature knob controls both the rear
temperature and mode. When the temperature knob is in the cold position, cold air will be delivered from the
headliner outlets. As the rear temperature knob is
turned towards hot, the air will get warmer, and the
air will be delivered from both the headliner and floor
outlets. When the rear temperature knob reaches the
full hot position, all of the air will be delivered from
the floor outlets.
•When the center knob on the front climate control unit
is set to any position other than “REAR”, the rear
temperature selection follows the setting of the driv-
er’s temperature control on the front climate control
unit. The rear mode selection follows the setting of the
front mode control.
Rear Economy Mode
If rear economy mode is desired, set the center knob on
the front control unit to the “REAR” position. Turn the
A/C button OFF and select any mode except “MIX” or
“DEFROST”.
288 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Rear Blower Control
The rear blower control, located in
the headliner near the center of
the vehicle has an “OFF”,
“AUTO” and a range of blower
speeds.
The rear blower control knob can be manually set to
“OFF” or any fixed blower speed by rotating the knob
from low to high. This allows the rear seat occupants to
control the volume of air circulated in the rear of the
vehicle.CAUTION!
Interior air enters the Rear Automatic Temperature
Control System through an intake grille located in
the passenger side trim panel behind the third seat.
The heater outlets are located in the passenger side
trim panel just behind the sliding door. Do not block
or place objects directly in front of the inlet grille or
heater outlets. The electrical system could overload
causing damage to the blower motor.
Rear Temperature Control
To change the temperature in the rear of the vehicle, press
the temperature control button down for cold and up for
heated air.
298 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

glycol antifreeze coolant in water is recommended. Refer
to section 7, Maintenance Procedures, of this manual for
proper coolant selection.
Winter Operation
To insure the best possible heater and defroster perfor-
mance, make sure the engine cooling system is function-
ing properly and the proper amount, type, and concen-
tration of coolant is used. Refer to section 7, Maintenance
Procedures, of this manual for proper coolant selection.
Use of the air Recirculation mode during winter months
is not recommended because it may cause window
fogging.
Vacation Storage
Anytime you store your vehicle, or keep it out of service
(i.e. vacation) for two weeks or more, run the air condi-
tioning system at idle for about five minutes in the fresh
air and high blower setting. This will insure adequate system lubrication to minimize the possibility of com-
pressor damage when the system is started again.
Window Fogging
Vehicle windows tend to fog on the inside in mild rainy
or humid weather. To clear the windows, select
defrost
or mix mode and increase the front blower speed. Do
not use the Recirculation mode without A/C for long
periods as fogging may occur.
Outside Air Intake
Make sure the air intake, located directly in front of the
windshield, is free of obstructions such as leaves. Leaves
collected in the air intake may reduce airflow and if they
enter the plenum they could plug the water drains. In
winter months make sure the air intake is clear of ice,
slush and snow.
300 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS

Starting Procedures .....................311
▫ Automatic Transmission ................312
▫ Normal Starting (Above 32°F / 0°C) ........312
▫ Extremely Cold Weather Starting (Below

20°F / –29°C) .......................312
▫ High Altitude Starting
(Above 4,000 Ft ./1219m) ..............312
▫ If Engine Fails To Start .................313
▫ After Starting ........................314

Engine Block Heater — If Equipped .........315

Automatic Transmission ..................315
▫ Brake/Transmission Interlock System .......316
▫ Automatic Transmission Ignition Interlock
System .............................316
▫ Four Speed Automatic Transmission ........316

Parking Brake .........................319

Brake System ..........................321
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System — If Equipped .....321

Traction Control — If Equipped ............324
5

Automatic Transmission
The gear selector must be in the NEUTRAL or PARK
position before you can start the engine. Depress the
brake pedal before shifting into any driving gear.
Normal Starting (Above 32°F / 0°C)
1. Do not depress the accelerator.
2. Turn and hold the ignition key in the START position
and release when engine starts.
3. If engine does not start after 3 seconds, depress the
accelerator lightly (while still cranking the engine).
4. If engine does not start after 15 seconds, turn the
ignition key off.
5. Wait 10 to 15 seconds, and repeat step s1—5.
NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transmission
shift interlocking system. The brake pedal must be
depressed to shift out of Park (P).
Extremely Cold Weather Starting (Below
20°F /
–29°C)
Follow the same instructions in the “Normal Starting”
procedure.
To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your dealer) is recommended.
High Altitude Starting (Above 4,000 ft. / 1 219 m)
Follow the same instructions in the “Normal Starting”
procedure.
To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your dealer) is recommended.
312 STARTING AND OPERATING

ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord
to a standard 110-115 volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap that
is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 volt electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the
engine is at idle speed.
•Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
STARTING AND OPERATING 315
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