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INTRODUCTION
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 Owner's 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.
When it comes to service, remember that your authorized
dealer knows your vehicle best, has the factory-trained
technicians and genuine Mopartparts, and is interested
in your satisfaction.WARNING!
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain
vehicle components contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
Consult the Table of Contents to determine which section
contains the information you desire.
The detailed Index, at the back of this manual, contains a
complete listing of all subjects.
Consult the following table for a description of the
symbols that may be used on your vehicle or throughout
this manual:
4 INTRODUCTION
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NGeneral Information....................19
NTransmitter Battery Service...............20
mSecurity Alarm System....................21
NTow-Away Alarm......................21
mDecklid Internal Emergency Release - Roadster . . .22
mPower Windows........................24
NPower Window Operation With The
Convertible Top Switch (Roadster Only)......25
mRear Liftgate/Decklid Release...............25
mOccupant Restraints......................26
NLap/Shoulder Belts.....................27NSeat Belts And Pregnant Women............32
NSeat Belt Extender......................32
NSupplemental Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag . .33
NChild Restraint........................52
mEngine Break-In Recommendations...........61
mSafety Tips............................61
NExhaust Gas..........................61
NSafety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle..............................62
NPeriodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle....................63
8 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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NOTE:If the doors are unlocked with the central
locking switch after activating the automatic central
locking feature and neither door is opened, the doors
remain unlocked even at vehicle speeds of approximately
9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
NOTE:If you attempt to lock the doors with the key in
the ignition and the driver's door open, the doors will not
lock.
General Notes On the Central Locking System
If the key in the ignition switch is in the ON/RUN
position, the vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked with
the remote control.
If the vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked at any time
with the remote control, it may be necessary to change
the batteries in the remote.NOTE:To help prevent the vehicle battery from dis-
charging during short periods of inactivity, perform the
following:
1. Make sure that the rear liftgate/decklid, hood and
doors are completely closed.
2. Make sure that remote transmitter is operating and
that the battery is good.
3. Make sure that the hood, rear liftgate/decklid and
door switches are in adjustment.
Perform the quick system check which follows: Use the
remote transmitter to set the alarm. If the parking lamps
flash three times, the system is operating properly. If not,
there is a problem with a switch or the system. See your
authorized dealer for service.
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Transmitter Battery Service
The recommended replacement Lithium battery is Pana-
sonictCR2025 or equivalent.
To change the batteries:
²Press release button (2) on the key Fob. The key folds
out.
²Press the battery cover (1) in the direction of the arrow.
²Remove the old batteries.
²Insert the new batteries in the direction of the arrow
with the positive symbol facing upwards.
²Replace the battery cover and press on it until you feel
it engage.
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²The operational readiness of the side airbag system is
verified by the airbag indicator light in the instrument
cluster when turning the key in the ignition switch to
the ON/RUN position. If no fault is detected, the light
will go out after approximately four seconds. After the
light goes out, the system continues to monitor the
components and circuitry of the airbag system and
will indicate a malfunction by coming on again. If the
light does not come on at all, or if it fails to go out after
the four seconds, or if it comes on thereafter, a mal-
function in the system has been detected. See your
authorized dealer for service.WARNING!
²The door mounted side airbag deploys with consid-
erable force. Being too close to the door panel during
airbag deployment could cause serious injury or
death.
²All occupants must be in the appropriate restraint for
their size and age, especially children 12 and under.
²To help avoid the potential for serious injury and
death should the side airbag be activated, please
follow these guidelines:
1. Occupants, especially children, should never lean
against the door in the area where the side airbag
inflates;
2. Occupants need to sit upright in the center of the seat
to give the side airbag room to inflate;
3. Always use the appropriate restraint for the occupant
and ensure it is properly used.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43
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How the Occupant Classification System (OCS)
System Works
The Occupant Classification System (OCS) will classify
an occupant in the front passenger seat into a size
category based on sensor readings from within the seat
cushion. Occupants should try to remain in a normally
seated position. If the occupant's weight is transferred to
another object in the vehicle (i.e. feet on the dashboard),
the OCS may not be able to properly approximate
occupant size. Furthermore, the occupant size may ap-
pear to increase or decrease due to objects hanging on the
seat, other passengers pushing on the seat, or objects
lodged underneath the seat. If there is a rapid change in
temperature or humidity, the OCS may not be able to
properly approximate occupant size. If your seat includ-
ing your trim cover and cushion needs to be serviced in
any way, take the vehicle to your authorized dealer. Only
manufacturer approved seat accessories may be used. If
there is a fault present in the system, the AIRBAGwarning light will light indicating that you should take
the vehicle to an authorized dealer. In the presence of an
occupant in the passenger seat, if both the Passenger
Airbag Disable (PAD) indicator light (located in the
center console) and AIRBAG warning light (located in
the instrument cluster) are illuminated the airbag will be
disabled. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) will
not allow front airbag deployment in the event of a
collision for occupants classified into the empty or child
size categories. The PAD indicator light will illuminate
indicating that the Passenger Airbag is OFF when the
OCS has determined that the occupant size category is a
child. Also, when the seat is empty or an object that
weighs less than a predetermined threshold is placed on
the seat, the light will remain OFF. (The PAD indicator
light is an amber light located in the center console.) For
almost all sizes of properly seated adults, the passenger
frontal airbag will be enabled in the event of a collision.
For small teenagers and some small adults, depending on
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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To Turn On the Passenger Airbag:
²Place the ignition key in the on/off switch, turn the
key counterclockwise, and remove the key from the
switch. This will turn on the passenger airbag. The
Passenger Airbag Off light on the console will turn off,
or will not be illuminated when the ignition is turned
to the ON position.
WARNING!
The airbag may malfunction and serious injury could
result if key is left in the airbag shut off switch.
Always remove the key.
Maintaining Your Airbag System
WARNING!
²Unapproved modifications or service procedures to
the front passenger seat assembly, its related compo-
nents, or seat cover may inadvertently change the
airbag deployment in case of a frontal crash. This
could result in death or serious injury to the front seat
passenger if the vehicle is involved in an accident. A
modified vehicle may not comply with required Fed-
eral Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
²You need proper knee impact protection in a collision.
Do not mount or locate any aftermarket equipment on
or behind the knee impact blocker.
²You can be injured if you are too close to either airbag
cover when the airbags inflate. It is dangerous to try
to repair any part of the airbag system yourself. Don't
try to repair the airbag system. Be sure to tell anyone
who works on your vehicle that it has airbags.
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The following requirements must be strictly adhered to:
²Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or
components in any way.
²Do not modify the front seat center console or center
position seat in any way.
²Do not use prior or future model year seat covers not
designated for the specific model being repaired.
²Always use the correct seat cover specified for the
vehicle.
²Do not replace the seat cover with an aftermarket seat
cover.
²Do not add a secondary seat cover other than those
approved by DaimlerChrysler/Mopart.
²At no time should any supplemental restraint system
(SRS) component or SRS related component or fastenerbe modified or replaced with any part except those
which are approved by DaimlerChrysler/Mopart.
Airbag Light
You will want to have the airbags ready for
your protection in case of a collision. While the
airbag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) is
designed to be maintenance free, if any of the
following occurs, have an authorized dealer service the
system immediately.
²The AIRBAG light does not come on or flickers during
the four seconds when the ignition switch is first
turned on.
²The light remains on or flickers after the four second
interval.
²The light flickers or comes on and remains on while
driving.
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