2008 DODGE DAKOTA lock

To prevent possible damage, do not slam the hood to
close it. Use a firm downward push at the center front
edge of the hood to ensure that both latches engage.
Never drive your vehicle unless the hood is fully closed,
with both latches engaged.
WARNING!
If the hood is not fully latched, it could fly up when
the vehicle is moving and block your forward vision.
Be sure all hood latches are fully latched before
driving.
LIGHTS
112 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Interior Lights
Courtesy and dome lights are turned on when the front
doors are opened, when the dimmer control (rotating
wheel on the right side of the switch) is rotated to the
second upward detent position, or if equipped, when the
UNLOCK button is pressed on the key fob.When a door
is open and the interior lights are on, rotating the dimmercontrol all the way down to the OFF detent will cause all
the interior lights to go out. This is also known as the
9Party9mode because it allows the doors to stay open for
extended periods of time without discharging the vehi-
cle's battery.
The brightness of the instrument panel lighting can be
regulated by rotating the dimmer control up (brighter) or
down (dimmer). When the headlights are ON you can
supplement the brightness of the odometer, trip odom-
eter, radio and overhead console by rotating the control
up until you hear a click. This feature is termed the
ªParadeº mode and is useful when headlights are re-
quired during the day. If the dimmer control is not in this
position, the audio display may be difficult to read if the
headlights are on during the daytime.
Club Cab/Quad Cab models may have an optional
switched dome lamp that may be operated by pressing
the lens.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 113
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Lights-on Reminder
If the headlights, parking lights, courtesy lights or cargo
lights are left on, after the ignition is turned off, a chime
will sound when the driver's door is opened.
Fog Lights Ð If Equipped
The foglights are turned ON by placing the head-
light rotary control in the parking light or head-
light position and pressing on the headlight rotary
control. The fog lights will operate only when the parking
lights are ON or when the vehicle headlights are ON low
beam. An indicator light located in the instrument cluster
will illuminate when the fog lights are on. The fog lights
will turn off when the switch is pressed a second time,
also when the headlight switch is rotated to the OFF
position, or the high beam is selected.
CARGO Light Ð If Equipped
The cargo lights are turned on by pressing on the
CARGO button. The interior lights will also turn on
when the cargo lights are on. The cargo lights will also
turn on for 30 seconds when a key fob Unlock is pressed,
as part of the illuminated entry feature.
116 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:If the front wiper is operating when the ignition
is turned off, the wiper will automatically return to the
9Park9position. When the vehicle is restarted, the wipers
will resume operation.
Windshield Washers
To use the washer, push in on the washer knob on the end
of the multifunction control lever and hold while spray is
desired. If the washer knob is depressed while in the
delay range, the wiper will operate for several seconds
after the washer knob is released. It will then resume the
intermittent interval previously selected. If the washer
knob is pushed, for a period greater than 1 second, while
in the OFF position, the wiper will wipe approximately
three wipes, after the wash knob is released.To prevent freeze-up of your windshield washer system
in cold weather, select a solution or mixture that meets or
exceeds the temperature range of your climate. This
rating information can be found on most washer fluid
containers.TILT STEERING COLUMN
To tilt the column, pull rearward on the lever below the
turn signal control and move the wheel up or down, as
desired. Push the lever forward to lock the column firmly
in place.
120 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

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.
ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL Ð IF EQUIPPED
When engaged, this device takes over accelerator opera-
tion at speeds greater than (refer to the table below for
the speed for your specific engine). The controls are
mounted on the steering wheel.
Tilt Steering Column Lever
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 121
3

Functions All Engines
Engage Speed 30 mph (48 km/h)
Minimun RESUME Speed 25 mph (40 km/h)
ACCEL Increase 2 mph (3km/h)
DECEL Decrease 1 mph (2 km/h)
Dropout Speed 25 mph (40 km/h)
To Accelerate For Passing
Depress the accelerator as you would normally. When the
pedal is released, the vehicle will return to the set speed.
NOTE:When driving uphill, at elevations above 2,000
feet (610 meters), or when the vehicle is heavily loaded
(especially when towing) the vehicle may slow below the
SET speed. If the vehicle speed drops below (refer to the
table below for the speed for your specific engine), the
speed control will automatically disengage. If this hap-
pens, you can push down on the accelerator pedal to
maintain the desired speed.Vehicles equipped with a Automatic transmission may
exhibit several downshifts under the above conditions.
To reduce the frequency of the downshifts and to im-
prove vehicle performance, it is advisable to lock out
overdrive by pressing the ªTOW/HAULº button located
at the end of the gear shifter.
124 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Courtesy/Reading Lights
Near the front of the console are two courtesy/reading
lights.
Both lights illuminate as courtesy lights when a door is
opened, when the dimmer control is rotated to the
courtesy light position (fully upward position), or when
the UNLOCK button is pressed on the Remote Keyless
Entry transmitter, if so equipped. These lights are also
operated individually as reading lights by pressing the
recessed area of the corresponding lens.
NOTE:The courtesy/reading lights will remain on until
the switch is pressed a second time, so be sure they have
been turned off before leaving the vehicle. If the interior
lights are left on after the vehicle is turned OFF, they will
extinguish after 8 minutes.
COMPASS/TEMPERATURE MINI-TRIP COMPUTER
This feature allows you to choose between a compass/
temperature display and one of four trip conditions being
monitored.
US/M Button
Use this button to change the display from U.S. to metric
measurement units.
126 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Then proceed with Step 4 under ªProgramming
HomeLink.º earlier in this section.
Using HomeLinkT
To operate, simply press and release the programmed
HomeLinktbutton. Activation will now occur for the
trained device (i.e. garage door opener, gate operator,
security system, entry door lock, home/office lighting,
etc. The hand-held transmitter of the device may also be
used at any time.
Reprogramming a Single HomeLinkTButton
To re-program a channel that has been previously
trained, follow these steps:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position.
2. Press and hold the desired HomeLinktbutton for 20
seconds until the indicator(s) starts to flash.Do not
release the button.3.Without releasing the button,proceed with PRO-
GRAMMING HOMELINK Step #2 and follow all remain-
ing steps.
Security
It is advised to erase all channels before you sell or turn
in your vehicle.
To do this, press and hold the two outside buttons for 20
seconds until the indicators begin to flash. Note that all
channels will be erased. Individual channels cannot be
erased.
The HomeLinktUniversal Transceiver is disabled when
the Vehicle Theft Alarm is active.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you are having trouble programming HomeLinkt, here
are some of the most common solutions:
²Replace the battery in the original transmitter.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 137
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