2008 DODGE VIPER warning

NOTE:Perchlorate Material Ð special handling may
apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Airbag Warning Light
You will want to have the airbags ready for
your protection in a collision. While the airbag
system is designed to be maintenance free, if
any of the following occurs, have an autho-
rized dealer service the system immediately:
²The Airbag Warning light does not come on or flickers
during the 6 to 8 seconds when the ignition switch is
first turned on.
²The light remains on or flickers after the 6 to 8 second
interval.
²The light flickers or comes on and remains on while
driving.
Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time Ð babies and children, too. Every state in the United
States and all Canadian provinces require small children
ride in proper restraint systems. This is the law, and you
can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a missile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap could
become so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be injured badly. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child's
size.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat Owner's Manual to ensure you have the correct seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child:
Infant and Child Restraints
²
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year oldandweigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers and ªconvertibleº child seats.
²The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg). ªConvertibleº child seats can be
used either rearward-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rearward-facing direction thaninfant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) but are
less than one year old. Both types of child restraints are
held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt.
WARNING!
A rearward facing infant restraint must not be used
in your Viper unless the passenger airbag has been
turned off. A rearward facing infant restraint may be
struck by a deploying passenger airbag, which may
cause severe or fatal injury to the infant.
Older Children and Child Restraints
Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who are
older than one year can ride forward-facing in the
vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are for children
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
2

who weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg) and who are older
than one year. These child seats are also held in the
vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt.
The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weighing
more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small to fit
the vehicle's seat belts properly. If the child cannot sit
with knees bent over the vehicle's seat cushion while the
child's back is against the seat back, they should use a
belt-positioning booster seat. The child and belt-
positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
lap/shoulder belt.
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend
over the front of the seat when their back is against the
seat back, should use the lap/shoulder belt in a rear seat.
²Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
²The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
²Check belt fit periodically. A child's squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position.
²If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. Never allow a
child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind
their back.
NOTE: For additional information, refer to
www.seatcheck.org or call 1±866±SEATCHECK.
WARNING!
Improper installation can lead to failure of a child
restraint. It could come loose in a collision. The child
could be injured badly or killed. Follow the manufactur-
er's directions exactly when installing a child restraint.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

7. Return the seatback to an upright position.
8. Install the child restraint according to the manufactur-
er's directions.
9. Remove slack from the tether strap according to the
child restraint manufacturer's directions.
WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchor position directly behind
the child seat to secure a child restraint top tether
strap.Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat belt
The passenger seat belt is equipped with an automatic
locking retractor for child restraint system installation. It
is designed to keep the lap portion of the restraint held
tightly to the passenger seat. Seat belts equipped with
automatic locking retractors have a distinctive label on
the webbing. (Refer to ªAutomatic Locking Modeº in this
section for additional information).
To restrain the child seat:
1. Pull enough webbing from the retractor to allow the
belt to pass through the child restraint and insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a ªclick.º
2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull all of
the webbing out of the retractor.
3. Allow some of the webbing to retract back into the
retractor. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound indicating that the belt is now in automatic locking
mode.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
2

WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO) which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO)
follow the safety tips below.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside the
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.Seat belt assemblies must be replaced after an accident if
they have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.). If there is any question regarding belt or retractor
condition, replace the belt.
Airbag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for 6 to 8
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned ON. If the light does not come on or flickers
during or after the 6 to 8 seconds, or flickers or comes on
while driving have the system checked by an authorized
dealer.
Defrosters
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield.
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

CONVERTIBLE TOP OPERATION Ð
CONVERTIBLE MODELS ONLY
WARNING!
The convertible top does not provide the structural
protection that a reinforced metal roof does, and the
fabric top cannot be expected to prevent the ejection
of the occupants of a vehicle in a collision. Therefore,
it is important that all occupants wear their seat belts
at all times when riding in a convertible. Studies
have shown that it is generally safer to remain inside
a vehicle during a collision, than to be ejected from
the vehicle.
CAUTION!
²To insure that no damage occurs, be sure that the
vehicle is at a complete stop with the gear selector
in the Neutral position before lowering or raising
the top.
²Do not operate the convertible top with ice or
snow build-up on the top. Damage to the top may
occur.
To Lower the Top:
1. Lower the window in each door at least one inch.
2. Lower both sun visors.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 63
3

WARNING!
Vehicles and other objects seen in the passenger side
convex mirror will look smaller and farther away
than they really are. Relying too much on your
passenger side convex 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 the passenger side convex mirror.
Power Remote Control Mirrors
The power mirror switch is located on the driver's door
trim panel below the door handle. Press the button
marked ªLº to select the driver's outside mirror or the
button marked ªRº to select the passenger's outside
mirror. After selecting a mirror, either press on the top,
bottom, left, or right side of the directional switch and the
mirror will move in the direction that the arrow ispointing. To return the power mirror switch to the
neutral (off) position, press lightly on the push button not
previously pressed until the opposite push button pops
outward.
Power Mirror Controls
76 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
²Adjusting a seat while the vehicle is moving is
dangerous. The sudden movement of the seat
could cause you to lose control. The seat belt might
not be properly adjusted and you could be injured.
Adjust the seat only while the vehicle is parked.
²Do not ride with the seatback reclined so that the
shoulder belt is no longer resting against your
chest. In a collision you could slide under the seat
belt and be seriously or even fatally injured. Use
the recliner only when the vehicle is parked.
Recliner Adjustment
The recliner control is located on the outboard side of the
seat. To recline the seat, lean forward slightly, pull the
recliner control lever upward, lean backward until the
seat is in the desired position, and release the lever. Toreturn the seat to its full upright position, lean forward,
pull the recliner control lever upward and hold it until
the seat returns to its full upright position.Recliner Control
78 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE