2009 DODGE CALIBER Owners Manual

Infants and Child Restraints
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:
•Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats. Both types of child
restraints are held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder
belt or the LATCH child restraint anchorage system.
•The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg). Convertible 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 than
infant 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.
WARNING!
Rearward-facing child seats must NEVER be used in
the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger
airbag. An airbag deployment could cause severe
injury or death to infants in this position.
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 who weigh 20 to 40 lbs. (9 to 18 kg) and who
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are older than one year. These child seats are also held
in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH
child restraint anchorage system.
•The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weigh-
ing 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 cushion
while the child’s back is against the seatback; they
should use a belt positioning booster seat. The child
and booster seat are held in the vehicle by the lap/
shoulder belt. (Some booster seats are equipped with a
front shield and are held in the vehicle by the lap
portion).
NOTE: For additional information, refer to
www.seatcheck.org or call 1–866–SEATCHECK.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
•A rearward-facing child restraint should only be
used in a rear seat. A rearward-facing child re-
straint in the front seat may be struck by a deploy-
ing passenger airbag which may cause severe or
fatal injury to the infant.
Here are some tips on getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
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Standards. We also recommend that you make sure
that you can install the child restraint in the vehicle
where you will use it before you buy it.
•The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
The passenger seat belts are equipped with either
cinching latch plates or seat belt retractors that can be
switched to an automatic locking mode, which are
designed to keep the lap portion tight around the child
restraint so that it is not necessary to use a locking clip.
If the seat belt has a cinching latch plate, pulling up on
the shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder belt will
tighten the belt. The cinching latch plate will keep the belt tight; however, any seat belt system will loosen
with time, so check the belt occasionally and pull it
tight if necessary.
If the seat belt has a switchable retractor, it will have a
distinctive label. To operate the switchable retractor,
please refer to Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) in this
section.
•In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path
opening on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate
from the buckle and twist the short buckle end of the
belt several times to shorten it. Insert the latch plate
into the buckle with the release button facing out.
•If the belt still can’t be tightened, or if by pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle, turn the latch plate
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around, and insert the latch plate into the buckle
again. If you still can’t make the child restraint secure,
try a different seating position.
•Buckle the child into the seat according to the child
restraint manufacturer’s directions.
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Don’t leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
To operate the switchable retractor, pull the belt from the
retractor until there is enough to allow you to pass
through the child restraint and slide the latch plate into
the buckle. Then pull on the belt until it is completely
extended from the retractor. Allow the belt to return into the retractor, pulling on the excess webbing to tighten the
lap portion about the child restraint. Follow the instruc-
tions of the child restraint manufacture.
NOTE:
To reset this feature, you must let all of the belt
webbing return into the retractor. You will not be able to
pull out more webbing until all of the webbing has been
returned back into the retractor.
LATCH — Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren)
WARNING!
Child restraint anchorages are designed to withstand
only those loads imposed by correctly fitted child
restraints. Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for attaching
other items or equipment to the vehicle.
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Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH. The LATCH system provides
for the installation of the child restraint without using the
vehicle seat belt. All three rear seating positions have
lower anchorages that are capable of accommodating
LATCH-compatible child seats having flexible, webbing-
mounted lower attachments. Child seats with fixed lower
attachments must be installed in the outboard positions
only. Regardless of the specific type of lower attachment,
NEVERinstall LATCH-compatible child seats such that
two seats share a common lower anchorage. If you are
installing LATCH-compatible child restraints in adjacent
rear seating positions, you can use the LATCH anchors or
the vehicle’s seat belt for the outboard position, but you
must use the vehicle’s seat belt at the center position. If
your child restraints are not LATCH-compatible, you can
only install the child restraints using the vehicle’s seat
belts. Please refer to “Installing the Child Restraint Sys-
tem” for typical installation instructions. Child restraint systems having attachments designed to
connect to the lower anchorages are now available. Child
restraints having tether straps and hooks for connection
to the top tether anchorage have been available for some
time. In fact, many child restraint manufacturers will
Rear Seat LATCH Anchorages
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provide add-on tether strap kits for some of their older
products. Tether anchorage kits are also available for
most older vehicles.
Because the lower anchorages are to be introduced to
passenger carrying vehicles over a period of years, child
restraint systems having attachments for those anchor-
ages will continue to have features for installation in
vehicles using the lap or lap/shoulder belt. They will also
have tether straps, and you are urged to take advantage
of all of the available attachments provided with your
child restraint in any vehicle.
NOTE:When using the LATCH attaching system to
install a child restraint, please ensure that all seat belts
not being used for occupant restraints are stowed and out
of reach of children. It is recommended that before
installing the child restraint, buckle the seat belt so the
seat belt is tucked behind the child restraint and out of
reach. If the buckled seat belt interferes with the child restraint installation, instead of tucking the seat belt
behind the child restraint, route the seat belt through the
child restraint belt path and then buckle it. This should
stow the seat belt out of the reach of an inquisitive child.
Remind all children in the vehicle that the seat belts are
not toys and should not be played with, and never leave
your unattended child in the vehicle.
Installing the Child Restraint System
We urge you to carefully follow the directions of the
manufacturer when installing your child restraint. Many,
but not all, restraint systems will be equipped with
separate straps on each side, with each having a hook or
connector and a means for adjusting the tension in the
strap. Forward-facing toddler restraints and some
rearward-facing infant restraints will also be equipped
with a tether strap with a hook and means for adjusting
the tension in the strap.
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In general, you will first loosen the adjusters on the lower
and tether straps so that you can more easily attach the
hook or connector to the lower and tether anchorages.
The tether strap should be routed under the center of the
head restraint and attached to the tether anchor on the
rear of the seat back. Then tighten all three straps as you
push the child restraint rearward and downward into the
seat.Not all child restraint systems will be installed as we
have described here. Again, carefully follow the instruc-
tions that come with the child restraint system.
NOTE:If your child restraint seat is not LATCH-
compatible, install the restraint using the vehicle seat
belts.
Rear Seat Tether Anchors
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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.
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
seatback, should use the lap/shoulder belt in a rear seat.
•Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
•The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
•Check the belt fit periodically. A child’s squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position.
•If 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
his/her back.
Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or could injure a passenger during panic braking
or in a collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine in
your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or
55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
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