2009 DODGE DAKOTA window

WARNING! (Continued)
²If your vehicle is equipped with window bags, do
not have any accessory items installed that will
alter the roof, including adding a sunroof to your
vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require perma-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for installation
on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the
vehicle for any reason.
NOTE:Do not use a clothing bar mounted to the coat
hooks in this vehicle. A clothing bar will impede the
proper performance of the window bags.
Along with the seat belts, front airbags work with the
instrument panel knee bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger. Window
bags also work with seat belts to improve occupant
protection.The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags deploy in moderate to
severe frontal collisions.
If your vehicle is so equipped, the window bag on the
crash side of the vehicle is triggered in moderate-to-
severe side collisions. But even in collisions where the
airbags work, you need the seat belts to keep you in the
right position for the airbags to protect you properly.
Here are some simple steps you can follow to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
1. Children 12 years and younger should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat, in an appropriate child re-
straint.
Infants, in rear-facing child restraints, shouldNEVER
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front
airbag. An airbag deployment can cause severe injury or
death to infants in that position.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

If a child between the ages of 1 and 12 years old, must
ride in the front passenger seat because the vehicle is
crowded, move the seat as far back as possible, and use
the proper child restraint. Refer to9Child Restraint,9in
this section.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2. All occupants should use their lap and shoulder belts
properly.
3. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbag room to inflate.
4. If your vehicle has window airbags, do not lean
against the door or window. Airbags will inflate force-
fully into the space between you and the door.5. If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact the
Customer Center. Refer to9If You Need Customer Assis-
tance9in Section 9.
WARNING!
²Relying on the airbags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The airbags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions the airbags won't deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you have
airbags.
²Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during airbag deployment could cause seri-
ous injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back,
comfortably extending your arms to reach the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
(Continued)
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
2

WARNING! (Continued)
²If the vehicle has window bags, they also need
room to inflate. Do not lean against the door or
window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
²Occupant Restraint Controller
²Side Remote Acceleration Sensors ± if equipped
²Airbag Warning Light
²Driver Airbag
²Passenger Airbag
²Window Bags above side windows ± if equipped
²Steering Wheel and Column
²Instrument Panel
²Interconnecting Wiring
²Knee Impact Bolsters
²Front Acceleration Sensors
²Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioners
How the Airbag System Works
²
TheOccupant Restraint Controller (ORC)determines
if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the
airbags to inflate. The front airbag inflators are de-
signed to provide different rates of airbag inflation
from direction provided by the ORC. The ORC will not
detect rollover.
The ORC also monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in
the START or RUN position. These include all of the
items listed above, except the steering wheel and
column, and knee bolsters. If the key is in the OFF
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

may be possible based on collision severity and occu-
pant size. The steering wheel hub trim cover and the
upper right side of the instrument panel separate and
fold out of the way as the bags inflate to their full size.
The bags fully inflate in about 50 - 70 milliseconds.
This is about half of the time it takes to blink your eyes.
The bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain
the driver and front passenger. The driver's front
airbag gas is vented through vent holes in the sides of
the airbag. The passenger's front airbag gas is vented
through vent holes in the sides of the airbag. In this
way the airbags do not interfere with your control of
the vehicle.
²TheSide Impact SRS Window Bagsare designed to
activate only in certain side collisions. When the ORC
(with side impact option) detects a collision requiring
the window bags to inflate, it signals the inflators on
the crash side of the vehicle. A quantity of nontoxic gas
is generated to inflate the window bag. The inflatingwindow bag pushes the outside edge of the headliner
out of the way and covers the window. The airbag
forcefully inflates in about one quarter of the time it
takes to blink your eye. Make sure you are seated and
belted properly and do not position items in the area
where the window bag inflates. This especially applies
to children. The window bag is only about 3-1/2 in
(9 cm) thick when it is inflated.
NOTE:At no time should any supplemental restraint
system (SRS)-component or SRS related component, or
fastener, be modified or replaced with any part except
those which are approved by Chrylser LLC/Mopar.²TheKnee Impact Bolstershelp protect the knees of
the driver and the front passenger, and position every-
one for the best interaction with the front airbag.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

mGarage Door Opener Ð If Equipped........ 142
NProgramming HomeLinkt.............. 144
NGate Operator/Canadian Programming..... 146
NUsing HomeLinkt.................... 147
NReprogramming A Single HomeLinkt
Button............................ 147
NSecurity........................... 148
NTroubleshooting Tips.................. 148
NGeneral Information................... 148
mElectrical Power Outlets................. 149
NElectrical Outlet Use With Engine Off
(Battery Fed Configuration)............. 150
mCupholders.......................... 150
mRear Storage Ð If Equipped.............. 151NRear Convenience Storage Crates......... 151
NPlastic Grocery Bag Retainers............ 153
mFloor Console Ð If Equipped............. 154
NFloor Console Features................. 154
mRear Cargo Area Utility Rails............. 155
mRear Window Features.................. 156
NRear Window Defroster Ð If Equipped..... 156
NSliding Rear Window Ð If Equipped....... 157
mSlide-In Campers...................... 157
NCamper Applications.................. 157
NGeneral Information................... 158
NCarbon Monoxide Warning-Vehicles
Equipped With A Cap Or Slide-In Campers . . 158
78 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

MIRRORS
Inside Day/Night Mirror
A two-point pivot system allows for horizontal and
vertical adjustment of the mirror. The mirror should be
adjusted to center on the view through the rear window.
Headlight glare can be reduced by moving the small
control under the mirror to the night position (toward the
rear of the vehicle). The mirror should be adjusted while
set in the day position (toward the windshield).
Outside Mirrors
To receive maximum benefit, adjust the outside mirror(s)
to center on the adjacent lane of traffic with a slight
overlap of the view obtained on the inside mirror.
Outside Mirrors Folding Feature Ð If Equipped
Folding outside mirrors are hinged, and may be moved
either forward or rearward, to resist damage.
80 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

system Voice Training feature may be used. To enter this
training mode, follow one of the two following proce-
dures:
From outside the UConnecttmode (e.g., from radio
mode):
²Press and hold the ªVoice Recognitionº button for five
seconds until the session begins, or,
²Press the ªVoice Recognitionº button and say the
9Setup, Voice Training9command.
Repeat the words and phrases when prompted by the
UConnecttsystem. For best results, the Voice Training
session should be completed when the vehicle is parked
with the engine running, all windows closed, and the
blower fan switched OFF.
This procedure may be repeated with a new user. The
system will adapt to the last trained voice only.To restore the Voice Recognition system to factory default
settings, enter the Voice Training session via the above
procedure and follow the prompts.
Voice Recognition (VR)
²
For best performance, adjust the rearview mirror to
provide at least1¤2in (1 cm) gap between the overhead
console (if equipped) and the mirror.
²Always wait for the beep before speaking.
²Speak normally, without pausing, just as you would
speak to a person sitting a few feet/meters away from
you.
²Make sure that no one other than you is speaking
during a voice recognition period.
²Performance is maximized under:
²low-to-medium blower setting,
102 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

²low-to-medium vehicle speed,
²low road noise,
²smooth road surface,
²fully closed windows,
²dry weather condition.
²Even though the system is designed for users speaking
in North American English, French, and Spanish ac-
cents, the system may not always work for some.
²When navigating through an automated system such
as voice mail, or when sending a page, at the end of
speaking the digit string, make sure to say9Send.9
²Storing names in the phonebook when the vehicle is
not in motion is recommended.
²It is not recommended to store similar sounding
names in the UConnecttphonebook.
²Phonebook (Downloaded and UConnect Local) name
recognition rate is optimized when the entries are not
similar.
²You can say9O9(letter9O9) for909(zero).98009must be
spoken9eight-zero-zero.9
²Even though international dialing for most number
combinations is supported, some shortcut dialing
number combinations may not be supported.
²In a convertible vehicle, system performance may be
compromised with the convertible top down.
Far End Audio Performance
²
Audio quality is maximized under:
²low-to-medium blower setting,
²low-to-medium vehicle speed,
²low road noise,
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 103
3