2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN heater

When you press the VR button, you will hear a beep. The
beep is your signal to give a command.
NOTE:If you do not say a command within a few
seconds, the system will present you with a list of
options.
If you ever wish to interrupt the system while it lists
options, press the VR button, listen for the beep, and say
your command.
Pressing the VR button while the system is speaking is
known as “barging in.” The system will be interrupted,
and after the beep, you can add or change commands.
This will become helpful once you start to learn the
options.
NOTE: At any time, you can say the words “Cancel”,
“Help”, or “Main Menu”. These commands are universal and can be used from any
menu. All other commands can be used depending upon
the active application.
For example, if you are in the disc menu and you are
listening to FM radio, you can speak commands from the
disc menu or from the FM radio menu.
When using this system, you should speak clearly and at
a normal speaking volume.
The system will best recognize your speech if the win-
dows are closed, and the heater/air conditioning fan is
set to low.
At any point, if the system does not recognize one of your
commands, you will be prompted to repeat it.
To hear the first available Menu, press the VR button and
say “Help” or “Main Menu”.
142 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes,
spinal cord injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaus-
tion or other physical condition must exercise care
when using the seat heater. It may cause burns even
at low temperatures, especially if used for long
periods of time. DO NOT place anything on the seat
that insulates against heat, such as a blanket or
cushion. This may cause the seat heater to overheat.
Manual Reclining Seats — If Equipped
The recliner control lever is on the outboard side of the
seat. To recline, lean forward slightly, lift the lever, then
push back to the desired position and release the lever.
Lean forward and lift the lever to return the seatback to
its normal position. Using body pressure, lean forward
and rearward on the seat to be sure the seatback has
latched. Manual Reclining Seat Control
UNDERSTANDING
THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 151 3

CAUTION!Interior air enters the Rear Manual Climate Control
system through an intake grille, located in the pas-
senger side trim panel behind the third row seats.
The heater outlets are located in the passenger side
trim panel, just behind the sliding door. Do not block
or place objects directly in front of the inlet grille or
heater outlets. The electrical system could overload,
causing damage to the blower motor.
Rear Temperature Control
When the blower knob on the front climate control unit is
set to any position other than the rear temperature
settings will be controlled by the rear temperature control
knob on the front climate control unit. The rear mode
selection
RR,allows the settings to be controlled by the
rear mode control knob. To change the temperature in the rear of the vehicle,
rotate the temperature control knob counterclockwise for
cold air, and clockwise for heated air.
When rear controls are locked by the front system, the
lock symbol on the temperature knob is illuminated, and
the rear overhead adjustments are inoperable.
The rear airflow modes will mirror the front unit opera-
tion. Rear PANEL mode is automatically selected when
the front control is in the PANEL mode. When the front
unit is in BI-LEVEL mode, airflow will be emitted from
both the upper and lower rear outlets. When the front
control is in FLOOR, DEFROST, or MIX modes, airflow
will be directed out of the rear floor outlets.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 313 4

NOTE:
It is not necessary to move the temperature settings for
cold or hot vehicles. The system automatically adjusts
the temperature, mode and fan speed to provide
comfort as quickly as possible.
The temperature can be displayed in English or Metric
units by selecting the “Display Units of Measure in”
customer-programmable feature. Refer to the “Elec-
tronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) — Customer-
Programmable Features” in this Section.
Rear Blower Control
The rear blower control knob can be manually set to off,
or any fixed blower speed, by rotating the knob from low
to high. This allows the rear seat occupants to control the
volume of air circulated in the rear of the vehicle.CAUTION!
Interior air enters the Rear Automatic Temperature
Control System through an intake grille, located in
the passenger side trim panel behind the third row
seats. The heater outlets are located in the passenger
side trim panel, just behind the sliding door. Do not
block or place objects directly in front of the inlet
grille or heater outlets. The electrical system could
overload causing damage to the blower motor.
Rear Temperature Control
To change the temperature in the rear of the vehicle,
rotate the temperature knob counterclockwise to lower
the temperature, and clockwise to increase the tempera-
ture. The REAR temperature settings are displayed in the
front upper ATC panel.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 321
4

Winter OperationTo ensure the best possible heater and defroster perfor-
mance, make sure the engine cooling system is function-
ing properly and the proper amount, type, and concen-
tration of coolant is used. Refer to “Maintenance
Procedures” in section 7 of this manual for proper coolant
selection. Use of the air RECIRCULATION mode during
Winter months is not recommended, because it may
cause window fogging.
Vacation/Storage
Before you store your vehicle, or keep it out of service
(i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run the air
conditioning system at idle for about five minutes, in
fresh air with the blower setting on high. This will ensure
adequate system lubrication to minimize the possibility
of compressor damage when the system is started again.
Window Fogging
Vehicle windows tend to fog on the inside in mild, rainy
and/or humid weather. To clear the windows, select
DEFROST or MIX mode and increase the front blower
speed. Do not use the RECIRCULATION mode without
A/C for long periods, as fogging may occur.
Outside Air Intake
Make sure the air intake, located directly in front of the
windshield, is free of obstructions such as leaves. Leaves
collected in the air intake may reduce airflow, and if they
enter the plenum they could plug the water drains. In
Winter months make sure the air intake is clear of ice,
slush and snow.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 323
4

STARTING AND OPERATINGCONTENTS
m
Starting Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
▫ Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
▫ Normal Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
▫ Extreme Cold Weather
(Below 20°F Or –29°C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
▫ If The Engine Fails To Start . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
▫ After Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
m Engine Block Heater — If Equipped . . . . . . . 331 m
Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
▫ Brake/Transaxle Interlock System . . . . . . . 332
▫ Four-Speed Or Six-Speed Automatic
Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
▫ Gear Ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
m Driving On Slippery Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
▫ Acceleration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
▫ Traction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 5

NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transaxle shift
interlocking system. The brake pedal must be pressed
to shift out of PARK.
Extreme Cold Weather (Below20°F or –29°C)
Follow the same instructions in the “Normal Starting”
procedure.
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If The Engine Fails To Start WARNING!

Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
(Continued) WARNING! (Continued)

Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get
it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transaxle cannot be started this way. Unburned
fuel could enter the catalytic converter and once
the engine has started, ignite and damage the
converter and vehicle.
If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster
cables may be used to obtain a start from a booster
battery or the battery in another vehicle. This type
of start can be dangerous if done improperly. Refer
to “Jump Starting” in Section 6 of this manual.
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” procedure, it may be flooded. Push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it
there while cranking the engine. This should clear any
excess fuel in case the engine is flooded.
330 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!To prevent damage to the starter, DO NOT crank the
engine for more than 15–second intervals at one time.
Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15–
second intervals of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “Normal Starting” procedure should
be repeated.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the electrical cord
to a standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver’s side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap
that is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module. WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the electrical cord before
driving. Damage to the 110-115 volt electrical cord
could cause electrocution.
STARTING AND OPERATING 331 5