2010 DODGE AVENGER warning

DOOR LOCKS
Manual Door Locks
Use the manual door lock plunger to lock the doors from
inside the vehicle. If the plunger is down when the door
is closed, the door will lock. Make sure the keys are not
inside the vehicle before closing the door.
WARNING!
•For personal security and safety in the event of an
accident, lock the vehicle doors as you drive as
well as when you park and leave the vehicle.
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
from the ignition lock, and lock your vehicle. Do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment may cause severe per-
sonal injuries and death.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the keys in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
Manual Lock Plunger
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 29

4. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to
its previous setting.
NOTE:Use the Automatic Unlock Doors On Exit feature
in accordance with local laws.
Child Protection Door Lock System (Rear Doors)
The Child Protection Door Locks (Rear Doors) are located
inside the rear edge of the door. Insert the tip of the
ignition key or similar flat-bladed object into the lock and
rotate approximately one–quarter turn to the LOCK or
UNLOCK position (as indicated by the stamped icons).
WARNING!
Avoid trapping anyone in a vehicle in a collision.
Remember that the rear doors can only be opened
from the outside when the Child Protection Door
Locks are engaged.
Child Lock Control
32 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

There is a single window control on the passenger’s door
trim panel, which operates the passenger door window.
The window controls will operate when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON or ACC position, and when
the accessory delay feature is active.
WARNING!
Never leave children in a vehicle, with the keys in
the ignition switch. Occupants, particularly unat-
tended children, can become entrapped by the win-
dows while operating the power window switches.
Such entrapment may result in serious injury or
death.
Auto Window Down — If Equipped
The front window controls on the driver and passenger
door trim panels have an Auto-Down feature. These
switches are labeled AUTO to indicate this capability.
Push the window switch past the first detent, release, and
the window will go down automatically.
To open the window part way, push the window switch
to the first detent and release it when you want the
window to stop.
To cancel the Auto-Down movement, operate the switch
either in the up or down direction and release the switch.
34 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Auto Window Up — If Equipped
Lift the window switch to the second detent, release, and
the window will go up automatically.
To cancel the Auto Up movement, operate the switch
either in the up or down direction and release the switch.
To close the window part way, lift the window switch to
the first detent and release it when you want the window
to stop.
NOTE:ANTI-PINCH PROTECTION
•If the window runs into any obstacle during auto-
closure, it will reverse direction and then go back
down. Remove the obstacle and use the window
switch again to close the window.
•Any impact due to rough road conditions may trigger
the auto reverse function unexpectedly during auto-
closure. If this happens, pull the switch lightly to the
first detent and hold to close window manually.
WARNING!
When the window is almost closed, there is no
anti-pinch protection. To avoid personal injury, be
sure to clear your arms, hands, fingers and all objects
from the window path before closing.
Reset Auto Up
Any time the vehicle battery goes dead, the Auto Up
function will be disabled. To reactivate the Auto Up
feature, pull the window switch up to close the window
completely and continue to hold the switch up for an
additional two seconds after the window is closed.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 35

buffeting occurs with the sunroof open, then adjust the
sunroof opening to minimize the buffeting.
TRUNK RELEASE
Use the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter to open the trunk from
outside the vehicle. From inside the
vehicle the trunk lid can be released by
pressing the TRUNK RELEASE button
located on the instrument panel to the
left of the steering wheel.
NOTE: The shift lever must be in PARK for this switch
to operate.
With the ignition ON, the word “deck” will display in
place of the odometer display indicating that the trunk is
open. The odometer display will reappear once the trunk
is closed or if the trip button is depressed. With the ignition switch in the LOCK position or with the
key out, the word “deck” will display until the trunk is
closed.
On Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)
equipped vehicles, the words “Trunk Ajar” will display.
TRUNK SAFETY WARNING
WARNING!
Do not allow children to have access to the trunk,
either by climbing into the trunk from outside, or
through the inside of the vehicle. Always close the
trunk lid when your vehicle is unattended. Once in
the trunk, young children may not be able to escape,
even if they entered through the rear seat. If trapped
in the trunk, children can die from suffocation or
heat stroke.Trunk Release
Button
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37

•An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheel
•Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
•Front seat belts incorporate pretensioners to enhance
occupant protection by managing occupant energy
during an impact event — if equipped
•All seat belt systems (except the driver’s) include
Automatic Locking Retractors (ALRs), which lock the
seat belt webbing into position by extending the belt
all the way out and then adjusting the belt to the
desired length to restrain a child seat or secure a large
item in a seat — if equipped
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems. Refer to “Lower An-
chors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)”.
NOTE: The Advanced Front Airbags have a multistage
inflator design. This allows the airbag to have different
rates of inflation based on the severity and type of
collision.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.
WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buckled
up. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or other
passengers, or you can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Always be sure you and others in your vehicle are
buckled up properly.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39

Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some
of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown
from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle.Everyone in a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are equipped with
lap/shoulder belts.
The belt webbing retractor will lock only during very
sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the shoul-
der part of the belt to move freely with you under normal conditions. However, in a collision the belt will lock and
reduce your risk of striking the inside of the vehicle or
being thrown out.
WARNING!
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
•It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be seriously injured
or killed.
•Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat
belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and can take the forces of a collision the best.
(Continued)
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)
•Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You might
suffer internal injuries, or you could even slide out
of part of the belt. Follow these instructions to
wear your seat belt safely and to keep your pas-
sengers safe, too.
•Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in a collision, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or lap belt for more
than one person, no matter what their size.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and
adjust the seat.2. The seat belt latch plate is above the back of the front
seat, next to your arm. Grasp the latch plate and pull out
the belt. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as far as
necessary to allow the belt to go around your lap.
3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”Pulling Out the Latch Plate
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41