2011 DODGE DAKOTA instrument panel

WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer much greater injuries if
you are not buckled up properly. 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.
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) — AIRBAGS
• This vehicle has Advanced Front Airbags for both the driver and right frontpassenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint system. The Advanced
Front Airbags will not deploy in every type of collision.
• Advanced Front Airbags are designed to provide additional protection by supplementing the seat belts in certain frontal collisions depending on the
severity and type of collision. Advanced Front Airbags are not expected to
reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions.
• This vehicle may be equipped with Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains to protect the driver, front and rear passengers sitting next to a
window.
• If the Airbag Warning Light
is not on during starting, stays on, or turns on
while driving, have the vehicle serviced by an authorized service center
immediately.
• Refer to the Owner's Manual on the DVD for further details regarding the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS).
WARNING!
• Relying on the airbags alone could lead to more severe injuries in acollision. 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.
• Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument panel during Advanced Front Airbag deployment could cause serious injury, including
death. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back, comfortably extending your
arms to reach the steering wheel or instrument panel.
• Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains need room to inflate. Do not lean against the door or window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
• Being too close to the Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtain during deployment could cause you to be severely injured or killed.
• Do not drive your vehicle after the airbags have deployed. If you are involved in another collision, the airbags will not be in place to protect
you.
• After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an authorized dealer immediately.
GETTING STARTED
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WARNING!(Continued)
• Do not ride with the seatback reclined so that the shoulder belt is nolonger resting against your chest. In a collision, you could slide under the
seat belt and be severely injured or killed. Use the recliner only when the
vehicle is parked.
HEATED SEATS
Front Heated Seats
• The heated seat switches arelocated on the center of the
instrument panel.
• After turning the ignition ON, press the switch once to select High-level
heating. Press the switch a second
time to select Low-level heating.
Press the switch a third time to shut
the heating elements Off.
• If the High-level setting is selected, the system will automatically switch to Low-level after approximately 30 minutes. The Low-level setting will turn Off
automatically after approximately 30 minutes.
WARNING!
• Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin because of advancedage, chronic illness, diabetes, spinal cord injury, medication, alcohol use,
exhaustion or other physical conditions 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. Sitting in
a seat that has been overheated could cause serious burns due to the
increased surface temperature of the seat.
GETTING STARTED
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HEADLIGHT SWITCH
Automatic Headlights/Parking
Lights/Headlights
• Rotate the headlight switch, locatedon the instrument panel to the left of
the steering wheel, to the first detent
for parking lights and to the second
detent for headlights.
• With the parking lights or low beam headlights on, push the headlight
switch once for fog lights.
• Rotate the headlight switch to “A” for AUTO headlights.
• When set to “A” (AUTO), the system automatically turns the headlights on
or off based on ambient light levels.
Instrument Panel Dimmer
• Rotate the dimmer control to the extreme bottom position to fully dim the
instrument panel lights and prevent the interior lights from illuminating when a
door is opened.
• Rotate the dimmer control up to increase the brightness of the instrument panel when the parking lights or headlights are on.
• Rotate the dimmer control up to the next detent position to fully brighten the odometer and radio when the parking lights or headlights are on. Refer to your
Media Center/Radio User Manual on the DVD for display dimming.
• Rotate the dimmer control up to the last detent position to turn on the interior lighting.
Cargo Light
• The cargo light is strategically placed lighting that helps illuminate the bedarea of the truck. A cargo light symbol will illuminate in the cluster to indicate
the light is on.
• Push the button to turn ON/OFF the cargo lighting.
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
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FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
• This is an electric-shift transfer caseand is operated by the 4WD Control
Switch (Transfer Case Switch), which
is located on the instrument panel.
• The transfer case provides four mode positions:
• Two-wheel drive high range (2WD)
• Four-wheel drive lock range (4WD
LOCK)
• Four-wheel drive low range (4WD LOW)
• NEUTRAL (N)
• This transfer case is designed to be driven in the two-wheel drive position (2WD) for normal street and highway conditions on dry, hard-surfaced roads.
• When additional traction is required, the transfer case 4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW positions can be used to lock the front and rear driveshafts together and
force the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is
accomplished by rotating the 4WD Control Switch to the desired position. The
4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW positions are designed for loose or slippery road
surfaces only.
• Driving in the 4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW positions on dry hard-surfaced roads may cause increased tire wear and damage to the driveline components.
NOTE: The transfer case NEUTRAL position is selected by pressing the recessed
button located on the lower left-hand corner of the 4WD Control Switch. The
transfer case NEUTRAL position is to be used for recreational towing only.
NOTE: Do not attempt to make a shift while only the front or rear wheels are
spinning. The NV233/243 transfer case is not equipped with a synchronizer and,
therefore, the front and rear driveshaft speeds must be equal for the shift to take
place. Shifting while only the front or rear wheels are spinning can cause damage
to the transfer case.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the vehicle unattended with the
transfer case in the NEUTRAL position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL position disengages both the
front and rear driveshafts from the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to
move regardless of the transmission position. The parking brake should
always be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle.
OFF-ROAD CAPABILITIES
32

OPENING THE HOOD
• Pull the hood release lever locatedbelow the steering wheel at the base
of the instrument panel.
• Reach into the opening beneath the center of the hood and move the
safety latch lever while lifting the
hood at the same time.
WARNING!
Be sure the hood is fully latched before driving your vehicle. If the hood is
not fully latched, it could open when the vehicle is in motion and block your
vision. Failure to follow this warning could result in serious injury or death.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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