2011 DODGE NITRO ECU

WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchor positions directly behind
the child seat to secure a child restraint top tether
strap.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
an accident. 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 and
drivetrain (transmission and axle) 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.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental and should be avoided.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with anticipated climate
conditions under which vehicle operations will occur. For
the recommended viscosity and quality grades, refer to
“Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your Ve-
hicle”. NON-DETERGENT OR STRAIGHT MINERAL
OILS MUST NEVER BE USED.
86 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after
a collision if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor,
torn webbing, etc.). If there is any question regarding belt
or retractor condition, replace the belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for four to eight
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned ON. If the light is not lit during starting, see your
authorized dealer. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes
on while driving, have the system checked by an autho-
rized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is
inoperable.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that they
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals
or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 89

WARNING!
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of
vehicle control and increase the risk of serious per-
sonal injury.
•Always make sure that floor mats are properly
attached to the floor mat fasteners.
•Never place or install floor mats or other floor
coverings in the vehicle that cannot be properly
secured to prevent them from moving and inter-
fering with the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
•Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on
top of already installed floor mats. Additional
floor mats and other coverings will reduce the size
of the pedal area and interfere with the pedals.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Al-
ways properly reinstall and secure floor mats that
have been removed for cleaning.
•Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the
driver footwell while the vehicle is moving. Ob-
jects can become trapped under the brake pedal
and accelerator pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
•If required, mounting posts must be properly
installed, if not equipped from the factory.
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or
mounting can cause interference with the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal operation causing loss
of control of the vehicle.
90 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

▫Mist Feature ........................ 159
 Tilt Steering Column ................... 159
 Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped ..... 160
▫ To Activate ......................... 161
▫ To Set A Desired Speed ................ 162
▫ To Deactivate ....................... 162
▫ To Resume Speed .................... 162
▫ To Vary The Speed Setting .............. 162
▫ To Accelerate For Passing .............. 163
 Parksense Rear Park Assist — If Equipped . . . 163
▫ System Usage Precautions .............. 163
▫ Enabling And Disabling Parksense ....... 166
▫ Parksense Operation................. 166 ▫
Service Parksense Rear Park Assist....... 168
 Garage Door Opener — If Equipped ........ 169
▫ Programming HomeLink .............. 170
▫ Gate Operator/Canadian Programming .... 173
▫ Using HomeLink ................... 173
▫ Reprogramming A Single
HomeLink Button................... 173
▫ Security ........................... 174
▫ Troubleshooting Tips .................. 174
▫ General Information .................. 174
 Power Sunroof — If Equipped ............ 175
▫ Opening Sunroof — Express ............ 176
▫ Opening Sunroof — Manual Mode ........ 176
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 95

To Raise Rear Seat
If locked in the folded position, pull the release strap
(toward the front of the vehicle).
Raise the seatback and lock it into place. If interference
from the cargo area prevents the seatback from fully
locking, you will have difficulty returning the seat to its
proper position.
WARNING!
Be certain that the seatback is securely locked into
position. If the seatback is not securely locked into
position, the seat will not provide the proper stability
for child seats and/or passengers. An improperly
latched seat could cause serious injury.
Recliner Adjustment
The rear seatback also reclines for additional passenger
comfort. Pull the release strap while sitting in the rear
seat to recline the seatback.
Rear Seatback Release Strap
148 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

If “SERVICE PARK ASSIST SYSTEM” appears in the
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) after mak-
ing sure the rear fascia/bumper is clean and clear of
snow, ice, mud, dirt, or other obstruction, see your
authorized dealer.
GARAGE DOOR OPENER — IF EQUIPPED
HomeLinkreplaces up to three remote controls (hand-
held transmitters) that operate devices such as garage
door openers, motorized gates, lighting or home security
systems. The HomeLink unit operates off your vehicle’s
battery.
The HomeLink buttons that are located in the headliner
or sun visor designate the three different HomeLink
channels. NOTE:
HomeLink is disabled when the Vehicle Secu-
rity Alarm is active.
HomeLink Buttons
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 169

Gate Operator/Canadian Programming
Canadian radio-frequency laws require transmitter sig-
nals to “time-out” (or quit) after several seconds of
transmission – which may not be long enough for
HomeLinkto pick up the signal during programming.
Similar to this Canadian law, some U.S. gate operators are
designed to “time-out” in the same manner.
It may be helpful to unplug the device during the cycling
process to prevent possible overheating of the garage
door or gate motor.
If you are having difficulties programming a garage door
opener or a gate operator, replace “Programming
HomeLink” Step 3 with the following:
3.
Continue to press and hold the HomeLink button,
while you press and release (“cycle”), your handheld
transmitter every two seconds until HomeLink has suc-
cessfully accepted the frequency signal. The indicator light
will flash slowly and then rapidly when fully trained.
If you unplugged the device for training, plug it back in
at this time.
Then proceed with Step 4 under “Programming
HomeLink” earlier in this section.
Using HomeLink
To operate, press and release the programmed
HomeLink button. Activation will now occur for the
trained device (i.e., garage door opener, gate operator,
Security system, entry door lock, home/office lighting,
etc.,). The handheld transmitter of the device may also be
used at any time.
Reprogramming A Single HomeLink Button
To reprogram a channel that has been previously trained,
follow these steps:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 173

2. Press and hold the desired HomeLinkbutton until
the indicator light begins to flash after 20 seconds. Do not
release the button.
3. Without releasing the button, proceed with Program-
ming HomeLink Step 2 and follow all remaining steps.
Security
It is advised to erase all channels before you sell or turn
in your vehicle.
To do this, press and hold the two outside buttons for
20 seconds until the red indicator flashes. Note that all
channels will be erased. Individual channels cannot be
erased.
The HomeLinkUniversal Transceiver is disabled when
the Vehicle Security Alarm is active.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you are having trouble programming HomeLink , here
are some of the most common solutions:
•Replace the battery in the original transmitter.
•Press the LEARN button on the Garage Door Opener
to complete the training for a Rolling Code.
•Did you unplug the device for training, and remember
to plug it back in?
If you have any problems, or require assistance, please
call toll-free 1–800–355–3515 or, on the Internet at
www.HomeLink.com for information or assistance.
General Information
This device complies with FCC rules Part 15 and Industry
Canada RSS-210. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
174 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE