2013 DODGE DART Owners Manual

WARNING!
When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the
vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a
sudden stop or accident, it could strike the occupants
or seatbacks and cause serious personal injury.
Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)
Your vehicle’s rear seat is equipped with the child
restraint anchorage system called LATCH. The LATCH
system provides for the installation of the child restraint
without using the vehicle’s seat belts, instead securing
the child restraint using lower anchorages and upper
tether straps from the child restraint to the vehicle
structure.
LATCH-compatible child restraint systems are now avail-
able. However, because the lower anchorages are to be
introduced over a period of years, child restraint systemshaving attachments for those anchorages will continue to
have features for installation using the vehicle’s seat
belts. Child restraints having tether straps and hooks for
connection to the top tether anchorages have been avail-
able for some time. For some older child restraints, many
child restraint manufacturers offer add-on tether strap
kits or retrofit kits. You are urged to take advantage of all
the available attachments provided with your child re-
straint in any vehicle.
The two outboard seating positions have lower anchor-
ages that are capable of accommodating LATCH-
compatible child seats. You can also use the inboard
mounting loops from the each outboard LATCH system
loops to install a child seat when the child seat is
equipped with flexible straps. You should never install
LATCH-compatible child seats so that two seats share a
common lower anchorage. If installing child seats in
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adjacent rear seating positions, or if your child restraints
are not LATCH-compatible, install the restraints using
the vehicle’s seat belts.Installing The LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
System
We urge you to follow the manufacturer’s directions
carefully when installing your child restraint. Not all
child restraint systems will be installed as described here.
Again, carefully follow the installation instructions that
are provided with the child restraint system.The rear seat lower anchorages are round bars
located at the rear of the seat cushion where it
meets the seatback and are located just below
the button with the anchorage symbol on the
rear seat, but are not visible. You will easily feel them if
you run your finger along the intersection of the seatback
and seat cushion surfaces.
In addition, there are tether strap anchorages
behind each rear seating position located in the
panel between the rear seatback and the rear
window. These tether strap anchorages are
under a plastic cover with this symbol on it.
LATCH Anchorages
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Many, but not all, restraint systems will be equipped with
separate straps on each side, with each having a hook or
connector for attachment to the lower anchorage and a
means of adjusting the tension in the strap. Forward-
facing toddler restraints and some rear-facing infant
restraints will also be equipped with a tether strap, a
hook for attachment to the tether strap anchorage and a
means of adjusting the tension of the strap.
You will first loosen the child seat adjusters on the lower
straps and on the tether strap so that you can more easily
attach the hooks or connectors to the vehicle anchorages.
Next, attach the lower hooks or connectors over the top
of the seat cover material. Then, rotate the tether anchor-
age cover directly behind the seat where you are placing
the child restraint and attach the tether strap to theanchorage, being careful to route the tether strap to
provide the most direct path between the anchor and the
child restraint. Finally, tighten all three straps as you
push the child restraint rearward and downward into the
seat, removing slack in the straps according to the child
restraint manufacturer’s instructions.
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.
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NOTE:
•Ensure that the tether strap does not slip into the
opening between the seatbacks as you remove slack in
the strap.
•When using the LATCH attaching system to install a
child restraint, please ensure that all seat belts not
being used for occupant restraints are stowed and out
of reach of children. It is recommended that before
installing the child restraint, buckle the seat belt so the
seat belt is tucked behind the child restraint and out of
reach. If the buckled seat belt interferes with the child
restraint installation, instead of tucking the seat belt
behind the child restraint, route the seat belt through
the child restraint belt path and then buckle it. This
should stow the seat belt out of the reach of an
inquisitive child. Remind all children in the vehicle
that the seat belts are not toys and should not be
played with, and never leave your child unattended in
the vehicle.
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of an infant or
child restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat Belts
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with an Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) to
secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). These types of seat
belts are designed to keep the lap portion of the seat belt
tight around the child restraint so that it is not necessary to
use a locking clip. The ALR will make a ratcheting noise if
you extract the entire belt from the retractor and then allow
the belt to retract into the retractor. For additional informa-
tion on ALR, refer to “Automatic Locking Mode”. The
chart below defines the seating positions with an Auto-
matic Locking Retractor (ALR) or a cinching latch plate.
90 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Driver Center Passenger
CRS Lock CRS Lock CRS Lock
First Row N/A N/A ALR
Second Row ALR ALR ALR
•N/A — Not Applicable
•ALR — Automatic Locking Retractor
1. To install a child restraint with ALR, first, pull enough
of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to route it
through the belt path of the child restraint. Slide the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a click. Next, extract
all the seat belt webbing out of the retractor and then
allow the belt to retract into the retractor. As the belt
retracts, you will hear a ratcheting sound. This indicates
the safety belt is now in the Automatic Locking mode.
2. Finally, pull on any excess webbing to tighten the lap
portion around the child restraint. Any seat belt system
will loosen with time, so check the belt occasionally, and
pull it tight if necessary.
Installing Child Restraint Tether Strap
1. Rotate the cover over the anchor directly behind the
seat where you are placing the child restraint.
Installing Child Restraint Tether Strap
1 — Cover A — Tether Strap Hook
3 — Attaching Strap B — Tether Anchor
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 91

2. Route the tether strap to provide the most direct path
for the strap between the anchor and the child seat. If
your vehicle is equipped with adjustable rear head
restraints, raise the head restraint, and where possible,
route the tether strap under the head restraint and
between the two posts. If not possible, lower the head
restraint and pass the tether strap around the outboard
side of the head restraint.
3. Attach the tether strap hook (A) of the child restraint
to the anchor (B) and remove slack in the tether strap
according to the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions.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
a collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
92 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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”.CAUTION!
Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight Mineral Oil
in the engine or damage may result.
NOTE: A new engine may consume some oil during its
first few thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This
should be considered a normal part of the break-in and
not interpreted as an indication of difficulty.
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SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE CARGO
AREA.
WARNING!
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
•It is extremely 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 seri-
ously injured or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO),
follow these safety tips:
•Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in
confined areas any longer than needed to move
your vehicle in or out of the area.
•If you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate
open, make sure that all windows are closed and
the climate control BLOWER switch is set at high
speed. DO NOT use the recirculation mode.(Continued)
94 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE