2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Owners Manual

ROOF LUGGAGE RACK — IF EQUIPPED
The crossbars on your vehicle are delivered stowed
within the roof rack side rails. If adding cargo, deploy the
crossbars. Distribute cargo weight evenly on the roof rack
crossbars, to maximum of 150 lbs (68 kg). The roof rack
does not increase the total load carrying capacity of the
vehicle. Be sure the total load of cargo inside the vehicle
plus that on the external rack does not exceed the
maximum vehicle load capacity.
The crossbars and side rails are designed to carry weight
on vehicles equipped with a luggage rack. The load must
not exceed 150 lbs (68 kg), and should be uniformly
distributed over the luggage rack crossbars.
Crossbar Stowed In Side Rail
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 295

NOTE:
•Crossbars are error-proofed and cannot be deployed or
stowed in the incorrect positions.
•To help control wind noise, stow the crossbars in the
side rails when they are not in use.
Deploying the Crossbars
To deploy the crossbars, completely loosen the thumb
screws at both ends of the crossbar and lift the crossbar
from its stowed position in the side rail. Repeat with
crossbar on the opposite side.
CAUTION!
Use care when removing and handling the crossbars
to prevent damage to the vehicle.
Loosening Crossbars
296 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Bend the crossbar supports at each end, taking care to
keep hand clear of pivoting joint. Slide the thumb screw
down.
Stowed Position
Deployed Position
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 297

Then, position the crossbars across the roof.
NOTE:The crossbars are identical and can be placed in
any two of the three deploy positions.Make sure the directional arrows on the crossbars align
with the directional arrows on the side rails. Set the
crossbars into the deployed positions.
Deploy Positions – Choose Two Of ThreeCrossbar To Side Rail Installation
298 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Once the crossbars are set into position, tighten the
thumb screws completely.Stowing the Crossbars
Reverse the procedure to stow the crossbars, again,
taking care to keep hand clear of pivoting joint. Crossbars
are identical and can be stowed in either rail nest. Once
the crossbars are stowed, tighten the thumb screws
completely.
NOTE:Load should always be secured to crossbars first,
with rail tie down loops used as additional securing
points if needed. Tie loops are intended as supplemen-
tary tie down points only. Do not use ratcheting mecha-
nisms with the tie loops.
Tightening Crossbar
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 299

CAUTION!
•Check deployed crossbars frequently and retighten
thumb screws as necessary.
•
To avoid damage to the roof rack and vehicle, do not
exceed the maximum roof rack load capacity of 150 lb
(68 kg). Always distribute heavy loads as evenly as
possible and secure the load appropriately.
•To prevent damage to the roof of your vehicle, DO
NOT carry any loads on the roof rack without the
crossbars deployed.
•The load should be secured and placed on top of
the crossbars, not directly on the roof. If it is
necessary to place the load on the roof, place a
blanket or other protective layer between the load
and the roof surface.
(Continued)
Rail Tie Loops
300 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Long loads which extend over the windshield, such
as wood panels or surfboards, or loads with large
frontal area should be secured to both the front and
rear of the vehicle.
•Travel at reduced speeds and turn corners carefully
when carrying large or heavy loads on the roof
rack. Wind forces, due to natural causes or nearby
truck traffic, can add sudden upward lift to a load.
This is especially true on large flat loads and may
result in damage to the cargo or your vehicle.
WARNING!
Cargo must be securely tied before driving your
vehicle. Improperly secured loads can fly off the
vehicle, particularly at high speeds, resulting in per-
sonal injury or property damage. Follow the roof rack
cautions when carrying cargo on your roof rack.
SUN SCREENS — IF EQUIPPED
Sun screens are available for second and third row
seating windows. The screens store in the sill trim panels,
and the tops of the windows are equipped with hooks
that the sun screens attach to when pulled out.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 301

Gently pull up on the tab to raise the sun screen.
Continue pulling the sun screen until the tab is near the
top of the window.
Once the screen is completely to the top of the window,
extend the top bar of the sun screen over the two hooks
attached to the top of the window.To lower the sun screen, gently lift the tab upward to
disengage the hooks, and feed the screen back into the
base sill.
Sun Screen RetractedSun Screen Extended
302 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE