2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN child seat

Installing Child Restraints Using The Top Tether
Anchorage — Second Row Captains Chairs
1. Look behind the seating position where you plan to
install the child restraint to find the tether anchorage.
You may need to move the seat forward to provide
better access to the tether anchorage. If there is no top
tether anchorage for that seating position (see the
charts above), move the child restraint to another
position in the vehicle if one is available.
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 of the child restraint to
the top tether anchorage as shown in the diagram.
Rear Seat Tether Strap Mounting
(Second Row Anchorage Shown)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 111

4. 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 anchorage position directly
behind the child seat to secure a child restraint top
tether strap.
•If your vehicle is equipped with a split rear seat,
make sure the tether strap does not slip into the
opening between the seatbacks as you remove
slack in the strap.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet could 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.
LATCH Anchorages (Third Row 60/40 Anchorage
Shown)
112 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

COMMERCIAL CARGO VEHICLES (NO FACTORY
INSTALLED REAR SEATS) — IF EQUIPPED
Commercial cargo vehicles are not designed for use as a
family vehicle and are not intended for carrying children
in the front passenger seat. However, if you must carry a
child in a vehicle without a rear seat, the passenger seat
should be moved to the full rearward position and the
child must be in a proper restraint system based on its
age, size and weight.
WARNING!
NEVER carry a child in a rear facing infant carrier in
a vehicle without rear seats. In a collision, serious
injury or death may occur from the deploying pas-
senger Air Bag.This vehicle is equipped with a child restraint tether
anchor located on the lower rear of the front passenger
seat.Use this tether anchor to secure only forward-
facing child restraints equipped with an upper tether
strap.Commercial Child Restraint Tether Anchor
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 113

WARNING!
Rearward-facing infant restraints must never be se-
cured in the passenger seat of a vehicle with a
passenger Air Bag. In a collision, a passenger Air Bag
may deploy causing severe injury or death to infants
riding in rearward-facing infant restraints.
Restraining Infants And Small Children In
Commercial Cargo Vehicles
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Use the restraint that is
correct for your child:
•The forward-facing child seat is for children from
about 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg), and more than one year
old.•A convertible child seat, one that is designed to be
used for children who are too heavy for a rearward-
facing infant seat, may be used IN THE FORWARD
FACING POSITION ONLY, IT MUST NEVER BE IN-
STALLED FACING TO THE REAR IN A COMMER-
CIAL CARGO VEHICLE. When a convertible seat is
properly installed facing forward, the vehicle seat
should be adjusted to therear most position.
•Children more than 40 lbs (18 kg) should be secured in
the passenger seat in a child restraint or belt-
positioning booster seat with the seat adjusted to the
rear most position. Older children who do not use
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats should
ride properly buckled in the passenger seat with the
seat adjusted to the rearmost position. Never allow
children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or
under their arm.
114 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Tether Installation For Commercial Cargo Vehicles
To secure the child restraint upper tether strap to the
vehicle, follow the instructions shown:
1. Locate the child restraint tether anchor on the lower
rear of the front passenger seat.
2. Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s directions
for proper use of connecting the child restraint to the
extended tether strap.
3. Route the tether strap under the head rest.
NOTE:Ensure that the child restraint tether strap is
centered between the headrest supports underneath the
head rest.
4.
Using the hook attached to the child restraint tether
strap, attach the child restraint tether strap to the metal
anchor on the lower rear of the front passenger seat.
5. Following the child seat manufacturer’s instructions,
tighten the child restraint tether strap.
6. Inspect the tether anchor strap for nicks, abrasions,
discoloration, and loose threads. If these, or any other
condition that might affect the performance of the
strap is observed, DO NOT USE. Contact your autho-
rized dealership for a replacement part.
WARNING!
The vehicle tether anchor is designed to be used with
a child restraint only. It should not be used for any
other purpose. Before use, inspect the tether anchor
strap for nicks, abrasions, discoloration, and loose
threads. If these or any other condition that might
affect the performance of the strap is observed, DO
NOT USE that strap. Personal injury may result. Con-
tact your authorized dealer for a replacement part.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 115

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 seriously
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)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 117

WARNING!
•Never leave children unattended in a vehicle, and
do not leave the key in the ignition switch (or leave
the ignition of a vehicle equipped with Keyless
Enter-N-Go™ in the ACC or ON/Run position).
Occupants, particularly unattended children, can
become entrapped by the power sunroof while
operating the power sunroof switch. Such entrap-
ment may result in serious injury or death.
•In a collision, there is a greater risk of being thrown
from a vehicle with an open sunroof. You could
also be seriously injured or killed. Always fasten
your seat belt properly and make sure all passen-
gers are also properly secured.
•Do not allow small children to operate the sunroof.
Never allow your fingers, other body parts, or any
object, to project through the sunroof opening.
Injury may result.
Opening Sunroof — Express
Press the switch rearward and release it within one-half
second. The sunroof and sunshade will open automati-
cally from any position. The sunroof and sunshade will
open fully and stop automatically. This is called “Express
Open”. During Express Open operation, any movement
of the sunroof switch will stop the sunroof.
Opening Sunroof — Manual Mode
To open the sunroof, press and hold the switch rearward
to full open. Any release of the switch will stop the
movement. The sunroof and sunshade will remain in a
partially opened condition until the switch is pushed and
held rearward again.
266 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
NOTE: The storage bin cover must be locked and flat
to avoid damage from contact with the front seat
tracks, which have minimal clearance to the cover.
WARNING!
In a collision, serious injury could result if the seat
storage bin covers are not properly latched.
•Do not drive the vehicle with the storage bin covers
open.
•Keep the storage bin covers closed and latched
while the vehicle is in motion.
•Do not use a storage bin latch as a tie down.
Storage Bin Safety Warning
Carefully follow these warnings to help prevent personal
injury or damage to your vehicle:
WARNING!
•Always close the storage bin covers when your
vehicle is unattended.
•Do not allow children to have access to the second
row seat storage bins. Once in the storage bin,
young children may not be able to escape. If
trapped in the storage bin, children can die from
suffocation or heat stroke.
•In a collision, serious injury could result if the seat
storage bin covers are not properly latched.
•Do not drive the vehicle with the storage bin covers
open. Keep the storage bin covers closed and
latched while the vehicle is in motion.
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282 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE