2017 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Child safety

▫To Exit Remote Start Mode And Drive The
Vehicle ...............................25
▫ Cancel Remote Start ......................25
▫ To Turn Off The Engine While In Remote Start
Mode ................................25
▫ When To Reset Remote Start ................26
▫ General Information .....................26
 DOOR LOCKS ..........................26
▫ Manual Door Locks ......................26
▫ Power Door Locks — If Equipped ...........28
 WINDOWS .............................29
▫ Power Vent Windows — If Equipped .........29
▫ Power Windows ........................30
 SLIDING SIDE DOOR .....................33
▫ Power Sliding Side Door — If Equipped .......34
▫ Sliding Side Door Child Protection Lock .......36
 LIFTGATE .............................38 ▫
Power Liftgate — If Equipped ..............39
 OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS ...........41
▫ Occupant Restraint Systems Features .........41
▫ Important Safety Precautions ...............42
▫ Seat Belt Systems .......................43
▫ Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) ..........58
▫ Child Restraints ........................71
▫ Transporting Pets .......................91
 ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS .....92
 SAFETY TIPS ...........................92
▫ Transporting Passengers ...................92
▫ Exhaust Gas ...........................93
▫ Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle ...............................93
▫ Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle ...........................95
8 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

If the lock knob is rearward when you shut either side
sliding door, the door will lock. Make sure the keys are not
inside the vehicle before closing the door.WARNING!
•For personal security and safety in the event of a
collision, lock the vehicle doors before you drive as
well as when you park and leave the vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a number
of reasons. A child or others could be seriously or
fatally injured. Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the trans-
mission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, or in
a location accessible to children. A child could oper-
ate power windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
Sliding Door Lock
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 27

•The power liftgate will not operate in temperatures
below 12°F (24°C) or temperatures above 143°F
(62°C). Be sure to remove any buildup of snow or ice
from the liftgate before pushing any of the power liftgate
buttons.
• If the power liftgate encounters multiple obstructions
within the same cycle, the system will automatically
stop and must be opened or closed manually.
• In the event of a power malfunction to the liftgate, an
emergency liftgate latch release can be used to open the
liftgate. The emergency liftgate latch release can be
accessed through a snap-in cover located on the liftgate
trim panel.
• If the liftgate is left open for an extended period of time,
the liftgate may need to be closed manually to reset
power liftgate functionality.
WARNING!
•Driving with the liftgate open can allow poisonous
exhaust gases into your vehicle. You and your pas-
sengers could be injured by these fumes. Keep the
liftgate closed when you are operating the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•If you are required to drive with the 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.
Gas props support the liftgate in the open position. How-
ever, because the gas pressure drops with temperature, it
may be necessary to assist the props when opening the
liftgate in cold weather.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
Some of the most important safety features in your vehicle
are the restraint systems.
Occupant Restraint Systems Features
• Seat Belt Systems
• Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Air Bags
• Supplemental Active Head Restraints
• Child Restraints
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41

Some of the safety features described in this section may be
standard equipment on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others. If you are not sure, ask your autho-
rized dealer.
Important Safety Precautions
Please pay close attention to the information in this section.
It tells you how to use your restraint system properly, to
keep you and your passengers as safe as possible.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying air bag:
1. Children 12 years old and under should always ridebuckled up in a vehicle with a rear seat.
2. If a child from 2 to 12 years old (not in a rear-facing child restraint) must ride in the front passenger seat, move the
seat as far back as possible and use the proper child
restraint (Refer to “Child Restraints”).
3.
Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat
belt properly (Refer to Child Restraints) should be
secured in a vehicle with a rear seat in child restraints or
belt-positioning booster seats. Older children who do not
use child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats
should ride properly buckled up in a vehicle with a rear
seat.
4. Never allow children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under their arm.
5. You should read the instructions provided with your child restraint to make sure that you are using it
properly.
6. All occupants should always wear their lap and shoul- der belts properly.
7. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved back as far as practical to allow the front air bags room
to inflate.
8. Do not lean against the door or window. If your vehicle has side air bags, and deployment occurs, the side air
bags will inflate forcefully into the space between occu-
pants and the door and occupants could be injured.
9. If the air bag system in this vehicle needs to be modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact the Cus-
tomer Center. Phone numbers are provided under If
You Need Assistance.
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times, including babies and children.
Every state in the United States, and every Canadian
province, requires that small children ride in proper re-
straint systems. This is the law, and you can be prosecuted
for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride properly buckled
up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seats rather than in the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to hold
even an infant on your lap could become so great that
you could not hold the child, no matter how strong you
are. The child and others could be badly injured. Any
child riding in your vehicle should be in a proper
restraint for the child’s size.There are different sizes and types of restraints for children
from newborn size to the child almost large enough for an
adult safety belt. Always check the child seat Owner ’s
Manual to make sure you have the correct seat for your
child. Carefully read and follow all the instructions and
warnings in the child restraint Owner ’s Manual and on all
the labels attached to the child restraint.
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety Stan-
dards. You should also make sure that you can install it in
the vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:
•
For additional information, refer to www.seatcheck.org
or call 1-866-SEATCHECK.
• Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s
website for additional information: www.tc.gc.ca/eng/
motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-childsafety-index-
53.htm
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing in
the vehicle until they are two years old or until they reach
either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing child
restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used rear-
facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle. It
is recommended for children from birth until they reach
the weight or height limit of the infant carrier. Convertible
child seats can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing
in the vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rear-facing direction than infant carriers
do, so they can be used rear-facing by children who have
outgrown their infant carrier but are still less than at least
two years old. Children should remain rear-facing until
they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an air
bag. A deploying passenger front air bag can cause
death or serious injury to a child 12 years or younger,
including a child in a rear-facing child restraint.
•Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 73

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 recom-
mended viscosity and quality grades, refer to “Mainte-
nance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle.”
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 a problem.
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.
92 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
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.
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.
(Continued)
Storage Bin
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 217