2020 DODGE CHALLENGER ECU

132SAFETY
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.
Older Children And Child Restraints
NOTE:
If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat,
FCA US LLC recommends that you do not allow
children 12 years old and under to ride in your
vehicle. If the rear seats are not present in your
vehicle, NEVER install a child restraint in these
positions. If you must install a forward facing
child restraint in the front passenger seat, then
you must use the seat belt system to secure the
restraint. A top tether strap extension may be
needed to reach the tether anchor on the rear
shelf directly behind the passenger seat. Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child seat
can ride forward-facing in the vehicle.
Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are
for children who are over two years old or who
have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height
limit of their rear-facing convertible child seat.
Children should remain in a forward-facing child
seat with a harness for as long as possible, up
to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use
a belt-positioning booster seat until the
vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the child
cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s
seat cushion while the child’s back is against
the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning
booster seat. The child and belt-positioning
booster seat are held in the vehicle by the seat
belt.
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat. If
the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.

20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 132

SAFETY133
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
NOTE:
If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat,
FCA US LLC recommends that you do not allow
children 12 years old and under to ride in your
vehicle. If the rear seats are not present in your
vehicle, NEVER install a child restraint in these
positions.
Children who are large enough to wear the
shoulder belt comfortably, and whose legs are
long enough to bend over the front of the seat
when their back is against the seatback, should
use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple
5-step test to decide whether the child can use
the vehicle’s seat belt alone:

1. Can the child sit all the way back against
the back of the vehicle seat?

2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat – while the child
is still sitting all the way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and not the
stomach? 5. Can the child stay seated like this for the
whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was “no,
” then the child still needs to use a booster seat
in this vehicle. If the child is using the lap/
shoulder belt, check seat belt fit periodically
and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched.
A child’s squirming or slouching can move the
belt out of position. If the shoulder belt contacts
the face or neck, move the child closer to the
center of the vehicle, or use a booster seat to
position the seat belt on the child correctly.
WARNING!
Improper installation can lead to failure of
an infant or child restraint. It could come
loose in a collision. The child could be badly
injured or killed. Follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
After a child restraint is installed in the
vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat
forward or rearward because it can loosen
the child restraint attachments. Remove
the child restraint before adjusting the
vehicle seat position. When the vehicle seat
has been adjusted, reinstall the child
restraint.
When your child restraint is not in use,
secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or
LATCH anchorages, 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.
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt
under an arm or behind their back. In a crash,
the shoulder belt will not protect a child
properly, which may result in serious injury or
death. A child must always wear both the lap
and shoulder portions of the seat belt
correctly.
WARNING!
If the rear or front passenger seats are not
present in your vehicle, NEVER install a child
restraint in these positions.
4

20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 133

SAFETY135
Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren
(LATCH) Restraint System

LATCH Label

Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint
anchorage system called LATCH, which stands
for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The
LATCH system has three vehicle anchor points
for installing LATCH-equipped child seats. There
are two lower anchorages located at the back of
the seat cushion where it meets the seatback
and one top tether anchorage located behind
the seating position. These anchorages are
used to install LATCH-equipped child seats
without using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some
seating positions may have a top tether
anchorage but no lower anchorages. In these seating positions, the seat belt must be
used with the top tether anchorage to install the
child restraint. Please see the following table for
more information.
LATCH Positions For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
Vehicles Without Rear Seating Installed
If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear
passenger seat, your vehicle is not equipped
with LATCH anchorages. If your vehicle is not
equipped with a rear seat, FCA US LLC
recommends that you do not allow children
12 years old and under to ride in your vehicle. If
the rear seats are not present in your vehicle,
NEVER install a child restraint in these
positions. If you must install a forward facing
child restraint in the front passenger seat, then
you must use the seat belt system to secure the
restraint. A top tether strap extension may be needed to
reach the tether anchor on the rear shelf
directly behind the passenger seat.
WARNING!
If the rear or front passenger seats are not
present in your vehicle, NEVER install a child
restraint in these positions.
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat. If
the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.
4

20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 135

SAFETY139
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint
If the selected seating position has a
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
seat belt, stow the seat belt, following the
instructions below. See the section “Installing
Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat Belt” to
check what type of seat belt each seating
position has.

1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps
and on the tether strap of the child seat so
that you can more easily attach the hooks
or connectors to the vehicle anchorages.

2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. If the
second row seat can be reclined, you may
recline the seat and/or raise the head
restraint (if adjustable) to get a better fit. If
the rear seat can be moved forward and
rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to
move it to its rear-most position to make
room for the child seat. You may also move
the front seat forward to allow more room
for the child seat.
3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of the child restraint to the lower anchorages in
the selected seating position. 4. If the child restraint has a tether strap,
connect it to the top tether anchorage. See
the section “Installing Child Restraints
Using the Top Tether Anchorage” for
directions to attach a tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward into
the seat. Remove slack in the straps
according to the child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the child
seat at the belt path. It should not move
more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any
direction.
How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR
(ALR) Seat Belt:
When using the LATCH attaching system to
install a child restraint, stow all ALR seat belts
that are not being used by other occupants or
being used to secure child restraints. An unused
belt could injure a child if they play with it and
accidentally lock the seat belt retractor. Before
installing a child restraint using the LATCH
system, buckle the seat belt behind the child
restraint and out of the child’s reach. If the buckled seat belt interferes with the child
restraint installation, instead of buckling it
behind the child restraint, route the seat belt
through the child restraint belt path and then
buckle it. Do not lock the seat belt. Remind all
children in the vehicle that the seat belts are not
toys and that they should not play with them.
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to
the LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of
the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed. Follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
Child restraint anchorages are designed to
withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly-fitted child restraints. Under no
circumstances are they to be used for adult
seat belts, harnesses, or for attaching other
items or equipment to the vehicle.
4

20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 139

140SAFETY
Installing Child Restraints Using The
Vehicle Seat Belt
NOTE:
If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat,
FCA US LLC recommends that you do not allow
children 12 years old and under to ride in your
vehicle. If the rear seats are not present in your
vehicle, NEVER install a child restraint in these
positions.
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt. The seat belts in the passenger seating
positions are equipped with a Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) that is
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
retractor can be “switched” into a locked mode
by pulling all of the webbing out of the retractor
and then letting the webbing retract back into
the retractor. If it is locked, the ALR will make a
clicking noise while the webbing is pulled back
into the retractor. Refer to the “Automatic Locking Mode”
description in “Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractors (ALR)” under “Occupant Restraint
Systems” for additional information on ALR.
Please see the table below and the following
sections for more information.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing
Child Restraints In This Vehicle
NOTE:
If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat,
FCA US LLC recommends that you do not allow
children 12 years old and under to ride in your
vehicle. If the rear seats are not present in your
vehicle, NEVER install a child restraint in these
positions.
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat. If
the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.
WARNING!
Improper installation or failure to properly
secure a child restraint can lead to failure
of the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions exactly when installing an infant
or child restraint.

20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 140

142SAFETY
Installing A Child Restraint With A
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR):
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt.
1. Place the child seat in the center of
the seating position. For some second
row seats, you may need to recline the
seat and/or raise the head restraint
(if adjustable) to get a better fit. If the rear
seat can be moved forward and rearward
in the vehicle, you may wish to move it to its
rear-most position to make room for the
child seat. You may also move the front
seat forward to allow more room for the
child seat.
2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from
the retractor to pass it through the belt path
of the child restraint. Do not twist the belt
webbing in the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight against the child seat.
Can the rear head restraints be removed?
No
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to tighten
the seat belt against the belt path of the
child restraint? No
Do not twist the buckle stalk in a seating position with an
ALR retractor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
WARNING!
Improper installation or failure to properly
secure a child restraint can lead to failure
of the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions exactly when installing an infant
or child restraint.

20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 142

144SAFETY

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, move the child restraint to
another position in the vehicle if one is
available.

2. Rotate or lift the cover to access the anchor directly behind the seat where you are
placing the child restraint.
3. 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.
Tether Strap Mounting

4. Attach the tether strap hook of the child restraint to the top tether anchorage as
shown in the diagram.
5. Remove slack in the tether strap according to the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions. NOTE:
If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat,
FCA US LLC recommends that you do not allow
children 12 years old and under to ride in your
vehicle. If the rear seats are not present in your
vehicle, NEVER install a child restraint in these
positions. If you must install a forward facing
child restraint in the front passenger seat, then
you must use the seat belt system to secure the
restraint. A top tether strap extension may be
needed to reach the tether anchor on the rear
shelf directly behind the passenger seat.
2 — Cover
3 — Attaching Strap
A — Tether Strap Hook
B — Tether Anchor
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 seat
-
backs as you remove slack in the strap.

20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 144

SAFETY145
(Continued)
(Continued)
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 (if
equipped) in pet harnesses or pet carriers that
are secured by seat belts.
SAFETY TIPS
TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE
CARGO AREA.
EXHAUST GAS The best protection against carbon monoxide
entry into the vehicle body is a properly
maintained engine exhaust system.
Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of
the exhaust system, when exhaust fumes can
be detected inside the vehicle, or when the
underside or rear of the vehicle is damaged,
have a competent mechanic inspect the
complete exhaust system and adjacent body
areas for broken, damaged, deteriorated, or
mispositioned parts. Open seams or loose
connections could permit exhaust fumes to
seep into the passenger compartment. In
addition, inspect the exhaust system each time
the vehicle is raised for lubrication or oil
change. Replace as required.
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.
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/rear doors 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.
WARNING!
(Continued)
If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle
with the engine running, adjust your
heating or cooling controls to force outside
air into the vehicle. Set the blower at high
speed.
WARNING! (Continued)
4

20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 145