Dodge Caravan (2008 year). Manual

Gas props support the liftgate in the open position.
However, because the gas pressure drops with tempera-
ture, it may be necessary to assist the props when
opening the liftgate in cold weather.

STORAGE BIN SAFETY WARNING

Safety Warnings

WARNING!

Always close the storage bin covers when your ve-
hicle 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.

WARNING!

In an accident, 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!

The storage bin cover must be flat and locked to
avoid damage from contact with the front seat tracks,
which have minimal clearance to the cover.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:

Your vehicle may be built with a release strap or

release lever attached to the Storage Bin Cover latch
mechanism.

Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release Lever — If
Equipped
As a security measure, your vehicle may be built with a
Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release lever built into the
storage bin cover latching mechanism.

NOTE:

In the event of an individual being locked inside

the storage bin, the storage bin cover can be opened from
inside of the bin by pushing on the glow-in-the-dark
lever attached to the storage bin cover latching mecha-
nism.

Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release Lever

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release Strap — If
Equipped

As a security measure, your vehicle may be built with a
Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release strap built into the
storage bin cover latching mechanism.

NOTE:

In the event of an individual being locked inside

the storage bin, the storage bin cover can be opened from
inside of the bin by pulling on the glow-in-the-dark strap
attached to the storage bin cover latching mechanism.

Reinstalling Storage Bin Cover Emergency
Release Strap

If the storage bin cover strap disengages from the latch, it
can be reinstalled by inserting the loose end of the strap
into the latch mechanism.

Push the strap into the latch mechanism until it engages
around the latch post.

Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release Strap

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:

Do not use the storage bin emergency release

strap to lift the storage bin cover. The strap is intended
for emergency release only.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS

Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:

• Three-point lap and shoulder belts for all seating

positions

• Pretensioning and load-limiting retractors for the front

seat belts

• Advanced multistage driver and new active-vent front

passenger airbags

• An energy-absorbing steering column and steering

wheel

• Knee Bolsters/Blockers for front seat occupants
• Front seat belt retractors incorporate pretensioners to

enhance occupant protection by managing occupant
energy during an impact event.

Reinstalling Storage Bin Cover Emergency Release Strap

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

• All seat belt systems (except the driver’s, Swivel n’ Go,

and third row center position) include Automatic
Locking Retractors (ALRs), which lock the seat belt
webbing into position by extending the belt all the
way out and then adjusting the belt to the desired
length to restrain a child seat or secure a large item in
a seat.

If you will be carrying children too small for adult-size
seat belts, your seat belts or the Lower Anchors and
Tether for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to
hold infant and child restraint systems.

NOTE:

The front airbags have a multistage inflator

design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation that are based on collision severity.

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.

WARNING!

In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buckled
up. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or other
passengers, or you can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Always be sure you and others in your vehicle are
buckled up properly.

Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some
of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown
from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle. Everyone in a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.

Lap/Shoulder Belts

All seats in your vehicle are equipped with Lap/
Shoulder Belts.

The belt webbing in the retractor is designed to lock
during very sudden stops or collisions. This feature
allows the shoulder part of the belt to move freely with
you under normal conditions. But in a collision, the belt
will lock and reduce the risk of your striking the inside of
the vehicle or being thrown out.

WARNING!

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.

WARNING!

• 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.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!

• Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat

belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and can take the forces of a collision the best.

• Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make

your injuries in a collision much worse. You might
suffer internal injuries, or you could even slide out
of part of the belt. Follow these instructions to
wear your seat belt safely and to keep your pas-
sengers safe, too.

WARNING!

Two people should never be belted into a single seat
belt. People belted together can crash into one an-
other in a collision, hurting one another badly. Never
use a lap/shoulder belt or lap belt for more than one
person, no matter what their size.

Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions

1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and
adjust the seat.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

2. The seat belt latch plate is near the seatback of the
front seats and next to your arm in the rear seats. Grasp
the latch plate and pull out the belt. Slide the latch plate
up the webbing as far as necessary to allow the belt to go
around your lap.

WARNING!

A belt that is worn under your arm is very dangerous.
Your body could strike the inside surfaces of the
vehicle in a collision, increasing head and neck
injury. A belt worn under the arm can cause internal
injuries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder bones.
Wear the belt over your shoulder so that your stron-
gest bones will take the force in a collision.

WARNING!

A shoulder belt placed behind you will not protect
you from injury during a collision. You are more
likely to hit your head in a collision if you do not
wear your shoulder belt. The lap and shoulder belt
are meant to be used together.

Latch Plate

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click”.

WARNING!

• A belt that is buckled into the wrong buckle will
not protect you properly. The lap portion could ride
too high on your body, possibly causing internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle
nearest you.
• A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well.
In a sudden stop you could move too far forward,
increasing the possibility of injury. Wear your seat
belt snugly.

Latch Plate To Buckle

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull up
on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight,
tilt the latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug belt
reduces the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision.

WARNING!

• A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
internal injury in a collision. The belt forces won’t be
at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your
abdomen. Always wear the lap belt as low as pos-
sible and keep it snug.
• A twisted belt can’t do its job as well. In a collision
it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt is straight.
If you can’t straighten a belt in your vehicle, take it to
your authorized dealer and have it fixed.

5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retractor
will withdraw any slack in the belt.

Removing Slack From Belt

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

6. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle.
The belt will automatically retract to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the belt to retract fully.

WARNING!

A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision and
leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt system
periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately. Do
not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.).

Third Row Center Shoulder Belt Instructions
The shoulder belt for the third row center seat is located
in the headliner slightly behind the third row seat.

Pull the strap down and secure the small latch plate of
the lap belt into the small buckle until you hear a “click”.

Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. When the belt
is long enough to fit, insert the large latch plate into the
buckle until you hear a “click”

The retractor will withdraw any slack in the belt.

To release the small latch plate, position the end of the
large latch plate against the red button on the small
buckle and push upward. Reinstall the latch plates into
the headliner.

Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front seats and the second row outboard seats, the
shoulder belt anchorage can be adjusted upward or
downward to help position the belt away from your
neck. The upper anchorage can be adjusted upward by

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

pushing anywhere on the anchorage. To move the an-
chorage downward, squeeze the actuation buttons while
simultaneously pushing down on the anchorage assem-
bly.

As a guide, if you are shorter than average you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average
you will prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.

Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR) Mode – If
Equipped

In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-
locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in
the shoulder belt. The automatic locking mode is avail-
able on all passenger-seating positions with a combina-
tion lap/shoulder belt.

When To Use The Automatic Locking Mode
Use The Automatic Locking Mode anytime a child safety
seat is installed in a passenger seating position. Children
12 years old and younger should be properly restrained
in the rear seat whenever possible.

How To Use The Automatic Locking Mode

1. Buckle the combination lap/shoulder belt.

2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until
the entire belt is extracted.

3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will
hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is
now in the automatic locking mode.

How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Disconnect the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow
it to retract completely to disengage the automatic lock-
ing mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency)
locking mode.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Seat Belt Pretensioners

The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt in the event of a collision.
These devices improve the performance of the seat belt
by assuring that the belt is tight about the occupant early
in a collision. Pretensioners work for all size occupants,
including those in child restraints.

NOTE:

These devices are not a substitute for proper seat

belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still must be
worn snugly and positioned properly.

The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Re-
straint Controller (ORC). Like the front airbags, the
pretensioners are single use items. After a collision that is
severe enough to deploy the airbags and pretensioners,
both must be replaced.

Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert

)

If the occupied driver’s seat belt has not been buckled
within 60 seconds of starting the vehicle and if the vehicle
speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h), BeltAlert

t will

alert the driver to buckle the seat belt. The driver should
also instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat belts.
Once the warning is triggered, BeltAlert

t will continue to

chime and flash the Seat Belt Warning Light for 96
seconds or until the driver’s seat belt is buckled.

BeltAlert

t will be reactivated if the driver’s seat belt is

unbuckled for more than 10 seconds and the vehicle
speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h).

BeltAlert

t Programming

BeltAlert

t can be enabled or disabled by your authorized

dealer or by following these steps:

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:

The following steps must occur within the first

60 seconds of the ignition switch being turned to the ON
or START position. DaimlerChrysler does not recom-
mend deactivating BeltAlert

1. With all doors closed and the ignition switch in any
position except ON or START, buckle the driver’s seat
belt.

2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position (engine
does not need to be running), and wait for the Seat Belt
Warning Light to turn off.

3. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
ON/RUN position, unbuckle and then re-buckle the
driver’s seat belt at least three times within 60 seconds,
ending with the seat belt buckled.

NOTE:

Watch for the Seat Belt Warning Light to turn on

while unbuckling and off while re-buckling the seat belt.

4. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position. A single
chime will sound to signify that you have successfully
completed the programming.

BeltAlert

t can be reactivated by repeating this procedure.

NOTE:

Although BeltAlert

t has been deactivated, the

Seat Belt Warning Light will continue to illuminate while
the driver’s seat belt remains unbuckled.

Seat Belts and Pregnant Women

We recommend that pregnant women use the seat belts
throughout their pregnancies. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe.

Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
Keep the belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is a collision.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Seat Belt Extender

If a seat belt is too short, even when fully extended and
when the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage (if
equipped) is in its lowest position, your authorized
dealer can provide you with a seat belt extender. This
extender should be used only if the existing belt is not
long enough. When it is not required, remove the ex-
tender and stow it.

WARNING!

Using a seat belt extender when not needed can
increase the risk of injury in a collision. Only use
when the lap belt is not long enough when it is worn
low and snug, and in the recommended seating
positions. Remove and store the extender when not
needed.

Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag

This vehicle has airbags for both the driver and front
passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint
systems. The driver’s front airbag is mounted in the
center of the steering wheel. The passenger’s front airbag
is mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove
compartment. The words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on
the airbag covers.

NOTE:

The front airbags are certified to the Federal

regulations that allow less forceful deployment.

The front airbags have a multistage inflator design. This
may allow the airbag to have different rates of inflation
that are based on collision severity and occupant size.

This vehicle may also be equipped with Supplemental
Seat Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC) to protect
the driver, front, and rear passengers sitting next to a

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

window. If the vehicle is equipped with SABIC air bags,
they are located above the side windows and their covers
are also labeled: SRS AIRBAG.

NOTE:

Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior

trim; but they will open to allow airbag deployment.

Airbag System Components

The airbag system consists of the following:

• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Airbag Telltale Light
• Driver Airbag
• Front Passenger Airbag
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel

• Seat Belt Reminder Light
• Knee Impact Bolster
• Front Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioners
• Front Seat Track Position Sensors
• Supplemental Seat Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains

(SABIC) — If Equipped

• Front Seat Side-mounted (Thorax) Airbags — If

Equipped

Front Seat Airbag Features

The front airbag system has dual-stage driver and front
passenger airbags. This system provides output appro-
priate to the level of crash severity as determined by the
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) and the impact
sensors at the front of the car.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Dodge Caravan (2008 year). Manual - part 4