Dodge Viper (2017 year). Manual

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.

Older Children And Child Restraints

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 con-
vertible 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

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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!

• 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 be-
cause it can loosen the child restraint attachments.
Remove the child restraint before adjusting the ve-
hicle 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.

Children Too Large For Booster Seats

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 they are still sitting all the way
back?

3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder be-

tween their neck and arm?

4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the

child’s thighs and not their stomach?

5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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!

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.

Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt

Child restraint systems are designed to be secured in
vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt.

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.

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.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Frequently Asked Questions about installing child restraints with seat belts

What is the weight limit (child’s

weight + weight of the child re-

straint) for using the Tether Anchor

with the seat belt to attach a forward

facing child restraint?

Weight limit of the Child Restraint

Always use the tether anchor when

using the seat belt to install a for-

ward facing child restraint, up to the

recommended weight limit of the

child restraint.

Can the head restraints be removed?

Can the buckle stalk be twisted to

tighten the seat belt against the belt

path of the child restraint?

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.

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.

1. Place the child seat in the center of the seating position.

Move the vehicle seat as far rearward as possible to keep
the child as far from the advanced passenger air bag as
possible.

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.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of

the belt until you have pulled all the seat belt webbing
out of the retractor. Then, allow the webbing to retract
back into the retractor. As the webbing retracts, you will
hear a clicking sound. This means the seat belt is now in
the Automatic Locking mode.

6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is

locked, you should not be able to pull out any webbing.
If the retractor is not locked, repeat step 5.

7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap

portion around the child restraint while you push the
child restraint rearward and downward into the vehicle
seat.

8. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the

seating position has a top tether anchorage, connect the
tether strap to the anchorage and tighten the tether
strap. See the section “Installing Child Restraints Using
the Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to attach a
tether anchor.

9. 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.

Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the
belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.

Installing Child Restraints Using The Top Tether
Anchorage

WARNING!

Do not attach a tether strap for a rear-facing car seat to
any location in front of the car seat, including the seat
frame or a tether anchorage. Only attach the tether
strap of a rear-facing car seat to the tether anchorage
that is approved for that seating position, located
behind the top of the vehicle seat. See the section
“Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System” for the location of approved tether
anchorages in your vehicle.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

There is a tether strap anchor

located behind the child

tether access cover behind the passenger seat. To attach
a child restraint tether strap to the anchor:

1. Move the seat forward.

2. Move the seatback to its full forward position.

3. Remove the child tether access cover by prying either

side with a screwdriver or similar tool, as shown.

NOTE:

While the child tether is in use, keep the access

cover in a safe place so that it can be replaced after use of
the child tether.

4. Pass the child restraint tether hook through either

opening in the seatback underneath the head restraint.

Child Seat Tether Access Cover

Child Seat Tether Anchor

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

5. Attach the tether hook to the anchor loop.

6. Move the seat to its farthest rearward position. Apply

body pressure to the seat to be sure the seat adjusters
have latched.

7. Return the seatback to an upright position.

8. Remove slack from the tether strap according to the

child restraint manufacturer’s directions.

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.

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 in pet harnesses or
pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.

ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS

The following tips will be helpful in obtaining optimum
performance and maximum durability for your new SRT
Vehicle.

Despite modern technology and World Class manufactur-
ing methods, the moving parts of the vehicle must still
wear in with each other. This wearing in occurs mainly
during the first 500 miles (805 km) and continues through
the first oil change interval.

Tether Attached

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

It is recommended for the operator to observe the follow-
ing driving behaviors during the new vehicle break-in
period:

0 to 100 miles (0 to 161 km):

• Do not allow the engine to operate at idle for an

extended period of time.

• Depress the accelerator pedal slowly and not more than

halfway to avoid rapid acceleration.

• Avoid aggressive braking.
• Drive with the engine speed less than 3,500 RPM.
• Maintain vehicle speed below 55 mph (88 km/h) and

observe local speed limits.

100 to 300 miles (161 to 483 km):

• Depress the accelerator pedal slowly and not more than

halfway to avoid rapid acceleration in lower gears (1st to
3rd gears).

• Avoid aggressive braking.
• Drive with the engine speed less than 5,000 RPM.
• Maintain vehicle speed below 70 mph (112 km/h) and

observe local speed limits.

300 to 500 miles (483 to 805 km)

• Exercise the full engine rpm range, shifting manually at

higher rpms when possible.

• Do not perform sustained operation with the accelerator

pedal at wide open throttle.

• Maintain vehicle speed below 85 mph (136 km/h) and

observe local speed limits.

For the first 1500 miles (2414 km):

• Do not participate in track events, sport driving schools,

or similar activities during the first 1500 miles (2414 km).

NOTE:

Check engine oil with every refueling and add if

necessary. Oil and fuel consumption may be higher
through the first oil change interval. Running the engine
with an oil level below the add mark can cause severe
engine damage.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

SAFETY TIPS

Transporting Passengers

NOTE:

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 even-
tually 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.

• If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the

engine running, adjust your heating or cooling con-
trols to force outside air into the vehicle. Set the
blower at high speed.

The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into the
vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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, dam-
aged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open seams or
loose connections could permit exhaust fumes to seep into
the passenger compartment. In addition, inspect the ex-
haust system each time the vehicle is raised for lubrication
or oil change. Replace as required.

Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The Vehicle

Seat Belts

Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.

Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision.
Seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision if
they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.). If there is any question regarding belt or retractor
condition, replace the belt.

Air Bag Warning Light

The light should come on and remain on for four to eight
seconds for a bulb check when the ignition is first cycled to
ON. If the light is not lit during starting, see your autho-
rized dealer. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes on
while driving, have the system checked by an authorized
dealer.

Defroster

Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is inoper-
able.

Floor Mat Safety Information

Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that they
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals or
impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!

An improperly attached, damaged, folded, or stacked
floor mat, or damaged floor mat fasteners may cause
your floor mat to interfere with the accelerator, brake,
or clutch pedals and cause a loss of vehicle control. To
prevent SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:
• ALWAYS securely attach

your floor mat using

the floor mat fasteners. DO NOT install your floor
mat upside down or turn your floor mat over.
Lightly pull to confirm mat is secured using the
floor mat fasteners on a regular basis.

• ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING FLOOR MAT

FROM THE VEHICLE

before installing any

other floor mat. NEVER install or stack an addi-
tional floor mat on top of an existing floor mat.

• ONLY install floor mats designed to fit your vehicle.

NEVER install a floor mat that cannot be properly
attached and secured to your vehicle. If a floor mat
needs to be replaced, only use a FCA approved floor
mat for the specific make, model, and year of your
vehicle.

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

• ONLY use the driver’s side floor mat on the driver’s

side floor area. To check for interference, with the
vehicle properly parked with the engine off, fully
depress the accelerator, the brake, and the clutch
pedal (if present) to check for interference. If your
floor mat interferes with the operation of any pedal,
or is not secure to the floor, remove the floor mat
from the vehicle and place the floor mat in your
trunk.

• ONLY use the passenger’s side floor mat on the

passenger’s side floor area.

• ALWAYS make sure objects cannot fall or slide into

the driver’s side floor area when the vehicle is
moving. Objects can become trapped under accelera-
tor, brake, or clutch pedals and could cause a loss of
vehicle control.

• NEVER place any objects under the floor mat (e.g.,

towels, keys, etc.). These objects could change the
position of the floor mat and may cause interference
with the accelerator, brake, or clutch pedals.

(Continued)

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)

• If the vehicle carpet has been removed and re-

installed, always properly attach carpet to the floor
and check the floor mat fasteners are secure to the
vehicle carpet. Fully depress each pedal to check for
interference with the accelerator, brake, or clutch
pedals then re-install the floor mats.

• It is recommended to only use mild soap and water

to clean your floor mats. After cleaning, always check
your floor mat has been properly installed and is
secured to your vehicle using the floor mat fasteners
by lightly pulling mat.

Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle

Tires

Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread. Inspect the tread and sidewall for cuts
and cracks. Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the
tires for proper pressure.

Lights

Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.

Door Latches

Check for proper closing, latching, and locking.

Fluid Leaks

Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid (if
equipped), or brake fluid leaks are suspected. The cause
should be located and corrected immediately.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Dodge Viper (2017 year). Manual - part 4