Dodge Dakota (2011 year). Manual

DOOR LOCKS

Manual Door Locks
All the doors can be manually locked from the inside by
pushing down the door lock knob, located on the door trim
panel. Both front doors may be opened from the inside
with the door lock knob in the down or locked position.

WARNING!

• For personal security and safety in the event of an

accident, lock the vehicle doors as you drive, as
well as when you park and leave the vehicle.

• Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving

unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the key in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.

Power Door Locks
A power door lock switch is on each front door trim
panel. Use this switch to lock or unlock the doors.

Manual Door Lock Knob

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

If you press the power door LOCK switch while the key
is in the ignition, and any front door is open, the power
locks will not operate. This prevents you from acciden-
tally locking your keys in the vehicle. Removing the key,
or closing the door, will allow the locks to operate. A

chime will sound if the key is in the ignition switch and
the driver’s door is open, as a reminder to remove the
key.

Automatic Door Locks — If Equipped
The doors will lock automatically if all of the following
conditions are met:

1. The Automatic Door Locks feature is enabled

2. The transmission is in gear

3. All doors are closed

4. The throttle is pressed

5. The vehicle speed is above 15 mph (24 km/h)

6. The doors were not previously locked using the power
door lock switch or Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter

Power Door Lock Switch

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Automatic Door Locks Programming — If
Equipped
The Automatic Door Locks feature can be enabled or
disabled as follows:

• For vehicles equipped with the Electronic Vehicle

Information Center (EVIC), refer to “Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC) — If Equipped/Personal
Settings (Customer-Programmable Features)” in “Un-
derstanding Your Instrument Panel” for further infor-
mation.

• For vehicles not equipped with the EVIC, perform the

following procedure:

1. Close all doors and place the key in the ignition
switch.

2. Within 15 seconds, cycle the ignition switch between
LOCK and ON/RUN and then back to LOCK four times
ending up in the LOCK position (do not start the engine).

3. Within 30 seconds, press the power door LOCK switch
to lock the doors.

4. A single chime will indicate the completion of the
programming.

5. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to
its previous setting.

NOTE:

• If you do not hear the chime it means that the system

did not enter the programming mode and you will
need to repeat the procedure.

• Use the Automatic Door Locks feature in accordance

with local laws.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Auto Unlock On Exit Feature — If Equipped
This feature unlocks all of the doors of the vehicle when
any door is opened. This will occur only after the vehicle
has been shifted into the PARK position after the vehicle
has been driven (shifted out of PARK and the doors
closed).

Auto Unlock Feature Programming
The Customer Programming sequence to disable or en-
able Auto Unlock:

1. Enter your vehicle and close all the doors.

2. Fasten your seat belt. (Fastening the seat belt will
cancel any chiming that may be confusing during this
programming procedure.)

3. Insert the key into the ignition.

4. Within 15 seconds, cycle the key from the LOCK
position to the ON/RUN position and back to LOCK
position, a minimum of four times; ending in the LOCK
position. (Do not start the engine.)

5. Within 30 seconds, press the driver’s door LOCK
switch in the UNLOCK direction.

6. A single chime will sound to indicate the feature has
been changed.

7. To reactivate the feature, repeat the above steps.

8. If a chime is not heard, program mode was canceled
before the feature could be changed. If necessary, repeat
the above procedure.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Child-Protection Door Lock
To provide a safer environment for children riding in the
rear seat, the rear doors of your vehicle have the child-
protection door lock system.

To use the system, open each rear door, slide the lever up
to engage the locks, and down to disengage the child-
protection locks. When the system on a door is engaged,
that door can only be opened by using the outside door
handle, even if the inside door lock is in the unlocked
position.

Child-Protection Door Lock Location

Child Lock Control

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!

Avoid trapping anyone in a vehicle in a collision.
Remember that the rear doors can only be opened
from the outside when the Child-Protection locks are
engaged.

NOTE:

• After setting the Child-Protection Door Lock system,

always test the door from the inside to make certain it
is in the desired position.

• For emergency exit with the system engaged, move

the door lock switch to the UNLOCK position, roll
down the window and open the door with the outside
door handle.

WINDOWS

Power Windows
The control on the left front door has up-down switches
that give you finger-tip control of all the power windows.

There is a single opening and closing switch on the
passenger doors for passenger window control. The
windows will operate when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON/RUN or ACC position, and for ten minutes
after the ignition is turned OFF unless the driver’s door is
opened.

Power Window Switch

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!

Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the key in the
ignition. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.

Auto-Down — Driver’s Side Only
The driver’s window switch has an Auto-Down feature.
Push the window switch past the first detent, release, and
the window will go down automatically. To cancel the
Auto-Down movement, operate the switch in either the
up or down direction and release the switch.

Window Lockout Switch
The Window Lockout Switch on the driver’s door allows
you to disable the window control on the other doors. To
disable the window controls on the other doors, press the
Window Lockout button. To enable the window controls,
press the Window Lockout button a second time.

Power Window Lockout Switch

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Wind Buffeting
Wind buffeting can be described as the perception of
pressure on the ears or a helicopter-type sound in the
ears. Your vehicle may exhibit wind buffeting with the
windows down or partially open. This is a normal
occurrence and can be minimized. If the rear windows
are open and buffeting occurs, open the front and rear
windows together to minimize the buffeting.

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

• Advanced Front Air Bags for driver and front passen-

ger

• Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains

(SABIC) for the driver and passengers seated next to a
window — if equipped

• An energy-absorbing steering column and steering

wheel

• Knee bolsters for front seat occupants
• Front seat belts incorporate pretensioners that may

enhance occupant protection by managing occupant
energy during an impact event

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.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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

NOTE:

The Advanced Front Air Bags have a multistage

inflator design. This allows the air bag to have different
rates of inflation based on the severity and type of
collision.

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 ride
buckled up in a rear seat.

WARNING!

Infants in rear facing child restraints should never
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag. An air bag deployment can
cause severe injury or death to infants in that posi-
tion.

Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat
belt properly (see section on Child Restraints) should be
secured in the 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 the rear seat. Never allow
children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under
their arm.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

If a child from 1 to 12 years old (not in a rear facing child
seat) 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”)

You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.

2. All occupants should always wear their lap and
shoulder belts properly.

3. The driver and front passenger seats should be
moved back as far as practical to allow the Advanced
Front Air Bags room to inflate.

4. 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 you and the door.

5. If the air bag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact
the Customer Center. Phone numbers are provided
under

ⴖIf You Need Assistanceⴖ.

WARNING!

• Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more

severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, the air bags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you have
air bags.

(Continued)

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)

• Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument

panel during Advanced Front Air Bag deployment
could cause serious injury, including death. Air
Bags need room to inflate. Sit back, comfortably
extending your arms to reach the steering wheel or
instrument panel.

• Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain

(SABIC) also need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door or window. Sit upright in the
center of the seat.

• In an accident, 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 an accident that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.

Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in an accident.
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.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions, have combination lap/shoulder
belts. The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock
during very sudden stops or accidents. This feature
allows the shoulder part of the belt to move freely with
you under normal conditions. However, in an accident
the belt will lock and reduce the risk of you striking the
inside of the vehicle or being thrown out.

The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with an Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) to
secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). For additional
information on ALR, refer to “Automatic Locking Mode”
in this section. The following chart defines the seating
positions with this feature.

Left

Center

Right

First Row

CRS Lock

Second Row

CRS Lock

— If

Equipped

CRS Lock

If the passenger seating position is equipped with an
ALR the proper fastening procedure is as follows:

1. For Child Restraint System (CRS): Pull the seat belt all
the way out, then latch the buckle and allow the excess
webbing to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a
clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the
Automatic Locking mode. This will secure the child
restraint tightly and properly.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

2. For regular occupants: Only pull the belt webbing out
far enough to comfortably wrap around the occupant’s
mid-section. If the belt is pulled fully out, allow the belt
to fully retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a
clicking sound. Then, carefully pull out only the amount
of webbing necessary to latch the buckle.

WARNING!

• It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or

outside of a vehicle. In an accident, 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.

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

• 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 an accident the
best. Wearing your belt in the wrong place could
make your injuries in an accident 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 passengers safe, too.

• Two people should never be belted into a single

seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in an accident, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt for more
than one person, no matter what their size.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions

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

2. The seat belt latch plate is above the back of the front
seat, next to your arm in the rear seat. 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.

Pulling Out Belt and Latch Plate

Latch Plate To Buckle

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 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

properly. In a sudden stop you could move too far
forward, increasing the possibility of injury. Wear
your seat belt snugly.

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

• A belt that is worn under your arm is dangerous.

Your body could strike the inside surfaces of the
vehicle in an accident, 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 strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.

• A shoulder belt placed behind you will not protect

you from injury during an accident. 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.

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 an accident.

WARNING!

• A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of

internal injury in an accident. 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 possible and keep it snug.

• A twisted belt will not protect you properly. 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
immediately and have it fixed.

Removing Slack From Belt

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Dodge Dakota (2011 year). Manual - part 2