Chrysler's DVD Owner Manuals

Paper is dead, long live electronic recordable devices... American manufacturer Chrysler announced that, from now on, the owner manuals for its vehicles will no longer be printed on plain old paper, but written on DVDs. And the reason behind this first of a kind move is not, as you may think, the need for technical advancements but the age-old need to save money instead.

The switch to DVDs will save Chrysler some 930 tons worth of paper (we bet tree lovers are gloating – for them, this means some 22,000 less trees chopped down). So, beginning next month, Chrysler customers will find in their cars DVDs and a full-color printed user guide (60-80 pages instead of the current 500).

“As vehicles have increased in complexity, so has the size of traditional owners’ manuals,” Pietro Gorlier, Mopar service, parts and customer care CEO said in a release. “With this new approach, we are making it much more convenient for customers to find the information they seek.”

The DVDs will be comprised of the owners’ manual, vehicle and tire warranty information, navigation and entertainment system guides, as well as information on 24-hour towing assistance, all complete with video tutorials.

The printed user guide on the other hand includes photos and diagrams about changing tires, jump-starting a battery or assessing warning lights. It also covers "operating procedures for temperature control, windshield wipers, seat adjustment and navigation systems."

Of course, you may find it a bit difficult to watch the DVD in your house and then run to the car and do it yourself. God forbid you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and desperately need to know what the damn red, blinking, warning thingy is all about...Or something...