2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Owners Manual

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
mHazard Warning Flasher..................290
mIf Your Engine Overheats.................291
mJacking And Tire Changing................292
NJack Location........................293
NSpare Tire Stowage....................293
NPreparations For Jacking................294
NJacking Instructions....................295
mJump-Starting Procedures If Battery Is Low....298
mDriving On Slippery Surfaces..............299
NAcceleration.........................299NTraction............................300
mFreeing A Stuck Vehicle..................300
mTowing A Disabled Vehicle................301
NWith Ignition Key.....................301
NWithout The Ignition Key...............302
NTowing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground)............................302
NTowing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
With A Tow Dolley....................303
6

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The hazard flasher switch is located in the center of the
instrument panel above the radio.
To engage the Hazard Warning Flashers, depress the
switch on the instrument panel. When the Hazard Warn-
ing Switch is activated, all directional turn signals willflash on and off to warn oncoming traffic of an emer-
gency. Push the switch a second time to turn off the
flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and should not be
used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
Hazard Warning Flashers will continue to operate even
though the ignition switch is OFF.
NOTE:With extended use, the Hazard Warning Flash-
ers may wear down your battery.
290 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
²On the highways Ð Slow down.
²In city traffic Ð While stopped, put transmission in
neutral, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE:There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition. If your air conditioner
is on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the engine cooling system and turning off the A/C
removes this heat. You can also turn the Temperature
control to maximum heat, the Mode control to floor, and
the fan control to High. This allows the heater core to act
as a supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If temperature gauge reads ªHº, pull
over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the
air conditioner turned off until the pointer drops
back into the normal range. If the pointer remains on
the ªHº, turn the engine off immediately, and call for
service.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 291
6

WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call a service center if your
vehicle overheats. If you decide to look under the
hood yourself, see Section 7, Maintenance, of this
manual. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
WARNING!
²Getting under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous.
The vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you.
You could be crushed. Never get any part of your
body under a vehicle that is on a jack. If you need
to get under a raised vehicle, take it to a service
center where it can be raised on a lift.
²The jack is designed to use as a tool for changing
tires only. The jack should not be used to lift the
vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle should
be jacked on a firm level surface only. Avoid ice or
slippery areas.
292 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Jack Location
The jack and jack-handle are stowed behind the rear left
side trim panel in the cargo area. Pull up on the lever to
release the cover.
Spare Tire Stowage
The spare tire is stowed under the rear of the vehicle by
means of a cable winch mechanism. To remove or stow
the spare, use the jack handle to rotate the ªspare tire
driveº nut. The nut is located under the plastic cover at
the center-rear of the cargo floor area, just inside the
liftgate opening.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 293
6

Spare Tire Removal
Fit the jack-handle over the drive nut. Rotate the nut to
the left until the spare is on the ground with enough slack
cable to allow you to pull the tire out from under the
vehicle.
CAUTION!
The winch mechanism is designed for use with the
jack handle only. Use of an air wrench or other
power tools is not recommended and can damage the
winch.
When the spare is clear, tilt the retainer at the end of the
cable and pull it through the center of the wheel.
Preparations For Jacking
Park the vehicle on a firm level surface, avoid ice or
slippery areas,set the parking brakeand place the gear
selector in PARK. Turn OFF the ignition.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off
the road to avoid the danger of being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.
294 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

²Turn on the Hazard Warning Flasher.
²Block both the front and rear
of the wheel diagonally oppo-
site the jacking position. For
example, if changing the right
front tire, block the left rear
wheel.
²Passengers should not remain in the vehicle when the
vehicle is being jacked.
Jacking Instructions
1. Remove the spare wheel, scissors jack and jack-handle
from stowage.
2. Loosen (but do not remove) the wheel lug nuts by
turning them to the left one turn while the wheel is still
on the ground.3. There are two jack engagement locations on each side
of the body Ð see illustration.
4. These locations are on the sill flange of the body and
consist of a pair of downstanding tabs. The jack is to be
located, engaging the flange, between the pair of tabs
closest to the wheel to be changed. Place the wrench on
the jack screw and turn to the right until the jack head is
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 295
6

properly engaged in the described location.Do not raise
the vehicle until you are sure the jack is securely
engaged.
5. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the right,
using the swivel wrench. Raise the vehicle only until the
tire just clears the surface and enough clearance is
obtained to install the spare tire. Minimum tire lift
provides maximum stability.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make
the vehicle less stable. It could slip off the jack and
hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle only enough
to remove the tire.
6. Remove the wheel lug nuts, for vehicles with wheel
covers, remove the cover from the wheel by hand. Do not
pry the wheel cover off. Then pull the wheel off the hub.
7. Install the spare wheel, for vehicles with wheel covers,
align the notch in the wheel cover with the valve stem on
the wheel. Install the cover on the wheel by hand only
and install the wheel lug nuts with the cone shaped end
of the nut toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the nuts. To
avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not
tighten the lug nuts fully until the vehicle has been
lowered.
NOTE:Do not install the wheel cover on the compact
spare.
Do not use a hammer or force to install the wheel covers.
8. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the left.
9. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the
wrench while tightening for increased leverage. Alternate
296 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES