2004 DODGE CARAVAN Owners Manual

1. Wear eye protection and remove any metal jewelry
such as watch bands or bracelets that might make an
inadvertent electrical contact.
2. When boost is provided by a battery in another
vehicle, park that vehicle within booster cable reach and
without letting the vehicles touch. Set the parking brake,
place the automatic transmission in PARK and turn the
ignition switch to the OFF position for both vehicles.
3. Turn off the heater, radio and all unnecessary electrical
loads.
4. Connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive
terminal of the discharged battery. Connect the other end
of the same cable to the positive terminal of the booster
battery.5. Connect the other cable, first to the negative terminal
of the booster battery andthen to the engine of the
vehicle with the discharged battery.Make sure you have
a good contact on the engine.
6. Start the engine in the vehicle which has the booster
battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, then start the
engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
7. When removing the jumper cables, reverse the above
sequence exactly. Be careful of the moving belts and fan.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 289
6

DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the front wheels to pull errati-
cally to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs when
there is a difference in the surface traction under the front
(driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is danger-
ous. Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of
the front wheels. You could lose control of the
vehicle and possibly have an accident. Accelerate
slowly and carefully whenever there is likely to be
poor traction (ice, snow, wet mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as hydroplaning and may cause
partial or complete loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the following precau-
tions should be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when roads are
slushy.
2. Slow down if road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace tires when tread wear indicators first become
visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front to avoid a collision in a sudden stop.
290 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between Reverse
and Drive. Usually the least accelerator pedal pressure to
maintain the rocking motion without spinning the
wheels is most effective.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire dam-
age or failure. A tire could explode and injure
someone. Do not spin your vehicle's wheels faster
than 35 mph (55 km/h) when you are stuck. And
don't let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter
what the speed.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure. It
can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 35 mph (55 km/h).
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
With Ignition Key
Front Wheel Drive
Your vehicle may be towed under the following condi-
tions: The gear selector must be in NEUTRAL, the
distance to be traveled must not exceed 100 miles (160
km), and the towing speed must not exceed 44 mph (72
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 291
6

km/h). Exceeding these towing limits may cause a trans-
mission geartrain failure. If the transmission is not op-
erative, or if the vehicle is to be towed more than 100
miles (160 km), the vehicle must be towed with the front
wheels off the ground.
All Wheel Drive
Your vehicle may be towed under the following condi-
tions: The gear selector must be in NEUTRAL, the
distance to be traveled must not exceed 100 miles (160
km), the towing speed must not exceed 44 mph (72
km/h), and both front and rear wheels must be on the
ground. If your vehicle must be towed farther or at a
higher rate of speed, it must be transported on a flat bed
truck.
All Transmissions
CAUTION!
²Do not attempt to tow this vehicle from the front
with sling type towing equipment. Damage to the
front fascia will result.
²Always use wheel lift equipment when towing
from the front. The only other approved method
of towing is with a flat bed truck.
²Do not tow the vehicle from the rear. Damage to
the rear sheet metal, liftgate and fascia will occur.
²Do not push or tow this vehicle with another
vehicle as damage to the bumper fascia and trans-
mission may result.
²If the vehicle being towed requires steering, the
ignition switch must be in the OFF position, not
in the LOCK or ACCESSORY positions.
292 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

If it is necessary to use the accessories while being towed
(wipers, defrosters, etc.), the key must be in the ON
position, not the ACCESSORY position. Make certain the
transmission remains in NEUTRAL.
Without The Ignition Key
Special care must be taken when the vehicle is towed
with the ignition in the LOCK position. The only ap-
proved method of towing with out the ignition key is
with a flat bed truck. Proper towing equipment is neces-
sary to prevent damage to the vehicle.
TOWING THIS VEHICLE BEHIND ANOTHER
VEHICLE (Flat towing with all four wheels on the
ground)
Flat towing of vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission, is only permitted within the limitations
described in this section.
TOWING THIS VEHICLE BEHIND ANOTHER
VEHICLE WITH A TOW DOLLEY
The manufacturedoes not recommendthat you tow an
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) or front wheel drive vehicle on a
tow dolley. Vehicle damage may occur.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 293
6

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
m2.4L Engine...........................298
m3.3L/3.8L Engines......................299
mOnboard Diagnostic System Ð OBD II........300
mEmissions Inspection And Maintenance
Programs............................301
mReplacement Parts......................302
mDealer Service.........................302
mMaintenance Procedures..................303
NEngine Oil..........................303NEngine Oil Filter......................307
NDrive Belts Ð Check Condition And Tension . . 307
NSpark Plugs.........................308
NEngine Air Cleaner Filter................308
NEngine Fuel Filter.....................309
NCatalytic Converter....................309
NMaintenance-Free Battery................311
NAir Conditioner......................312
NPower Steering Ð Fluid Check............314
7

NFront Suspension Ball Joints..............314
NSteering Shaft Seal....................314
NSteering Linkage......................315
NDrive Shaft Universal Joints..............315
NBody Lubrication.....................315
NWindshield Wiper Blades................316
NWindshield And Rear Window Washers.....316
NExhaust System......................317
NCooling System.......................318
NHoses And Vacuum/Vapor Harnesses.......322
NBrakes.............................323
NMaster Cylinder Ð ABS Brakes Brake Fluid
Level Check.........................324NFuel System Hoses....................326
NAutomatic Transmission................326
NAll Wheel Drive (AWD).................329
NFront And Rear Wheel Bearings...........330
NAppearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion...........................330
NCleaning The Instrument Panel And
Underseat Cup Holders.................334
mIntegrated Power Module (IPM)............336
mVehicle Storage........................337
mReplacement Light Bulbs.................338
mBulb Replacement......................339
NHeadlights..........................339
296 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE