2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN light

CAUTION!To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly. Do not overspeed engine.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “ NORMAL STARTING ” , “ COLD
WEATHER ” or “ HIGH ALTITUDE ” procedure should be
repeated. After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
3.3L and 3.8L Engine
Normal Starting of either a cold or a warm engine is
obtained without pumping or depressing the accelerator
pedal. Turn the key to the “ START ” position and release
when the engine starts. If the engine has not started
within 3 seconds, slightly depress the accelerator pedal
while continuing to crank. If the engine fails to start
within 15 seconds, turn the key to the “ OFF ” position,
wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the normal starting
procedure.
Extremely Cold Weather (below
29 ° Cor
20 ° F) To
insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your dealer) is recommended.294 STARTING AND OPERATING

transmission operating temperature exceeds acceptable
limits. This is done to prevent transmission damage due
to overheating.
PARKING BRAKE
When the parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch on, the brake light in the instrument cluster will
turn on.
NOTE: This light only shows that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied and place the gear selector in the
Park position. To release the parking brake, pull out on
the parking brake release located on the left side of the
instrument panel. When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the gear selector in Park, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the selector out of park. As an Parking Brake Release STARTING AND OPERATING 301
5

by increased pedal travel during application, greater
pedal force required to slow or stop, and potential
activation of the Brake Warning Lamp.
Anti-Lock Brake System — If Equipped
The Anti-Lock Brake System provides increased vehicle
stability and brake performance under most braking
conditions. The system automatically “ pumps ” the
brakes during severe braking conditions to prevent
wheel lock-up.
WARNING!Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish
their effectiveness and may lead to an accident.
Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just
press firmly on your brake pedal when you need to
slow down or stop. The ABS light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake
System. The light will come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position
and may stay on for as long as four seconds.
If the ABS light remains on or comes on while driving, it
indicates that the Anti-Lock portion of the brake system
is not functioning and that service is required. However,
the conventional brake system will continue to operate
normally if the BRAKE warning light is not on.
If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of Anti-Lock
brakes. If the ABS light does not come on when the
Ignition switch is turned to the ON position, have the
bulb repaired as soon as possible.
If both the Brake Warning Light and the ABS Light
remain on, the Anti-Lock brakes (ABS) and Electronic
Brake Force Distribution (EBD) systems are not function-
ing. Immediate repair to the ABS system is required. STARTING AND OPERATING 303
5

When the vehicle is driven over approximately 15 mph
(25 km/h), you may also hear a slight clicking sound as
well as some related motor noises. These noises are the
system performing its self check cycle to ensure that the
ABS system is working properly. This self check occurs
each time the vehicle is started and accelerated past
approximately 15 mph (25 km/h).
ABS is activated during braking under certain road or
stopping conditions. ABS-inducing conditions can in-
clude ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose
debris, or panic stops.
You also may experience the following when the brake
system goes into Anti-lock:
• The ABS motor running (it may continue to run for a
short time after the stop),
• the clicking sound of solenoid valves,
• brake pedal pulsations, • and a slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the
end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
WARNING!The Anti-Lock Brake System contains sophisticated
electronic equipment that may be susceptible to
interference caused by improperly installed or high
output radio transmitting equipment. This interfer-
ence can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking
capability. Installation of such equipment should be
performed by qualified professionals.304 STARTING AND OPERATING

TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION
Tire Markings
NOTE:
• P(Passenger)-Metric tire sizing is based on U.S. design
standards. P-Metric tires have the letter “ P ” molded
into the sidewall preceding the size designation. Ex-
ample: P215/65R15 95H. • European Metric tire sizing is based on European
design standards. Tires designed to this standard have
the tire size molded into the sidewall beginning with
the section width. The letter  P  is absent from this tire
size designation. Example: 215/65R15 96H
• LT(Light Truck)-Metric tire sizing is based on U.S.
design standards. The size designation for LT-Metric
tires is the same as for P-Metric tires except for the
letters “ LT ” that are molded into the sidewall preced-
ing the size designation. Example: LT235/85R16.
• Temporary Spare tires are high pressure compact
spares designed for temporary emergency use only.
Tires designed to this standard have the letter “ T ”
molded into the sidewall preceding the size designa-
tion. Example: T145/80D18 103M.
• High Flotation tire sizing is based on U.S. design
standards and begins with the tire diameter molded
into the sidewall. Example: 31x10.5 R15 LT.308 STARTING AND OPERATING

Tire Sizing Chart
EXAMPLE:
Size Designation:
P = Passenger car tire size based on U.S. design standards
 ....blank....  = Passenger car tire based on European design standards
LT = Light Truck tire based on U.S. design standards
T = Temporary Spare tire
31 = Overall Diameter in Inches (in)
215 = Section Width in Milimeters (mm)
65 = Aspect Ratio in Percent (%)
— Ratio of section height to section width of tire.
10.5 = Section Width in Inches (in)
R = Construction Code
—  R  means Radial Construction.
—  D  means Diagonal or Bias Construction.
15 = Rim Diameter in Inches (in) STARTING AND OPERATING 309
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EXAMPLE:
Service Description:
95 = Load Index
— A numerical code associated with the maximum load a tire can carry.
H = Speed Symbol
— A symbol indicating the range of speeds at which a tire can carry a load corresponding
to its load index under certain operating conditions.
— The maximum speed corresponding to the Speed Symbol should only be achieved un-
der specified operating conditions. (ie. tire pressure, vehicle loading, road conditions and
posted speed limits).
Load Identification:
 ....blank....  = Absence of any text on sidewall of the tire indicates a Standard Load (SL) Tire
Extra Load (XL) = Extra Load (or Reinforced) Tire
Light Load = Light Load Tire
C,D,E = Load range associated with the maximum load a tire can carry at a specified pressure
Maximum Load — Maximum Load indicates the maximum load this tire is designed to carry.
Maximum Pressure — Maximum Pressure indicates the maximum permissible cold tire inflation pressure for this
tire. 310 STARTING AND OPERATING

The suggested rotation method is the “ forward-cross ”
shown in the following diagram.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
Your vehicle is designed to meet all emis-
sion regulations and provide excellent fuel
economy when using high quality regular
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of
87. The use of premium gasoline is not recommended. The use of premium gasoline will provide
no benefit over high quality regular gasolines, and in
some circumstances, may result in poorer performance.
Light spark knock at low engine speeds is not harmful to
your engine. However, continued heavy spark knock at
high speeds can cause damage and immediate service is
required.
Poor quality gasoline can cause problems such as hard
starting, stalling and hesitations. If you experience these
symptoms, try another brand of “ regular ” gasoline be-
fore considering service for the vehicle.
Over 40 automobile manufacturers around the world
have issued and endorsed consistent gasoline specifica-
tions (the World Wide Fuel Charter, WWFC) to define
fuel properties necessary to deliver enhanced emissions,
engine performance, and durability for your vehicle. The
manufacturer recommends the use of gasolines that meet
the WWFC specifications if they are available.330 STARTING AND OPERATING