2006 CHRYSLER 300 cooling

Cooling System
WARNING!
•When working near the radiator cooling fan, dis-
connect the fan motor lead or turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position. The fan is temperature
controlled and can start at any time the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
•You or others can be badly burned by hot coolant
or steam from your radiator. If you see or hear
steam coming from under the hood, don’t open
the hood until the radiator has had time to cool.
Never try to open a cooling system pressure cap
when the radiator is hot.
Coolant Checks
Check engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every 12
months (before the onset of freezing weather, where
applicable). If coolant is dirty or rusty in appearance, the
system should be drained, flushed and refilled with fresh
coolant. Check the front of the A/C condenser for any
accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean by gently
spraying water from a garden hose vertically down the
face of the condenser.
Check the coolant recovery bottle tubing for brittle rub-
ber, cracking, tears, cuts and tightness of the connection
at the bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire system for
leaks.
With the engine at normal operating temperature (but
not running), check the cooling system pressure cap for
proper vacuum sealing by draining a small amount of
coolant from the radiator drain cock. If the cap is sealing
properly, the engine coolant (antifreeze) will begin to
drain from the coolant recovery bottle. DO NOT RE-
MOVE THE COOLANT PRESSURE CAP WHEN THE
COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT.
312 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Cooling System—Drain, Flush and Refill
At the intervals shown on the Maintenance Schedules,
the system should be drained, flushed and refilled.
If the solution is dirty or contains a considerable amount
of sediment, clean and flush with a reliable cooling
system cleaner. Follow with a thorough rinsing to remove
all deposits and chemicals. Properly dispose of old
antifreeze solution.
Selection Of Coolant
Use only the manufacturer’s recommended coolant, refer
to Fluids, Lubricants and Genuine Parts for correct
coolant type.
CAUTION!
Mixing of coolants other than specified HOAT en-
gine coolants, may result in engine damage and may
decrease corrosion protection. If a non-HOAT cool-
ant is introduced into the cooling system in an
emergency, it should be replaced with the specified
coolant as soon as possible.
Do not use plain water alone or alcohol base engine
coolant (antifreeze) products. Do not use additional
rust inhibitors or antirust products, as they may not
be compatible with the radiator engine coolant and
may plug the radiator.
This vehicle has not been designed for use with
Propylene Glycol based coolants. Use of Propylene
Glycol based coolants is not recommended.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 313
7

Adding Coolant
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine
coolant that allows extended maintenance intervals. This
coolant can be used up to 5 Years or 100,000 miles (160
000 km) before replacement. To prevent reducing this
extended maintenance period, it is important that you
use the same coolant throughout the life of your vehicle.
Please review these recommendations for using Hybrid
Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) coolant.
When adding coolant, a minimum solution of 50% rec-
ommended MoparAntifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/100,000
Mile Formula HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technol-
ogy), or equivalent, in water should be used. Use higher
concentrations (not to exceed 70%) if temperatures below

34°F(
37°C) are anticipated.
Use only high purity water such as distilled or deionized
water when mixing the water/engine coolant solution.
The use of lower quality water will reduce the amount of
corrosion protection in the engine cooling system.Please note that it is the owner’s responsibility to main-
tain the proper level of protection against freezing ac-
cording to the temperatures occurring in the area where
the vehicle is operated.
NOTE:Mixing coolant types will decrease the life of the
engine coolant and will require more frequent coolant
changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of
coolant, and to insure that coolant will return to the
radiator from the coolant recovery bottle.
The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any
accumulation of foreign material on the sealing surfaces.
314 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•The warning words“DO NOT OPEN HOT”on
the cooling system pressure cap are a safety pre-
caution. Never add coolant when the engine is
overheated. Do not loosen or remove the cap to
cool an overheated engine. Heat causes pressure
to build up in the cooling system. To prevent
scalding or injury, do not remove the pressure cap
while the system is hot or under pressure.
•Do not use a pressure cap other than the one
specified for your vehicle. Personal injury or
engine damage may result.
Disposal of Used Engine Coolant
Used ethylene glycol based engine coolant is a regulated
substance requiring proper disposal. Check with your
local authorities to determine the disposal rules for your
community. To prevent ingestion by animals or children
do not store ethylene glycol based engine coolant in open
containers or allow it to remain in puddles on theground. If ingested by a child, contact a physician
immediately. Clean up any ground spills immediately.
Coolant Level
The coolant bottle provides a quick visual method for
determining that the coolant level is adequate. With the
engine off and cold, the level of the coolant in the bottle
should be between the ranges indicated on the bottle.
The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is
no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking for
coolant freeze point or replacing coolant. Advise your
service attendant of this. As long as the engine operating
temperature is satisfactory, the coolant bottle need only
be checked once a month.
When additional coolant is needed to maintain the
proper level, it should be added to the coolant bottle. Do
not overfill.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 315
7

Points To Remember
NOTE:
When the vehicle is stopped after a few miles
(kilometers) of operation, you may observe vapor coming
from the front of the engine compartment. This is nor-
mally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or high
humidity accumulating on the radiator and being vapor-
ized when the thermostat opens, allowing hot coolant to
enter the radiator.
If an examination of your engine compartment shows no
evidence of radiator or hose leaks, the vehicle may be
safely driven. The vapor will soon dissipate.
•Do not overfill the coolant recovery bottle.
•Check coolant freeze point in the radiator and in the
coolant recovery bottle. If antifreeze needs to be
added, contents of coolant recovery bottle must also be
protected against freezing.
•If frequent coolant additions are required, or if the
level in the coolant recovery bottle does not drop when
the engine cools, the cooling system should be pres-
sure tested for leaks.
•Maintain coolant concentration at 50% HOAT engine
coolant (minimum) and distilled water for proper
corrosion protection of your engine which contains
aluminum components.
•Make sure that the radiator and coolant recovery
bottle overflow hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
•Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is
equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean, also.
•Do not change the thermostat for summer or winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs may
result in unsatisfactory coolant performance, poor gas
mileage, and increased emissions.
Hoses And Vacuum/Vapor Harnesses
Inspect surfaces of hoses and nylon tubing for evidence
of heat and mechanical damage. Hard or soft spots,
brittle rubber, cracking, tears, cuts, abrasions, and exces-
sive swelling indicate deterioration of the rubber.
316 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Cooling System *
2.7 Liter Engines (Mopar
Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/
100,000 Mile Formula) or
equivalent.9.7 qts 9.2 liters
3.5 Liter Engines (Mopar
Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/
100,000 Mile Formula) or
equivalent.10.6 qts 10.0 li-
ters
5.7 Liter Engines (Mopar
Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/
100,000 Mile Formula) or
equivalent.14.6 qts 13.8 li-
ters
* Includes heater and coolant recovery bottle filled to
MAX level.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 345
7

Compass Variance...................... 155
Computer, Trip/Travel................... 153
Console.............................. 135
Console, Floor......................... 135
Console, Overhead...................... 122
Contract, Service....................... 368
Coolant Pressure Cap.................... 314
Cooling System........................ 312
Adding Coolant (Antifreeze)............. 314
Coolant Capacity..................... 344
Coolant Level.....................312,315
Disposal of Used Coolant............... 315
Drain, Flush, and Refill................. 313
Inspection........................... 315
Points to Remember................... 316
Pressure Cap........................ 314
Radiator Cap........................ 314
Selection of Coolant (Antifreeze)....313,344,346
Cruise Control (Speed Control)............. 119
Cup Holder........................133,325
Customer Assistance.................... 366
Data Recorder, Event..................... 51Dealer Service......................... 297
Defroster, Rear Window.................. 193
Defroster, Windshield...............61,195,200
Delay (Intermittent) Wipers............... 109
Diagnostic System, Onboard............... 295
Dimmer Switch, Headlight................ 106
Disposal
Antifreeze (Engine Coolant)............. 315
Door Locks............................ 15
Door Locks, Automatic................... 17
Door Opener, Garage.................... 123
Drive Belts............................ 303
Driving
On Slippery Surfaces.................. 284
DVD Player (Video Entertainment System).... 186
Electric Remote Mirrors................... 69
Electrical Power Outlets.................. 131
Electronic Speed Control (Cruise Control)..... 119
Electronic Stability Program (ESP).......... 117
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) . . 150
Emergency, In Case of
Freeing Vehicle When Stuck............. 285
376 INDEX

Hazard Warning Flasher................ 274
Jacking............................. 275
Jump Starting........................ 282
Overheating......................... 274
Towing............................. 286
Emission Control System Maintenance....296,350
Engine.........................292,293,294
Air Cleaner.......................... 304
Air Cleaner Filter..................... 304
Block Heater......................... 210
Break-In Recommendations............... 60
Checking Oil Level.................298,299
Compartment..................292,293,294
Coolant (Antifreeze)................312,346
Cooling............................ 312
Exhaust Gas Caution................60,256
Fails to Start......................... 209
Fuel Requirements.................253,344
Oil ..........................298,344,346
Oil Change Interval................... 300
Oil Selection......................300,344
Oil Synthetic......................... 302
Overheating......................... 274Temperature Gauge................... 146
Enhanced Accident Response Feature......... 50
Event Data Recorder..................... 51
Exhaust Gas Caution...............60,256,311
Exhaust System........................ 311
Exterior Folding Mirrors.................. 68
Filters
Air Cleaner.......................... 304
Air Conditioning..................202,308
Engine Fuel......................... 304
Engine Oil.......................303,346
Engine Oil Disposal................... 302
Flashers
Hazard Warning...................... 274
Turn Signal.......................... 143
Flash-To-Pass.......................... 106
Flat Tire Changing...................... 275
Floor Console.......................... 135
Fluid Capacities........................ 344
Fluid Leaks............................ 61
Fluid Level Checks
Brake.............................. 318
INDEX 377
10