2006 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Owners Manual

The washer fluid reservoir will hold a full gallon of fluid
when the Low Washer Fluid Light illuminates.
Electric Rear Window Defroster — If Equipped
Press this button to turn on the rear window
defroster and the optional heated mirrors. A light
will show that the defroster is on. The defroster automati-
cally turns off after about 10 minutes of operation.
If your vehicle is equipped with Infrared Three-Zone
Automatic Temperature Control the rear defroster sym-
bol will show in the display screen when the rear
window defroster is on.
Washer Fluid Reservoir
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 305
4

CAUTION!
To avoid damaging the electrical conductors of the
rear window defroster, do not use scrapers, sharp
instruments, or abrasive window cleaners on the
interior surface of the window.
Labels can be peeled off after soaking with warm
water.
306 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS

Starting Procedures .....................310
▫ Normal Starting ......................310
▫ Extremely Cold Weather
(Below
29°COr
20°F) ...............310
▫ If Engine Fails To Start .................311
▫ After Starting ........................312

Engine Block Heater — If Equipped .........312

Automatic Transmission ..................313
▫ Brake/Transmission Interlock System .......314 ▫
Automatic Transmission Ignition Interlock
System .............................314
▫ Four Speed Automatic Transmission ........314

Parking Brake .........................317

Brake System ..........................318
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System — If Equipped .....319

Power Steering ........................321

Traction Control — If Equipped ............322

Tire Safety Information ...................324
5

▫Tire Markings ........................324
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ..........327
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........328

Tires—General Information ................332
▫ Tire Pressure .........................332
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................333
▫ Radial-Ply Tires ......................335
▫ Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped .........336
▫ Limited Use Spare — If Equipped .........337
▫ Tire Spinning ........................337
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ..................338
▫ Life Of Tire .........................339
▫ Replacement Tires .....................339 ▫
Alignment And Balance .................340

Tire Pressure Monitor System — If Equipped . . . 341
▫ 1,2,3, Or 4 Tire(s) Low Pressure ...........341
▫ Check TPM System ....................341
▫ General Information ...................343

Tire Chains ...........................343

Snow Tires ...........................344

Tire Rotation Recommendations ............345

Fuel Requirements ......................346
▫ Reformulated Gasoline .................346
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............347
▫ MMT In Gasoline .....................347
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ................348
308 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Fuel System Cautions ..................348
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ..............349

Adding Fuel ..........................350
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) ...............350

Vehicle Loading ........................352
▫ Vehicle Certification Label ...............352
▫ Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) .......352
▫ Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) .........352
▫ Overloading .........................353
▫ Loading ............................353

Trailer Towing .........................354 ▫
Common Towing Definitions .............355
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification ...............357
▫ Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings) ......................357
▫ Trailer And Tongue Weight ..............359
▫ Towing Requirements ..................361
▫ Towing Tips .........................365

Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 366
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground) ............................366
STARTING AND OPERATING 309
5

STARTING PROCEDURES
CAUTION!
Long periods of engine idling, especially at high
engine speeds, can cause excessive exhaust tempera-
tures which can damage your vehicle. Do not leave
your vehicle unattended with the engine running.
WARNING!
Do not leave animals or children inside parked
vehicles in hot weather; interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
The gear selector must be in the NEUTRAL or PARK
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting into any driving gear.
Normal Starting
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.
310 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
mission cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel
could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine has started, ignite and damage the converter
and vehicle. If the vehicle has a discharged battery,
booster cables may be used to obtain a start from a
booster battery or the battery in another vehicle. This
type of start can be dangerous if done improperly.
See section 6 of this manual for the proper jump
starting procedures and follow them carefully.
WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
If Engine Fails to Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“NORMAL STARTING” procedure, it may be flooded.
Push the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and
hold it there while cranking the engine. This should clear
any excess fuel in case the engine is flooded.
STARTING AND OPERATING 311
5

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 up to 15
seconds with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to
the floor. Release the accelerator pedal and the key once
the engine is running smoothly. Do not overspeed en-
gine.
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” procedure
should be repeated.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord
to a standard 110-115 volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap that
is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.
312 STARTING AND OPERATING