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7. Remove the lug nuts, wheel cover (if equipped) and
tire. Remove the cover by hand, do not pry off.
8. Mount the spare tire. For vehicles equipped with
wheel covers, see the wheel cover installation instruc-
tions. Do not attempt to install a wheel cover on a
compact spare.
9. Tighten all the lug nuts on the mounting studs.
10. Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the jack
handle counterclockwise.
11. Fully tighten the lug nuts. Torque the wheel lug nuts
to 100 ft/lb. (135 N. m).
12. Store the flat tire, jack and tools.
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.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could endanger the occupants of the ve-
hicle. Always stow the jack parts and the spare tire in
the places provided.
Compact Spare Tire
The compact spare tire is for temporary emergency use
with radial tires. It is engineered to be used on your style
vehicle only. Since this tire has limited tread life, the
original tire should be repaired (or replaced) and rein-
stalled at the first opportunity.
•Keep tire inflated to 60 PSI (414 KPa) Cold Inflation
Pressure.
•Avoid driving more than 50 miles (80 km) before
replacing tire and wheel.
•This tire is designed as an emergency spare only-do
not exceed 50 MPH (80 km/h) speed.
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Wheel Cover Installation (If Required)
1. Tighten the two lug nuts on the mounting studs on
each side of the stud which is in alignment with the valve
stem.
2. Align the valve notch in the wheel cover with the
valve stem on the wheel.3. Install the cover by hand, snapping the cover over the
two lug nuts. Do not use a hammer or excessive force to
install the cover.
4. Return to Changing a Tire Section, Item #9 above.
JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURES IF BATTERY IS
LOW
WARNING!
Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan whenever
the hood is raised. It can start anytime the ignition
switch is on. You can be hurt by the fan.
270 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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4. Connect one end of the jumper cable to the remote
jump start positive battery post (A) in the engine com-
partment. Connect the other end of the same cable to the
positive terminal of the booster battery. Refer to the
following illustration for jump starting connections.
5. Connect the other cable, first to the negative terminal
of the booster battery andthen to the engine ground (B)
of the vehicle with the discharged battery.Make sure
you have a good contact on the engine ground. Refer to
the following illustration for jump starting connections.
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.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the wheels to pull erratically to
the right or left. This phenomenon occurs when there is a
difference in the surface traction under the rear (driving)
wheels.
Jump Starting
272 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is danger-
ous. Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of
the rear 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.
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.
NOTE:Turn off the Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
—if equipped, or Traction Control System (TCS)—if
equipped before rocking the vehicle. Refer to“Electronic
Stability Program,”or“Traction Control System”in Sec-
tion 3 of this manual for details.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 273
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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
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 30 miles (48 km),
and the towing speed must not exceed 30 mph (48
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 30 miles
(48 km), the vehicle must be transported using a flat bed
or the drive shaft disconnected at the rear axle drive
flange.
274 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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CAUTION!
•Do not attempt to tow this vehicle from the front
with sling type towing equipment. Damage to the
front fascia will result.
•The only approved method of towing is with a flat
bed truck.
•Do not tow the vehicle from the rear. Damage to
the rear sheet metal, and fascia will occur.
•Do not push or tow this vehicle with another
vehicle as damage to the bumper fascia and trans-
mission may result.
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 DOLLY
The manufacturedoes not recommendthat you tow this
vehicle on a tow dolly. Vehicle damage may occur.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 275
6
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▫Body Lubrication.....................296
▫Windshield Wiper Blades................296
▫Windshield Washers...................297
▫Exhaust System......................297
▫Cooling System.......................298
▫Hoses And Vacuum/Vapor Harnesses.......303
▫Brakes.............................303
▫Brake Fluid Level Check................304
▫Fuel System Hoses....................305
▫Automatic Transmission................306
▫Front And Rear Wheel Bearings...........307
▫Appearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion...........................307
▫Cleaning The Center Console Cup Holders . . . 310
Power Distribution Centers...............311▫Front Power Distribution Center...........311
▫Rear Power Distribution Center...........313
Vehicle Storage........................317
Replacement Light Bulbs................317
Bulb Replacement......................318
▫Low Beam Headlight, High Beam Headlight,
Park/Turn Light, And Front Sidemarker
Light..............................318
▫Backup Light, Side Marker Light, Tail/Turn
Light, And Tail/Stop Light...............320
▫License Light........................322
Fluids And Capacities...................323
Fluids, Lubricants And Genuine Parts.......324
▫Engine.............................324
▫Chassis............................325
278 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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If the transmission is disassembled for any reason, the
fluid and filter should be changed.
Front And Rear Wheel Bearings
Front and rear wheel bearings are permanently sealed.
No regular maintenance is required for these compo-
nents.
Appearance Care and Protection from Corrosion
Protection of Body and Paint from Corrosion
Vehicle body care requirements vary according to geo-
graphic locations and usage. Chemicals that make roads
passable in snow and ice, and those that are sprayed on
trees and road surfaces during other seasons, are highly
corrosive to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking,
which exposes your vehicle to airborne contaminants,
road surfaces on which the vehicle is operated, extreme
hot or cold weather and other extreme conditions will
have an adverse effect on paint, metal trim, and under-
body protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will enable
you to obtain maximum benefit from the corrosion
resistance built into your vehicle.
What Causes Corrosion?
Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of
paint and protective coatings from your vehicle.
The most common causes are:
•Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation.
•Stone and gravel impact.
•Insects, tree sap and tar.
•Salt in the air near seacoast localities.
•Atmospheric fallout/industrial pollutants.
Washing
•
Wash your vehicle regularly. Always wash your ve-
hicle in the shade using MoparCar Wash or a mild
car wash soap, and rinse the panels completely with
clear water.
•If insects, tar or other similar deposits have accumu-
lated on your vehicle, use MoparSuper Kleen Bug
and Tar Remover to remove.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 307
7