2006 DODGE POWER WAGON maintenance

WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Do only that service work for which
you have the knowledge and the proper equipment.
If you have any doubt about your ability to perform
a service job, take your vehicle to a competent
mechanic.
REPLACEMENT PARTS
Use of genuine Moparparts for normal/scheduled
maintenance and repairs is highly recommended to in-
sure the designed performance. Damage or failures
caused by the use of non-Mopar parts for maintenance
and repairs will not be covered by the manufacturer’s
warranty.
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain therequiredmaintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides the maintenance items for which there are fixed
maintenance intervals, there are other items that should
operate satisfactorily without periodic maintenance.
However, if a malfunction of these items does occur, it
could adversely affect the engine or vehicle performance.
These items should be inspected if a malfunction is
observed or suspected.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. The
best time to check the engine oil level is about 5 minutes
after a fully warmed up engine is shut off or before
starting the engine after it has sat overnight.
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•More than 50% of your driving is at sustained high
speeds during hot weather, above 32°C (90°F)
•Trailer towing
•Heavy Loading
•Taxi, Police or delivery service (commercial service)
•Off-road or desert operation
•If equipped for and operating with E-85 (ethanol)
fuel.
NOTE:IfANYof these apply to you then change your
engine oil every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months,
whichever comes first and follow schedule “B” of the
Maintenance Schedulessection of this manual.
If none of these apply to you, then change your engine oil
at every interval shown on scheduleAof theMainte-
nance Schedulessection of this manual.
Dusty Conditions
Driving through dust-laden air increases the problems of
keeping abrasive materials out of the engine. Under these
conditions, special attention should be given to the
engine air cleaner, the crankcase inlet air cleaner and the
crankcase ventilation system. Make sure that these units
are clean at all times. This will tend to reduce to a
minimum the amount of abrasive material that may enter
the engine.
Engine Oil Selection
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacture only
recommends engine oils that are API certified and meet
the requirements of DaimlerChrysler Material Standard
MS-6395. Use Mopar or an equivalent oil meeting the
specification MS-6395.
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Disposing of Used Engine Oil And Oil Filters
Care should be taken in disposing of used engine oil and
oil filters from your vehicle. Used oil and oil filters,
indiscriminately discarded, can present a problem to the
environment. Contact your dealer, service station, or
governmental agency for advice on how and where used
oil and oil filters can be safely discarded in your area.
Engine Oil Filter
The engine oil filter should be replaced at every engine
oil change.
Engine Oil Filter Selection
The manufacturer’s engines have a full-flow type oil
filter. Use a filter of this type for replacement. The quality
of replacement filters varies considerably. Only high
quality filters should be used to assure most efficient
service. Mopar Engine Oil Filters are a high quality oil
filter and are recommended.
Drive Belts — Check Condition and Tensioner
Belt tension is controlled by means of an automatic
tensioner. No belt tension adjustments are required.
However, belt and belt tensioner condition should be
inspected at the specified intervals and replaced if re-
quired. See your authorized dealer for service.
At the mileage indicated in the maintenance schedule, all
belts and tensioner should be checked for condition.
Improper belt tension can cause belt slippage and failure.
Belts should be inspected for evidence of cuts, cracks,
glazing or frayed cords and replaced if there is indication
of damage which could result in belt failure. Low gen-
erator belt tension can cause battery failure.
Also check belt routing to make sure there is no interfer-
ence between the belts and other engine components.
374 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Spark Plugs
Spark plugs must fire properly to assure engine perfor-
mance and emission control. New plugs should be in-
stalled at the specified mileage. The entire set should be
replaced if there is any malfunction due to a faulty spark
plug, malfunctioning spark plugs can damage the cata-
lytic converter. For proper type of replacement spark
plugs, refer to the “Vehicle Emission Control Informa-
tion” label in the engine compartment.
Engine Air Cleaner Filter
Under normal driving conditions, replace the air filter at
the intervals shown on Schedule “A”. If, however, you
drive the vehicle frequently under dusty or severe con-
ditions, the filter element should be inspected periodi-
cally and replaced if necessary at the intervals shown on
Schedule “B”.
WARNING!
The air induction system (air cleaner, hoses, etc) can
provide a measure of protection in the case of engine
backfire. Do not remove the air induction system (air
cleaner, hoses, etc) unless such removal is necessary
for repair or maintenance. Make sure that no one is
near the engine compartment before starting the
vehicle with the air induction system (air cleaner,
hoses, etc) removed. Failure to do so can result in
serious personal injury.
Engine Fuel Filter
A plugged fuel filter can cause stalling, limit the speed at
which a vehicle can be driven or cause hard starting.
Should an excessive amount of dirt accumulate in the
fuel tank, frequent filter replacement may be necessary.
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Catalytic Converter
The catalytic converter requires the use of unleaded fuel
only. Leaded gasoline will destroy the effectiveness of the
catalyst as an emission control device.
Under normal operating conditions, the catalytic con-
verter will not require maintenance. However, it is im-
portant to keep the engine properly tuned to assure
proper catalyst operation and prevent possible catalyst
damage.CAUTION!
Damage to the catalytic converter can result if your
vehicle is not kept in proper operating condition. In
the event of engine malfunction, particularly involv-
ing engine misfire or other apparent loss of perfor-
mance, have your vehicle serviced promptly. Contin-
ued operation of your vehicle with a severe
malfunction could cause the converter to overheat,
resulting in possible damage to the converter and the
vehicle.
NOTE:Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
376 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Emission-Related Components
Positive Crankcase (PCV) Valve
Proper operation of the crankcase ventilation system
requires that the PCV valve be free of sticking or plug-
ging from deposits. Deposits can accumulate in the PCV
valve and passages with increasing mileage. Have the
PCV valve, hoses, and passages checked for proper
operation at the intervals specified. If the valve is
plugged or sticking, replace with a new valve—do not
attempt to clean the old PCV valve!Check the ventila-
tion hoses for indications of damage, weepage or plug-
ging with deposits. Replace if necessary.
Maintenance Free Battery
The top of the maintenance free battery is permanently
sealed. You will never have to add water, nor is periodic
maintenance required.
WARNING!
Battery fluid is a corrosive acid solution and can
burn or even blind you. Don’t allow battery fluid to
contact your eyes, skin or clothing. Don’t lean over a
battery when attaching clamps. If acid splashes in
eyes or on skin, flush the area immediately with
large amounts of water.
Battery gas is flammable and explosive. Keep flame
or sparks away from the battery. Don’t use a booster
battery or any other booster source with an output
greater than 12 volts. Don’t allow cable clamps to
touch each other.
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories con-
tain lead and lead compounds. Wash hands after
handling.
378 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
It is essential when replacing the cables on the
battery that the positive cable is attached to the
positive post and the negative cable is attached to the
negative post. Battery posts are marked (+) positive
and negative (-) and identified on the battery case.
Also, if a “fast charger” is used while battery is in
vehicle, disconnect both vehicle battery cables be-
fore connecting the charger to battery. Do not use a
“fast charger” to provide starting voltage.
Air Conditioner Maintenance
For best possible performance, your air conditioner
should be checked and serviced by an Authorized Dealer
at the start of each warm season. This service should
include cleaning of the condenser fins and a performance
test. Drive belt tension should also be checked at this
time.
WARNING!
•Use only refrigerants and compressor lubricants
approved by the manufacturer for your air condi-
tioning system. Some unapproved refrigerants are
flammable and can explode, injuring you. Other
unapproved refrigerants or lubricants can cause
the system to fail, requiring costly repairs.
•The air conditioning system contains refrigerant
under high pressure. To avoid risk of personal
injury or damage to the system, adding refrigerant
or any repair requiring lines to be disconnected
should be done by an experienced repairman.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 379
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provide assist as the inclination angle of the vehicle
increases, i.e. when the vehicle is not on level ground.
NOTE:When anticipating any severe offroad/dusty or
wet conditions, ensure that the outer tie rod ends are
properly greased before ans soon after the vehicle is
taken through such conditions. The greasing will help
purge contaminants and water from under the seal.
Regular greasing will prolong the life of the ball joints.
The ball joints and seals should be inspected whenever
the vehicle is serviced for other reasons.
The ball joints originally supplied with the vehicle are
permanently lubricated at the factory and do not require
service. However, if the seals on the ball joints are
damaged, the joints should be replaced. Serviceable
replacement ball joints are available.Front suspension ball joints should be replaced only by a
qualified service technician using tools specially de-
signed for this purpose. Damage to the joints and/or
suspension components may result if improper replace-
ment procedures are used.
If seals are damaged the ball joints should be replaced to
prevent leakage or contamination of the grease.
Steering Linkage — Inspection
Whenever the vehicle is hoisted, all steering linkage
joints should be inspected for evidence of damage. If
seals are damaged, parts should be replaced to prevent
leakage or contamination of the grease. Lubricate the
steering linkage regularly according to the “Maintenance
Schedule” in this manual.
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