Page 319 of 467

Sulfur In Gasoline
If you live in the northeast United States, your vehicle
may have been designed to meet California low emission
standards with Cleaner-Burning California reformulated
gasoline with low sulfur. If such fuels are not available in
states adopting California emission standards, your ve-
hicles will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be adversely affected. Gasoline sold outside of
California is permitted to have higher sulfur levels which
may affect the performance of the vehicle’s catalytic
converter. This may cause the Check Engine or Service
Engine Soon light to illuminate. We recommend that you
try a different brand of unleaded gasoline having lower
sulfur to determine if the problem is fuel related prior to
returning your vehicle to an authorized dealer for ser-
vice.CAUTION!
If the Check Engine or Service Engine Soon light is
flashing, immediate service is required; see onboard
diagnostics system section.
Materials Added To Fuel
All gasolines sold in the United States are required to
contain effective detergent additives. Use of additional
detergents or other additives is not needed under normal
conditions and would result in unnecessary cost. There-
fore, you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
ADDING FUEL
NOTE:If fuel is poured from a portable container, the
container should have a flexible nozzle long enough to
extend into the fuel filler tube.
STARTING AND OPERATING 319
5
Page 322 of 467

•When pulling a heavy load or driving a fully loaded
vehicle when the humidity is low and the temperature
is high, use a premium unleaded fuel to help prevent
spark knock. If spark knock persists, lighten the load,
or engine piston damage may result.
•The use of fuel additives which are now being sold as
octane enhancers is not recommended. Many of these
products contain high concentrations of methanol.
Fuel system damage or vehicle performance problems
resulting from the use of such fuels or additives is not
the responsibility of the manufacturer.
NOTE:Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
Carbon Monoxide Warnings
WARNING!
Carbon monoxide (CO) in exhaust gases is deadly.
Follow the precautions below to prevent carbon
monoxide poisoning:
•Do not inhale exhaust gases. They contain carbon
monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas which can kill.
Never run the engine in a closed area, such as a
garage, and never sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running for an extended period. If the vehicle is
stopped in an open area with the engine running for
more than a short period, adjust the ventilation system
to force fresh, outside air into the vehicle.
322 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 373 of 467

Engine Oil Identification (API) Symbol
There is a symbol to aid you in selecting the proper
engine oil.
This symbol means that the oil has
been certified by the American Pe-
troleum Institute (API). The manu-
facturer only recommends API Cer-
tified engine oils that meet the
requirements of DaimlerChrysler
Material Standard MS-6395. Use
Mopar or an equivalent oil meeting
the specification MS-6395.
Engine Oil Viscosity (SAE Grade)
SAE 5W-20 engine oil is recommended for all operating
temperatures. This engine oil improves low tempera-
ture starting and vehicle fuel economy. Refer to your
engine oil filler cap for the recommended engine oil
viscosity for your vehicle.For information on engine oil filler cap location, see the
Engine Compartment illustration in this section.
Lubricants which do not have both, the engine oil certi-
fication mark and the correct SAE viscosity grade num-
ber should not be used.
Synthetic Engine Oils
There are a number of engine oils being promoted as
either synthetic or semi-synthetic. If you chose to use
such a product, useonlythose oils that are API Certified
and meet the SAE viscosity standard. Follow the service
schedule that describes your driving type.
Materials Added to Engine Oil
The manufacture strongly recommends against the addi-
tion of any additives (other than leak detection dyes) to
the engine oil. Engine oil is an engineered product and
it’s performance may be impaired by supplemental ad-
ditives.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 373
7
Page 452 of 467

Adding Fuel........................319,347
Air Cleaner, Engine (Engine Air Cleaner Filter) . 375,398
Air Conditioner Maintenance............... 379
Air Conditioning Refrigerant.............379,380
Air Conditioning System................216,379
Air Conditioning System, Zone Control........ 219
Air Pressure, Tires....................306,314
Airbag.............................. 45,51
Airbag Light......................... 72,169
Airbag On/Off Switch..................... 51
Airbag, Side............................ 54
Alarm .............................. 29,171
Alignment and Balance................... 313
Alterations/Modifications, Vehicle............. 7
Antifreeze (Engine Coolant)..............387,417
Anti-Lock Warning Light...............173,294
Anti-Theft System..................... 29,171
Appearance Care........................ 401
Ashtray............................... 152Automatic Transmission
Adding Fluid......................... 394
Fluid and Filter Changes................. 395
Fluid Level Check...................... 393
FluidType ........................395,419
Shift Indicator........................ 171
Shifting ............................. 280
Special Additives...................... 395
AxleFluid ..........................391,419
Axle Lubrication........................ 391
BallJoints ............................. 380
Battery............................... 378
Emergency Starting..................... 356
Saving Feature (Protection)............... 122
Bearings.............................. 396
Belts,Drive ............................ 374
Belts, Seat.............................. 34
Body Mechanism Lubrication............... 382
452 INDEX