2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Owners Manual

Jacking Instructions — Non Stow ’n Go Seating
1. Loosen (but do not remove) the wheel lug nuts by
turning them to the left one turn while the wheel is still
on the ground. 2. Fit the jack handle over the drive nut. Rotate the nut to
the left until the spare is on the ground with enough slack
cable to allow you to pull the tire out from under the
vehicle.
CAUTION!The winch mechanism is designed for use with the
jack handle only. Use of an air wrench or other
power tools is not recommended and can damage the
winch.
3. When the spare is clear, tilt the retainer at the end of
the cable and pull it through the center of the wheel.
4. There are two jack engagement locations on each side
of the body — refer to the following illustration.Lowering Spare Tire WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 401
6

Jack Engagement Locations402 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

5. These locations are on the sill flange of the body and
consist of a pair of downstanding tabs. The jack is to be
located, engaging the flange, between the pair of tabs
closest to the wheel to be changed. Place the wrench on
the jack screw and turn to the right until the jack head is
properly engaged in the described location. Do not raise
the vehicle until you are sure the jack is securely
engaged.
6. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the right,
using the swivel wrench. Raise the vehicle only until the
tire just clears the surface and enough clearance is
obtained to install the spare tire. Minimum tire lift
provides maximum stability. 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.
7. Remove the wheel lug nuts, for vehicles with wheel
covers, remove the cover from the wheel by hand. Do not
pry the wheel cover off. Then pull the wheel off the hub.
8. Install the spare wheel, for vehicles with wheel covers,
align the notch in the wheel cover with the valve stem on
the wheel. Install the cover on the wheel by hand only
and install the wheel lug nuts with the cone shaped end
of the nut toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the lug nuts.
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not
tighten the lug nuts fully until the vehicle has been
lowered. WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 403
6

NOTE: Do not install the wheel cover on the compact
spare.
Do not use a hammer or force to install the wheel covers.
9. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the left.
10. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the
wrench while tightening for increased leverage. Alternate
lug nuts until each nut has been tightened twice. Correct
wheel nut tightness is 130 N·m (95 ft. lbs). If in doubt
about the correct tightness, have them checked with a
torque wrench by your dealer or at a service station.
11. Lower the jack to its fully closed position. 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.
12. Secure the flat or spare tire as follows:
• If your vehicle is equipped with cast aluminum
wheels, the center cap of the wheel must be re-
moved prior to flat tire stowage. Store the center cap
inside the glove box or other storage compartment.
• Turn the wheel so that the valve stem is down. Slide
the wheel retainer through the center of the wheel
and position it properly across the wheel opening.404 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

• For convenience in checking the spare tire inflation,
stow with the valve stem toward the rear of the
vehicle.
• Using the jack handle, rotate the drive nut to the
right until the wheel is drawn into place against the
underside of the vehicle.
• Continue to rotate the nut until you hear the mecha-
nism click three times. It cannot be overtightened.
Push against the tire several times to be sure it is
securely in place.
13. Stow the jack and jack handle.
14. Check the tire pressure as soon as possible. Correct
pressure as required. JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURE
WARNING!• Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it started.
Vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission cannot be
started this way. Unburned fuel could enter the catalytic con-
verter 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 another
vehicle. This type of start can be dangerous if done improperly,
so follow this procedure carefully.
• Battery fluid is a corrosive acid solution; do not allow battery
fluid to contact eyes, skin or clothing. Don’t lean over battery
when attaching clamps or allow the clamps to touch each other.
If acid splashes in eyes or on skin, flush contaminated area
immediately with large quantities of water.
• A battery generates hydrogen gas which is flammable and
explosive. Keep flame or spark away from the vent holes. Do
not use a booster battery or any other booster source with an
output that exceeds 12 volts.
• 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. WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 405
6

Check the Battery Test Indicator (if equipped). If a light or
bright colored dot is visible in the indicator (if equipped),
DO NOT jump-start the battery.
If the indicator (if equipped) is dark or shows a green dot,
proceed as follows:
1. Wear eye protection and remove any metal jewelry
such as watch bands or bracelets that might make an
inadvertent electrical contact.
2. When boost is provided by a battery in another
vehicle, park that vehicle within booster cable reach and
without letting the vehicles touch. Set the parking brake,
place the automatic transmission in PARK and turn the
ignition switch to the OFF position for both vehicles.
3. Turn off the heater, radio and all unnecessary electrical
loads. 4. Connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive
terminal of the discharged battery. Connect the other end
of the same cable to the positive terminal of the booster
battery.
WARNING!Do not permit vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
5. Connect the other cable, first to the negative terminal
of the booster battery and then to the engine of the
vehicle with the discharged battery. Make sure you have
a good contact on the engine.406 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!Do not connect the cable to the negative post of the
discharge battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode.
During cold weather when temperatures are below
freezing point, electrolyte in a discharged battery
may freeze. Do not attempt jump starting because
the battery could rupture or explode. The battery
temperature must be brought up above freezing
point before attempting jump start.
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. WARNING!Any procedure other than above could result in:
1. Personal injury caused by electrolyte squirting
out the battery vent;
2. Personal injury or property damage due to battery
explosion;
3. Damage to charging system of booster vehicle or
of immobilized vehicle.
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. WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 407
6

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 100 miles (160
km), and the towing speed must not exceed 44 mph (72
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 100
miles (160 km), the vehicle must be towed with the front
wheels off the ground.408 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES