2007 DODGE MAGNUM warning

R (Reverse)
For moving the vehicle rearward. Always stop before
moving the lever to R (Reverse), except when rocking
the vehicle.
N (Neutral)
Engine may be started in this range.
CAUTION!
Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other reason
with selector lever in NEUTRAL can result in trans-
mission damage.
WARNING!
Do not coast in N (Neutral) and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have an accident.
D (Overdrive)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest up shifts and down
shifts, and the best fuel economy. Select the “3” range
when frequent transmission shifting occurs when us-
ing the Overdrive range, such as when operating the
vehicle under heavy loading conditions (in hilly ter-
rain, traveling into strong head winds, or while tow-
ing heavy trailers.
NOTE:
•
If the vehicle is started in cold temperatures, shifts into
Overdrive may be delayed. Normal Overdrive and
shifting operation will resume when the temperature
of the transmission reaches the appropriate tempera-
ture. Refer to the “Note” under “Torque Converter
Clutch” later in this section.
•If the transmission temperature gets too hot, the
transmission may downshift out of Overdrive or en-
gage overdrive at higher vehicle speeds until the
transmission cools down. After cooldown, Overdrive
will resume normal operation.
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5 Speed Automatic Transmission
Shifting from D (Drive) to P (Park) or R (Reverse) (or
from P or R to D) should be done only after the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake when moving the
selector lever between these gears.
Gear Ranges
P (Park)
P (Park) supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.Never use P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in
this range.
When parking on a flat surface, place the gear selector in
the P (Park) position first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the gear selector in P (Park), other-
wise the load on the transmission locking mechanism
may make it difficult to move the selector out of park. As
an added precaution, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
WARNING!
Never use Park position on an automatic transmis-
sion as a substitute for the parking brake. Always
apply parking brake fully when parked to guard
against vehicle movement and possible injury or
damage.
Selector Lever
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5

The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the selector lever into the P (Park)
position:
•When shifting into P (Park) move the lever all the way
forward until it stops, and is fully seated.
•Look at the shift indicator display on the instrument
panel to ensure it is in the P (Park) position.
CAUTION!
Damage to the shifter could result if the selector
lever is moved out of P (Park) before the ignition is
turned from the LOCK to ON position.
R (Reverse)
Shift into R (Reverse) gear only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
N (Neutral)
No power is transmitted from the engine to the drive
axle. When the brakes are released, the vehicle can be
moved freely (pushed or towed). Do not engage N(Neutral) position while driving except to coast when
the vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g., on icy roads).
The engine may be started in this range. Use this range
for starting your vehicle if it is moving or being towed.
CAUTION!
Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other reason
with selector lever in NEUTRAL can result in trans-
mission damage.
WARNING!
Do not coast in N (Neutral) and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have an accident.
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D (Drive)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts and best fuel economy.
The transmission automatically upshifts through fifth
gear. The D (Drive) position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs when using
the Overdrive range, such as when operating the vehicle
under heavy loading conditions (in hilly terrain, travel-
ing into strong head winds, or while towing heavy
trailers, use the AutoStickmode and select the “3”
range.
AutoStickGear selection
The AutoStickfeature can be selected by pressing the
selector lever to the right or the left with the lever in the
D (Drive) position. The gear currently selected is indi-
cated in the instrument cluster display. Briefly, press the
selector lever in the “D -” direction and the transmission
will shift from the current gear to the next lower gear.Press and hold the selector lever in the “D-” direction and
the transmission will shift from the current gear directly
to the next lowest gear for best acceleration.
NOTE:To avoid overrevving the engine when the
selector lever is moved in “D -” direction, the transmis-
sion will not shift to a lower gear if the engine’s revolu-
tions per minute (RPM) limit would be exceeded.
Briefly, press the selector lever in the “D +” direction and
the transmission will shift from the current gear to the
next higher gear.
Press and hold the selector lever in the “D +” direction
and the transmission will shift from the current gear
directly to gear “D.”
WARNING!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in order to
obtain braking action. This could result in drive wheel
slip and reduced vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS
will not prevent this type of loss of control. You could
lose control of your vehicle and have an accident.
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5

CAUTION!
All wheels must have the same size and type tires.
Unequal tire sizes must not be used. Unequal tire
size may cause failure of the front differential and/or
the transfer case.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the rear wheels to pull errati-
cally to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs when
there is a difference in the surface traction under the rear
(driving) wheels.
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 the 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.
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PARKING BRAKE
The parking brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.
WARNING!
Never use Park position on an automatic transmis-
sion as a substitute for the parking brake. Always
apply parking brake fully when parked to guard
against vehicle movement and possible injury or
damage.
When parking on a flat surface, place the gear selector in
the P (Park) position first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, it is important to apply the
parking brake before placing the gear selector in P (Park),
otherwise the load on the transmission locking mecha-
nism may make it difficult to move the selector out of
park. As an added precaution, turn the front wheels
toward the curb on a downhill grade and away from the
curb on an uphill grade.The foot operated parking brake is positioned below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel. To apply the
parking brake, push the parking brake pedal down and
then remove your foot from the pedal. To release the
parking brake, push down on the parking brake pedal
and then release.
The brake light in the instrument cluster will turn on
when the parking brake is applied and the ignition
switch is on.
Parking Brake
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5

NOTE:This light only shows that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
WARNING!
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for
a number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the keys
in the ignition. A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving: failure to do so can lead to brake
failure, and an accident.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with dual hydraulic
brake systems. If either of the two hydraulic
systems loses normal capability, the remaining
system will still function. There will be some
loss of overall braking effectiveness. This may be evident
by increased pedal travel during application, greater
pedal force required to slow or stop, and potential
activation of the Brake Warning Light.
In the event power assist is lost for any reason (for
example, repeated brake applications with the engine off)
the brakes will still function. The effort required to brake
the vehicle will be much greater than that required with
the power system operating.
Anti-Lock Brake System — If Equipped
The Anti-Lock Brake System provides increased vehicle
stability and brake performance under most braking
conditions. The system automatically “pumps” the
brakes during severe braking conditions to prevent
wheel lock-up.
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WARNING!
•The Anti-Lock Brake System contains sophisticated
electronic equipment that may be susceptible to inter-
ference caused by improperly installed or high output
radio transmitting equipment. This interference can
cause possible loss of anti-lock braking capability. In-
stallation of such equipment should be performed by
qualified professionals.
•Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish their
effectiveness and may lead to an accident. Pumping
makes the stopping distance longer. Just press firmly on
your brake pedal when you need to slow down or stop.
•Anti-lock system (ABS) cannot prevent the natural laws
of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking or steering efficiency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or the
traction afforded.
•The ABS cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, following an-
other vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
•The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must never
be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner, which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of others.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
Anti-Lock Brake Light
The ABS light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake Sys-
tem. The light will come on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position and may stay on for
as long as four seconds.
If the ABS light remains on or comes on while driving, it
indicates that the Anti-Lock portion of the brake system
is not functioning and that service is required. However,
the conventional brake system will continue to operate
normally if the BRAKE warning light is not on.
If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of Anti-Lock
brakes. If the ABS light does not come on when the
Ignition switch is turned to the ON position, have the
bulb repaired as soon as possible.
If both the Brake Warning Light and the ABS Light
remain on, the Anti-Lock brakes (ABS) and Electronic
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