2007 DODGE NITRO manual transmission

ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord
to a standard 110-115 volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three wire extension cord.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 volt AC electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
Use the heater when temperatures below 0°F (-18°C) are
expected to last for several days.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
6-Speed Manual Transmission
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the
vehicle, especially on an incline.
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5

Follow the shift pattern on the gearshift knob.
NOTE:The backup lights will come on when your
vehicle is in R (Reverse) gear and the ignition is in the ON
position.WARNING!
When parking your vehicle, always leave a manual
transmission in first gear and apply the parking
brake fully to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage. Never use any gear as a
substitute for the parking brake.
CAUTION!
To drive as safely as possible and to prolong the life
of your manual transmission, follow these tips:
•Before shifting from a forward gear into reverse, or
from reverse to a forward gear, stop vehicle com-
pletely. Otherwise, accelerated transmission wear may
result.
Manual Shift Controls
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•Do not operate at sustained high engine or road
speeds in lower gears. Engine damage may result.
•Do not downshift into a low gear while traveling at too
high a speed for that gear. Engine, clutch, or transmis-
sion damage may result.
•Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal. This causes
heat buildup and damages the clutch.
•When you slow down or go up a grade, downshift as
speed requires or the engine may overheat.
•Never hold the vehicle stopped on a hill by using the
clutch pedal. The clutch may be damaged.
•During cold weather, you may experience increased
effort in shifting until the transmission fluid warms
up. This is normal.
•Push in the clutch pedal completely when shifting.
Otherwise, transmission or clutch damage may result.
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting between a
forward gear and reverse, do not spin wheels faster
than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
Recommended Manual Transmission Shifting
Speeds
The manufacturer recommends that you use the shift
speeds listed in the chart below.
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
En-
gineSpeeds 1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 6
3.7L Accel. 15 (24) 24
(39)34
(55)47
(76)56
(90)
Cruise 10 (16) 19
(31)27
(43)37
(60)41
(66)
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5

Recommended Manual Transmission Downshifting
Speeds
To prevent clutch and transmission damage, your vehicle
should be downshifted at speeds no greater than those
listed in the chart below:
Manual Transmission Downshift Speeds in MPH
(KM/H)
Gear
Selec-
tion6th to
5th5th to
4th4th to
3rd3rd to
2nd2nd to
1st
Maxi-
mum
Speed100
mph
(160
km/h)80 mph
(128
km/h)60 mph
(96
km/h)40 mph
(64
km/h)20 mph
(32
km/h)
CAUTION!
Failure to follow the recommended downshifting
speeds may cause the engine to over speed and/or
damage the clutch disc even if the clutch pedal is
depressed.
246 STARTING AND OPERATING

R (Reverse)
Use this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
N (Neutral)
Shift into N (Neutral) when the vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with the engine running. The engine
may be started in this range. Set the parking brake if you
must leave the vehicle.
NOTE:Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever in N (Neutral) can result
in severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in Section 5 and “Towing a Disabled Vehicle” in
Section 6 of this manual.
D (Drive)
For most city and highway driving.2 (Second)
For moderate grades and to assist braking on dry pave-
ment or in mud and snow. Begins at a stop in low gear
with automatic upshift to 2nd gear. Will not shift to 3rd.
1 (First)
For hard pulling at low speeds in mud, sand, snow, or on
steep grades. Begins and stays in low gear with no
upshift. Provides engine compression braking at low
speeds.
Overdrive Operation
The overdrive automatic transmission contains an elec-
tronically controlled fourth and fifth speed (Overdrive).
The transmission will automatically shift from 3rd gear to
Overdrive if the following conditions are present:
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5

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of P
(Park) or N (Neutral) if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly
forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the
vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
R (Reverse)
Use this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
N (Neutral)
Shift into N (Neutral) when the vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with the engine running. The engine
may be started in this range. Set the parking brake if you
must leave the vehicle.
NOTE:Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever in N (Neutral) can result
in severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in Section 5 and “Towing a Disabled Vehicle” in
Section 6 of this manual.
D (Drive)
The transmission automatically upshifts through fifth
gear. The D (Drive) position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control allows
you to move the shifter left (-) or right (+) when the
shifter is in the D (Drive) position, allowing the selection
256 STARTING AND OPERATING

A clutch within the torque converter engages automati-
cally at a calibrated speed at light throttle. It engages at
higher speeds under heavier acceleration. This may re-
sult in a slightly different feeling or response during
normal operation in high gear. When the vehicle speed
drops below a calibrated speed, or during acceleration,
the clutch automatically and smoothly disengages. The
feature is operational in Overdrive and in Drive.
NOTE:The torque converter clutch will not engage
until the transmission fluid and engine coolant are warm
[usually after 1-3 miles (1.6 - 4.8 km) of driving]. Because
the engine speed is higher when the torque converter
clutch is not engaged, it may seem as if the transmission
is not shifting into Overdrive when cold. This is normal.
Manually shifting between 3 (third gear) and 4 (fourth
gear) positions (using the ERS shift control) will demon-
strate that the transmission is able to shift into and out of
Overdrive.NOTE:If the vehicle has not been driven in several
days, the first few seconds of operation after shifting the
transmission into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to
the fluid partially draining from the torque converter into
the transmission. This condition is normal and will not
cause damage to the transmission. The torque converter
will refill within five seconds of shifting from Park into
any other gear position.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
MP 143 Single-Speed Part-Time Transfer Case —
If Equipped
Operating Information/Precautions
This is an electric shift transfer case and is operated by
the 4WD Control Switch (Transfer Case Switch), which is
located on the center console.
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5

Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked, and
the gear shift lever is in the P (Park) position (automatic
transmission) or R (Reverse) or 1st gear (manual trans-
mission). When parking on a hill, you should apply the
parking brake before placing the gear shift lever in P
(Park), otherwise the load on the transmission locking
mechanism may make it difficult to move the selector out
of P (Park).WARNING!
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also, be certain to leave an automatic
transmission in P (Park), a manual transmission in
R (Reverse) or 1st gear. Failure to do so may allow
the vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.
•Leaving children in a vehicle unattended is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be 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
problems due to excessive heating of the rear
brakes.
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