2008 CHRYSLER 300 Transmission

SETTING THE ANALOG CLOCK
To set the analog clock at the top center of the instrument
panel, press and hold the button until the setting is
correct.
RADIO GENERAL INFORMATION
Radio Broadcast Signals
Your new radio will provide excellent reception under
most operating conditions. Like any system, however, car
radios have performance limitations, due to mobile op-
eration and natural phenomena, which might lead you to
believe your sound system is malfunctioning. To help
you understand and save you concern about these “ap-
parent” malfunctions, you must understand a point or
two about the transmission and reception of radio sig-
nals.
Two Types of Signals
There are two basic types of radio signals... AM (Ampli-
tude Modulation), in which the transmitted sound causes
the amplitude, or height, of the radio waves to vary... and
FM (Frequency Modulation), in which the frequency of
the wave is varied to carry the sound.
Analog Clock
232 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Electrical Disturbances
Radio waves may pick up electrical disturbances during
transmission. They mainly affect the wave amplitude,
and thus remain a part of the AM reception. They
interfere very little with the frequency variations that
carry the FM signal.
AM Reception
AM sound is based on wave amplitude, so AM reception
can be disrupted by such things as lightning, power lines
and neon signs.
FM Reception
Because FM transmission is based on frequency varia-
tions, interference that consists of amplitude variations
can be filtered out, leaving the reception relatively clear,
which is the major feature of FM radio.NOTE:For vehicles not equipped with the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC), the radio, steering
wheel radio controls (if equipped), and 6 disc CD/DVD
changer (if equipped) will remain active for 10 minutes
after the ignition switch is turned off. Opening either
front door will cancel this feature.
NOTE:For vehicles equipped with the Electronic Ve-
hicle Information Center (EVIC), the radio, steering
wheel radio controls (if equipped), and 6 disc CD/DVD
changer (if equipped) will remain active for up to 60
minutes after the ignition switch is turned off. Opening
either front door will cancel this feature. The time is
programmable. For details, refer to “Delay Power Off to
Accessories Until Exit,” under “Personal Settings (Cus-
tomer Programmable Features),” under “Electronic Ve-
hicle Information Center (EVIC)” in Section 4 of this
manual.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 233
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STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS

Starting Procedures.....................299
▫Automatic Transmission................300
▫Normal Starting (Tip Start)..............301
▫Extremely Cold Weather
(Below
20°F Or
29°C)................301
▫If Engine Fails To Start.................302
▫After Starting........................303

Engine Block Heater — If Equipped.........303

Automatic Transmission..................303▫Automatic Transmission —
General Information...................304
▫Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . . 306
▫4 Speed Automatic Transmission..........307
▫5 Speed Automatic Transmission..........312

AutoStick— If Equipped................318
▫AutoStickOperation..................318

All Wheel Drive — If Equipped............319

Driving On Slippery Surfaces..............319
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Automatic Transmission
The gear selector must be in the “N” (Neutral) or “P”
(Park) position before you can start the engine. Apply the
brakes before shifting into any driving gear.CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
•Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
300 STARTING AND OPERATING

If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
•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 converter and once
the engine has started, ignite and damage the
converter and vehicle. If the vehicle has a dis-
charged battery, booster cables may be used to
obtain a start from a booster battery or the battery
in another vehicle. This type of start can be dan-
gerous if done improperly. Refer to Section 6 of
this manual for proper jump starting procedures
and follow them carefully.
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather” proce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel, push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Then, turn the ignition switch to the START position and
release it as soon as the starter engages. The starter motor
will disengage automatically in 10 seconds. Once this
occurs, release the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then
repeat the normal starting procedure.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, wait 10 to 15
seconds before trying again.
302 STARTING AND OPERATING

After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
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.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap that
is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 volt electrical cord could cause
electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
•Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
STARTING AND OPERATING 303
5

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of “P” or
“N” 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.
Automatic Transmission — General Information
The automatic transmission selects individual gears au-
tomatically, dependent upon:
•Altitude
•Vehicle Loading
•Driving Style
•Selector lever position
•Accelerator position
•Vehicle speed
The gear shifting process is continuously adapted, de-
pendent on the driving style, the driving situation, and
the road characteristics.
NOTE:
•After selecting any driving position, wait a moment to
allow the gear to engage fully before accelerating,
especially when the engine is cold.
•If there is a need to restart the engine, be sure to cycle
the key to the LOCK position before restarting. Trans-
mission engagement may be delayed up to 10 seconds
after restart if the key is not cycled to the LOCK
position first.
304 STARTING AND OPERATING

•The electronically controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating. Therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt or soft until after the
break-in period. This is a normal condition, and pre-
cision shifts will develop within a few shift cycles.
The selector lever is automatically locked while in the
“P” (Park) position. To move the selector lever out of the
“P” (Park) position, the brake pedal must be firmly
depressed before the shift lock will release.
Shift the selector lever to the desired position only when
the engine is idling normally and the brake pedal is
applied. Do not release the brake until ready to drive. The
vehicle may otherwise accelerate quickly when the selec-
tor lever is in “D” (Drive) or “R” (Reverse) position.WARNING!
Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, you should always
shift the vehicle into “P” (Park), remove the key from
the ignition, and apply the parking brake. Once the
key is removed from the ignition, the transmission
selector lever is locked in the “P” (Park) position,
securing the vehicle against unwanted movement.
Furthermore, you should never leave children unat-
tended inside a vehicle.
STARTING AND OPERATING 305
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