2008 CHRYSLER 300 trailer

Towing Requirements
To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle driv-
etrain components the following guidelines are recom-
mended:
CAUTION!
•Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles (805
km) of vehicle operation. Doing so may damage
your vehicle.
•During the first 500 miles (805 km) of trailer
towing, limit your speed to 50 mph (80 km/h).
Perform the maintenance listed in Section 8 of this
manual. When towing a trailer, never exceed the GAWR,
or GCWR, ratings.
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and it will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.
•When hauling cargo, or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause
a loss of control, poor performance, or damage to
brakes, axle, engine, transmission, steering, suspen-
sion, chassis structure, or tires.
STARTING AND OPERATING 383
5

•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the
frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade.
When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow
vehicle. Put the tow vehicle automatic transmission in
P for Park. Always, block orchockthe trailer wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch utilized
(This requirement may limit the ability to always
achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue weight as a
percentage of total trailer weight).
Towing Requirements — Tires

Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact
spare tire.
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe
and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to
“Tires–General Information” in this section for infor-
mation on tire pressures and for proper tire inflation
procedures.
Also, check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
384 STARTING AND OPERATING

Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage
before towing a trailer. Refer to “Tires–General Infor-
mation” in this section for information on tread wear
indicators and for the proper inspection procedure.
When replacing tires, refer to “Tires–General Informa-
tion” in this section for information on replacement
tires and for the proper tire replacement procedures.
Replacing tires with a higher load carrying capacity
will not increase the vehicle’s GVWR and GAWR
limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes

Donotinterconnect the hydraulic brake system or
vacuum system of your vehicle with that of the trailer.
This could cause inadequate braking and possible
personal injury.
An electronically actuated trailer brake controller is
required when towing a trailer with electronically
actuated brakes. When towing a trailer equipped with
a hydraulic surge actuated brake system, an electronic
brake controller is not required.
Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers over 1,000
lbs (454 kg) and required for trailers in excess of 2,000
lbs (907 kg).
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (454 kg)
loaded, it should have its own brakes, and they
should be of adequate capacity. Failure to do this
could lead to accelerated brake lining wear, higher
brake pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
STARTING AND OPERATING 385
5

WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle’s hy-
draulic brake lines. It can overload your brake sys-
tem and cause it to fail. You might not have brakes
when you need them and could have an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stopping dis-
tance. When towing, you should allow for additional
space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights & Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stoplights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may includea4and7pin
wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer harness
and connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicles
wiring harness.
The electrical connections are all complete to the vehicle
but you must mate the harness to a trailer connector.
Refer to the following illustrations.
386 STARTING AND OPERATING

Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping,
and backing the trailer in an area located away from
heavy traffic.
Towing Tips — Automatic Transmission
The “D” range can be selected when towing. However, if
frequent shifting occurs while in this range, the “3” range
should be selected.
NOTE:Using the “3” range while operating the vehicle
under heavy operating conditions will improve perfor-
mance and extend transmission life by reducing exces-
sive shifting and heat build up. This action will also
provide better engine braking.
If you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than 45
minutes of continuous operation, then change the auto-
matic transamission fluid and filter according to the
interval specified for “police, taxi, fleet, or frequent trailer
towing” in the “Maintenance Schedule” in this manual.
Towing Tips — Electronic Speed Control (If
Equipped)

Don’t use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
Towing Tips — Autostick(If Equipped)

For vehicles equipped with Autostick.By using the
Autostickmodes, and selecting a specific gear range,
frequent shifting can be avoided. The highest gear
range should be selected that allows for adequate
performance. For example, choose “4” if the desired
speed can be maintained. Choose “3” or “2” if needed
to maintain the desired speed.
388 STARTING AND OPERATING

Cavity Car-
tridge
FuseMini
FuseDescription
9 — 20 Amp
YellowPower Outlet
10———
11*———
12*———
13*———
14 — 10 Amp
RedAC Heater Control/
Cluster/Security Mod-
ule - if equipped
15 — 20 Amp
YellowTrailer Tow Brake Mod-
ule - if equipped
16———
17 — 20 Amp
YellowClusterCavity Car-
tridge
FuseMini
FuseDescription
18 — 20 Amp
YellowSelectable Power Outlet
19 — 10 Amp
RedStop Lights
20———
21———
22———
23———
24———
25———
26———
27 — 10 Amp
RedOccupant Restraint Con-
troller (ORC)
28 — 10 Amp
RedIgnition Run
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 455
7

Perform Maintenance Every(Where time and mileage
are listed, follow the interval that occurs first.)
Maintenance Items Miles Kilometers or Months
Inspect the transfer case fluid — All Wheel Drive
(AWD).30,000 50 000 30
Replace the spark plugs on 5.7L engines.30,000 50 000 30
Change the rear axle fluid if using your vehicle for
any of the following: police, taxi, fleet, off-road, or fre-
quent trailer towing.48,000 80 000 48
Change the automatic transmission fluid & filter if
using your vehicle for any of the following: police,
taxi, fleet, or frequent trailer towing.60,000 100 000 60
Change the transfer case fluid if using your vehicle for
any of the following: police, taxi, fleet, off-road, or fre-
quent trailer towing — All Wheel Drive (AWD).60,000 100 000 60
Inspect and replace the PCV valve if necessary.90,000 150 000 90
Flush and replace the engine coolant. 102,000 170 000 60
Replace the spark plugs on 2.7L and 3.5L engines.102,000 170 000 102
482 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
8
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Heated Seats........................... 120
Heater............................... 282
Heater, Engine Block..................... 303
High Beam/Low Beam Select (Dimmer) Switch . . 136
Hitches
Trailer Towing........................ 379
Holder, Coin........................... 190
Holder, Cup........................... 189
HomeLink(Garage Door Opener) Transmitter . . . 177
Hood Release.......................... 128
Hoses.............................440,441
Ignition............................... 14
Key ...............................12,14
Ignition Key Removal..................... 14
Illuminated Entry........................ 20
Immobilizer (Sentry Key)................... 15
Indicator, Traction Control................. 328
Infant Restraint........................67,68Inflation Pressure Tires.................... 210
Information Center, Vehicle................. 213
Inside Rearview Mirror.................... 86
Instrument Cluster.................200,201,202
Instrument Panel and Controls.............. 199
Instrument Panel Lens Cleaning............. 450
Interior Appearance Care.................. 448
Interior Fuses.......................... 451
Interior Lights.......................... 136
Intermittent Wipers (Delay Wipers)........... 138
Introduction............................. 4
Jack Location........................... 396
Jack Operation.......................... 398
Jacking Instructions...................... 398
Jump Starting.......................... 404
Key, Programming........................ 17
Key, Replacement........................ 16
INDEX 505
10