2008 CHRYSLER 300 trailer

WARNING!
•Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is a convenience system. It is not a
substitute for active driving involvement. It is always the driver ’s
responsibility to be attentive of road, traffic, and weather conditions,
vehicle speed, distance to the vehicle ahead, and most importantly
brake operation to ensure safe operation of the vehicle under all road
conditions. Your complete attention is always required while driving
to maintain safe control of your vehicle. Failure to follow these
warnings can result in an accident or serious personal injury.
•The ACC system:
Does not react to pedestrians, oncoming vehicles, and stationary
objects (i.e. a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam or a disabled vehicle).
Does not predict the lane curvature or the movement of preceding
vehicles and will not compensate for such changes.
Cannot take street, traffic, and weather conditions into account, and
may be limited upon adverse sight distance conditions.
Does not always fully recognize complex driving conditions, which
can result in wrong or missing distance warnings.
May not detect a vehicle ahead when strong light (for example,
sunrise or sunset) is directly shining on the front of the vehicle.
Can only apply a maximum of 25% of the vehicle’s braking capability,
and will not bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
WARNING!
You should switch off the ACC system:
•When driving in fog; heavy rain; heavy snow;
sleet; heavy traffic; and complex driving situations
(i.e. in highway construction zones).
•When entering a turn lane or highway off ramp;
when driving on roads that are winding, icy,
snow-covered, slippery, or have steep uphill or
downhill slopes; and when towing a trailer.
•When circumstances do not allow safe driving at a
constant speed.
Failure to follow these warnings can result in an
accident or serious personal injury.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 153
3

light shows only that the parking brake is applied. It does
not show the degree of brake application. (See page 324
for more information.)
13. Electronic Stability Program (ESP)/Traction
Control System (TCS) Indicator Light — If Equipped
If this indicator light flashes during accelera-
tion, ease up on the accelerator and apply as
little throttle as possible. Adapt your speed and
driving to the prevailing road conditions, and
do not switch off the ESP. (See page 328 for more
information.) (See page 331 for more information.)
14. Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tempera-
ture. Any reading within the normal range indicates that
the engine cooling system is operating satisfactorily.
The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tempera-
ture when driving in hot weather, up mountain grades,or when towing a trailer. It should not be allowed to
exceed the upper limits of the normal operating range.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If temperature gauge reads (H),
pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with
the air conditioner turned off until the pointer drops
back into the normal range. If the pointer remains on
the “H,” and you hear continuous chimes, turn the
engine off immediately, and call for service.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 207
4

▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message............371

Vehicle Loading........................372
▫Vehicle Certification Label...............372
▫Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).......372
▫Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).........373
▫Overloading.........................373
▫Loading............................374

Trailer Towing.........................375
▫Common Towing Definitions.............375▫Trailer Hitch Classification...............379
▫Trailer Towing Weights
(Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings).........380
▫Trailer And Tongue Weight..............381
▫Towing Requirements..................383
▫Towing Tips.........................388

Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 389
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground)............................389
298 STARTING AND OPERATING

shifts, and the best fuel economy. Select the “3” range
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.
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.“3” (Third)
This range eliminates shifts into Overdrive. The transmis-
sion will operate normally in First, Second and Third
while in this range. The “3” position should also be used
when descending steep grades to prevent brake system
distress.
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.
“L” (Low)
This range should be used for engine braking when
descending very steep grades. In this range, upshifts will
occur only to prevent engine overspeed while downshifts
occur earlier than other gear range selections.
310 STARTING AND OPERATING

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” (Drive)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts and the 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
indicated in the instrument cluster display. Briefly, press
STARTING AND OPERATING 315
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In Permanent Limp Home Mode, “P” (Park), “R” (Re-
verse), and “N” (Neutral) will continue to operate. Sec-
ond gear will operate in the “D” (Drive) shifter position.
The malfunction indicator light may illuminate.
AUTOSTICK— IF EQUIPPED
Autostickis a driver-interactive transmission that offers
manual gear shifting to provide you with more control of
the vehicle. Autostickallows you to maximize engine
braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
and improve overall vehicle performance. This system
can also provide you with more control during passing,
city driving, cold slippery conditions, mountain driving,
trailer towing, and many other situations.
AutostickOperation
By placing the selector lever in the “D” (Drive) position,
it can be moved from side to side. This allows the driver
to select a higher or lower range of gears. Moving the
selector lever to the Left (-) triggers a downshift and to
the Right (+) an upshift. The gear position will display in
the instrument cluster on the transmission range indica-
tor.
You can shift in or out of the Autostickmode at any time
without taking your foot off the accelerator pedal. If you
choose the Overdrive mode, the transmission will oper-
ate automatically, shifting between the five available
gears. When you wish to engage Autostick, simply
move the selector lever to the Right or Left (D+/D-) while
in the “D” (Drive) position. The transmission will remain
in the current gear until an upshift or downshift is
chosen.
318 STARTING AND OPERATING

3) the tire size designed for your vehicle
4) the cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear,
and spare tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed
the load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You
will not exceed the tire’s load carrying capacity if you
adhere to the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the “Tire and Loading
Information” placard and in the “Vehicle Loading” sec-
tion of this manual.
NOTE:Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition,
gross axle weight ratings (GAWR’s) for the front and rear
axles must not be exceeded. For further information on
GAWR’s, vehicle loading, and trailer towing, refer to the
“Vehicle Loading” section of this manual.
To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight ofoccupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX
lbs.” on the Tire and Loading Information placard. The
combined weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight (if applicable) should never exceed
the weight referenced here.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never exceed XXX pounds” on
your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and pas-
sengers from XXX kilograms or XXX pounds.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of
cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lb.
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passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (since 5 x 150 = 750,
and 1400 – 750 = 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.NOTE:The following table shows examples on how to
calculate total load, cargo/luggage, and towing capaci-
ties of your vehicle with varying seating configurations
and number and size of occupants. This table is for
illustration purposes only and may not be accurate for
the seating and load carry capacity of your vehicle.
NOTE:For the following example, the combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed 865 lbs. (392
kg).
342 STARTING AND OPERATING