2008 CHRYSLER 300 SRT Owners Manual

▫LifeOfTire .........................341
▫Replacement Tires.....................342
▫Alignment And Balance.................343

Tire Chains...........................343

Snow Tires...........................344

Tire Rotation Recommendations............345
▫Tire Rotation — Standard Tires............345
▫Tire Rotation — All Season Tires..........346

Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) —
If Equipped...........................347
▫Base System — If Equipped..............349
▫Premium System — If Equipped..........352
▫General Information...................357
Fuel Requirements......................357
▫6.1L Engine.........................357
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................358
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............358
▫MMT In Gasoline.....................359
▫Materials Added To Fuel................359
▫Fuel System Cautions..................359
▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings..............360

Adding Fuel..........................361
▫Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)...............361
▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message............363

Vehicle Loading........................364
▫Vehicle Certification Label...............364
STARTING AND OPERATING 295
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▫Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).......364
▫Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).........364
▫Overloading.........................365
▫Loading............................365

TrailerTowing .........................367
Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 367
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground)............................367

Ground Clearance......................367
296 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust the
inside and outside mirrors, fasten your seat belt, and if
present, instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat
belts.WARNING!
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle 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 win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
•Do not leave animals or children inside parked
vehicles in hot weather; interior heat buildup may
cause serious injury or death.
•Be sure to turn OFF the engine and remove the key
from the ignition switch if you want to rest or
sleep in your car. Accidents can be caused by
inadvertently moving the shift lever. Accidents can
also be caused by pressing the accelerator pedal.
This may cause excessive heat in the exhaust
system, resulting in overheating and vehicle fire,
which may cause serious or fatal injuries.
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5

Automatic Transmission
The shift lever must be in the NEUTRAL or 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.
298 STARTING AND OPERATING

Normal Starting (Tip Start)
NOTE:Normal Starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or depressing the
accelerator pedal.
Do notpress the accelerator. Use the Fob with Integrated
Key to briefly turn the ignition switch to the START
position and release it as soon as the starter engages. The
starter motor will continue to run, and it will disengage
automatically when the engine is running. If the engine
fails to start, the starter will disengage automatically in 10
seconds. If this occurs, turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the
normal starting procedure.
Extremely Cold Weather (Below
20°F or
29°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
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5

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 auto-
matic transmission cannot be started this way.
Unburned fuel could enter the catalytic con-
verter and once the engine has started, ignite
and damage the converter and vehicle. If the
vehicle has a discharged 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 dangerous if done improp-
erly. Refer to Section 6 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.
300 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.
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WARNING!
It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK or
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.
Automatic Transmission — General Information
The automatic transmission selects individual gears au-
tomatically, dependent upon:
•Altitude
•Vehicle loading
•Driving style
•Shift 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.
302 STARTING AND OPERATING