2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE Owners Manual

NLife Of Tire.........................295
NReplacement Tires.....................296
NAlignment And Balance.................297
mTire Chains...........................297
mSnow Tires...........................298
mTire Rotation Recommendations............298
mTire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) Ð
If Equipped...........................299
NBase System Ð If Equipped..............302
NPremium System Ð If Equipped..........304
NGeneral Information...................307
mFuel Requirements......................307
N2.4L And 2.7L Engines..................307N3.5L Engine.........................308
NReformulated Gasoline.................309
NGasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............309
NMMT In Gasoline.....................310
NMaterials Added To Fuel................310
NFuel System Cautions..................310
NCarbon Monoxide Warnings..............311
mFlexible FuelÐ 2.7L Engines Only
(Except California Emission States)..........312
NE-85 General Information................312
NEthanol Fuel (E-85)....................313
NFuel Requirements....................313
NSelection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles.......314
STARTING AND OPERATING 249
5

NStarting............................315
NCruising Range.......................315
NReplacement Parts.....................315
NMaintenance.........................315
mAdding Fuel..........................316
NFuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)...............316
NLoose Fuel Filler Cap Message............318
mVehicle Loading........................319
NVehicle Certification Label...............319
NGross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).......319
NGross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).........320
NOverloading.........................320NLoading............................321
mTrailer Towing.........................322
NCommon Towing Definitions.............322
NTrailer Hitch Classification...............324
NTrailer Towing Weights
(Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings).........325
NTrailer And Tongue Weight..............326
NTowing Requirements..................327
NTowing Tips.........................331
mRecreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 333
NTowing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground)............................333
250 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, the inside
and outside mirrors, fasten your seat belt, and if present,
instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat belts.
WARNING!
²Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
children in a vehicle unattended 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.
²Do not leave animals or children inside parked
vehicles in hot weather; interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
WARNING!
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 gear selection 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.
Automatic Transaxle
The selector lever must be in the PARK or NEUTRAL
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting the gear selector lever to any driving gear.
NOTE:The ignition switch must be in the ON position
and you must press the brake pedal before shifting the
gear selector lever out of PARK.
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5

Normal Starting
NOTE:Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or depressing the
accelerator pedal.
For vehicles not equipped with Tip Start,turn the
ignition switch to the START position and release it when
the engine starts. If the engine fails to start within 10
seconds, turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position,
wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the normal starting
procedure.For vehicles equipped with Tip Start,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 (below220ÉF or229ÉC)
To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your dealer) is recommended.
252 STARTING AND OPERATING

If Engine Fails to Start
WARNING!
²Never 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.
²Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get
it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transaxle 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.
Without Tip Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
ªNormal Startingº or ªExtreme Cold Weatherº proce-
dures, it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it there while cranking the
engine. This should clear any excess fuel in case the
engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine is flooded, it may start to run, but not have
enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking up to 15
STARTING AND OPERATING 253
5

seconds with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to
the floor. Release the accelerator pedal and the key once
the engine is running smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15-
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, repeat the ªNormal Startingº or ªEx-
treme Cold Weatherº procedures.
With Tip Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
ªNormal Startingº or ªExtreme Cold Weatherº 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 motorwill 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.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
254 STARTING AND OPERATING

ENGINE BLOCK HEATER Ð 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 bundled under the hood
between the headlight assembly and the Totally Inte-
grated Power Module (Fuse Box) on the driver side of the
vehicle.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 volt electrical cord could cause
electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
CAUTION!
Damage to the transaxle may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
²Shift the gear selector lever into PARK only after
the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
²Shift the gear selector lever into or out of RE-
VERSE only after the vehicle has come to a com-
plete stop and the engine is at idle speed.
²Do not shift the gear selector lever from RE-
VERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL into any forward
gear when the engine is above idle speed.
²Before shifting the gear selector lever into any gear,
make sure your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
NOTE:You MUST press and hold the brake pedal down
while shifting the gear selector lever out of PARK.
STARTING AND OPERATING 255
5

WARNING!
²It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of or 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.
²Unintended 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 al-
ways shift the vehicle into PARK, remove the key
from the ignition, and apply the parking brake.
Once the key is removed from the ignition, the
selector lever is locked in the PARK position, secur-
ing the vehicle against unwanted movement. Fur-
thermore, you should never leave children unat-
tended inside a vehicle.
Brake/Transaxle Interlock System
This system prevents you from moving the gear shift out
of ªPº PARK and into any gear unless the brake pedal is
pressed. This system is active only while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.Always press the brake
pedal first, before moving the gear selector out of
PARK.
NOTE:If a malfunction occurs, the transaxle will not
shift out of PARK. Battery power is required to release the
Brake/Transaxle Interlock system. However, an override
system allows you to shift out of PARK in case of loss of
power. To activate the override system:
²Firmly apply the parking brake.
²Insert the ignition key into the ignition key lock
cylinder and rotate it to the ON position.
²Remove the cup holder liner.
256 STARTING AND OPERATING