2008 DODGE CALIBER Engine

Mist Feature
Push down on the Multifunction Control Lever to acti-
vate a single wipe to clear the windshield of road mist or
spray from a passing vehicle. As long as the Multifunc-
tion Control Lever is held down, the wipers will continue
to operate.CAUTION!
In cold weather, always turn off the wiper switch and
allow the wipers to return to the park position before
turning off the engine. If the wiper switch is left on
and the wipers freeze to the windshield, damage to
the wiper motor may occur when the vehicle is
restarted.
Mist Single Wipe Control
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 123
3

Windshield Wiper Operation
Turn the end of the handle to select the desired wiper
speed.
Intermittent Wiper System
Use the intermittent wiper when weather conditions
make a single wiping cycle, with a variable pause be-
tween cycles, desirable. Select the delay interval by
turning the end of the lever. Rotate the knob upward
(clockwise) to decrease the delay time and downward
(counterclockwise) to increase the delay time. The delay
can be regulated from a maximum of approximately 18
seconds between cycles to a cycle every second.
Adding Washer Fluid
The fluid reservoir for the windshield washers and the
rear window washer (if equipped) is shared. It is located
in the front of the engine compartment on the passenger
side and should be checked for fluid level at regular
intervals. Fill the reservoir with windshield washer sol-
vent (not radiator antifreeze) and operate the system for
a few seconds to flush out the residual water.
Wiper Control
124 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Manual Transaxle
Depressing the clutch pedal will disengage the speed
control. A slight increase in engine RPM before the speed
control disengages is normal.
Vehicles equipped with manual transaxles may need to
be shifted into a lower gear to climb hills without speed
loss.
WARNING!
Speed control can be dangerous where the system
can’t maintain a constant speed. Your vehicle could
go too fast for the conditions, and you could lose
control. An accident could be the result. Don’t use
speed control in heavy traffic or on roads that are
winding, icy, snow-covered, or slippery.
To Accelerate For Passing
Depress the accelerator as you would normally. When the
pedal is released, the vehicle will return to the set speed.
Using Speed Control On Hills
NOTE:The speed control system maintains speed, up
and down hills. A slight speed change on moderate hills
is normal.
On steep hills, a greater speed loss or gain may occur so
it may be preferable to drive without speed control.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) — IF
EQUIPPED
This system aids the driver in maintaining vehicle control
under adverse braking conditions. The system controls
hydraulic brake pressure to prevent wheel lockup and
help avoid skidding on slippery surfaces during braking.
128 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, brake
pressure is applied to the slipping wheel(s) and engine
power is reduced to provide enhanced acceleration and
stability. A feature of the TCS system functions similar to
a limited slip differential and controls the wheel spin
across a driven axle. If one wheel on a driven axle is
spinning faster than the other, the system will apply the
brake of the spinning wheel. This will allow more engine
torque to be applied to the wheel that is not spinning.
This feature remains active even if TCS and ESP are in the
“Partial Off” mode. Refer to “Electronic Stability Pro-
gram (ESP)” in this Section of this manual.
Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESP cor-
rects for over-steering or under-steering of the vehicle by
applying the brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in
counteracting the over-steering or under-steering condi-
tion. Engine power may also be reduced to help the
vehicle maintain the desired path. ESP uses sensors in the
vehicle to determine the vehicle path intended by the
driver and compares it to the actual path of the vehicle.
When the actual path does not match the intended path,
ESP applies the brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in
counteracting the over-steer or under-steer condition.
•Over-steer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
•Under-steer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 131
3

Full On
This is the normal operating mode for ESP. Whenever the
vehicle is started the ESP system will be in this “On”
mode. This mode should be used for most driving
situations. ESP should only be turned to “Partial Off” for
specific reasons as noted below.
Partial Off
This mode is entered by momentarily depressing the ESP
OFF switch. This mode is intended to be used if the
vehicle is in deep snow, sand or gravel conditions and
more wheel spin than ESP would normally allow is
required to gain traction.
To turn ESP on again, momentarily depress the ESP OFF
switch. This will restore the normal “ESP On” mode of
operation.
NOTE:To improve the vehicle’s traction when driving
with snow chains, or starting off in deep snow, sand or
gravel, it may be desirable to switch to the “Partial Off”mode by pressing the ESP OFF switch. Once the situation
requiring ESP to be switched to the “Partial Off” mode is
overcome, turn ESP back on by momentarily depressing
the ESP OFF switch. This may be done while the vehicle
is in motion.
ESP/BAS Warning Light and ESP Indicator Light
The malfunction indicator for the ESP is combined with
the BAS indicator. The yellow “ESP/BAS Warning
Lamp” and the yellow “ESP Indicator Light” in the
instrument cluster both come on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position. They should both go
out with the engine running. If the “ESP/BAS Warning
Lamp” comes on continuously with the engine running,
a malfunction has been detected in either the ESP or BAS
system, or both. If this light remains on after several
ignition cycles, and the vehicle has been driven several
miles/kilometers at speeds greater than 30 mph (48
km/h), see your authorized dealer as soon as possible to
have the problem diagnosed and corrected.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 133
3

Electrical Outlet Use With Engine Off
CAUTION!
•Many accessories that can be plugged in draw
power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not in
use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.). Eventually, if
plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s battery will
discharge sufficiently to degrade battery life
and/or prevent engine starting.
•Accessories that draw higher power (i.e., coolers,
vacuum cleaners, lights, etc.) will degrade the
battery even more quickly. Only use these inter-
mittently and with great caution.
•After the use of high power draw accessories, or
long periods of the vehicle not being started (with
accessories still plugged in), the vehicle must be
driven a sufficient length of time to allow the
generator to recharge the vehicle’s battery.
CONSOLE FEATURES
WARNING!
Do not operate this vehicle with the console compart-
ment lid in the open position. Cell phones, music
players, and other hand-held electronic devices
should be stowed while driving. Use of these devices
while driving can cause an accident due to distrac-
tion, resulting in death or injury.
The floor console’s sliding arm rest moves forward three
inches to accommodate shorter drivers. The arm rest lid
also includes a unique flip pocket for holding or stowing
a phone or an MP3 player. The bin inside the console can
hold up to 10 CD jewel cases or other items securely out
of sight.
146 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Adding Washer Fluid
The fluid reservoir for the windshield washers and the
rear window washer (if equipped) is shared. It is located
in the front of the engine compartment on the passenger
side and should be checked for fluid level at regular
intervals. Fill the reservoir with windshield washer sol-
vent (not radiator antifreeze) and operate the system for
a few seconds to flush out the residual water.
Rear Window Defroster
The push-button is located on the
bottom right side of the blower
control knob. Press this button to
turn on the rear window defroster.
An amber light shows that the
defroster is on.The defroster will automatically turn off after approxi-
mately ten minutes. For an additional five minutes of
operation, press the switch again. To prevent excessive
battery drain, use the defroster only when the engine is
operating.
CAUTION!
Use care when washing the inside of the rear window
to prevent damage to heating elements. Use a soft
cloth and a mild washing solution, wiping parallel to
the heating elements. Also, keep all objects a safe
distance from the window to prevent damaging the
heating elements.
ROOF LUGGAGE RACK — IF EQUIPPED
An optional authorized-dealer installed roof rack with cross
rails is available through Moparfor added cargo versatility.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 153
3

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DESCRIPTIONS
1. Fuel Gauge
When the ignition switch is in the ON position, the
pointer will show the level of fuel remaining in the
fuel tank.
2. Fuel Door Indicator
This indicates that the Fuel Filler Door is located on the
left side of the vehicle.
3. Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading below the red area of the
gauge shows that the engine cooling system is
operating properly. The gauge pointer may show a
higher than normal temperature when driving in hot
weather, up mountain grades, in heavy stop and go
traffic, or when towing a trailer.If the pointer rises to theH(red) mark, the instrument
cluster will sound a chime. 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 theH(red) mark, turn the engine off
immediately and call for service.
There are steps that you can take to slow down an
impending overheat condition. If your air conditioning is
on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the engine cooling system and turning off the A/C
removes this heat. You can also turn the Temperature
control to maximum heat, the Mode control to Floor and
the Fan control to High. This allows the heater core to act
as a supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
4. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.
164 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL