2008 DODGE CALIBER tow

Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage
before towing a trailer. Refer to “Tread Wear Indica-
tors” under “Tires–General Information” in Section 5
under for the proper inspection procedure.
When replacing tires refer to the Tires–General Infor-
mation section of this manual on Replacement Tires for
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 (450 kg) and required for trailers in excess of 2,000
lbs (907 kg).
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (450 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 295
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 and Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stop lights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may include a 4-pin and 7-pin
wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer harness
and connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicle’s
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.
296 STARTING AND OPERATING

Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.
If using a manual transmission vehicle for trailer towing,
all starts must be in 1st gear to avoid excessive clutch
slippage.
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 it
until you can get back to cruising speed.
Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
Towing Tips — Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, put the trans-
mission in NEUTRAL and increase the engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
Refer to “Cooling System” under “Maintenance Proce-
dures” in Section 7 of this manual for more information.
298 STARTING AND OPERATING

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle (Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The Ground)
Recreational Towing Chart
Recreational Towing Condition Manual Transmission Vehicles Automatic Transmission Vehicles
Four Wheel Flat Tow (all wheels on
ground)Yes Never
Two Wheel Dolly Tow (rear wheels
on ground)Never Never
Flat Bed Tow (all wheels on bed of
truck)Ye s Ye s
NOTE: ONLYvehicles equipped withMANUAL
TRANSAXLESmay be recreationally towed (flat towed)
at any legal highway speed, for any distance, if the
MANUAL TRANSAXLEis inNEUTRALand the igni-
tion key is in the ACC position.
STARTING AND OPERATING 299
5

CAUTION!
•DO NOT FLAT TOW any vehicles equipped with
an AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE. Damage to the
drivetrain will result. If these vehicles require
towing, make sure all four wheels are off the
ground.
•Front or rear wheel lifts should not be used.
Internal damage to the transmission will occur if a
front or rear wheel lift is used when recreational
towing.
300 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS

Hazard Warning Flasher..................302

If Your Engine Overheats.................302

Automatic Transaxle Overheating...........304

Jacking And Tire Changing................304
▫Jack Location........................305
▫Spare Tire Stowage....................305
▫Preparations For Jacking................305▫Jacking Instructions....................306

Jump-Starting Procedures Due To A Low
Battery..............................310

Freeing A Stuck Vehicle..................312

Towing A Disabled Vehicle................313
▫With Ignition Key.....................313
▫Without The Ignition Key...............314
6

WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call a service center if your
vehicle overheats. If you decide to look under the
hood yourself, refer to “Maintenance”, Section 7 of
this manual. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE OVERHEATING
During sustained high speed driving or trailer towing up
long grades on hot days, the automatic transaxle oil may
become too hot.
If this happens, the transmission overheat in-
dicator light will come on, and the vehicle will
slow slightly until the automatic transaxle
cools down enough to allow a return to therequested speed. If the high speed is maintained, the
overheating will reoccur, as before, in a cyclic fashion.
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
WARNING!
•Being under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous. The
vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you. You
could be crushed. Never put any part of your body
under a vehicle that is on a jack. Never start or run
the engine while the vehicle is on a jack. If you
need to get under a raised vehicle, take it to a
service center where it can be raised on a lift.
•The jack is designed to use as a tool for changing
tires only. The jack should not be used to lift the
vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle should
be jacked on a firm level surface only. Avoid ice or
slippery areas.
304 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Jack Location
The jack and jack-handle are stowed under the load floor
in the cargo area.
Spare Tire Stowage
The compact spare tire is stowed under the rear load floor
in the cargo area.
Spare Tire Removal
Lift up the load floor cover and remove the hold down.
Preparations For Jacking
Park the vehicle on a firm level surface, avoiding ice or
slippery areas,set the parking brakeand place the shift
lever in PARK (automatic transaxle) or REVERSE
(manual transaxle). Turn OFF the ignition.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off
the road to avoid the danger of being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.
Spare Tire and Jack Stowage
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 305
6