2008 DODGE CHALLENGER Owners Manual

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.
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Keyless Go
This function allows the driver to
operate the ignition switch with
the push of a button, as long as the
ENGINE START/STOP button is
installed and the Keyless Go igni-
tion key (FOBIK) is in the passen-
ger compartment.
Installing And Removing The Engine Start/Stop
Button
1. Remove the ignition key (FOBIK).
2. Insert the ENGINE START/STOP button into the
ignition switch.
NOTE:The ENGINE START/STOP button can be re-
moved from the ignition switch (WIN) for regular igni-
tion key (FOBIK) use. Keyless Go Functions — With Driver’s Foot Off The
Brake Pedal (In PARK Position)
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
onceto acti-
vate the radio, wipers, and windows.
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button twiceto
activate the heating/air conditioning (HVAC) controls,
and the instrument cluster.
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button three timesto
turn off the ignition switch.
Keyless Go Functions - With Driver’s Foot On The
Brake Pedal (PARK or NEUTRAL Gear Position Only)
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button onceto oper-
ate all of the accessories.
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button twiceto start
the engine.
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Normal Starting
Using The ENGINE START/STOP Button (Tip Start)
NOTE:Normal Starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or depressing the
accelerator pedal.
Press and hold your foot on the brake pedal and then press
and release the ENGINE START/STOP button twice. The
starter motor will engage and continue to run, and it will
disengage automatically when the engine is running. If the
engine fails to start, the starter will disengage automati-
cally in 10 seconds. If this occurs, wait 10 to 15 seconds,
then repeat the normal starting procedure.
To Turn Off The Engine Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button
1. Press and hold your foot on the brake pedal.
2. Place the shift lever in PARK, then press and release
the ENGINE START/STOP button.
Using Fob With Integrated Key (Tip Start)
NOTE: Normal Starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or depressing the
accelerator pedal.
Do not press 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 automati-
cally 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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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 automatic trans-
mission 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 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.
Clearing A Flooded Engine - Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button
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, press
and hold the brake pedal with your left foot, push and
hold the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor with
your right foot, and then press and release the ENGINE
START/STOP button twice. The starter motor will en-
gage automatically, run for 10 seconds, and then disen-
gage. Once this occurs, release the accelerator pedal and
the brake pedal, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the
normal starting procedure.
Clearing A Flooded Engine - Using Fob With Integrated
Key
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
General Information
The automatic transmission selects individual gears au-
tomatically, dependent upon:
•Altitude
•Vehicle loading
•Driving style
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•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.
•The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating. Therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt or soft until after the
break-in period. This is a normal condition, and pre-
cision shifts will develop within a few shift cycles.
The shift lever is automatically locked while in the PARK
position. To move the shift lever out of the PARK
position, the brake pedal must be firmly depressed before
the shift lock will release.
Move the shift lever to the desired position only when the
engine is idling normally and the brake pedal is applied.
Do not release the brake pedal until ready to drive. The
vehicle may otherwise accelerate quickly when the shift
lever is in DRIVE or REVERSE position.
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WARNING!
Unintended 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 run-
ning. Before exiting a vehicle, you should always shift
the transmission into PARK, remove the key from the
ignition, and apply the parking brake. Once the key is
removed from the ignition, the transmission shift lever
is locked in the PARK position, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement. Furthermore, you should
never leave unattended children inside a vehicle.
Over-Temperature Mode
The transmission electronics constantly monitor the trans-
mission oil temperature. If the transmission exceeds nor-
mal operating temperature, the transmission will change
the way it shifts to help control the condition. This mayresult in a slightly different feeling or response during
normal operation in DRIVE position. After the transmis-
sion cools down, it will return to normal operation.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock (BTSI) system that holds the shift lever in the
PARK position when the ignition switch is in the LOCK
position. To move the shift lever out of the PARK
position, the ignition switch must be turned to the ON
position, and the brake pedal must be depressed.
BTSI Override
There is an override for the BTSI that allows you to move
the shift lever out of the PARK position if an electrical
system malfunction occurs (i.e., dead battery). To access
the override (using a flat-bladed screwdriver), carefully
remove the override cover which is located on the right
of the shift lever gate.
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