2008 DODGE DAKOTA transmission

Summer Operation
Air conditioned vehicles must be protected with a high
quality antifreeze coolant during summer to provide
proper corrosion protection and to raise the boiling point
of the coolant for protection against overheating. A 50%
concentration of engine coolant to distilled water is
recommended. See ªCooling Systemº in the Maintaining
Your Vehicle section of your Owner's Manual.
When using the air conditioner in extremely heavy traffic
in hot weather especially when towing a trailer, addi-
tional engine cooling may be required. If this situation is
encountered, operate the transmission in a lower gearand set the air conditioner to recirculation mode. Oper-
ating the air conditioner in recirculation mode provides
the maximum performance from your air conditioning.
When stopped in heavy traffic, it may be necessary to
shift into NEUTRAL and depress the accelerator slightly
for fast idle operation.
Winter Operation
When operating the system during the winter months,
make sure the air intake, located directly in front of the
windshield, is free of ice, slush, snow, or other obstruc-
tions. This will help prevent snow going into the ducts.
214 INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONTROLS

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
mStarting Procedures.....................221
NManual Transmission..................221
NAutomatic Transmission................221
NNormal Starting......................222
NIf Engine Fails To Start.................222
NAfter Starting........................223
mEngine Block Heater Ð If Equipped.........224
mAutomatic Transmission..................224
NBrake/Transmission Interlock System.......225NAutomatic Transmission................225
mManual Transmission....................230
NRecommended Shift Speeds..............231
NDownshifting........................232
mFour-Wheel Drive Operation...............233
NNV233/243 GII Transfer Case Operating
Information/Precautions................233
NShifting Procedure - NV233/243
Transfer Case........................237
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STARTING PROCEDURES
The starter should not be operated for more than 15
second intervals. Waiting a few seconds between such
intervals will protect the starter from overheating.
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 or 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.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
Manual Transmission
Apply the parking brake, place the gearshift control lever
in NEUTRAL and depress clutch pedal to the floor before
starting the vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a
clutch interlocking ignition system. It will not start unless
the clutch is depressed.
Automatic Transmission
Start the engine with the shift lever in NEUTRAL or
PARK position. Apply the brake before shifting to any
driving range.
STARTING AND OPERATING 221
5

Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a warm or cold engine is
obtained without pumping or depressing the accelerator
pedal. Turn the key to the START position and release
when the engine starts. If the engine fails to start within
10 seconds, turn the key to the OFF position, wait 5
seconds, then repeat the starting procedure.
NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transmission
shift interlocking system. The brake pedal must be
depressed to shift out of Park (P).
If Engine Fails To Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
normal starting procedure, 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.
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.
222 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 located at the right front
of the engine compartment for all engine applications.
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:
²Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
²Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
²Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
²Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
224 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of ªPº or
ªNº 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.
Brake/Transmission Interlock System
This system prevents you from moving the gear shift out
of 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 depress thebrake
pedal first,before moving the gear selector out of PARK.
Automatic Transmission
The electronic PRNDL on the instrument cluster indicates
the transmission gear selected. The selector lever is
mounted on the right side of the steering column. To
drive, move the selector lever from Park or Neutral to the
desired drive position. Pull selector lever toward you
when shifting into Reverse, Second, First or Park, or
when shifting out of Park.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from Park or
Neutral position into another gear range.
ªPº Park
Supplements parking brake by locking the transmission.
Engine can be started in this range. Never use Park while
vehicle is in motion. Apply parking brake when leaving
vehicle in this range. Always apply parking brake first,
then place selector in Park position.
STARTING AND OPERATING 225
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Overdrive Operation
The overdrive automatic transmission contains an elec-
tronically controlled fourth and fifth (if equipped) speed
(Overdrive). The transmission will automatically shift
from Drive to Overdrive if the following conditions are
present:
²the transmission selector is in Drive;
²the engine coolant has reached normal operating tem-
perature;
²vehicle speed is above approximately 30 mph (48
km/h);
²the ªTOW/HAULº switch has not been activated;
²transmission has reached normal operating tempera-
ture.
NOTE:If the vehicle is started in extremely cold tem-
peratures, the transmission may not shift into Overdriveand will automatically select the most desirable gear for
operation at this temperature. Normal operation will
resume when the transmission fluid temperature has
risen to a suitable level. Refer also to the Note under
torque converter clutch, later in this section.
If the transmission temperature gets extremely hot, the
transmission will automatically select the most desirable
gear for operation at this temperature. If the transmission
temperature becomes hot enough the TRANS TEMP light
may illuminate and the transmission may downshift out
of Overdrive until the transmission cools down. After
cooldown, the transmission will resume normal opera-
tion.
The transmission will downshift from Overdrive to Drive
if the accelerator pedal is fully depressed at vehicle
speeds above approximately 35 mph (56 km/h).
228 STARTING AND OPERATING

When To Use ªTOW/HAULº Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting oc-
curs, press the ªTOW/HAULº button. This will improve
performance and reduce the potential for transmission
overheating or failure due to excessive shifting. Whenoperating in ªTOW/HAULº mode, 5th gear (if
equipped) is disabled and 2-3 and 3-4 shift patterns are
modified. Shifts into Overdrive (4th gear) are allowed
during steady cruise (for improved fuel economy) and
automatic closed-throttle downshifts to 3rd gear (for
improved braking) will occur during steady braking.
The ªTOW/HAULº light will illuminate in the instru-
ment cluster to indicate when the switch has been
activated. Pressing the switch a second time restores
normal operation. If the ªTOW/HAULº mode is desired,
the button must be pressed each time the engine is
started.
Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy is included
in all automatic transmissions. A clutch within the torque
converter engages automatically at a calibrated speed at
light throttle. It engages at higher speeds under heavier
acceleration. This may result in a slightly different feeling
Tow Haul Button
STARTING AND OPERATING 229
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