2008 DODGE DAKOTA engine

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
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5

or response during normal operation in high gear. When
the vehicle speed drops below a calibrated speed, or
during acceleration, the clutch automatically and
smoothly disengages. The feature is operational in Over-
drive and in Drive.
NOTE:The torque converter clutch will not engage
until the transmission fluid and engine coolant are warm
[usually after 1-3 miles (1.6 - 4.8 km) of driving]. Because
the engine speed is higher when the torque converter
clutch is not engaged, it may seem as if the transmission
is not shifting into Overdrive when cold. This is normal.
Pressing the9TOW/HAUL9button, when the transmis-
sion is sufficiently warm, will demonstrate that the
transmission is able to shift into and out of Overdrive.
NOTE:If the vehicle has not been driven in several
days, the first few seconds of operation after shifting the
transmission into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to
the fluid partially draining from the torque converter intothe transmission. This condition is normal and will not
cause damage to the transmission. The torque converter
will refill within five seconds of shifting from Park into
any other gear position.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.
This model is equipped with a clutch interlocking igni-
tion system. The clutch pedal must be fully depressed to
start the vehicle.
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Fully depress the clutch pedal before shifting gears. As
you release the clutch pedal, lightly depress the accelera-
tor pedal. When launching a stationary vehicle, keep the
engine speed low until the clutch is fully engaged.
NOTE:Always launch in first gear. Damage to the
clutch can result from launching in 2nd gear or 3rd gear.
Use each gear in numerical order, do not skip a gear.
When shifting from 5th to 6th gear, do not apply exces-
sive knob load toward the Reverse gear gate, as you may
overpower Reverse crash-through load and unintention-
ally clash into Reverse gear. Also, when shifting from 6th
to 5th gear, excessive knob load toward the Reverse gear
gate will result in blocking of the shift.
To shift into Reverse, come to a complete stop. Depress
the clutch and pause briefly to allow the gear train to
stop. Reverse has a9crash-through9lockout feature. In
order to get into the reverse gate you should start in
neutral 3/4 and move rapidly into the reverse gate in oneswift motion. If you move slowly toward reverse you will
encounter a very high load which makes it difficult to
enter the gate.
Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, or
attempt to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal
partially engaged, as this will cause abnormal wear on
the clutch.
Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transmission for fuel economy it
should be upshifted as listed below. Shift at the vehicle
speeds listed for acceleration. Earlier upshifts during
cruise conditions (relatively steady speeds) will result in
increased fuel economy, and may be used as indicated.
Higher upshift speeds may be used to obtain a desired
acceleration rate.
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6 Speed Manual Transmission Shift Speed in mph
(km/h)
En-
gineModel AxleAccel-
eration
Rate1to
22to
33to
44to
55to
6
3.7L ALL3.21
&
3.55ACCEL
&
CRUISE15
(24)
10
(16)24
(39)
19
(31)34
(55)
27
(44)47
(76)
37
(60)56
(90)
41
(66)
4.7L All3.21
&
3.55ACCEL
&
CRUISE15
(24)25
(40)40
(65)45
(72)50
(81)
Downshifting
Moving from a high gear down to a lower gear is
recommended to preserve brakes when driving down
steep hills. In addition, downshifting at the right time
provides better acceleration when you desire to resume
speed. For acceleration at speeds less than 20 mph (30
km/h), 2nd gear is recommended.
CAUTION!
When descending a hill, be very careful to downshift
one gear at a time to prevent overspeeding the engine
which can cause valve damage.
To prevent clutch and transmission damage, your vehicle
should be downshifted at speeds no greater than those
listed in the Maximum Recommended Downshifting
Speed chart.
Maximum Recommended Downshifting Speeds
Gear
Selec-
tion1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Maxi-
mum
Speed20 mph
(32
km/h)35 mph
(56
km/h)55 mph
(88
km/h)75 mph
(120
km/h)85 mph
(135
km/h)
232 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
Failure to follow the recommended downshifting
speeds may cause the engine to over speed and / or
damage the clutch disc even if the clutch pedal is
depressed.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
NV233/243 GII Transfer Case Operating
Information/Precautions
The NV233/243 is an electric shift transfer case and is
operated by the 4WD Control Switch (Transfer Case
Switch), which is located on the instrument panel.
The NV233/243 transfer case provides 4 mode positions:
2 (rear) wheel drive high range, 4 wheel drive high range,
4 wheel drive low range, and neutral.The NV233/243 transfer case is designed to be driven in
the 2 wheel drive position (2WD) for normal street and
highway conditions (dry hard surfaced roads).
When additional traction is required, the transfer case
4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW positions can be used to lock
the front and rear driveshafts together and force the front
and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is
accomplished by rotating the 4WD Control Switch to the
desired position - see Shifting Procedure section for
specific shifting instructions. The 4WD LOCK and 4WD
LOW positions are designed for loose or slippery road
surfaces only. Driving in the 4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW
positions on dry hard-surfaced roads may cause in-
creased tire wear and damage to the driveline compo-
nents.
The transfer case Neutral (N) position is selected by
depressing the recessed button located on the lower left
hand corner of the 4WD Control Switch.
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5

NOTE:The transfer case Neutral (N) position is to be
used for recreational towing only. See Recreational Tow-
ing section for specific procedures on shifting into and
out of Neutral (N).
Transfer Case Position Indicator Lights
Transfer case position indicator lights are located on the
instrument cluster. If there is no indicator light on or
flashing, the transfer case position is two-wheel drive
(2WD). If the indicator light is on, the desired position
(4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW) has been obtained.
If One or More Shift Requirements are not Met:
1. An indicator light will flash.
2. The transfer casewill notshift.
NOTE:Before retrying a selection, make certain that all
the necessary requirements for selecting a new transfer
case position have been met. To retry the selection, turn
the control knob back to the current position, wait five (5)seconds, and retry selection. To find the shift require-
ments, refer to the9Shifting Procedure9for your transfer
case, located in this section of the owner's manual.
The ªSVC 4WDº warning light monitors the electric shift
4WD system. If this light remains on after engine start up
or illuminates during driving, it means that the 4WD
system is not functioning properly and that service is
required.
WARNING!
Always engage the parking brake when powering
down the vehicle if the(SVC 4WD(light is illumi-
nated. Not engaging the parking brake may allow the
vehicle to roll, which may cause personal injury.
234 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:Do not attempt to make a shift while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning. The NV233/243 trans-
fer case is not equipped with a synchronizer and there-
fore the front and rear driveshaft speeds must be equal
for the shift to take place. Shifting while only the front or
rear wheels are spinning can cause damage to the trans-
fer case.
When operating your vehicle in 4WD LOW, the engine
speed is approximately three times that of the 2WD or
4WD LOCK positions at a given road speed. Take care
not to overspeed the engine and do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).
Proper operation of 4 wheel drive vehicles depends on
tires of equal size, type and circumference on each wheel.
Any difference in tire size can cause damage to the
transfer case.Because 4 wheel drive provides improved traction, there
is a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping speeds.
Do not go faster than road conditions permit.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the
Neutral (N) position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case Neutral (N) position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from
the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to move
regardless of the transmission position. The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
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Shifting Procedure - NV233/243 Transfer Case
NOTE:If any of the requirements to select a new
transfer case position have not been met, the transfer case
will not shift, the indicator light for the previous position
will remain ON, and the newly selected position indica-
tor light will continue to flash until all the requirements
for the selected position have been met. To retry a shift:return the control knob back to the original position,
make certain all shift requirements have been met, wait
five (5) seconds and try the shift again.
2WD to 4WD LOCK or 4WD LOCK to 2WD
Rotate the 4WD Control Switch to the desired position.
Shifts between 2WD and 4WD LOCK can be done with
the vehicle stopped or in motion. With the vehicle in
motion, the transfer case will engage / disengage faster if
you momentarily release the accelerator pedal after turn-
ing the control switch. If the vehicle is stopped, the
ignition key must be in the ON position with the engine
either RUNNING or OFF. This shift cannot be completed
if the key is in the accessory position.
NOTE:On vehicles equipped with Anti-Lock Brake
Systems, the 4x4 system will not allow shifts between
2WD/ 4WD LOCK if the rear wheels are spinning (no
traction). In this situation the selected position indicator
light will flash and the original position indicator light
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