2009 CHRYSLER 300 C radiator cap

IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
•On the highways — slow down.
•In city traffic — while stopped, put transmission in
NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE:There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition. If your air conditioner
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.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads “H,”
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
the “H,” turn the engine off immediately and call for
service.
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 Section 7 and follow the
warnings under the “Cooling System Pressure Cap”
paragraph.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 405
6

To minimize the possibility of catalyst damage:
•Do not shut off the engine or interrupt the ignition
when the transmission is in gear and the vehicle is in
motion.
•Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing the
vehicle.
•Do not idle the engine with any spark plug wires
disconnected or removed, such as when diagnostic
testing, or for prolonged periods during very rough
idling or malfunctioning operating conditions.
Cooling System
WARNING!
•When working near the radiator cooling fan, dis-
connect the fan motor lead or turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position. The fan is tempera-
ture controlled and can start at any time the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
•You or others can be badly burned by hot engine
coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If
you see or hear steam coming from under the
hood, do not open the hood until the radiator has
had time to cool. Never try to open a cooling
system pressure cap when the radiator is hot.
Coolant Checks
Check engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every
12 months (before the onset of freezing weather, where
applicable). If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty or
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 445
7

rusty in appearance, the system should be drained,
flushed, and refilled with fresh coolant. Check the front
of the A/C condenser for any accumulation of bugs,
leaves, etc. If dirty, clean by gently spraying water from a
garden hose vertically down the face of the condenser.
Check the coolant recovery bottle tubing for brittle rub-
ber, cracking, tears, cuts, and tightness of the connection
at the bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire system for
leaks.
With the engine at normal operating temperature (but
not running), check the cooling system pressure cap for
proper vacuum sealing by draining a small amount of
engine coolant (antifreeze) from the radiator drain cock.
If the cap is sealing properly, the engine coolant (anti-
freeze) will begin to drain from the coolant recovery
bottle. DO NOT REMOVE THE COOLANT PRESSURE
CAP WHEN THE COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT.Cooling System — Drain, Flush, and Refill
If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty or contains a
considerable amount of sediment, clean and flush with a
reliable cooling system cleaner. Follow with a thorough
rinsing to remove all deposits and chemicals. Properly
dispose of the old engine coolant (antifreeze) solution.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” in Section 8 for
proper maintenance intervals.
Selection of Coolant
Use only the manufacturer’s recommended engine cool-
ant (antifreeze). Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genu-
ine Parts” in this section for the correct fluid type.
446 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

When adding engine coolant (antifreeze):
•The manufacturer recommends using MOPAR
Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/100,000 Mile Formula
HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technology).
•Mix a minimum solution of 50% HOAT engine coolant
(antifreeze) and distilled water. Use higher concentra-
tions (not to exceed 70%) if temperatures below34°F
(37°C) are anticipated.
•Use only high purity water such as distilled or deion-
ized water when mixing the water/engine coolant
(antifreeze) solution. The use of lower quality water
will reduce the amount of corrosion protection in the
engine cooling system.
Please note that it is the owner’s responsibility to main-
tain the proper level of protection against freezing ac-
cording to the temperatures occurring in the area where
the vehicle is operated.NOTE:Mixing engine coolant (antifreeze) types will
decrease the life of the engine coolant (antifreeze) and
will require more frequent engine coolant (antifreeze)
changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of engine
coolant (antifreeze), and to ensure that engine coolant
(antifreeze) will return to the radiator from the coolant
recovery bottle.
The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any
accumulation of foreign material on the sealing surfaces.
448 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•The warning words “DO NOT OPEN HOT” on
the cooling system pressure cap are a safety pre-
caution. Never add engine coolant (antifreeze)
when the engine is overheated. Do not loosen or
remove the cap to cool an overheated engine. Heat
causes pressure to build up in the cooling system.
To prevent scalding or injury, do not remove the
pressure cap while the system is hot or under
pressure.
•Do not use a pressure cap other than the one
specified for your vehicle. Personal injury or en-
gine damage may result.
Disposal of Used Coolant
Used ethylene glycol-based engine coolant (antifreeze) is
a regulated substance requiring proper disposal. Check
with your local authorities to determine the disposalrules for your community. To prevent ingestion by ani-
mals or children, do not store ethylene glycol-based
engine coolant (antifreeze) in open containers or allow it
to remain in puddles on the ground. If ingested by a
child, contact a physician immediately. Clean up any
ground spills immediately.
Coolant Level
The coolant bottle provides a quick visual method for
determining that the coolant level is adequate. With the
engine OFF and cold, the level of the coolant in the bottle
should be between the ranges indicated on the bottle.
The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is
no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking for
engine coolant (antifreeze) freeze point or replacing en-
gine coolant (antifreeze). Advise your service attendant
of this. As long as the engine operating temperature is
satisfactory, the coolant bottle need only be checked once
a month.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 449
7

Brake Fluid............................ 482
Brake, Parking.......................... 339
Brake System........................... 451
Anti-Lock (ABS)....................... 341
Fluid Check.......................451,482
Master Cylinder....................... 451
Parking............................. 339
Warning Light........................ 214
Brakes............................... 451
Brake/Transmission Interlock............... 321
Break-In Recommendations, New Vehicle........ 78
Brightness, Interior Lights.................. 146
Bulb Replacement.....................467,469
Bulbs, Light..........................81,467
Calibration, Compass..................... 233
Capacities, Fluid........................ 479
Caps, Filler
Fuel................................ 384Oil (Engine).......................435,436
Power Steering........................ 338
Radiator (Coolant Pressure)............... 448
Car Washes............................ 455
Carbon Monoxide Warning...............79,383
Cargo (Vehicle Loading)................... 387
Cellular Phone........................94,297
Certification Label....................... 387
Chains, Tire............................ 366
Changing A Flat Tire..................... 406
Chart, Tire Sizing........................ 350
Check Engine Light
(Malfunction Indicator Light)............... 431
Checking Your Vehicle For Safety............. 78
Checks, Safety........................... 78
Child Restraint....................68,70,73,75
Child Restraint Tether Anchors.............72,73
Child Safety Locks........................ 35
Clean Air Gasoline....................... 380
514 INDEX

Cleaning
Wheels............................. 456
Windshield Wiper Blades................. 441
Climate Control......................... 298
Clock.....................242,244,258,262,271
Coin Holder........................... 198
Compact Disc (CD) Maintenance............. 297
Compact Spare Tire...................... 361
Compass.............................. 233
Compass Calibration..................... 233
Compass Variance....................... 234
Computer, Trip/Travel.................... 228
Connector
UCI ................................ 282
Universal Consumer Interface (UCI)......... 282
Conserving Fuel........................ 228
Console, Floor.......................... 198
Console, Overhead....................... 184
Contract, Service........................ 505Coolant Pressure Cap (Radiator Cap).......... 448
Cooling System......................... 445
Adding Coolant (Antifreeze).............. 447
Coolant Capacity...................... 479
Coolant Level......................445,449
Disposal of Used Coolant................ 449
Drain, Flush, and Refill.................. 446
Inspection........................... 449
Points to Remember.................... 450
Pressure Cap......................... 448
Radiator Cap......................... 448
Selection of Coolant (Antifreeze)......446,479,481
Corrosion Protection..................... 454
Cruise Control (Speed Control)...........154,157
Cruise Light........................... 210
Cupholders.........................197,459
Customer Assistance..................... 503
Customer Programmable Features............ 236
INDEX 515
10

Preparation for Jacking.................... 408
Pretensioners
Seat Belts............................. 50
Programmable Electronic Features............ 236
Programming Transmitters
(Remote Keyless Entry).................... 20
Radial Ply Tires......................... 360
Radiator Cap (Coolant Pressure Cap).......... 448
Radio Operation........................ 297
Radio Remote Controls.................... 295
Radio, Satellite.......................287,293
Rain Sensitive Wiper System................ 149
Rear Cupholder......................... 197
Rear Park Sense System................... 180
Rear Seat, Folding....................... 133
Rear Window Defroster................... 201
Rear Window Features.................... 201
Rearview Mirrors........................ 89Reclining Front Seats..................... 129
Recorder, Event Data...................... 66
Recreational Towing...................... 401
Reformulated Gasoline.................... 380
Refrigerant............................ 440
Release, Hood.......................... 138
Reminder, Lights On..................... 143
Reminder, Seat Belt....................... 51
Remote Control
Starting System........................ 27
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)................. 20
Remote Sound System (Radio) Controls........ 295
Remote Starting System.................... 27
Remote Trunk Release..................... 42
Replacement Bulbs....................... 467
Replacement Keys........................ 16
Replacement Parts....................... 432
Replacement Tires....................... 364
Reporting Safety Defects................... 506
526 INDEX