2009 CHRYSLER 300 ignition

CLIMATE CONTROLS
The air conditioning and heating system is designed to
make you comfortable in all types of weather.
Manual Air Conditioning and Heating SystemBlower Control
The rotary knob on the left controls the
blower. The control has an OFF posi-
tion and four speed settings.The
blower will remain on until the con-
trol is turned to the OFF position or
the ignition is turned OFF.
NOTE:For vehicles equipped with Remote Start, the
climate controls will not function during Remote Start
operation if the blower control is left in the “O” (Off)
position.
Manual Temperature Controls
294 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust the
inside and outside mirrors, fasten your seat belt, and if
present, instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat
belts.
WARNING!
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Do not leave the key in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
•Do not leave animals or children inside parked
vehicles in hot weather; interior heat buildup may
cause serious injury or death.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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 shift lever. Accidents
can also be caused by pressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause excessive heat in the ex-
haust system, resulting in overheating and vehicle
fire, which may cause serious or fatal injuries.
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.
STARTING AND OPERATING 309
5

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.
Normal Starting
Tip Start
NOTE:Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or depressing the
accelerator pedal.
Do notpress 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
automatically 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.
310 STARTING AND OPERATING

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.
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.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get
it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission 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 dis-
charged 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 dan-
gerous if done improperly. Refer to Section 6 for
proper jump-starting procedures and follow them
carefully.
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.
Then, turn the ignition switch to the START position and
STARTING AND OPERATING 311
5

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 sec-
onds 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 the engine, 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.
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.
(Continued)
312 STARTING AND OPERATING

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
running. 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 transmis-
sion 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
transmission oil temperature. If the transmission exceeds
normal operating temperature, the transmission will
change the way it shifts to help control the condition.This may result in a slightly different feeling or response
during normal operation in DRIVE position. After the
transmission cools down, it will return to normal
operation.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock System (BTSI) 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/RUN position, and the brake pedal must be
depressed.
Brake/Transmission Interlock Manual 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, remove the rubber tray from the storage bin
STARTING AND OPERATING 315
5

located to the right of the shift lever. The override access
port is at the top of the bin to the right of the shift lever
gate.
To activate the override, first insert the key into the
ignition switch and turn it to the ON position. Then,
press the pink-colored tab through the access port with asmall flat blade screwdriver or alike. While pressing the
override, move the shift lever out of the PARK position.
When complete, return the rubber tray to its original
position.
4-Speed Automatic Transmission
NOTE:Under extreme cold temperatures (-6°F (-21°C)
and when in DRIVE, transmission operation may be
briefly limited to only 2nd gear operation. Normal op-
eration will resume once the transmission temperature
has risen to a suitable level.
Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be
done only after the accelerator pedal is released and the
vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake
pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears.
Interlock Manual Override
316 STARTING AND OPERATING

The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the shift lever in the PARK position:
•When shifting into PARK move the shift lever all the
way forward and left until it stops and is fully seated.
•Look at the shift indicator display on the instrument
panel to ensure it is in the P position.
CAUTION!
Damage to the shifter could result if the shift lever is
moved out of PARK before the ignition is turned
from the LOCK to ON position.
REVERSE
Use REVERSE for moving the vehicle rearward. Always
stop before moving the shift lever to REVERSE, except
when rocking the vehicle.NEUTRAL
The engine may be started in this range.
CAUTION!
Coasting the vehicle or driving for any other reason
with shift lever in NEUTRAL can result in transmis-
sion damage.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have an accident.
318 STARTING AND OPERATING