2009 CHRYSLER 300 warning

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.
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.
438 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly an accident. Driving with your foot resting
or riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You wouldn’t have your full
braking capacity in an emergency.
Master Cylinder - Brake Fluid Level Check
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder immediately
if the brake system warning light indicates system fail-
ure.
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder when per-
forming underhood services.
Clean the top of the master cylinder area before removing
the cap. Add fluid to bring the level up to the top of the
“FULL” mark on the side of the master cylinder reservoir.Add enough fluid to bring the level up to the require-
ments described on the brake fluid reservoir. With disc
brakes, fluid level can be expected to fall as the brake
pads wear. However, low fluid level may be caused by a
leak and a checkup may be needed.
Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake fluid. Re-
fer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in this
section for the correct fluid type.WARNING!
•Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and the
brake fluid catching fire.
•Use of a brake fluid that may have a lower initial
boiling point, or is unidentified as to specification,
may result in sudden brake failure during hard
prolonged braking. You could have an accident.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 441
7

Your leather upholstery can be best preserved by regular
cleaning with a damp soft cloth. Small particles of dirt
can act as an abrasive and damage the leather upholstery
and should be removed promptly with a damp cloth.
Stubborn soils can be removed easily with a soft cloth
and MOPARTotal Clean or equivalent. Care should be
taken to avoid soaking your leather upholstery with any
liquid. Please do not use polishes, oils, cleaning fluids,
solvents, detergents, or ammonia-based cleaners to clean
your leather upholstery. Application of a leather condi-
tioner is not required to maintain the original condition.
WARNING!
Do not use volatile solvents for cleaning purposes.
Many are potentially flammable, and if used in
closed areas they may cause respiratory harm.
Cleaning Headlights
Your vehicle has plastic headlights that are lighter and
less susceptible to stone breakage than glass headlights.
Plastic is not as scratch resistant as glass and therefore
different lens cleaning procedures must be followed.
To minimize the possibility of scratching the lenses and
reducing light output, avoid wiping with a dry cloth. To
remove road dirt, wash with a mild soap solution fol-
lowed by rinsing.
Do not use abrasive cleaning components, solvents, steel
wool or other aggressive material to clean the lenses.
Glass Surfaces
All glass surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis
with MOPARGlass Cleaner or any commercial
household-type glass cleaner. Never use an abrasive type
cleaner. Use caution when cleaning the inside rear win-
dow equipped with electric defrosters or the right rear
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 447
7

CAUTION!
Do not touch the new bulb with your fingers. Oil
contamination will severely shorten bulb life. If the
bulb comes in contact with an oily surface, clean the
bulb with rubbing alcohol.
Low Beam Headlight, High Beam Headlight, and
Park/Turn Light – 300C
High Intensity Discharge Headlights (HID) — If
Equipped
The headlights are a type of high voltage discharge tube.
High voltage can remain in the circuit even with the
headlight switch off and the key removed.Because of
this, you should not attempt to service a headlight bulb
yourself. If a headlight bulb fails, take your vehicle to
an authorized dealer for service.
WARNING!
A transient high tension occurs at the bulb sockets of
HID headlights when the headlight switch is turned
ON. It may cause serious electrical shock or electro-
cution if not serviced properly. See your authorized
dealer for service.
NOTE:On vehicles equipped with HID Headlights,
when the headlights are turned on, there is a blue hue to
the lights. This diminishes and becomes more white after
approximately 10 seconds, as the system charges.
460 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

† This maintenance is recommended by the manufacturer
to the owner, but is not required to maintain emissions
warranty.
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Do only service work for which you
have the knowledge and the right equipment. If you
have any doubt about your ability to perform a
service job, take your vehicle to a competent me-
chanic.
490 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
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WARNING!
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain
vehicle components contain, or emit, chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects, or other reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids contained in vehicles and certain
products of component wear contain, or emit, chemi-
cals known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
WARRANTY INFORMATION (U.S. Vehicles Only)
See the Warranty Information Booklet for the terms and
provisions of Chrysler Motors LLC warranties applicable
to this vehicle.
MOPARPARTS
Moparfluids, lubricants, parts, and accessories are
available from an authorized dealer. They will help keep
the vehicle operating at its best.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
In The 50 United States And Washington, D.C.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect that could
cause a crash or cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying the
manufacturer.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in
a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your authorized
dealer, and the manufacturer.
496 IF YOU NEED CONSUMER ASSISTANCE

Treadwear
The Treadwear grade is a comparative rating, based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices, and differences in road charac-
teristics and climate.
Traction Grades
The Traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. These grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on
wet pavement, as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics.
Temperature Grades
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat
and its ability to dissipate heat, when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of performance, which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A repre-
sent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel, than the minimum required by law.
IF YOU NEED CONSUMER ASSISTANCE 499
9

WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is established for
a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, under-inflation, or excessive load-
ing, either separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
500 IF YOU NEED CONSUMER ASSISTANCE