2009 DODGE AVENGER engine overheat

CAUTION!
Towing a trailer with a larger than recommended
frontal area could cause the engine to overheat or
cause severe engine damage under extreme condi-
tions.
Trailer and Tongue Weight
Always load a trailer with 60% to 65% of the weight in
the front of the trailer. This places 10% of the Gross Trailer
Weight (GTW) on the tow hitch of your vehicle. Loads
balanced over the wheels or heavier in the rear can cause
the trailer to swayseverelyside to side which will cause
loss of control of vehicle and trailer. Failure to load
trailers heavier in front is the cause of many trailer
accidents.
Never exceed the maximum trailer tongue weight
stamped on your bumper or trailer hitch.Consider the following items when computing the
weight on the rear axle of the vehicle:
•The trailer tongue weight of the trailer.
•The weight of any other type of cargo or equipment
put in or on your vehicle.
•The weight of the driver and all passengers.
340 STARTING AND OPERATING

Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transaxle overheating,
take the following actions:
•City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, put transaxle in
neutral and increase engine idle speed.
•Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
•Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle (Flat
towing with all four wheels on the ground)
CAUTION!
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the driv-
etrain will result.
NOTE:If the vehicle requires towing make sure all four
wheels are off the ground.
346 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flasher................. 348
If Your Engine Overheats................ 348
▫Engine Oil Overheating (2.4L Engine Only)
— If Equipped....................... 350
Jacking And Tire Changing............... 350
▫Jack Location....................... 351
▫Spare Tire Stowage................... 351
▫Preparations For Jacking................ 351
▫Jacking Instructions................... 352Jump-Starting Procedure................. 358
Freeing A Stuck Vehicle................. 361
Towing A Disabled Vehicle............... 362
▫Towing With The Ignition Key........... 362
▫Towing Without The Ignition Key......... 363
▫
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle... 363
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
With A Tow Dolly.................... 363
▫Towing Without Power — Override
Transaxle Interlock System.............. 363
6

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located on the
instrument panel, below the radio.
Press the switch to turn on the Hazard
Warning flashers. When the Hazard
Warning flasher switch is activated, all
directional turn signals will flash on
and off to warn oncoming traffic of an
emergency. Press the switch a second
time to turn off flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and should not be
used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
If it is necessary to leave the vehicle to go for service, the
Hazard Warning flasher will continue to operate with the
ignition key removed and the vehicle locked.NOTE:With extended use, the Hazard Warning flasher
may wear down your battery.
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 transaxle in
NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
If the pointer rises to theH(red) mark, the instrument
cluster will sound a chime. Pull over and stop the vehicle
with the engine at idle, when safe. Turn off the air
conditioning and wait until the pointer drops back into
the normal range. If the pointer remains on the H (red)
mark for more than a minute, turn the engine off imme-
diately and call for service.
348 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

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 temperature gauge reads “H”, pull
over and stop the vehicle with the engine at idle,
when safe. Turn the air conditioner off and wait until
the pointer drops back into the normal range. After
appropriate action has been taken, if the pointer
remains on the “H”, turn the engine off immediately,
and call for service.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 349
6

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, Maintenance, of this
manual. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
Engine Oil Overheating (2.4L Engine Only) — If
Equipped
During sustained high-speed driving or trailer tow up
long grades on a hot day, the engine oil temperature may
become too hot. If this happens, the “HOTOIL” message
flashes in the odometer and the vehicle speed will be
reduced to 53 mph (85 km/h) until the engine oil
temperature is reduced.NOTE:The vehicle speed is reduced to a maximum of
53 mph (85 km/h). You may of course, reduce your
vehicle speed further if needed.
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
WARNING!
•Being under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous. The
vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you. You
could be crushed. Never put any part of your body
under a vehicle that is on a jack. Never start or run
the engine while the vehicle is on a jack. If you
need to get under a raised vehicle, take it to a
service center where it can be raised on a lift.
(Continued)
350 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transaxle overheating and failure. It can
also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels above
30 mph (48 km/h). Do not spin the wheels continu-
ously for more than 30 seconds.
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Towing With The Ignition Key
Front Wheel Drive
Your vehicle may be towed (with all four wheels flat on
the ground), under the following conditions: The shift
lever must be in NEUTRAL, the distance to be traveled
must not exceed 15 miles (25 km), and the towing speed
must not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h). Exceeding these
towing limits may cause a transaxle failure. If the trans-
axle is not operative, or if the vehicle is to be towed morethan 15 miles (25 km), the vehicle must be transported
either with a flat bed truck or with the front wheels off
the ground.
CAUTION!
•If the vehicle being towed requires steering, the
ignition switch must be in the ON position, not in
the LOCK or ACC position.
•Do not attempt to tow this vehicle from the front
with sling type towing equipment. Damage to the
front fascia will result.
•Do not push or tow this vehicle with another
vehicle as damage to the bumper fascia and trans-
axle may result.
If you must use the accessories (wipers, defrosters, etc.)
while being towed, the key must be in the ON position,
not the ACC position. Make certain the transaxle remains
in NEUTRAL.
362 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Under normal operating conditions, the catalytic con-
verter will not require maintenance. However, it is im-
portant to keep the engine properly tuned to assure
proper catalyst operation and prevent possible catalyst
damage.
CAUTION!
Damage to the catalytic converter can result if your
vehicle is not kept in proper operating condition. In
the event of engine malfunction, particularly involv-
ing engine misfire or other apparent loss of perfor-
mance, have your vehicle serviced promptly. Contin-
ued operation of your vehicle with a severe
malfunction could cause the converter to overheat,
resulting in possible damage to the converter and the
vehicle.NOTE:Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
WARNING!
A hot exhaust system can start a fire if you park over
materials that can burn. Such materials might be
grass or leaves coming into contact with your exhaust
system. Do not park or operate your vehicle in areas
where your exhaust system can contact anything that
can burn.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may suggest severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, stop
the vehicle, turn off the engine, and allow it to cool.
Service, including a tune up to manufacturer’s specifica-
tions, should be obtained immediately.
384 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE