2009 DODGE CALIBER SRT air condition

WARNING!
High-speed driving, with your vehicle at or above
maximum load, is dangerous. The added strain on
your tires could cause them to fail. You could have a
serious accident. Do not drive a vehicle loaded to the
maximum capacity at continuous speeds above
75 mph (120 km/h).
Radial-Ply Tires
WARNING!
Combining radial ply tires with other types of tires
on your vehicle will cause your vehicle to handle
poorly. The instability could cause an accident. Al-
ways use radial ply tires in sets of four. Never
combine them with other types of tires.Cuts and punctures in radial tires are repairable only in
the tread area because of sidewall flexing. Consult your
authorized tire dealer for radial tire repairs.
Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, do not
spin your vehicle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h),
or continuously for longer than 30 seconds, without
stopping.
Refer to “Freeing A Stuck Vehicle” in Section 6 of this
manual for additional information.
WARNING!
•Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gen-
erated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire
damage or failure. A tire could explode and injure
someone.
(Continued)
282 STARTING AND OPERATING

content of gasoline may not be indicated on the pump,
you should ask your gasoline retailer if the gasoline
contains MMT.
It is even more important to look for gasolines without
MMT in Canada, because MMT can be used at levels
higher than allowed in the United States. MMT is pro-
hibited in Federal and California reformulated gasolines.
Materials Added To Fuel
All gasoline sold in the United States is required to
contain effective detergent additives. Use of additional
detergents or other additives are not needed under
normal conditions and they would result in additional
cost. Therefore, you should not have to add anything to
the fuel.
Fuel System Cautions
CAUTION!
Use the following guidelines to maintain your vehi-
cle’s performance:
•The use of leaded gas is prohibited by Federal law.
Using leaded gasoline can impair engine performance,
or damage the emissions control system.
•An out-of-tune engine, or certain fuel or ignition
malfunctions, can cause the catalytic converter to
overheat. If you notice a pungent burning odor or
some light smoke, your engine may be out-of-tune or
malfunctioning and may require immediate service.
Contact your authorized dealer for service assistance.
STARTING AND OPERATING 299
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•The use of fuel additives, which are now being sold as
octane enhancers, are not recommended. Most of these
products contain high concentrations of methanol.
Fuel system damage or vehicle performance problems
resulting from the use of such fuels or additives are not
the responsibility of the manufacturer.
NOTE:Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
Carbon Monoxide Warnings
WARNING!
Carbon monoxide (CO) in exhaust gases is deadly.
Follow the precautions below to prevent carbon
monoxide poisoning.
•Do not inhale exhaust gases. They contain carbon
monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas, which can kill.
Never run the engine in a closed area, such as a
garage, and never sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running for an extended period. If the vehicle is
stopped in an open area with the engine running for
more than a short period, adjust the ventilation system
to force fresh, outside air into the vehicle.
•Guard against carbon monoxide with proper mainte-
nance. Have the exhaust system inspected every time
the vehicle is raised. Have any abnormal conditions
repaired promptly. Until repaired, drive with all side
windows fully open.
•Keep the trunk closed when driving your vehicle to
prevent carbon monoxide and other poisonous ex-
haust gases from entering the vehicle.
300 STARTING AND OPERATING

If the pointer rises to theredmark (260 °F / 126.6 °C), 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 thered
mark (260 °F / 126.6 °C) for more than a minute, turn the
engine off immediately and call for service.
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 260 °F
(126.6 °C), 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 red mark (260 °F / 126.6 °C),
turn the engine off immediately, and call for service.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 307
6

•When the TIREFIT Sealant is in a liquid form, clean
water, and a damp cloth will remove the material from
the vehicle or tire and wheel components. Once the
sealant dries, it can easily be peeled off and properly
discarded.
•For optimum performance, make sure the valve stem
on the wheel is free of debris before connecting the
TIREFIT kit.
•You can use the TIREFIT air pump to inflate bicycle
tires. The kit also comes with two needles located in
the Accessory Storage Compartment (8) for inflating
sport balls, rafts, or like inflatable items. However, use
only the Black Air Pump Hose (6) and make sure the
Mode Select Knob (4) is in the Air Mode when
inflating such items to avoid injecting sealant into
them. The TIREFIT Sealant is only intended to seal
small punctures in the tire tread of a tire on this
vehicle.
WARNING!
•Do not attempt to seal a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to traffic. Pull far enough off the road
to avoid the danger of being hit when using the
TIREFIT kit.
•Do not use TIREFIT or drive the vehicle under the
following circumstances:
If the cut or puncture in the tire tread is approxi-
mately 0.24 in. (6 mm) or larger.
If the tire has any sidewall damage.
If the tire has any damage from driving with
extremely low tire pressure.
If the tire has any damage from driving on a flat
tire.
If the wheel has any damage.
If you are unsure of the condition of the tire or the
wheel.
(Continued)
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 309
6

WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get
it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transaxle cannot be started this way and may be
damaged. 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 discharged battery, booster cables
may be used to obtain a start from another vehicle.
This type of start can be dangerous if done im-
properly, so follow this procedure carefully.
•Wear eye protection and remove any metal jewelry
such as watch bands or bracelets that might make
an inadvertent electrical contact. You could be
seriously injured.
NOTE: Disconnecting the battery with the ignition in
the ON position will cause vehicles with an automatictransaxle (CVT2) to go into “default mode” and turn on
the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL). See your autho-
rized dealer to correct this condition.
1. When boosting from a battery in another vehicle, park
that vehicle within booster cable reach but without
letting the vehicles touch. Set the parking brake, place the
automatic transmission in PARK (the manual transmis-
sion in NEUTRAL) and turn the ignition to OFF for both
vehicles.
2. Turn off the heater, radio and all unnecessary electrical
loads.
3. Using the two finger screws on the cover, remove the
air intake duct covering the battery.
4. Connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive
terminal of the booster battery. Connect the other end of
the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the dis-
charged battery.
318 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Engine Compartment — 2.4L Turbo......... 325
Onboard Diagnostic System — OBD II....... 326
▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message........... 326
Emissions Inspection And Maintenance
Programs............................ 327
Replacement Parts..................... 328
Dealer Service........................ 329
Maintenance Procedures................. 329
▫Engine Oil......................... 329▫Engine Air Cleaner Filter............... 332
▫Maintenance-Free Battery............... 333
▫Air Conditioner Maintenance............ 335
▫Body Lubrication..................... 336
▫Windshield Wiper Blades............... 336
▫Adding Washer Fluid.................. 337
▫Exhaust System...................... 337
▫Cooling System...................... 339
▫Brake System....................... 345
7

Air Conditioner Maintenance
For best possible performance, your air conditioner
should be checked and serviced by an authorized dealer
at the start of each warm season. This service should
include cleaning of the condenser fins and a performance
test. Drive belt tension should also be checked at this
time.
WARNING!
•Use only refrigerants and compressor lubricants
approved by the manufacturer for your air condi-
tioning system. Some unapproved refrigerants are
flammable and can explode, injuring you. Other
unapproved refrigerants or lubricants can cause
the system to fail, requiring costly repairs. Refer to
Section 3 of the Warranty Information book for
further warranty information.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•The air conditioning system contains refrigerant
under high pressure. To avoid risk of personal
injury or damage to the system, adding refrigerant
or any repair requiring lines to be disconnected
should be done by an experienced repairman.
NOTE:Use only manufacturer approved A/C System
Sealers, Stop Leak Products, Seal Conditioners, Compres-
sor Oil, and Refrigerants.
Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling
R-134a air conditioning refrigerant is a hydrofluoro-
carbon (HFC) that is endorsed by the Environmental
Protection Agency and is an ozone-saving product. How-
ever, the manufacturer recommends that air conditioning
service be performed by authorized dealers or other
service facilities using recovery and recycling equipment.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 335
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