2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN warning

STARTING PROCEDURESBefore 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 unattended children alone in a ve-
hicle. Leaving 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 build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
Automatic Transaxle
The shift lever must be in the NEUTRAL or PARK
position before you can start the engine. Press the brake
pedal before shifting into any driving gear.
Normal Starting
1. Do not press the accelerator.
2. 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.
3. If the engine fails to start, the starter will disengage
automatically in 10 seconds. If this occurs, turn the
ignition switch to the OFF position, wait 10 to 15 seconds,
then repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure (Steps 1–3
above).
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NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transaxle shift
interlocking system. The brake pedal must be pressed
to shift out of PARK.
Extreme Cold Weather (Below20°F or –29°C)
Follow the same instructions in the “Normal Starting”
procedure.
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 The 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
transaxle 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 discharged 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 dangerous if done improperly. Refer
to “Jump Starting” in Section 6 of this manual.
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” procedure, it may be flooded. Push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it
there while cranking the engine. This should clear any
excess fuel in case the engine is flooded.
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CAUTION!To prevent damage to the starter, DO NOT crank the
engine for more than 15–second intervals at one time.
Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15–
second intervals of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “Normal Starting” procedure should
be repeated.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically 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 electrical 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’s 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 electrical cord before
driving. Damage to the 110-115 volt electrical cord
could cause electrocution.
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AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
CAUTION!Damage to the transaxle may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
Move the shift lever into PARK only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop.
Do not move the shift lever from REVERSE,
PARK, or NEUTRAL into any forward gear when
the engine is above idle speed.
Before moving the shift lever into any gear, make
sure your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal down
while shifting out of PARK. WARNING!
It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK or
NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than idle
speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal,
the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in
reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal.
Brake/Transaxle Interlock System
This system holds the shift lever in the PARK position
when the ignition switch is in the OFF position. It also
prevents you, once the engine is started, from moving the
shift lever out of PARK and into any gear, unless the
brake pedal is pressed. This system is active only while
the ignition switch is in the ON position. Always press
the brake pedal first before moving the shift lever out of
PARK.
332 STARTING AND OPERATING

Gear RangesDo not race the engine when moving the shift lever from
PARK or NEUTRAL positions into another gear range.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transaxle. The engine can be started in this gear. Never
attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this
gear.
When parking on a flat surface, place the shift lever in the
PARK position first, and then apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transaxle locking mechanism may make it
difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade, and away from the curb on an uphill
grade.
WARNING!

Never use the PARK position as a substitute for
the parking brake. Always apply the parking
brake fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
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 move the shift lever into PARK, remove the
key from the ignition, and apply the parking
brake. Once the key is removed from the ignition,
the shift lever is locked in the PARK position,
securing the vehicle against unwanted movement.
Furthermore, you should never leave unattended
children or pets inside a vehicle.
334 STARTING AND OPERATING

The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have placed the shift lever into the PARK position:
When moving the shift lever into PARK, press the
button on the shift lever and firmly move the lever all
the way forward until it stops.
Look at the shift indicator window on the console to
ensure the shift lever is in the PARK position.
When engaged in PARK, you will not be able to move
the shift lever rearward without pressing the shift
lever button.CAUTION!
Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you must
turn the ignition from OFF to ACC/ON so the steer-
ing wheel and shift lever are released. Otherwise,
damage to the steering column or shift lever could
result.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL
This range is used when vehicle is standing for pro-
longed periods with engine running. Engine may be
started in this range. Set the parking brake if you must
leave the vehicle. 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.
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the transaxle into third gear, the transaxle will never shift
above third gear, but can shift down to second or first
gear automatically, when needed.
Switching from ERS to DRIVE can be done at any vehicle
speed. To shift from DRIVE mode to ERS mode, move the
shift lever to the left (-) once. The current gear will be
maintained as the top gear. To disable ERS, simply press
and hold the shift lever to the right (+) until “D” is
displayed in the instrument cluster odometer.WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing an accident
or personal injury.
Odometer
Screen Display
1 2 3 4 5 6 D
Actual Gear(s)
Allowed (Six-
Speed Transaxle) 1 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5 1-6 1-6
Actual Gear(s)
Allowed (Four-
Speed Transaxle) 1 1-2 1-3 1-4 N/A N/A 1–4
NOTE: To select the proper gear position for maximum
deceleration (engine braking), simply press and hold the
shift lever to the left (-). The transaxle will shift to the
range from which the vehicle can best be slowed down.
STARTING AND OPERATING 337 5

DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
AccelerationRapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the front wheels to pull errati-
cally to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs when
there is a difference in the surface traction under the front
(driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the
front wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle
and possibly have an accident. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as hydroplaning and may cause
partial or complete loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the following precau-
tions should be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when roads are
slushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first
become visible.
4. Keep the tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a sudden
stop.
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