2009 DODGE JOURNEY engine overheat

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 is 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!
Follow these guidelines to maintain your vehicle’s
performance:
•The use of leaded gas is prohibited by Federal law.
Using leaded gasoline can impair engine performance
and damage the emissions control system.
•An out-of-tune engine or certain fuel or ignition mal-
functions 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 malfunc-
tioning and may require immediate service. Contact
your authorized dealer for service assistance.
•The use of fuel additives, which are now being sold as
octane enhancers, is 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 is not
the responsibility of the manufacturer.
NOTE: Intentional tampering with the emissions con-
trol system can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
STARTING AND OPERATING 371
5

Towing Tips — Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transaxle overheating,
take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods, put transaxle in NEU-
TRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
Refer to “Cooling System” under “Maintenance Pro-
cedures” in Section 7.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
TOWING THIS VEHICLE BEHIND ANOTHER
VEHICLE (Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On
The Ground)
Recreational towing for this vehicle is not recommended.
NOTE: If the vehicle requires towing, make sure all four
wheels are off the ground.
392 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flasher ..................394
 If Your Engine Overheats .................394
▫ Engine Oil Overheating — 2.4L Gas And 2.0L
Diesel Engines Only (If Equipped) .........395
 Jacking And Tire Changing ................396
▫ Jack Location ........................396
▫ Spare Tire Location ....................397
▫ Preparations For Jacking ................397
▫ Spare Tire Removal ....................397
▫ Spare Tire Stowage ....................399 ▫
Jacking Instructions ....................401
 Jump-Starting Procedures .................407
 Freeing A Stuck Vehicle ..................410
 Towing A Disabled Vehicle ................412
▫ Without The Ignition Key ...............412
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With The Key In The Ignition
And All Four Wheels On The Ground) ......412
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
With A Tow Dolly .....................413
6

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The HAZARD switch is located in the instrument panel
switch bank above the climate controls.Push and release the switch to turn on the hazard
warning flashers. When the hazard warning is
activated, all directional turn signals will flash on
and off to warn oncoming traffic of an emergency. Push
and release the switch a second time to turn off the
flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it should not
be used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
hazard warning flashers will continue to operate even
though the ignition switch is in the LOCK position. NOTE:
With extended use, the hazard warning flashers
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 action.
•On the highways — Slow down.
•In city traffic — While stopped, put the transaxle in
NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition. If your Air Condition-
ing A/C system is on, turn it off. The A/C system adds
heat to the engine cooling system and turning off the
A/C system removes this heat. You can also turn the
Temperature control to maximum heat, the Mode control
to floor, and the Blower 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.
394 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads “H,”
safely pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle
with the A/C turned off until the pointer drops back
into the normal range. If the pointer remains on the
“H,” and you hear continuous chimes, turn the en-
gine OFF immediately, and call for service.
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 over-
heats. If you decide to look under the hood yourself,
refer to Section 7 and follow the warnings under the
Cooling System Pressure Cap paragraph.
Engine Oil Overheating — 2.4L Gas and 2.0L
Diesel Engines Only (If Equipped)
On hot days the engine oil temperature may become too
hot during sustained high-speed driving or if towing a
trailer up long grades. If this happens, a HOTOIL mes-
sage will flash in the odometer and the vehicle speed will
be reduced to 48 mph (77 km/h) maximum until the
engine oil temperature is reduced.
NOTE:Although the maximum vehicle speed is re-
duced to 48 mph (77 km/h), you may of course reduce
vehicle speed further as needed.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 395
6

WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause axle and
tire damage or failure. A tire could explode and
injure someone. Do not spin your vehicle’s wheels
faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for longer than 30
seconds continuously without stopping when you
are stuck, and don’t let anyone near a spinning
wheel, no matter what the speed.
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.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 411
6

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.
430 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may indicate severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, safely
bring the vehicle to a complete stop, shut the engine OFF,
and allow the vehicle to cool. Thereafter, obtain service,
including a tune-up to manufacturer’s specifications im-
mediately.
To minimize the possibility of catalyst damage:
•Do not shut OFF the engine or interrupt the ignition
when the transaxle is in gear and the vehicle is in
motion.
•Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing the
vehicle.
•Do not idle the engine with any ignition coil connec-
tors disconnected for prolonged periods.
Maintenance-Free Battery
You will never have to add water, nor is periodic main-
tenance required.
NOTE:The battery is stored in a compartment that is
located behind the left front fender and is accessible
through the wheel well. The wheel and tire assemble do
not need to be removed to access the compartment.
Remote battery terminals are located in the engine com-
partment for jump-starting.
To access the battery, turn the steering wheel fully to the
right and remove the access panel from the inner fender
shield.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 431
7