2009 DODGE JOURNEY Owners Manual

NOTE:Check the 4-speed automatic transaxle fluid
level before towing. The 6-speed transaxle is sealed and
the fluid level cannot be checked. See your authorized
dealer for assistance.
Towing Tips — Electronic Speed Control (If
Equipped)

Don’t use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
Towing Tips — Autostick (If Equipped)

By using the Autostick modes and selecting a specific
gear range, frequent shifting can be avoided. The
highest gear range should be selected that allows for
adequate performance. For example, choose “4” if the
desired speed can be maintained. Choose “3” or “2” if
needed to maintain the desired speed.
Extended driving at high RPM should be avoided to
prevent excess heat generation. A reduction in vehicle
speed may be required to avoid extended driving at
high RPM. Return to a higher gear range or vehicle
speed when road conditions and RPM level allows.
STARTING AND OPERATING 391
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

JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
WARNING!
•Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the vehicle
close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off the road to
avoid the danger of being hit when operating the jack or
changing the wheel.
• Getting under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous. The
vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you. You could
be crushed. Never get 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.
• The jack is designed to use as a tool for changing tires
only. The jack should not be used to lift the vehicle for
service purposes. The vehicle should be jacked on a firm
level surface only. Avoid ice or slippery areas.
• A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or hard
stop could endanger the occupants of the vehicle. Always
stow the jack parts and the spare tire in the places
provided.
Jack Location
The jack and jack-handle are stowed underneath a cover
in the rear storage bin in the cargo area.
Jack Storage Location
396 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Spare Tire Location
The spare tire is stowed underneath the rear of the
vehicle and is held in place by means of a cable winch
mechanism.
Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm level surface as far from the
edge of the roadway as possible. Avoid icy or slippery
areas.
2.Set the parking brake and place the shift lever in
PARK.
3. Turn OFF the ignition.
4. Turn ON the hazard warning flashers.
5. Passengers should not remain in the vehicle when the
vehicle is being jacked. 6. Block both the front and rear
of the wheel diagonally opposite
the jacking position. For ex-
ample, if changing the right
front tire, block the left rear
wheel.Spare Tire Removal
NOTE:
On Seven-Passenger Models, fold the third-row
passenger seats flat. This will provide more space when
accessing the jacking tools and when operating the winch
mechanism.
1. Remove the jack-handle components 1, 2, and 3 from
storage and assemble them.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 397
6

NOTE:Assemble components 2 and 3 by seating the
small ball at the end of component 2 in the small hole at
the end of component 3. This will lock these components
together. Assemble components 1 and 2 so that the wheel
nut socket at the end of component 1 faces upward when seated on component 2. This will make it easier to rotate
the assembly when operating the winch mechanism.
2. Fit the assembled jack-handle over the winch drive
nut located in the jack storage area. Rotate the jack-
handle assembly counterclockwise until the spare tire is
on the ground with enough cable slack to allow you to
pull the spare tire out from underneath the vehicle.
CAUTION!
The winch mechanism is designed for use with the
jack-handle only. Use of an air wrench or other power
tools is not recommended and it can damage the
winch.
3. Pull the spare tire out from underneath the vehicle and
raise it upright so the tire’s tread is on the ground.
Lowering/Raising Spare Tire
398 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES