2009 DODGE NITRO engine oil

Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision. Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in
pet harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine in
your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or
55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws, contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental and should be avoided.The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with anticipated climate
conditions under which vehicle operations will occur.
The recommended viscosity and quality grades are
shown under “Engine Oil”, under “Maintenance Proce-
dures” in section 7 of this manual. NON-DETERGENT
OR STRAIGHT MINERAL OILS MUST NEVER BE
USED.
A new engine may consume some oil during its first few
thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This should be
considered as a normal part of the break-in and not
interpreted as an indication of difficulty.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75
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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 an authorized dealer-
ship for service if your vehicle overheats. If you
decide to look under the hood yourself, see Section 7
of this manual. Follow the warnings under the Cool-
ing System Pressure Cap paragraph.
4. Low Fuel Light
When the fuel level reaches approximately 2.0 gal
(7.8 L) this light will turn on, and remain on until
fuel is added.
5. Seat Belt Reminder Light
When the ignition switch is first turned ON, this
light will turn on for five to eight seconds as a bulb
check. During the bulb check, if the driver’s seat
belt is unbuckled, a chime will sound. After the bulbcheck or when driving, if the driver’s seat belt remains
unbuckled, the Seat Belt Reminder Light will illuminate
and the chime will sound. Refer to “Occupant Restraints”
in Section 2 for more information.
6. Engine Temperature Warning Light
This light warns of an overheated engine condition.
As temperatures rise and the gauge approachesH
,
this indicator will illuminate and a single chime
will sound after reaching a set threshold. Further over-
heating will cause the temperature gauge to passH, the
indicator will continuously flash and a continuous chime
will occur until the engine is allowed to cool.
If the light turns on while driving, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is on, turn it off. Also,
shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and idle the ve-
hicle. If the temperature reading does not return to
normal, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service. Refer to “If Your Engine Overheats” in Section 6
for more information.
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21. Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light indicates low engine oil pressure. The
light should turn on momentarily when the engine
is started. If the light turns on while driving, stop the
vehicle and shut off the engine as soon as possible. A
chime will sound for four minutes when this light turns
on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected.
This light does not show how much oil is in the engine.
The engine oil level must be checked under the hood.
22. Airbag Warning Light
This light turns on and remains on for seven
seconds as a bulb check, when the ignition
switch is first turned ON. If the light is not on
during starting, stays on, or turns on while
driving, have the system inspected by an authorized
dealer as soon as possible.23. Tachometer
This gauge measures engine revolutions-per-minute
(RPM x 1000).
24. Shift Lever Indicator
The electronic shift lever display is self-contained within
the instrument cluster. It displays the position of the
automatic transmission shift lever and the relation of
each position to all other positions. The display will place
a box around the selected transmission range (PRND21).
If the PRNDL displays only the characters PRND21 (no
boxes) have the system checked by an authorized dealer.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 181
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U.S. federal regulations require that upon transfer of
vehicle ownership, the seller certify to the purchaser the
correct mileage that the vehicle has been driven. There-
fore, if the odometer reading is changed during repair or
replacement, be sure to keep a record of the reading
before and after the service so that the correct mileage can
be determined.
LoW tirE
When the appropriate condition exists the odometer
display will toggle between Lo and tirE for three cycles.
Change Oil Message
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil change
indicator system. The “Change Oil” message will flash in
the instrument cluster odometer for approximately
12 seconds after a single chime has sounded to indicate
the next scheduled oil change interval. The engine oil
change indicator system is duty cycle based, which
means the engine oil change interval may fluctuatedependent upon your personal driving style. Unless
reset, this message will continue to display each time you
turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position. To turn
off the message temporarily, press and release the TRIP
ODOMETER button on the instrument cluster. To reset
the oil change indicator system (after performing the
scheduled maintenance), refer to the following proce-
dure.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position.Do not
start the engine.
2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal slowly three
times within 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
NOTE:If the indicator message illuminates when you
start the vehicle, the oil change indicator system did not
reset. If necessary, repeat this procedure.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 185
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•Left/right front door ajar (one or more, with a single
chime if speed is above 1 mph/1 km/h)
•Left/right rear door ajar (one or more, with a single
chime if speed is above 1 mph/1 km/h)
•Door(s) ajar (with a single chime if vehicle is in
motion)
•Liftgate ajar (with a single chime)
•Left front low pressure (with a single chime). Refer to
“Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5.
•Left rear low pressure (with a single chime). Refer to
“Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5.
•Right front low pressure (with a single chime). Refer to
“Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5.
•Right rear low pressure (with a single chime). Refer to
“Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5.
•Check TPM System (with a single chime). Refer to
“Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5.
•Check gascap (refer to “Adding Fuel” in Section 5).
•Oil change required (with a single chime).
Oil Change Required
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil change
indicator system. The “Oil Change Required” message
will flash in the EVIC display for approximately 10 sec-
onds after a single chime has sounded to indicate the next
scheduled oil change interval. The engine oil change
indicator system is duty cycle based, which means the
engine oil change interval may fluctuate dependent upon
your personal driving style. Unless reset, this message
will continue to display each time you turn the ignition
switch to the ON/RUN position. To turn off the message
temporarily, press and release the MENU button. To reset
the oil change indicator system (after performing the
scheduled maintenance) refer to the following procedure.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 193
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1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. (Do not
start the engine).
2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal slowly three times
within 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
NOTE:If the indicator message illuminates when you
start the engine, the oil change indicator system did not
reset. If necessary, repeat this procedure.
Trip Functions
Press and release the MENU button until one of the
following trip functions displays in the EVIC:
•Average fuel economy
•Distance to empty
•Elapsed time
•Display units of measure inPress the SCROLL button to cycle through all the trip
computer functions.
The Trip Functions mode displays the following informa-
tion:
•Average Fuel Economy
Shows the average fuel economy since the last reset.
When the fuel economy is reset, the display will read
“RESET” or show dashes for two seconds. Then, the
history information will be erased, and the averaging will
continue from the last fuel average reading before the
reset.
•Distance To Empty (DTE)
Shows the estimated distance that can be traveled with
the fuel remaining in the tank. This estimated distance is
determined by a weighted average of the instantaneous
and average fuel economy, according to the current fuel
tank level. DTE cannot be reset through the FUNCTION
SELECT button.
194 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Operating Tips
Window Fogging
Windows will fog on the inside when the humidity inside
the vehicle is high. This often occurs in mild or cool
temperatures when it’s rainy or humid. In most cases,
turning on the air conditioning (pressing the “Snow-
flake” button) will clear the fog. Adjust the temperature
control, air direction, and blower speed to maintain
comfort.
As the temperature gets colder, it may be necessary to
direct air onto the windshield. Adjust the temperature
control and blower speed to maintain comfort. Higher
blower speeds will reduce fogging. Interior fogging on
the windshield can be quickly removed by selecting the
DEFROST mode.
Regular cleaning of the inside of the windows with a
non-filming cleaning solution (vinegar and water works
very well) will help prevent contaminants (cigarettesmoke, perfumes, etc.) from sticking to the windows.
Contaminants increase the rate of window fogging.Summer Operation
Air conditioned vehicles must be protected with a high
quality antifreeze coolant during summer to provide
proper corrosion protection and to raise the boiling point
of the coolant for protection against overheating. A 50%
concentration is recommended. Refer to Fluids and
Genuine Parts in Section 7 for the proper coolant type.
When using the air conditioner in extremely heavy traffic
in hot weather especially when towing a trailer, addi-
tional engine cooling may be required. If this situation is
encountered, operate the transmission in a lower gear to
increase engine RPM, coolant flow and fan speed. When
stopped in heavy traffic, it may be necessary to shift into
NEUTRAL and depress the accelerator slightly for fast
idle operation to increase coolant flow and fan speed.
252 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

To fix a Non-FFV vehicle inadvertently fueled once with
E-85 perform the following:
•drain the fuel tank (see your authorized dealer)
•change the engine oil and oil filter
•disconnect and reconnect the battery to reset the
engine controller memory
More extensive repairs will be required for prolonged
exposure to E-85 fuel.
MMT In Gasoline
MMT is a manganese containing metallic additive that is
blended into some gasoline to increase octane. Gasoline
blended with MMT provides no performance advantage
beyond gasoline of the same octane number without
MMT. Gasoline blended with MMT reduces spark plug
life and reduces emission system performance in some
vehicles. The manufacturer recommends that gasoline
without MMT be used in your vehicle. The MMT contentof gasoline may not be indicated on the gasoline pump,
therefore, you should ask your gasoline retailer whether
or not his/her 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 those allowed in the United States.
MMT is prohibited in Federal and California reformu-
lated gasoline.
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 would result in additional cost. Therefore
you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
STARTING AND OPERATING 329
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