Airbag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for six to eight
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned ON. If the light is not lit during starting, see your
authorized dealer. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes
on while driving, have the system checked by an autho-
rized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is
inoperable.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
the Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objectslodged in the tread. Inspect the tread and sidewall for
cuts and cracks. Check the wheel nuts for tightness.
Check the tires (including spare) for proper pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid, or
brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause should be
located and corrected immediately.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83
2
the charging system light remains on, it means that the
vehicle is experiencing a problem with the charging
system. Obtain SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. See an autho-
rized dealer.
13. Oil Pressure Warning LightThis 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 indicate how much oil is in the engine.
The engine oil level must be checked under the hood. 14. Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) Light
This light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS). The light will turn on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position and may
stay on for as long as four seconds.
If the ABS light remains on or turns on while driving, it
indicates that the Anti-Lock portion of the brake system
is not functioning and that service is required. However,
the conventional brake system will continue to operate
normally if the BRAKE warning light is not on.
If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of Anti-Lock
brakes. If the ABS light does not turn on when the
Ignition switch is turned to the ON position, have the
light inspected by an authorized dealer.
206 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
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.
24. Transmission Temperature Indicator — If Equipped This light indicates that the transmission fluid
temperature is running hot. This may occur
with severe usage, such as trailer towing. If this
light turns on, safely pull over and stop the
vehicle. Then, shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and
run the engine at idle or faster until the light turns off. 25. Trip Odometer Button
Changing the Display
Press and release this button once to change the display
from odometer to “Trip A.” Press and release it again to
change the display from “Trip A” to “Trip B.” On vehicles
equipped with a Base Cluster, press and release it once
again to display the outside temperature. On vehicles
equipped with a Mid Line Cluster, press and release it
once again to display the outside temperature and com-
pass heading in the screen below the speedometer. Refer
to “Vacuum Fluorescent Display” for details.
Resetting the Trip Odometer
Display the trip mileage that you want to reset, “Trip A”
or “Trip B.” Then push and hold the button (approxi-
mately two seconds) until the display resets to 0. The
odometer must be in Trip Mode to reset the trip odom-
eter.
210 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
26. 4WD Indicator — Vehicles Equipped with
Selec-TracII
This light alerts the driver that the vehicle is in
the full-time four-wheel drive auto mode. In
this mode, the system operates with a normal
torque split of 42% front axle and 58% rear axle.
It can redirect up to 100% of torque to the front or rear
axle, if necessary.
27. Odometer/Trip Odometer
The odometer shows the total distance the vehicle has
been driven. The trip odometer shows individual trip
mileage. Refer to “Trip Odometer button” for additional
information.
NOTE: U.S. Federal regulations require upon transfer of
vehicle ownership, the seller certify the mileage the
vehicle has been driven. Therefore, if the odometer
reading is changed because of 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.
Vehicle Warning Messages
When the appropriate conditions exist, messages such as
“door” (door ajar), “gATE” (liftgate ajar), “gLASS”
(flip-up glass ajar), “gASCAP” (fuel cap fault), “LoW
tirE” (low tire pressure), or “CHANgE OIL” will display
in the odometer.
LoW tirE
When the appropriate condition exists, the odometer
display will toggle between LoW and tirE for three
cycles.
NOTE:
If the instrument cluster is equipped with the
optional Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC),
then most warnings will display in the EVIC.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 211
4
•Left/Right Rear Door Ajar (one or more, with a single
chime if speed is above 1 mph(1.6 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 of this
manual.
•Left Rear Low Pressure (with a single chime). Refer to
“Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5 of this
manual.
•Right Front Low Pressure (with a single chime). Refer
to “Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5 of
this manual.
•Right Rear Low Pressure (with a single chime). Refer
to “Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5 of
this manual.
•Check TPM System (with a single chime). Refer to
“Tire Pressure Monitoring System” in Section 5 of this
manual.
•Check Gascap (refer to “Adding Fuel” in Section 5 of
this manual for more details)
•Service Park Assist System (with a single chime)
•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.
218 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread
grooves. They will appear as bands when the tread depth
becomes 1/16 in (2 mm). When the indicators appear in
two or more adjacent grooves, the tire should be replaced.
Life Of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon various
factors including but not limited to:
•Driving style
•Tire pressure
•Distance driven
WARNING!
Tires and the spare tire should be replaced after six
years, regardless of the remaining tread. Failure to
follow this warning can result in sudden tire failure.
You could lose control and have an accident resulting
in serious injury or death.Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed. (Refer to the paragraph on
“Tread Wear Indicators”). Refer to the “Tire and Loading
Information” placard for the size designation of your
tires. The service description and load identification will
be found on the original equipment tire. Failure to use
equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect the
safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend
that you contact your original equipment or an autho-
rized tire dealer with any questions you may have on tire
specifications or capability.
352 STARTING AND OPERATING
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.7L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter6 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Engine Oil Dipstick 7 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
3 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Engine Oil Fill
4 — Integrated Power Module 9 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Battery MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 409
7
dipstick. Adding 1 quart (0.9 L) of oil when the reading is
at the bottom of the SAFE zone will result in a reading at
the top of the safe zone on these engines.
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will cause
aeration or loss of oil pressure. This could damage
your engine.
Change Engine Oil
The oil change indicator system will remind you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” in Section 8 of this
manual for information on this system.
NOTE:Under no circumstances should oil change in-
tervals exceed 6,000 miles (10 000 km) or six months,
whichever occurs first.
Engine Oil Selection
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacturer recom-
mends engine oils that are API Certified and meet the
requirements of Chrysler Material Standard MS-6395.
American Petroleum Institute (API) Engine Oil
Identification Symbol
This symbol means that the oil has
been certified by the American
Petroleum Institute (API). The
manufacturer only recommends
API Certified engine oils.
414 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE