2010 CHRYSLER SEBRING SEDAN tires

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 objects
lodged 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.
84 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

25. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly, when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the
156 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle, to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result when using re-
placement equipment that is not of the same size,
type, and/or style. Aftermarket wheels can cause
sensor damage. Do not use tire sealant from a can, or
balance beads if your vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors may result.26. Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is part of
an onboard diagnostic system called OBD that
monitors emissions, engine, and automatic trans-
axle control systems. The light will illuminate when the
key is in the ON position before engine start. If the bulb
does not come on when turning the key from LOCK to
ON, have the condition checked promptly.
Certain conditions such as a loose or missing gas cap,
poor fuel quality, etc., may illuminate the light after
engine start. The vehicle should be serviced if the light
stays on through several of your typical driving cycles. In
most situations, the vehicle will drive normally and will
not require towing.4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 157

Driving On Slippery Surfaces ............. 247
▫ Acceleration ........................ 247
▫ Traction ........................... 248
 Driving Through Water ................. 248
▫ Flowing/Rising Water ................. 248
▫ Shallow Standing Water ............... 249
 Power Steering ....................... 250
▫ Power Steering Fluid Check ............. 251
 Parking Brake ........................ 252
 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............ 254
 Electronic Brake Control System ........... 256
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........... 257
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ........... 257▫
Brake Assist System (BAS) .............. 257
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) — If Equipped ..... 258
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......... 260
 Tire Safety Information ................. 264
▫ Tire Markings ....................... 264
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ......... 267
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure .......... 268
 Tires — General Information ............. 272
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... 272
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures ................ 273
▫ Radial-Ply Tires ..................... 275
▫ Compact Spare Tire ................... 275
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... 276
232 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Tread Wear Indicators ................. 277
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ 278
▫ Replacement Tires .................... 278
 Tire Chains .......................... 279
 Snow Tires .......................... 280
 Tire Rotation Recommendations ........... 280
 Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) ....... 281
▫ Base System ........................ 284
▫ Premium System — If Equipped ......... 286
▫ General Information .................. 289
 Fuel Requirements ..................... 290
▫ 2.4L And 2.7L Engine ................. 290
▫ 3.5L Engine ........................ 290 ▫
Reformulated Gasoline ................ 291
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ............. 291
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles ...... 292
▫ MMT In Gasoline .................... 292
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ............... 293
▫ Fuel System Cautions ................. 293
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ............ 294
 Flexible Fuel (2.7L Only) — If Equipped ..... 295
▫ E-85 General Information ............... 295
▫ Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ................... 297
▫ Fuel Requirements ................... 297
▫ Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles ...... 298
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 233

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 hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions 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 enough distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a sudden
stop.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to ensure
safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or path where water
is flowing and/or rising (as in storm run-off). Flow-
ing water can wear away the road or path’s surface
and cause your vehicle to sink into deeper water.
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising water can carry
your vehicle away swiftly. Failure to follow this
warning may result in injuries that are serious or
fatal to you, your passengers, and others around you.
248 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
children in a vehicle unattended 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.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving: failure to do so can lead to brake
failure, and an accident.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS)
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides increased
vehicle stability and brake performance under most
braking conditions. The system operates with a separate
computer to modulate the hydraulic pressure to prevent
wheel lock-up and avoid skidding on slippery surfaces.
WARNING!
•Pumping of the anti-lock brakes will diminish
their effectiveness and may lead to an accident.
Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just
press firmly on your brake pedal when you need
to slow down or stop.
•The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of phys-
ics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking or steering efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes and
tires or the traction afforded.
•The ABS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns,
following another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver
can prevent accidents.(Continued)
254 STARTING AND OPERATING

ABS is activated during braking under certain road or
stopping conditions. ABS-inducing conditions can in-
clude ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose
debris, or panic stops.
You also may experience the following when the brake
system goes into anti-lock:
•The ABS motor running (it may continue to run for a
short time after the stop),
•the clicking sound of solenoid valves,
•brake pedal pulsations,
•and a slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the
end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
WARNING!
The Anti-Lock Brake System contains sophisticated
electronic equipment that may be susceptible to
interference caused by improperly installed or high
output radio transmitting equipment. This interfer-
ence can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking
capability. Installation of such equipment should be
performed by qualified professionals.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type, and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle may be equipped with an optional ad-
vanced electronic brake control system that includes
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), Traction Control System
(TCS), Brake Assist System (BAS), Hill Start Assist (HSA),
and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). All systems work
256 STARTING AND OPERATING