2010 DODGE AVENGER Owners Manual

Selection Of Coolant
Use only the manufacturer’s recommended coolant. Re-
fer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in “Main-
taining Your Vehicle” for further information.
CAUTION!
•Mixing of engine coolant (antifreeze) other than
specified HOAT engine coolant (antifreeze), may
result in engine damage and may decrease corro-
sion protection. If a non-HOAT engine coolant
(antifreeze) is introduced into the cooling system
in an emergency, it should be replaced with the
specified engine coolant (antifreeze) as soon as
possible.(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Do not use water alone or alcohol-based engine
coolant (antifreeze) products. Do not use addi-
tional rust inhibitors or antirust products, as they
may not be compatible with the engine coolant
(antifreeze) and may plug the radiator.
•This vehicle has not been designed for use with
Propylene Glycol based engine coolant (anti-
freeze). Use of Propylene Glycol based engine
coolant (antifreeze) is not recommended.
Adding Coolant
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine
coolant (antifreeze) that allows extended maintenance
intervals. This engine coolant (antifreeze) can be used up
to five years or 102,000 miles (170 000 km) before
368 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

replacement. To prevent reducing this extended mainte-
nance period, it is important that you use the same
engine coolant (antifreeze) throughout the life of your
vehicle.
Please review these recommendations for using Hybrid
Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) engine coolant
(antifreeze). When adding engine coolant (antifreeze):
•The manufacturer recommends using MOPAR
Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/100,000 Mile Formula
HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technology) or
equivalent.
•Mix a minimum solution of 50% HOAT engine coolant
and distilled water. Use higher concentrations (not to
exceed 70%) if temperatures below34°F (37°C) are
anticipated.
•Use only high purity water such as distilled or deion-
ized water when mixing the water/engine coolant (antifreeze) solution. The use of lower quality water
will reduce the amount of corrosion protection in the
engine cooling system.
Please note that it is the owner’s responsibility to main-
tain the proper level of protection against freezing ac-
cording to the temperatures occurring in the area where
the vehicle is operated.
NOTE: Mixing engine coolant (antifreeze) types will
decrease the life of the engine coolant (antifreeze) and
will require more frequent coolant changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of engine
coolant (antifreeze), and to ensure that the engine coolant
(antifreeze) will return to the radiator from the coolant
recovery bottle.
The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any
accumulation of foreign material on the sealing surfaces.7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 369

WARNING!
•The warning words “DO NOT OPEN HOT” on
the cooling system pressure cap are a safety pre-
caution. Never add engine coolant (antifreeze)
when the engine is overheated. Do not loosen or
remove the cap to cool an overheated engine. Heat
causes pressure to build up in the cooling system.
To prevent scalding or injury, do not remove the
pressure cap while the system is hot or under
pressure.
•Do not use a pressure cap other than the one
specified for your vehicle. Personal injury or en-
gine damage may result.
Disposal of Used Engine Coolant
Used ethylene glycol based engine coolant (antifreeze) is
a regulated substance requiring proper disposal. Check
with your local authorities to determine the disposalrules for your community. To prevent ingestion by ani-
mals or children, do not store ethylene glycol based
engine coolant (antifreeze) in open containers or allow it
to remain in puddles on the ground. If ingested by a child
or pet, seek emergency assistance immediately. Clean up
any ground spills immediately.
Coolant Level
Four-Cylinder Engines –
the coolant bottle provides a
quick visual method for determining that the engine
coolant (antifreeze) level is adequate. With the engine
idling and warm to normal operating temperature, the
level of the engine coolant (antifreeze) in the bottle
should be between the “ADD” and “FULL” lines, shown
on the bottle.
Six-Cylinder Engines – the level of the engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the pressurized coolant bottle should be
between the “COLD” and “FULL” range on the bottle
when the engine is cold.
370 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is
no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking for
engine coolant (antifreeze) freeze point or replacing cool-
ant. Advise your service attendant of this. As long as the
engine operating temperature is satisfactory, the coolant
bottle need only be checked once a month. When addi-
tional engine coolant (antifreeze) is needed to maintain
the proper level, it should be added to the coolant bottle.
Do not overfill.
Points To Remember
NOTE:When the vehicle is stopped after a few miles
(kilometers) of operation, you may observe vapor coming
from the front of the engine compartment. This is nor-
mally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or high
humidity accumulating on the radiator and being vapor-
ized when the thermostat opens, allowing hot engine
coolant (antifreeze) to enter the radiator. If an examination of your engine compartment shows no
evidence of radiator or hose leaks, the vehicle may be
safely driven. The vapor will soon dissipate.
•Do not overfill the coolant recovery bottle.
•Check engine coolant (antifreeze) freeze point in the
radiator and in the coolant recovery bottle. If engine
coolant (antifreeze) needs to be added, the contents of
the coolant recovery bottle must also be protected
against freezing.
•If frequent engine coolant (antifreeze) additions are
required, or if the level in the coolant recovery bottle
does not drop when the engine cools, the cooling
system should be pressure tested for leaks.
•Maintain engine coolant (antifreeze) concentration at
50% HOAT engine coolant (antifreeze) (minimum)
and distilled water for proper corrosion protection of
your engine, which contains aluminum components.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 371

•Make sure that the radiator and coolant recovery
bottle overflow hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
•Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is
equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean.
•Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs may
result in unsatisfactory cooling performance, poor gas
mileage, and increased emissions.
Brake System
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically.
Refer to “Maintenance Schedule” for further information.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly an accident. Driving with your foot resting
or riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You would not have your full
braking capacity in an emergency.
Master Cylinder – Brake Fluid Level Check
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder immediately
if the brake system warning light indicates system fail-
ure.
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder when per-
forming underhood services.
372 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Clean the top of the master cylinder area before removing
the cap. If necessary, add fluid to bring the fluid level up
to the requirements described on the brake fluid reser-
voir.
Overfilling of fluid is not recommended because it may
cause leaking in the system.
Fluid level can be expected to fall as the brake pads wear.
Brake fluid level should be checked when pads are
replaced. However, low fluid level may be caused by a
leak and a checkup may be needed.
Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake fluid. Re-
fer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in “Main-
taining Your Vehicle” for further information.WARNING!
•Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake
fluid. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information. Using the wrong type of brake fluid
can severely damage your brake system and/or
impair its performance. The proper type of brake
fluid for your vehicle is also labeled on the origi-
nal factory installed hydraulic master cylinder
reservoir.(Continued)
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 373

WARNING! (Continued)
•To avoid contamination from foreign matter or
moisture, use only new brake fluid or fluid that
has been in a tightly closed container. Keep the
master cylinder reservoir cap secured at all times.
Brake fluid in a open container absorbs moisture
from the air resulting in a lower boiling point.
This may cause it to boil unexpectedly during hard
or prolonged braking, resulting in sudden brake
failure. This could result in a accident.
•Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts, causing
the brake fluid to catch fire. Brake fluid can also
damage painted and vinyl surfaces, care should be
taken to avoid its contact with these surfaces.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not allow petroleum based fluid to contami-
nate the brake fluid. Brake seal components could
be damaged, causing partial or complete brake
failure. This could result in an accident.
Automatic Transmission
The automatic transmission and differential assembly are
contained within a single housing.
The fluid level in the automatic transmission should be
checked whenever the vehicle is serviced. Operation with
an improper fluid level will greatly reduce the life of the
transmission and the fluid.
374 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Fluid Level Check – 2.4L and 2.7L Engines
Use the following procedure to check the automatic
transmission fluid level properly:
1. Park the vehicle on level ground.
2. Run the engine at curb idle speed for a minimum of
60 seconds.
3. Apply the parking brake fully.
4. Place the shift lever momentarily into each gear posi-
tion ending with the lever in PARK.
5. Wipe the area around the dipstick clean to eliminate
the possibility of dirt entering the transmission.
6. Remove the dipstick and determine if the fluid is hot
or cold. Hot fluid is approximately 180°F (82° C), which
is the normal operating temperature after the vehicle isdriven at least 15 miles (24 km). Hot fluid cannot be held
comfortably between the fingertips. Cold fluid is at a
temperature below 80°F (27° C).
7. Wipe the dipstick clean and reinsert until seated. Then,
remove dipstick and note the reading.
a. If the fluid is hot, the reading should be in the
crosshatched area marked “HOT” (between the upper
two holes in the dipstick).
b. If the fluid is cold, the fluid level should be between
the lower two holes in the area marked “COLD.”
If the fluid level is low, add sufficient fluid through the
filler (dipstick) tube to bring it to the proper level. Do not
overfill.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 375