2010 DODGE CHALLENGER transmission

WARNING!
Skipping more than one gear while downshifting,
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle. You
could have an accident.
CAUTION!
•If you skip more than one gear while downshift-
ing or downshift at too high an engine speed, you
could damage the engine, transmission, or clutch.
•Do not downshift into first gear when the vehicle
is moving faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), as you
could damage the engine and/or clutch.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
CAUTION!
Damage to the automatic transmission may occur if
the following precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
•Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 257

WARNING!
It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK or
NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than idle
speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal,
the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in
reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your right foot is
firmly on the brake pedal.
General Information
The automatic transmission selects individual gears au-
tomatically, dependent upon:
•Altitude
•Vehicle loading
•Driving style
•Shift lever position
•Accelerator position
•Vehicle speed
The gear shifting process is continuously adapted, de-
pendent on the driving style, the driving situation, and
the road characteristics.
NOTE:
•After selecting any driving position, wait a moment to
allow the gear to engage fully before accelerating,
especially when the engine is cold.
•If there is a need to restart the engine, be sure to turn
the ignition switch to the LOCK position (OFF position
with Keyless Go™) before restarting. Transmission
engagement may be delayed up to 10 seconds after
restart if the ignition switch is not turned to the LOCK
position (OFF position with Keyless Go™) first.
258 STARTING AND OPERATING

•The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating. Therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt or soft until after the
break-in period. This is a normal condition, and pre-
cision shifts will develop within a few shift cycles.
The shift lever is automatically locked while in the PARK
position. To move the shift lever out of the PARK
position, the brake pedal must be firmly pressed before
the shift lock will release.
Move the shift lever to the desired position only when the
engine is idling normally and the brake pedal is applied.
Do not release the brake pedal until ready to drive. The
vehicle may otherwise accelerate quickly when the shift
lever is in DRIVE or REVERSE position.WARNING!
Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, you should always
shift the transmission into PARK, remove the key fob
from the ignition, and apply the parking brake. Once
the key fob is removed from the ignition, the shift
lever is locked in the PARK position, securing the
vehicle against unwanted movement. Furthermore,
you should never leave unattended children inside a
vehicle.
Over-Temperature Mode
The transmission electronics constantly monitor the
transmission oil temperature. If the transmission exceeds
normal operating temperature, the transmission will
change the way it shifts to help control the condition.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 259

This may result in a slightly different feeling or response
during normal operation in DRIVE position. After the
transmission cools down, it will return to normal
operation.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK
prior to rotating the key fob to the LOCK position. The
key fob can only be removed from the ignition when the
ignition is in the LOCK position and once removed the
shift lever is locked in PARK.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock (BTSI) system that holds the shift lever in the
PARK position when the ignition switch is in the LOCK
position (OFF position with Keyless Go™) and the en-
gine is not running. To move the shift lever out of the
PARK position, the ignition switch must be turned to anyother ignition position (ACC, ON/RUN) position, and
the brake pedal must be pressed whether or not the
engine is running.
Brake/Transmission Interlock Manual Override
There is an override for the BTSI that allows you to move
the shift lever out of the PARK position if an electrical
system malfunction occurs (i.e., dead battery). To access
the override (using a flat-bladed screwdriver), carefully
remove the override cover which is located to the right of
the shift lever.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ACC or ON position
(RUN position with Keyless Go™) without starting the
engine.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.
3. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
260 STARTING AND OPERATING

Five-Speed Automatic Transmission
Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be
done only after the accelerator pedal is released and the
vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake
pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears.
Gear Ranges
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never use PARK while the vehicle is in motion. Apply
the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this range.
When parking on a flat surface, place the shift lever in the
PARK position first, and then apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK. As
an added precaution, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
Shift Lever
262 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
Coasting the vehicle or driving for any other reason
with the shift lever in NEUTRAL can result in
transmission damage.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
DRIVE
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts and the best fuel economy.The transmission automatically upshifts through fifth
gear. The DRIVE position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs when using
the Overdrive range, such as when operating the vehicle
under heavy loading conditions (in hilly terrain, travel-
ing into strong head winds, or while towing heavy
trailers, use the ERS or AutoStick
mode and select the
“3” range.
Delayed Shifts in Cold Temperatures
During cold temperature operation, you may notice
delayed upshifts depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature im-
proves warm up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency.
264 STARTING AND OPERATING

Temporary Transmission Limp Home Mode
The transmission is monitored for abnormal conditions.
If a condition is detected that could result in transmission
damage, the transmission will engage Limp Home Mode.
If vehicle acceleration worsens or the transmission no
longer shifts, the transmission is most likely operating in
the Limp Home Mode. In this mode, the transmission
will remain in the current gear until the vehicle is
brought to a stop. After the vehicle has stopped, PARK,
REVERSE, and NEUTRAL will continue to operate. Sec-
ond gear will operate in the DRIVE position. The Mal-
function Indicator Light (MIL) may be illuminated.
A reset feature is available to allow the vehicle to be
driven to an authorized dealer for service. To reset the
transmission, use the following procedure:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK position.3. Turn the engine off.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Move the shift lever into the desired range. If the
problem is no longer detected, the transmission will
return to normal operation.
NOTE:
Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit your authorized dealer at your
earliest possible convenience. Your authorized dealer has
diagnostic equipment to determine if the problem could
recur.
Have the transmission checked at your authorized dealer
as soon as possible.
If the problem has been momentary, the transmission can
be reset to regain all forward gears.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 265

AUTOSTICK— IF EQUIPPED
AutoStick — 3.5L Engine
AutoStickallows you to move the shift lever to the left
(-) or right (+) when the shift lever is in the DRIVE
position, this allows the selection of the desired top gear.
For example, if you shift the transmission into third gear,
the transmission will never shift above third gear, but can
shift down to second or first gear automatically, when
needed.
Operation
Switching from AutoStick to DRIVE can be done at any
vehicle speed. To shift from DRIVE mode to AutoStick 
mode, move the shift lever to the left (-) once. The current
gear will be maintained as the top gear. To disable
AutoStick, simply press and hold the shift lever to the
right (+) until Dis displayed in the instrument cluster
odometer.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing an accident
or personal injury.
NOTE: To select the proper gear position for maximum
deceleration (engine braking), simply press and hold the
shift lever to the left (-). The transmission will shift to the
range from which the vehicle can best be slowed down.
AutoStick — 5.7L Engine
AutoStickis a driver-interactive transmission that offers
manual gear shifting to provide you with more control of
the vehicle. AutoStick allows you to maximize engine
braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
and improve overall vehicle performance. This system
266 STARTING AND OPERATING