2010 DODGE NITRO wheel

WARNING! (Continued)
•Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.
•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance or dam-
age to brakes, axle, engine, transmission, steering,
suspension, chassis structure or tires.
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to
the frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch.
Cross the chains under the trailer tongue and
allow enough slack for turning corners.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a
grade. When parking, apply the parking brake on
the tow vehicle. Put the tow vehicle transmission
in PARK. Always, block or\bchock\bthe trailer
wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch uti-
lized. (This requirement may limit the ability to
always achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue
weight as a percentage of total trailer weight).
378 STARTING AND OPERATING

Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Two-Wheel Drive Models
All Four Wheels On The Ground
Recreational towing is allowed ONLYif the driveshaft is
removed. Towing with the rear wheels on the ground
while the driveshaft is connected can result in severe
transmission damage.
WARNING!
If the driveshaft is removed, the vehicle can roll even
if the transmission is in PARK, which could cause
serious injury or death.
The parking brake must be firmly engaged and the
wheels chocked during driveshaft removal and installa-
tion. The parking brake must remain engaged unless the
vehicle is securely and properly connected to the tow
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 383

vehicle, or the driveshaft is completely reinstalled. See
your authorized dealer for proper driveshaft removal
and reinstallation procedures, including flange
orientation/alignment, use of thread-locking compound,
proper bolt torque specifications, etc.
NOTE:This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or
vehicle trailer provided all four wheels are OFFthe
ground.
Four-Wheel Drive or All-Wheel Drive Models
CAUTION!
Front or rear wheel lifts should not be used. Internal
damage to the transmission or transfer case will occur
if a front or rear wheel lift is used when recreational
towing.
All Four Wheels On The Ground
Recreational towing is NOTallowed. These models do
not have a NEUTRAL position in the transfer case.
NOTE: This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or
vehicle trailer provided all four wheels are OFFthe
ground.
384 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flasher ................ 386
 If Your Engine Overheats ................ 386
 Jacking And Tire Changing ............... 388
▫ Jack Location ....................... 388
▫ Spare Tire Stowage ................... 388
▫ Spare Tire Removal ................... 389
▫ Preparations For Jacking ............... 389 ▫
Jacking Instructions ................... 390
 Jump-Starting Procedures ................ 393
▫ Preparations For Jump-Start ............. 394
▫ Jump-Starting Procedure ............... 395
 Towing A Disabled Vehicle ............... 397
▫ Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles .............. 397
▫ Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles .............. 398
6

Spare Tire Removal
Fit the jack handle extension over the drive nut. Use the
lug wrench to rotate the nut counterclockwise until the
spare is on the ground with enough slack in the cable to
allow you to pull the tire out from under the vehicle.CAUTION!
The winch mechanism is designed for use with the
jack extension tube only. Use of an air wrench or
other power tools is not recommended and they can
damage the winch.
When the spare is clear, tilt the retainer at the end of the
cable and pull it through the center of the wheel.
Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface. Avoid icy or
slippery areas.
Lowering/Raising Spare Tire
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 389

WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off
the road to avoid being hit when operating the jack
or changing the wheel.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Place the shift lever into PARK.
4. Turn the ignition to the LOCK position.
5. Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher. 6. Block both the front and rear of the
wheel diagonally opposite of the jack-
ing position. For example, if changing
the right front tire, block the left rear
wheel.
Jacking Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to
help prevent personal injury or damage to your
vehicle:
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far from
the edge of the roadway as possible before raising
the vehicle.
•Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to
be raised.
•Set the parking brake firmly and set an automatic
transmission in PARK; a manual transmission in
REVERSE.
•Never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a
jack. (Continued)
390 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it is on a
jack.
•Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a jack.
•Only use the jack in the positions indicated and
for lifting this vehicle during a tire change.
•If working on or near a roadway, be extremely
careful of motor traffic.
•To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are
securely stowed, spares must be stowed with the
valve stem facing the ground.
•Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.1. Remove spare tire.
2. Remove jack and tools from mounting bracket. As-
semble the tools by connecting the driver to the exten-
sion, and then to the lug wrench.
3. Loosen (but do not remove) the wheel lug nuts by
turning them to the left one turn while the wheel is still
on the ground.
4. Locate the jack as shown. For the front tires, place it
(rearward) of the notch on the body weld seam behind
wheel to be changed. For the rear tires, place it under the
Jack Warning Label
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 391

axle by the wheel to be changed. Position the jack handle
on the jack.Do not raise the vehicle until you are sure
the jack is fully engaged.
5. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the right.
Raise the vehicle only until the tire just clears the surface
and enough clearance is obtained to install the spare tire.
Minimum tire lift provides maximum stability.
Front Jacking Location
Rear Jacking Location
392 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES