2011 CHRYSLER 300 transmission fluid

16. Air Bag Warning LightThis light will turn on for four to eight seconds
as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned to ON/RUN. If the light is either not on
during starting, stays on, or turns on while
driving, have the system inspected at an authorized
dealer as soon as possible. Refer to “Occupant Restraints”
in “Things To Know Before Starting Your Vehicle” for
further information.
17. Shift Lever Indicator
The Shift Lever Indicator is self-contained within the
instrument cluster. It displays the gear position of the
automatic transmission.
NOTE:
•You must apply the brakes before shifting from PARK.
•The highest available transmission gear is displayed in
the lower right corner of the Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC) whenever the Electronic Range Select (ERS) feature is active. Use the +/- selector on
the shift lever to activate ERS. Refer to “Automatic
Transmission” in “Starting And Operating” for further
information.
18. Vehicle Security Light — If Equipped This light will flash at a fast rate for approxi-
mately 15 seconds, when the vehicle security
alarm is arming, and then will flash slowly
until the vehicle is disarmed.
19. Brake Warning Light This light monitors various brake functions,
including brake fluid level and parking brake
application. If the brake light turns on it may
indicate that the parking brake is applied, that
the brake fluid level is low, or that there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system reservoir.
If the light remains on when the parking brake has been
disengaged, and the fluid level is at the full mark on the
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 265

•Engine Temperature Warning TelltaleThis telltale warns of an overheated engine condi-
tion. As temperatures rise and the gauge ap-
proaches H,this telltale will illuminate and a
single chime will sound after reaching a set threshold.
Further overheating will cause the temperature gauge to
pass H,the telltale will continuously flash and a continu-
ous chime will occur until the engine is allowed to cool.
If the telltale turns on while driving, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is on, turn it off. Also,
shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and idle the ve-
hicle. If the temperature reading does not return to
normal, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service. Refer to “If Your Engine Overheats” in “What To
Do In Emergencies” for more information.•Transmission Temperature Warning Telltale This telltale indicates that the transmission
fluid temperature is running hot. This may
occur with severe usage, such as trailer towing.
If this telltale turns on, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. Then, shift the transmission into NEU-
TRAL and run the engine at idle or faster until the light
turns off.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Telltale illuminated will eventually
cause severe transmission damage or transmission
failure.
276 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

WARNING!
If the Transmission Temperature Warning Telltale is
illuminated and you continue operating the vehicle,
in some circumstances you could cause the fluid to
boil over, come in contact with hot engine or exhaust
components and cause a fire.
•Electric Power Steering MalfunctionThis telltale is on when the Electric Power
Steering is not operating and needs service.
Oil Change Due
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil change
indicator system. The Oil Change Duemessage will
display in the EVIC for five seconds after a single chime
has sounded at the start of each ignition that an oil
change is due. 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.
Unless reset, this message will continue to display each
time you cycle the ignition to the ON/RUN position. To
turn off the message temporarily, press and release the
MENU button. To reset the oil change indicator system
(after performing the scheduled maintenance), perform
the following procedure:
1. Without pressing the brake pedal, push the ENGINE
START/STOP button and cycle the ignition to the ON/
RUN position (Do not start the engine.)
2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal, slowly, three times
within 10 seconds.
3. Without pressing the brake pedal, push the ENGINE
START/STOP button once to return the ignition to the
OFF/LOCK position.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 277

Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through
shallow standing water, consider the following Caution
and Warning before doing so.
CAUTION!
•Always check the depth of the standing water
before driving through it. Never drive through
standing water that is deeper than the bottom of
the tire rims mounted on the vehicle.
•Determine the condition of the road or the path
that is under water and if there are any obstacles in
the way before driving through the standing wa-
ter.
•Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
through standing water. This will minimize wave
effects.(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Driving through standing water may cause dam-
age to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Al-
ways inspect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil,
transmission, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination
(i.e., fluid that is milky or foamy in appearance)
after driving through standing water. Do not con-
tinue to operate the vehicle if any fluid appears
contaminated, as this may result in further dam-
age. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
•Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and cause serious
internal damage to the engine. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 333

Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping,
and backing up the trailer in an area located away from
heavy traffic.
Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, select
a lower gear range using the AutoStickfeature.
NOTE: Selecting a lower gear range while operating the
vehicle under heavy operating conditions will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat buildup. This action will also
provide better engine braking.
If you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than 45 min-
utes of continuous operation, then change the automatic
transmission fluid and filter according to the interval specified for “police, taxi, fleet, or frequent trailer tow-
ing.” Refer to “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
Electronic Speed Control – If Equipped

Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
AutoStick

By using the AutoStick
mode and selecting a specific
gear range, frequent shifting can be avoided. The
highest gear range should be selected that allows for
404 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Cooling System ..................... 450
▫ Brake System ....................... 456
▫ Automatic Transmission ............... 458
▫ All Wheel Drive (AWD) – If Equipped ..... 460
▫ Rear Axle .......................... 460
▫ Appearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion .......................... 461
 Fuses .............................. 466
▫ Integrated Power Module .............. 466
▫ Rear Power Distribution Center .......... 470
 Vehicle Storage ....................... 475
 Replacement Bulbs .................... 475 
Bulb Replacement ..................... 476
▫ Low Beam Headlamp, High Beam
Headlamp, Park/Turn Lamp, Inner Park
Lamp, And Outer Park Lamp ............ 476
▫ Rear Backup Lamp And
Turn Signal Lamps ................... 478
▫ License Lamp ....................... 479
 Fluid Capacities ...................... 480
 Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts ....... 481
▫ Engine ............................ 481
▫ Chassis ........................... 482
430 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain therequiredmaintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides those maintenance items specified in the fixed
maintenance schedule, there are other components which
may require servicing or replacement in the future.
CAUTION!
•Failure to properly maintain your vehicle or per-
form repairs and service when necessary could
result in more costly repairs, damage to other
components or negatively impact vehicle perfor-
mance. Immediately have potential malfunctions
examined by an authorized Chrysler Group LLC
dealership or qualified repair center.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of
your vehicle and also allow extended maintenance
intervals. Do not use chemical flushes in these
components as the chemicals can damage your
engine, transmission, power steering or air condi-
tioning. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty. If a flush is needed
because of component malfunction, use only the
specified fluid for the flushing procedure.
436 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

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 a collision.
Use only brake fluid that has been in a tightly closed
container to avoid contamination from foreign matter or
moisture.
Automatic Transmission
Selection of Lubricant
It is important that the proper lubricant is used in the
transmission to assure optimum transmission perfor-
mance. Use only manufacturer ’s recommended transmis-
sion fluid. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further informa-
tion. It is important that the transmission fluid be main-
tained at the prescribed level using the recommended fluid. No chemical flushes should be used in any trans-
mission; only the approved lubricant may be used.
Special Additives
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is an engineered
product and its performance may be impaired by supple-
mental additives. Therefore, do not add any fluid addi-
tives to the transmission. The only exception to this
policy is the use of special dyes to aid in detecting fluid
leaks. In addition, avoid using transmission sealers as
they may adversely affect seals.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your transmission as
the chemicals can damage your transmission compo-
nents. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
458 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE