2011 DODGE CALIBER air condition

WARNING! (Continued)
•Guard against carbon monoxide with proper
maintenance. Have the exhaust system inspected
every time the vehicle is raised. Have any abnor-
mal conditions repaired promptly. Until repaired,
drive with all side windows fully open.
•Keep the liftgate closed when driving your vehicle
to prevent carbon monoxide and other poisonous
exhaust gases from entering the vehicle.
ADDING FUEL
Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)
The gas cap is behind the fuel filler door, on the left side
of the vehicle. If the gas cap is lost or damaged, be sure
the replacement cap is for use with this vehicle.After removing the gas cap, place the gas cap tether cable
over a hook on the inside of the fuel door. This keeps the
gas cap suspended away from and protects the vehicle’s
surface.
Fuel Filler Door
354 STARTING AND OPERATING

Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.
If using a manual transmission vehicle for trailer towing,
all starts must be in first gear to avoid excessive clutch
slippage.
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 it
until you can get back to cruising speed.
Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
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 the engine idle
speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 369

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located on the
instrument panel, below the radio.Press the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flasher. When the switch is activated, all directional
turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. Press the switch a second time to
turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it should not
be used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
Hazard Warning flashers will continue to operate even
though the ignition is placed in the OFF position.
NOTE: With extended use the Hazard Warning flashers
may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
•On the highways — slow down.
•In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission
in NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
•If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
•You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control
to high. This allows the heater core to act as a
supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
372 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the pointer rises to the H (red) mark,
the instrument cluster will sound a chime. When
safe, pull over and stop the vehicle with the engine at
idle. Turn off the air conditioning and wait until the
pointer drops back into the normal range. If the
pointer remains on the H (red) mark for more than a
minute, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine
coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If
you see or hear steam coming from under the hood,
do not open the hood until the radiator has had time
to cool. Never try to open a cooling system pressure
cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING
During sustained high speed driving or trailer towing up
long grades on hot days, the automatic transmission oil
may become too hot.If this happens, the transmission overheat in-
dicator light will come on, and the vehicle will
slow slightly until the automatic transmission
cools down enough to allow a return to the
requested speed. If the high speed is maintained, the
overheating may reoccur, as before, in a cyclic fashion.6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 373

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Engine Compartment — 2.0L ............. 393
 Engine Compartment — 2.4L ............. 394
 Onboard Diagnostic System — OBD II ...... 395
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ........... 395
 Emissions Inspection And Maintenance
Programs ............................ 396
 Replacement Parts ..................... 397
 Dealer Service ........................ 398 
Maintenance Procedures ................. 398
▫ Engine Oil ......................... 399
▫ Engine Oil Filter ..................... 402
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ............... 402
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery .............. 403
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance ............ 404
▫ Body Lubrication .................... 405
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ............... 406
▫ Adding Washer Fluid ................. 406
7

CAUTION!
•It is essential when replacing the cables on the
battery that the positive cable is attached to the
positive post and the negative cable is attached to
the negative post. Battery posts are marked posi-
tive (+) and negative (-) and are identified on the
battery case. Cable clamps should be tight on the
terminal posts and free of corrosion.
•If a “fast charger” is used while the battery is in
the vehicle, disconnect both vehicle battery cables
before connecting the charger to the battery. Do
not use a “fast charger” to provide starting voltage.
Air Conditioner Maintenance
For best possible performance, your air conditioner
should be checked and serviced by an authorized dealer
at the start of each warm season. This service should
include cleaning of the condenser fins and a performance
test. Drive belt tension should also be checked at this
time.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your air conditioning
system as the chemicals can damage your air condi-
tioning components. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
404 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•Use only refrigerants and compressor lubricants
approved by the manufacturer for your air condi-
tioning system. Some unapproved refrigerants are
flammable and can explode, injuring you. Other
unapproved refrigerants or lubricants can cause
the system to fail, requiring costly repairs. Refer to
Warranty Information Book, located on the DVD,
for further warranty information.
•The air conditioning system contains refrigerant
under high pressure. To avoid risk of personal
injury or damage to the system, adding refrigerant
or any repair requiring lines to be disconnected
should be done by an experienced repairman.
Refrigerant Recovery And Recycling
R-134a air conditioning refrigerant is a hydrofluoro-
carbon (HFC) that is endorsed by the EnvironmentalProtection Agency and is an ozone-saving product. How-
ever, the manufacturer recommends that air conditioning
service be performed by authorized dealers or other
service facilities using recovery and recycling equipment.
NOTE:
Use only manufacturer approved A/C system
sealers, stop leak products, seal conditioners, compressor
oil, or refrigerants.
Body Lubrication
Locks and all body pivot points, including such items as
seat tracks, door hinge pivot points and rollers, liftgate,
tailgate, sliding doors and hood hinges, should be lubri-
cated periodically with a lithium based grease, such as
MOPAR Spray White Lube or equivalent to assure
quiet, easy operation and to protect against rust and
wear. Prior to the application of any lubricant, the parts
concerned should be wiped clean to remove dust and
grit; after lubricating excess oil and grease should be
removed. Particular attention should also be given to
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 405

long as the engine operating temperature is satisfactory,
the coolant bottle need only be checked once a month.
When additional 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 the coolant freeze point in the radiator and in
the coolant recovery bottle. If engine coolant (anti-
freeze) 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.
•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.
414 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE