2011 DODGE CHALLENGER Owners Manual

Towing Requirements – Trailer Lights And Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stoplights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may include a four- and seven-
pin wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer har-
ness and connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicles
wiring harness.
The electrical connections are all complete to the vehicle
but you must mate the harness to a trailer connector.
Refer to the following illustrations.
Four-Pin Connector
1 — Female Pins 4 — Park
2 — Male Pin 5 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Ground 6 — Right Stop/Turn
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STARTING AND OPERATING 343

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, use
the AutoStickmode to select a lower gear range.
NOTE: Using 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 build up. 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
Seven-Pin Connector
1 — Battery 5 — Ground
2 — Backup Lamps 6 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Right Stop/Turn 7 — Running Lamps
4 — Electric Brakes
344 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 AutoStickmode and selecting a specific
gear range, frequent shifting can be avoided. The
highest gear range should be selected that allows for adequate performance. For example, choose “4” if the
desired speed can be maintained. Choose “3” or “2” if
needed to maintain the desired speed.
Extended driving at high RPM should be avoided to
prevent excess heat generation. A reduction in vehicle
speed may be required to avoid extended driving at
high RPM. Return to a higher gear range or vehicle
speed when road conditions and RPM level allows.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods, shift the transmission
into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 345

Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
RECREATIONAL TOWING
(BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle —
Automatic Transmission
Recreational towing (with all four wheels on the ground,
or using a tow dolly) is NOT ALLOWED. The only
acceptable method for towing this vehicle (behind an-
other vehicle) is on a vehicle trailer with all four wheels
OFF the ground
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission damage. Dam-
age from improper towing is not covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle —
Manual Transmission
Flat towing of vehicles equipped with a manual trans-
mission is permitted within the following limitations:
Your vehicle may be towed under the following condi-
tions:
•The shift lever must be in NEUTRAL
•There is no limitation on the distance to be traveled
•The towing speed must not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h)
CAUTION!
Exceeding these towing limits may cause severe
transmission damage. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
346 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flashers ................ 349
 If Your Engine Overheats ................ 349
 TIREFIT Kit — If Equipped .............. 350
▫ TIREFIT Storage ..................... 351
▫ TIREFIT Kit Components And Operation . . . 351
▫ TIREFIT Usage Precautions ............. 353
▫ Sealing A Tire With TIREFIT ............ 355
Jacking And Tire Changing ............... 360
▫ Jack Location/Spare Tire Stowage ........ 361
▫ Preparations For Jacking ............... 363
▫ Jacking And Changing A Tire ............ 364
▫ Compact Spare Tire ................... 368
▫ Center Cap Installation — If Equipped ..... 369
 Jump-Starting Procedures ................ 370
▫ Preparations For Jump-Start ............. 371
▫ Jump-Starting Procedure ............... 372
6

Freeing A Stuck Vehicle ................. 374
 Shift Lever Override ................... 375
▫ With Keyless Enter-N-Go — If Equipped . . . 376
 Towing A Disabled Vehicle ............... 376
▫ Without The Key FOB ................. 376
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground) — Automatic Transmissions ...... 377▫
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground) — Manual Transmissions ........ 378
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
With A Tow Dolly .................... 379
348 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located in the
switch bank near the bottom center of the instrument
panel.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.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 349

•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.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads 240°F
(116 °C) or greater pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle
the vehicle with the air conditioner turned off until
the pointer drops back into the normal range 200–
230°F (93–110°C). If the pointer remains at 240°F
(116°C) or greater and you hear a chime, 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.
TIREFIT KIT — IF EQUIPPED
Small punctures up to14in (6 mm) in the tire tread can be
sealed with TIREFIT. Foreign objects (e.g., screws or
nails) should not be removed from the tire. TIREFIT can
be used in outside temperatures down to approximately
-4°F (-20°C).
This kit will provide a temporary tire seal, allowing you
to drive your vehicle up to 100 miles (160 km) with a
maximum speed of 55 mph (88 km/h).
350 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES