2011 DODGE CHARGER Owners Manual

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
Starting Procedures .................... 348
▫ Automatic Transmission ............... 348
▫ Keyless Enter-N-Go ................... 349
▫ Normal Starting ..................... 349
▫ Extreme Cold Weather
(Below –20°F Or 29°C)............... 350
▫ If Engine Fails To Start ................ 351
▫ After Starting ....................... 351
 Engine Block Heater — If Equipped ........ 352
Automatic Transmission ................. 352
▫ General Information .................. 353
▫ Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . 355
▫ Five-Speed Automatic Transmission ....... 355
▫ Gear Ranges ........................ 356
 AutoStick .......................... 359
▫ Operation ......................... 359
 All-Wheel Drive (AWD) — If Equipped ...... 360
5

Driving On Slippery Surfaces ............. 361
▫ Acceleration ........................ 361
▫ Traction ........................... 362
 Driving Through Water ................. 362
▫ Flowing/Rising Water ................. 363
▫ Shallow Standing Water ............... 363
 Power Steering ....................... 365
 Multi-Displacement System (MDS)
(If Equipped) — 5.7L Engine Only .......... 366
 Parking Brake ........................ 366
 Anti-Lock Brake System ................. 369
 Electronic Brake Control System ........... 371
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........... 371▫
Traction Control System (TCS) ........... 371
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) .............. 372
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......... 372
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) ................ 375
▫ Ready Alert Braking .................. 376
▫ Rain Brake Support ................... 377
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
And ESC Off Indicator Light ............ 377
▫ Synchronizing ESC ................... 378
 Tire Safety Information ................. 379
▫ Tire Markings ....................... 379
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ......... 382
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ......... 383
344 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure .......... 384
 Tires — General Information ............. 388
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... 388
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures ................ 389
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . 391
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... 391
▫ Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire
And Wheel – If Equipped .............. 392
▫ Compact Spare Tire – If Equipped ........ 392
▫ Full Size Spare – If Equipped ............ 393
▫ Limited-Use Spare – If Equipped ......... 393
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... 394
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ................. 395 ▫
Life Of Tire ........................ 395
▫ Replacement Tires .................... 396
 Tire Chains .......................... 397
 Snow Tires .......................... 398
 Tire Rotation Recommendations ........... 399
 Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) ....... 400
▫ Base System ........................ 403
▫ Premium System – If Equipped .......... 405
▫ General Information .................. 410
 Fuel Requirements ..................... 410
▫ 3.6L Engine – If Equipped .............. 410
▫ 5.7L Engine – If Equipped .............. 410
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ................ 411
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 345

▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ............. 411
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles ...... 412
▫ MMT In Gasoline .................... 413
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ............... 413
▫ Fuel System Cautions ................. 413
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ............ 414
 Flexible Fuel (3.6L Engine Only) —
If Equipped .......................... 415
▫ E-85 General Information ............... 415
▫ Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ................... 416
▫ Fuel Requirements ................... 416
▫ Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles ...... 417
▫ Starting ........................... 417 ▫
Cruising Range ...................... 417
▫ Replacement Parts ................... 418
▫ Maintenance ........................ 418
 Adding Fuel ......................... 418
▫ Emergency Fuel Filler Door Release ....... 421
 Vehicle Loading ...................... 421
▫ Vehicle Certification Label .............. 422
▫ Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) ...... 422
▫ Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) ........ 422
▫ Overloading ........................ 423
▫ Loading ........................... 423
 Trailer Towing ........................ 424
▫ Common Towing Definitions ............ 424
346 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Trailer Hitch Classification .............. 427
▫ Trailer Towing Weights
(Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings) ........ 428
▫ Trailer And Tongue Weight ............. 428
▫ Towing Requirements ................. 429 ▫
Towing Tips ........................ 434
 Recreational Towing
(Behind Motorhome, Etc.) ................ 436
▫ Two-Wheel Drive And All-Wheel Drive .... 436
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 347

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust the
inside and outside mirrors, fasten your seat belt, and if
present, instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat
belts.
WARNING!
Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Do not leave the ignition in
the ACC or RUN position. A child could operate
power windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
Automatic Transmission
The shift lever must be in the NEUTRAL or PARK
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting into any driving gear.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing 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.
348 STARTING AND OPERATING

Keyless Enter-N-Go
This feature allows the driver to oper-
ate the ignition switch with the push
of a button, as long as the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter is in
the passenger compartment.
Normal Starting
Using The ENGINE START/STOP Button
NOTE:Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or pressing the
accelerator pedal.
To start the engine, the transmission must be in PARK or
NEUTRAL. Press and hold the brake pedal while press-
ing the ENGINE START/STOP button once. The system
takes over and attempts to start the vehicle. If the vehicle
fails to start, the starter will disengage automatically after 10 seconds. If you wish to stop the cranking of the engine
prior to the engine starting, press the button again.
To Turn Off The Engine Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button
1. Place the shift lever in PARK, then press and release
the ENGINE START/STOP button.
2. The ignition switch will return to the OFF position.
3. If the shift lever is not in PARK, the ENGINE START/
STOP button must be held for two seconds and vehicle
speed must be above 5 mph (8 km/h) before the engine
will shut off. The ignition switch position will remain in
the ACC position until the shift lever is in PARK and the
button is pressed twice to the OFF position. If the shift
lever is not in PARK and the ENGINE START/STOP
button is pressed once, the EVIC (if equipped) will
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 349

display a “Vehicle Not In Park” message and the engine
will remain running. Never leave a vehicle out of the
PARK position, or it could roll.
NOTE:If the ignition switch is left in the ACC or RUN
(engine not running) position and the transmission is in
PARK, the system will automatically time out after
30 minutes of inactivity and the ignition will switch to the
OFF position.
ENGINE START/STOP Button Functions – With
Driver ’s Foot OFF The Brake Pedal (In PARK Or
NEUTRAL Position)
The ENGINE START/STOP button operates similar to an
ignition switch. It has four positions, OFF, ACC, RUN
and START. To change the ignition switch positions
without starting the vehicle and use the accessories
follow these steps.
•Starting with the ignition switch in the OFF position:
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button once to
change the ignition switch to the ACC position (EVIC
displays “ACC”),
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button a second time
to change the ignition switch to the RUN position
(EVIC displays “RUN”),
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button a third time
to return the ignition switch to the OFF position (EVIC
displays “OFF”).
Extreme Cold Weather (Below –20°F Or 29°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
350 STARTING AND OPERATING