2012 CHRYSLER 300 service

into the passenger compartment. In addition, inspect the
exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised for lubri-
cation or oil change. Replace as required.
WARNING!
•Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain
carbon monoxide (CO), which is colorless and
odorless. Breathing it can make you unconscious
and can eventually poison you. To avoid breathing
CO, refer to “Safety Tips/Exhaust Gas” in “Things
To Know Before Starting Your Vehicle” for further
information.
•A hot exhaust system can start a fire if you park
over materials that can burn. Such materials might
be grass or leaves coming into contact with your
exhaust system. Do not park or operate your ve-
hicle in areas where your exhaust system can
contact anything that can burn.
CAUTION!
•The catalytic converter requires the use of un-
leaded fuel only. Leaded gasoline will destroy the
effectiveness of the catalyst as an emissions con-
trol device and may seriously reduce engine per-
formance and cause serious damage to the engine.
•Damage to the catalytic converter can result if your
vehicle is not kept in proper operating condition.
In the event of engine malfunction, particularly
involving engine misfire or other apparent loss of
performance, have your vehicle serviced promptly.
Continued operation of your vehicle with a severe
malfunction could cause the converter to overheat,
resulting in possible damage to the converter and
vehicle.
490 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Under normal operating conditions, the catalytic con-
verter will not require maintenance. However, it is im-
portant to keep the engine properly tuned to assure
proper catalyst operation and prevent possible catalyst
damage.
NOTE:Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may suggest severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, stop
the vehicle, turn off the engine and allow it to cool.
Service, including a tune-up to manufacturer’s specifica-
tions, should be obtained immediately.To minimize the possibility of catalytic converter dam-
age:
•Do not shut off the engine or interrupt the ignition,
when the transmission is in gear and the vehicle is in
motion.
•Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing the
vehicle.
•Do not idle the engine with any spark plug wires
disconnected or removed, such as when diagnostic
testing, or for prolonged periods during very rough
idle or malfunctioning operating conditions.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 491

Coolant Level
The coolant bottle provides a quick visual method for
determining that the coolant level is adequate. With the
engine OFF and cold, the level of the engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the bottle should be between the ranges
indicated on the bottle.
The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is
no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking for
engine coolant (antifreeze) freeze point or replacing cool-
ant. Advise your service attendant of this. As 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 engine coolant (antifreeze) freeze point in the
radiator and in the coolant recovery bottle. If engine
coolant (antifreeze) needs to be added, contents of
coolant recovery bottle must also be protected against
freezing.
496 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Master Cylinder – Brake Fluid Level Check
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder immediately
if the brake system warning light indicates system fail-
ure.
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder when per-
forming underhood services.
Clean the top of the master cylinder area before removing
the cap. Add fluid to bring the level up to the top of the
“FULL” mark on the side of the master cylinder reservoir.
Overfilling of fluid is not recommended because it may
cause leaking in the system.
Add enough fluid to bring the level up to the require-
ments described on the brake fluid reservoir. With disc
brakes, fluid level can be expected to fall as the brake
pads wear. However, low fluid level may be caused by a
leak and a checkup may be needed.Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake fluid. Re-
fer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in “Main-
taining Your Vehicle” for further information.
WARNING!
•Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake
fluid. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information. Using the wrong type of brake fluid
can severely damage your brake system and/or
impair its performance. The proper type of brake
fluid for your vehicle is also identified on the
original factory installed hydraulic master cylin-
der reservoir.
(Continued)
498 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Rear Axle
For normal service, periodic fluid level checks are not
required. When the vehicle is serviced for other reasons
the exterior surfaces of the axle assembly should be
inspected. If gear oil leakage is suspected inspect the
fluid level. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further informa-
tion.
Fluid Level Check
Check the fluid level by removing the fill plug on the
axle. The fluid level should be at the bottom of the fill
hole. Add fluid, if necessary, to maintain the proper level.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
Change Axle Fluid
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
Appearance Care And Protection From Corrosion
Protection Of Body And Paint From Corrosion
Vehicle body care requirements vary according to geo-
graphic locations and usage. Chemicals that make roads
passable in snow and ice, and chemicals that are sprayed
on trees and road surfaces during other seasons, are
highly corrosive to the metal in your vehicle. Outside
parking, which exposes your vehicle to airborne contami-
nants, road surfaces on which the vehicle is operated,
extreme hot or cold weather and other extreme condi-
tions will have an adverse effect on paint, metal trim, and
underbody protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will enable
you to obtain maximum benefit from the corrosion
resistance built into your vehicle.
What Causes Corrosion?
Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of
paint and protective coatings from your vehicle.
502 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

VEHICLE STORAGE
If you are leaving your vehicle dormant for more than
21 days, you may want to take these steps to protect your
battery.
•Disconnect the negative cable from the battery.
•Anytime you store your vehicle, or keep it out of
service (i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run the
air conditioning system at idle for about five minutes
in the fresh air and high blower setting. This will
ensure adequate system lubrication to minimize the
possibility of compressor damage when the system is
started again.
REPLACEMENT BULBS
Interior Bulb Number
Rear Courtesy/Reading Lamps............. W5W
Rear Compartment (Trunk) Lamp............. 562
Overhead Console Reading Lamps............ 578
Visor Vanity Lamps.....................A6220
Glove Box Lamp – If Equipped............... 194
Door Courtesy.......................... 562
Shift Indicator Lamp.................JKLE14140
Optional Door Map Pocket/Cupholder........ LED
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
NOTE:For lighted switches, see your authorized dealer
for replacement instructions.
All of the interior bulbs are glass wedge base or glass
cartridge types. Aluminum base bulbs are not approved
and should not be used for replacement.
516 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Exterior Bulb Number
Low Beam/High Beam
(Bi-Halogen Headlamp).................HIR2LL
Low Beam/High Beam (Bi-Xenon Headlamp).... D3S
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
Front Turn Signal Lamp..............PSY24WSV
Front Park Lamp........................ LED
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
Daytime Running Lamp................... LED
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
Front Fog Lamp – If Equipped............... H11
Front Sidemarker Lamp................... LED
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
Rear Tail/Stop/Turn Signal Lamp............ LED
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
Rear Sidemarker Lamp.................... LED
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
Rear Fog Lamp – If Equipped............... LED
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
Backup Lamp.........................W21WExterior Bulb Number
Center High Mount Stop Lamp (CHMSL)....... LED
(Serviced at Authorized Dealer)
License.............................. W5W
BULB REPLACEMENT
Low Beam Headlamp, High Beam Headlamp,
Park/Turn Lamp, Inner Park Lamp, And Outer
Park Lamp
High Intensity Discharge Headlamps (HID) — If
Equipped
The headlamps are a type of high voltage discharge tube.
High voltage can remain in the circuit even with the
headlamp switch off and the key removed.Because of
this, you should not attempt to service a headlamp bulb
yourself. If a headlamp bulb fails, take your vehicle to
an authorized dealer for service.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 517

WARNING!
A transient high voltage occurs at the bulb sockets of
HID headlamps when the headlamp switch is turned
ON. It may cause serious electrical shock or electro-
cution if not serviced properly. See your authorized
dealer for service.
NOTE:On vehicles equipped with HID headlamps,
when the headlamps are turned on, there is a blue hue to
the lights. This diminishes and becomes more white after
approximately 10 seconds, as the system charges.
Standard Low Beam Headlamp, High Beam
Headlamp, Park/Turn Lamp, Inner Park Lamp, And
Outer Park Lamp
1. Open the hood.NOTE:Removal of the air cleaner filter housing may be
necessary prior to replacing bulbs in the headlamp
assembly on the driver side of the vehicle.
2. Twist the appropriate bulb and socket assembly coun-
terclockwise, and then pull it out of the headlamp
assembly.
3. Disconnect the bulb from the socket assembly and
install the replacement bulb.
4. Reinstall the bulb and socket assembly into the head-
lamp assembly, and then turn it clockwise.
CAUTION!
Do not touch the new bulb with your fingers. Oil
contamination will severely shorten bulb life. If the
bulb comes in contact with an oily surface, clean the
bulb with rubbing alcohol.
518 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE