2012 DODGE AVENGER ECO mode

24-HOUR TOWING ASSISTANCE
• Dial toll-free 1-800-521-2779 or 1-800-363-4869 for Canadian residents.
• Provide your name, vehicle identification number and license plate number.
• Provide your location, including telephone number, from which you are calling.
• Briefly describe the nature of the problem and answer a few simple questions.
• You will be given the name of the service provider and an estimated time of arrival.If you feel you are in an “unsafe situation”, please let us know. With your consent,
we will contact local police or safety authorities.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WARNING LIGHTS
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
• If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” comes on continuously withthe engine running, a malfunction has been detected in the ESC system. If this
light remains on after several ignition cycles, and the vehicle has been driven
several miles (kilometers) at speeds greater than 30 mph (48 km/h), we
recommend you do not operate the vehicle. Have the vehicle serviced immediately.
• The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” starts to flash as soon as the tires lose traction and the ESC system becomes active. If the light begins to flash
during acceleration, ease up on the accelerator and apply as little throttle as
possible. Be sure to adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing road conditions.
The light also flashes when TCS is active. To improve the vehicle's traction when
starting off in deep snow, sand or gravel, it may be desirable to switch the ESC
system to Partial Off mode by momentarily pressing the ESC Off
switch.
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Light
• Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly, when coldand inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.)
• As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
• IF THE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING INDICATING A LOW TIRE PRESSURE, ADJUST THE AIR
PRESSURE IN THE LOW TIRE TO THE AIR PRESSURE SHOWN ON THE VEHICLE PLACARD
OR TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE LABEL LOCATED ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR. NOTE: AFTER
INFLATION, THE VEHICLE MAY NEED TO BE DRIVEN FOR 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE
FLASHING LIGHT WILL TURN OFF.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
• In any of the following situations, you can reduce the potential for overheating bytaking the appropriate action.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, shift transmission into 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 Fan 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.
• If the temperature reading does not return to normal, turn the engine off immediately.
• We recommend that you do not operate the vehicle or engine damage will occur. Have the vehicle serviced immediately.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage your vehicle. If the temperature
gauge reads HOT (H), pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the
air conditioner turned off until the pointer drops back into the normal range. If
the pointer remains on HOT (H), and you hear continuous chimes, 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.
Engine Oil Overheating — 2.4L Gas
• On hot days the engine oil temperature may become too hot during sustained high-speed driving or if towing a trailer up long grades. If this happens, a HOTOIL
message will flash in the odometer and the vehicle speed will be reduced to
48 mph (77 km/h) maximum until the engine oil temperature is reduced.
NOTE: Although the maximum vehicle speed is reduced to 48 mph (77 km/h), you may
reduce vehicle speed further as needed. Once the engine oil temperature is reduced,
you may continue to drive normally.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
70

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLEModelFlat Towing (all four
wheels on the ground)Flatbed Towing (all four
wheels suspended OFF the
ground)Front Wheels Raised, Rear
Wheels on the Ground
Rear Wheels Raised, Front
Wheels on the Ground
FWD Without a Key NOT Permitted
Recommended Method May Be Used NOT Permitted without a
front end dolly
FWD With a Key Shift lever must be in
*NEUTRAL. The distance
to be traveled must not
exceed 15 mi (25 km),
and the towing speed
must not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).Recommended Method May Be Used
NOT Permitted without a
front end dolly
*To shift to NEUTRAL without battery power, firmly apply the parking brake. Turn the key to ON/RUN. Remove the cupholder liner. Insert
a key, screwdriver or similar object into the front hole, then push and hold the manual override release lever forward. While holding the
release lever forward, move the shift lever from PARK to NEUTRAL. Release the override.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
80

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
• If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it can often be moved by arocking motion. Turn your steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then move the shift lever back and forth between REVERSE and
DRIVE. Using minimal accelerator pedal pressure to maintain the rocking motion,
without spinning the wheels, is most effective.
NOTE: To improve the vehicle's traction when starting off in deep snow, sand or gravel,
it may be desirable to switch the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) to “Partial Off”
mode by momentarily pressing the ESC Off
switch. For further information on ESC,
refer to the Owner's Manual on the DVD.
CAUTION!
• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving between REVERSE and DRIVE, do not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast may lead to transmission overheating and failure. It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces generated by excessive wheel
speeds may cause tire damage or failure. A tire could explode and injure
someone. Do not spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) when
you are stuck. Do not let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the
speed.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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NOTE:
• The Owner's Manual and User Guide electronic files are also available on theChrysler, Jeep, Ram Truck and Dodge websites.
• Click on the "For Owners" tab, select "Owner/Service Manuals", then select your desired model year and vehicle from the drop down lists.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS IN THE 50
UNITED STATES AND WASHINGTON, D.C.
• If you believe that your vehicle has a defect that could cause a collision or causeinjury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying the manufacturer.
• If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems
between you, your authorized dealer, and the manufacturer.
• To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll free at 1–888–327–4236 (TTY: 1–800–424– 9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov; or
write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building,
Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov.
In Canada
• If you believe that your vehicle has a safety defect, you should contact theCustomer Service Department immediately. Canadian customers who wish to report
a safety defect to the Canadian government should contact Transport Canada,
Motor Vehicle Defect Investigations and Recalls at 1-800-333-0510 or go to
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/
• French Canadian customers who wish to report a safety defect to the Canadian government should contact Transport Canada, Motor Vehicle Defect Investigations
and Recalls at 1-800-333-0510 or go to http://www.tc.gc.ca/securiteroutiere/
CONSUMER ASSISTANCE
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