2012 DODGE JOURNEY engine

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
Starting Procedures .................... 368
▫ Automatic Transmission ............... 368
▫ Keyless Enter-N-Go ................... 369
▫ Normal Starting ..................... 369
▫ Extreme Cold Weather
(Below –20°F Or 29°C)............... 370
▫ If Engine Fails To Start ................ 371
▫ After Starting ....................... 371
 Engine Block Heater — If Equipped ........ 372
Automatic Transmission ................. 372
▫ Key Ignition Park Interlock ............. 373
▫ Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . 374
▫ Four-Speed Automatic Transmission – 2.4L
Engine ............................ 374
▫ Gear Ranges ........................ 375
▫ Six-Speed Automatic Transmission – 3.6L
Engine ............................ 382
▫ Gear Ranges ........................ 383
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▫E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles ...... 440
▫ MMT In Gasoline .................... 441
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ............... 441
▫ Fuel System Cautions ................. 442
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ............ 443
 Flexible Fuel (3.6L Engine Only) —
If Equipped .......................... 443
▫ E-85 General Information ............... 443
▫ Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ................... 445
▫ Fuel Requirements ................... 445
▫ Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles ...... 446
▫ Starting ........................... 446
▫ Cruising Range ...................... 446 ▫
Replacement Parts ................... 447
▫ Maintenance ........................ 447
 Adding Fuel ......................... 447
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) .............. 447
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ........... 449
 Vehicle Loading ...................... 449
▫ Vehicle Certification Label .............. 449
▫ Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) ...... 450
▫ Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) ........ 450
▫ Overloading ........................ 450
▫ Loading ........................... 451
 Trailer Towing ........................ 451
▫ Common Towing Definitions ............ 451
366 STARTING AND OPERATING

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
children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should be warned
not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the
shift lever. Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle, and do not leave the ignition in the 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.
368 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
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.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 369

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
will display “ACC”),
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button a second time
to change the ignition switch to the RUN position
(EVIC will display “ON/RUN”),
•Press the ENGINE START/STOP button a third time
to return the ignition switch to the OFF position (EVIC
will display “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.
370 STARTING AND OPERATING

If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
mission cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel
could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine has started, ignite and damage the converter
and vehicle. If the vehicle has a discharged battery,
booster cables may be used to obtain a start from a
booster battery or the battery in another vehicle.
This type of start can be dangerous if done improp-
erly. Refer to “Jump Starting” in “What To Do In
Emergencies” for further information.
Clearing A Flooded Engine
(Using ENGINE START/STOP Button)
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weatherproce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel, press
and hold the brake pedal, push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it, then press and release the
ENGINE START/STOP button once. The starter motor
will engage automatically, run for 10 seconds, and then
disengage. Once this occurs, release the accelerator pedal
and the brake pedal, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat
the “Normal Starting” procedure.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 371

ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater cord is bundled under the hood
between the headlight assembly and the Totally Inte-
grated Power Module (Fuse Box) on the driver’s side of
the vehicle.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate effect on the engine.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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 between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal down
while shifting out of PARK.
372 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
•It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly
forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the
vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
and turn the engine off. When the ignition is in the
OFF position, the shift lever is locked in PARK,
securing the vehicle against unwanted movement.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the shift lever. Do not leave the key fob in
or near the vehicle, and do not leave the ignition in
the in the ACC or RUN position. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK
before the engine can be turned off. This helps the driver
avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without placing
the transmission in PARK.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 373