Page 423 of 517
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 2.4L ..........423
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L ..........424
ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM — OBD II . .425
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............425
EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS .............426
REPLACEMENT PARTS ..................427
DEALER SERVICE ..................... .428
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ...........428
▫ Engine Oil ......................... .429▫
Engine Oil Filter ..................... .432
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ................433
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery ...............433
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance .............435
▫ A/C Air Filter – If Equipped .............436
▫ Body Lubrication .....................438
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ...............439
▫ Adding Washer Fluid ..................439
▫ Exhaust System ..................... .440
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ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 2.4L
1 — Engine Coolant Reservoir6 — Air Cleaner Filter
2 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir 7 — Engine Oil Fill
3 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Coolant Pressure Cap
4 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses) 9 — Engine Oil Dipstick
5 — Integrated Power Module (Fuses) 10 — Washer Fluid Reservoir7
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ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L
1 — Engine Coolant Reservoir5 — Air Cleaner Filter
2 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir 6 — Engine Oil Dipstick
3 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 7 — Engine Oil Fill
4 — Integrated Power Module (Fuses) 8 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
424 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 431 of 517

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of your
vehicle and also allow extended maintenance inter-
vals. Do not use chemical flushes in these compo-
nents as the chemicals can damage your engine,
transmission, power steering or air conditioning.
Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. If a flush is needed because of
component malfunction, use only the specified
fluid for the flushing procedure.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper engine lubrication, the engine oil must
be maintained at the correct level. Check the oil level at
regular intervals, such as every fuel stop. The best time to check the engine oil level is about five minutes after a
fully warmed engine is shut off. Do not check oil level
before starting the engine after it has sat overnight.
Checking engine oil level when the engine is cold will
give you an incorrect reading.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground and
only when the engine is hot, will improve the accuracy of
the oil level readings. Maintain the oil level between the
range markings on the dipstick. Either the range mark-
ings consist of a crosshatch zone marked SAFE or a
crosshatch zone marked with MIN at the low end of the
range and MAX at the high end of the range. Adding one
quart of oil when the reading is at the low end of the
range marking will raise the oil level to the high end of
the range marking.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 429
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CAUTION!
Do not overfill the engine. Overfilling the engine
will cause oil aeration, which can lead to loss of oil
pressure and an increase in oil temperature. This
could damage your engine. Also, be sure the oil fill
cap is replaced and tightened after adding oil.
Change Engine Oil
The oil change indicator system will remind you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for further informa-
tion.
NOTE:Under no circumstances should oil change inter-
vals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km) or twelve months,
whichever occurs first.
Engine Oil Selection
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacturer only
recommends engine oils that are API Certified and meet
the requirements of Chrysler Material Standard MS-6395.
American Petroleum Institute (API) Engine Oil
Identification Symbol
This symbol means that the oil has
been certified by the American Pe-
troleum Institute (API). The manu-
facturer only recommends API Cer-
tified engine oils.
430 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your engine oil as the
chemicals can damage your engine. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Engine Oil Viscosity – 2.4L Engine
SAE 5W-20 engine oil is recommended for all operating
temperatures. This engine oil improves low temperature
starting and vehicle fuel economy.
The engine oil filler cap also shows the recommended
engine oil viscosity for your engine. For information on
the engine oil filler cap location, refer to “Engine Com-
partment” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information.
Lubricants that do not have both, the engine oil certifi-
cation mark and the correct SAE viscosity grade number
should not be used.
Engine Oil Viscosity – 3.6L Engine
SAE 5W-20 engine oil is recommended for all operating
temperatures. This engine oil improves low temperature
starting and vehicle fuel economy.
The engine oil filler cap also shows the recommended
engine oil viscosity for your engine. For information on
engine oil filler cap location, refer to the “Engine Com-
partment” illustration in this section.
NOTE:SAE 5W-30 engine oil approved to Fiat 9.55535-S1
or Fiat 9.55535-S3 may be used when SAE 5W-20 engine
oil meeting MS- 6395 is not available.
Synthetic Engine Oils
You may use synthetic engine oils provided the recom-
mended oil quality requirements are met, and the recom-
mended maintenance intervals for oil and filter changes
are followed.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 431
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Materials Added To Engine Oil
The manufacturer strongly recommends against the ad-
dition of any additives (other than leak detection dyes) to
the engine oil. Engine oil is an engineered product and its
performance may be impaired by supplemental addi-
tives.
Disposing Of Used Engine Oil And Oil Filters
Care should be taken in disposing of used engine oil and
oil filters from your vehicle. Used oil and oil filters,
indiscriminately discarded, can present a problem to the
environment. Contact your authorized dealer, service
station or governmental agency for advice on how and
where used oil and oil filters can be safely discarded in
your area.
Engine Oil Filter
The engine oil filter should be replaced with a new filter
at every engine oil change.
Engine Oil Filter Selection
This manufacturer’s engines have a full-flow type oil
filter. Use a filter of this type for replacement. The quality
of replacement filters varies considerably. Only high
quality filters should be used to assure most efficient
service. MOPAR® engine oil filters are a high quality oil
filter and are recommended.
432 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 441 of 517

Windshield Wiper Blades
Clean the rubber edges of the wiper blades and the
windshield periodically with a sponge or soft cloth and a
mild nonabrasive cleaner. This will remove accumula-
tions of salt or road film.
Operation of the wipers on dry glass for long periods
may cause deterioration of the wiper blades. Always use
washer fluid when using the wipers to remove salt or dirt
from a dry windshield.
Avoid using the wiper blades to remove frost or ice from
the windshield. Keep the blade rubber out of contact with
petroleum products such as engine oil, gasoline, etc.
NOTE:
Life expectancy of wiper blades varies depending
on geographical area and frequency of use. Poor perfor-
mance of blades may be present with chattering, marks,
water lines or wet spots. If any of these conditions are
present, clean the wiper blades or replace as necessary.
Adding Washer Fluid
The windshield washer and the rear window washer
share the same fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir is
located in the engine compartment. Be sure to check the
fluid level in the reservoir at regular intervals. Fill the
reservoir with windshield washer solvent (not radiator
antifreeze) and operate the system for a few seconds to
flush out the residual water.
When refilling the washer fluid reservoir, apply some
washer fluid to a cloth or towel and wipe the wiper
blades clean. This will help blade performance.
To prevent freeze-up of your windshield washer system
in cold weather, select a solution or mixture that meets or
exceeds the temperature range of your climate. This
rating information can be found on most washer fluid
containers.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 439