2013 CHRYSLER 300 Owners Manual

1. Starting with the ignition switch in the OFF position:
2. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button once tochange the ignition switch to the ACC position (EVIC
displays “ACC”),
3. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button a second time to change the ignition switch to the RUN position
(EVIC displays “RUN”),
4. 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.
If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in 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.
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
•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 improperly. Refer
to “Jump Starting” in “What To Do In Emergen-
cies” 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 Weather proce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel:
1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Press the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it. 3. 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.
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 must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
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The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap that
is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.
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.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•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 while
shifting out of PARK.
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WARNING!
•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 LOCK/OFF
position, the shift lever is locked in PARK, securing
the vehicle against unwanted movement.
• It is dangerous to shift 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 re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
the engine is idling normally and your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob and lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be 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 park-
ing brake, brake pedal or the shift lever. Do not
leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in a
location accessible to children), and do not leave
Keyless Enter-N-Go™ in the ACC or ON/RUN
position. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
370 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 key fob can be removed. This system also locks
the shift lever in PARK whenever the ignition switch is in
the LOCK/OFF position.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock system (BTSI) that holds the shift lever in PARK
unless the brakes are applied. To shift the transmission
out of PARK, the ignition switch must be cycled to the
ON/RUN position (engine running or not) and the brake
pedal must be pressed.
Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission – If
Equipped
Your vehicle is equipped with a state of the art, fuel
efficient eight-speed transmission. The electronic shiftlever in this vehicle does not slide like a conventional
shifter. Instead, the shift lever is spring loaded and moves
forward and rearward, always returning to the center
position after each gear is selected.
The transmission gear (PRND) is displayed both on the
shift lever and in the Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC).
To select a gear range, press the lock button on the shift
lever and move the lever rearward or forward. You must
also press the brake pedal to shift the transmission out of
PARK (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock Sys-
tem” in this section). To shift past multiple gear ranges at
once (such as PARK to DRIVE), move the lever past the
first (or second) detent. Select the DRIVE range for
normal driving.
The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
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vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles (kilometers).
Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when
shifting between these gears.
Standard Shifter
The standard shift lever has PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, DRIVE, and LOW shift positions. Using the LOW
position manually downshifts the transmission to a
lower gear based on vehicle speed.
Optional Shifter With AutoStick®
The optional shift lever (with AutoStick® shift paddles
mounted on the steering wheel) provides PARK, RE-
VERSE, NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and SPORT shift positions.
Once in the DRIVE range, tapping the shift lever rear-
ward will toggle between SPORT mode and DRIVE
Shift Lever
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mode. You do not need to press the shift lever button
when toggling between DRIVE and SPORT modes.
Manual shifts can be made using the AutoStick® shift
control (refer to “AutoStick®” in this section). Pressing
the shift paddles (-/+) while in the DRIVE or SPORT
position will manually select the transmission gear, and
will display the current gear in the instrument cluster as
8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Shifting From PARK To DRIVE
Firmly press the brake pedal, press the lock button on the
shift lever, then pull and hold the shift lever fully
rearward until “D” is displayed in the EVIC.
To shift back into PARK from DRIVE, bring the vehicle to
a complete stop, fully press the brake pedal, press the
lock button on the shift lever, then push and hold the
shift lever fully forward until “P” is displayed in the
EVIC.Shifting From REVERSE To NEUTRAL
Pull the shift lever rearward to the first detent and
release. “N” will display in the EVIC.
To shift back into REVERSE from NEUTRAL, firmly
press the brake pedal, press the lock button on the shift
lever, then push the shift lever forward to the first detent
and release. “R” will display in the EVIC.
Shifting From NEUTRAL To DRIVE
Firmly press the brake pedal, press the lock button on the
shift lever, then pull the shift lever rearward and release.
“D” will display in the EVIC.
To shift back into NEUTRAL from DRIVE, firmly press
the brake pedal, press the lock button on the shift lever,
then push the shift lever forward and release. “N” will
display in the EVIC.
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Shifting From REVERSE To DRIVE
Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, firmly press the
brake pedal, then pull the shift lever fully rearward and
release when “D” is indicated in the EVIC.
To shift back into REVERSE from DRIVE, bring the
vehicle to a complete stop, firmly press the brake pedal,
press the lock button on the shift lever, then push the shift
lever forward to the second detent and release when “R”
is indicated in the EVIC.
Shifting From DRIVE To SPORT/LOW
Vehicles Equipped With SPORT Mode
To shift from DRIVE to SPORT, pull the shift lever
rearward until “S” is displayed in the EVIC.
To shift back into DRIVE from SPORT, pull the shift lever
rearward until “D” is displayed in the EVIC.Vehicles Equipped With LOW Mode
To shift from DRIVE to LOW, pull the shift lever rear-
ward until “L” is displayed in the EVIC.
To shift back into DRIVE from LOW, pull the shift lever
rearward until “D” is displayed in the EVIC.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
NOTE:
•
After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to allow
the selected gear to engage before accelerating. This is
especially important when the engine is cold.
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