2013 CHRYSLER 300 SRT Owners Manual

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, NEUTRAL, 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.
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)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 375

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.
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.
376 STARTING AND OPERATING

Five-Speed Automatic Transmission
The shift lever position display (located in the instrument
cluster) indicates the transmission gear range. You must
press the brake pedal to move the shift lever out of PARK
(refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System” in
this section). To drive, move the shift lever from PARK or
NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
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.The transmission shift lever has only PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, and DRIVE shift positions. Manual shifts can
be made using the AutoStick® shift control (refer to
AutoStick®
in this section). Moving the shift lever to the
left or right (-/+) while in the DRIVE position, or tapping
one of the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles (-/+),
will manually select the transmission gear, and will
display the current gear in the instrument cluster as 5, 4,
3, 2, 1.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
If there is a need to restart the engine, be sure to cycle the
ignition to the OFF position before restarting. Transmis-
sion gear engagement may be delayed after restarting the
engine if the key is not cycled to the OFF position first.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 377

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.
• If there is a need to restart the engine, be sure to cycle
the ignition to the OFF position before restarting.
Transmission gear engagement may be delayed after
restarting the engine if the key is not cycled to the OFF
position first.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range. When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
shifting the transmission to PARK, otherwise the load on
the transmission locking mechanism may make it diffi-
cult to move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill
grade.
WARNING!
•
Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake
fully when parked to guard against vehicle move-
ment and possible injury or damage.
(Continued)
378 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!(Continued)
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever out of PARK with the brake
pedal released. Make sure the transmission is in
PARK before leaving the vehicle.
• 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)
•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.
• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob and lock your vehicle.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 379

WARNING!(Continued)
•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 parking 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 a vehicle equipped with Keyless Enter-N-
Go™ in the ACC or ON/RUN position. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
• Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you
must cycle the ignition switch from the OFF posi-
tion to the ON/RUN position, and also press the
brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the shift lever
could result.
• DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this
can damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the shift lever into the PARK position:
• When shifting into PARK, firmly move the transmis-
sion all the way forward and to the left until it stops
and is fully seated.
380 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Look at the shift lever position display and verify that
it indicates the PARK position.
• With brake pedal released, verify that the shift lever
will not move out of PARK
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Apply the parking brake and shift
the transmission into PARK if you must leave the vehicle.WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
that limit your response to changing traffic or road
conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and
have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 381

DRIVE
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through underdrive first, second,
and third gears, direct fourth gear and overdrive fifth
gear. The DRIVE position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, or traveling into strong head
winds), use the “AutoStick®” shift control (refer to
“AutoStick®” in this section) to select a lower gear.
Under these conditions, using a lower gear will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat buildup.SPORT
This mode alters the transmission’s automatic shift
schedule for sportier driving. Upshift speeds are in-
creased to make full use of available engine power. To
toggle between DRIVE and SPORT modes, touch the
SPORT button (on the Controls screen in the center touch
panel).
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission remains
in the current gear until the vehicle is brought to a stop.
After the vehicle has stopped, the transmission will
remain in second gear regardless of which forward gear
382 STARTING AND OPERATING