2013 CHRYSLER 300 SRT engine

Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through
shallow standing water, consider the following Caution
and Warning before doing so.
CAUTION!
•Always check the depth of the standing water
before driving through it. Never drive through
standing water that is deeper than the bottom of
the tire rims mounted on the vehicle.
• Determine the condition of the road or the path
that is under water and if there are any obstacles in
the way before driving through the standing water.
•
Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through
standing water. This will minimize wave effects.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Driving through standing water may cause damage
to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always
inspect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, trans-
mission, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e.,
fluid that is milky or foamy in appearance) after
driving through standing water. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle if any fluid appears contami-
nated, as this may result in further damage. Such
damage is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
• Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and cause serious
internal damage to the engine. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
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WARNING!
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph
(8 km/h) when driving through standing water.
• Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stopping
distances. Therefore, after driving through stand-
ing water, drive slowly and lightly press on the
brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
• Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and leave you
stranded.
• Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your pas-
sengers, and others around you.
POWER STEERING
The standard power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will provide mechanical
steering capability if power assist is lost.
If for some reason the power assist is interrupted, it will
still be possible to steer your vehicle. Under these condi-
tions, you will observe a substantial increase in steering
effort, especially at very low vehicle speeds and during
parking maneuvers.
NOTE:
• Increased noise levels at the end of the steering wheel
travel are considered normal and do not indicate that
there is a problem with the power steering system.
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WARNING!
Fluid level should be checked on a level surface and
with the engine off to prevent injury from moving
parts and to ensure accurate fluid level reading. Do
not overfill. Use only manufacturer’s recommended
power steering fluid.
If necessary, add fluid to restore to the proper indicated
level. With a clean cloth, wipe any spilled fluid from all
surfaces. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts”
in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
FUEL SAVER TECHNOLOGY — IF EQUIPPED
This feature offers improved fuel economy by shutting
off four of the engine’s eight cylinders during light load
and cruise conditions. The system is automatic with no
driver inputs or additional driving skills required.
NOTE:This system may take some time to return to full
functionality after a battery disconnect.
PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied and place the shift lever in the
PARK position.
The foot operated parking brake is located below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel. To apply the
park brake, firmly push the park brake pedal fully.
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ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced electronic
brake control system that include Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), Brake Assist System
(BAS), and the Electronic Stability Control (ESC). All four
of these systems work together to enhance vehicle stability
and control in various driving conditions.
Also, your vehicle may be equipped with Hill Start Assist
(HSA), Ready Alert Braking, and Rain Brake Support.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
This system aids the driver in maintaining vehicle control
under adverse braking conditions by controlling hydraulic
brake pressure. This prevents wheel lock-up to help avoid
skidding on slippery surfaces during braking. Refer to
“Anti-Lock Brake System” in “Starting and Operating” for
further information.
WARNING!
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road conditions. The
ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those result-
ing from excessive speed in turns, driving on very
slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities of
an ABS-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner that could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each
driven wheel. If wheel spin is detected, brake pressure is
applied to the slipping wheel(s) and engine power is
reduced to provide enhanced acceleration and stability.
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Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. The ESC
corrects for oversteering and understeering the vehicle
by applying the brake of the appropriate wheel. Engine
power may also be reduced to assist in counteracting the
condition of oversteer or understeer and help the vehicle
maintain the desired path.
The ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the path
that the driver intends to steer the vehicle and compares
it to the actual path of the vehicle. When the actual path
does not match the intended path, the ESC applies the
brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting
the condition of oversteer or understeer.
•Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
• Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
WARNING!
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. ESC cannot prevent all
accidents, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. ESC also cannot prevent accidents
resulting from loss of vehicle control due to inappro-
priate driver input for the conditions. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
The capabilities of an ESC equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
which could jeopardize the user ’s safety or the safety
of others.
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WARNING!
•When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS functionality
of ESC, (except for the limited slip feature de-
scribed in the TCS section), has been disabled and
the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will be illuminated.
When in “Partial Off” mode, the engine power
reduction feature of TCS is disabled, and the
enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC sys-
tem is reduced.
Full Off
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use
only and should not be used on any public roadways. In
this mode, all TCS and ESC stability features are turned
OFF. To enter the “Full Off” mode, press and hold the
“ESC Off” switch for five seconds while the vehicle is stopped with the engine running. After five seconds, a
chime will sound, the “ESC Activation/Malfunction In-
dicator Light” will illuminate, and the
ESC OFFmes-
sage will display in the vehicle odometer. Press and
release the TRIP ODOMETER button located on the
instrument cluster to clear this message. The “ESC OFF”
message may appear in the Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC). Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your Instrument
Panel” for further information. To turn ESC ON again,
momentarily press the “ESC Off” switch.
NOTE: TheESC OFF message will display and the
audible chime will sound when the shift lever is moved
into the PARK position from any position other than
PARK and then moved out of the PARK position. This
will occur when the message was previously cleared.
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WARNING!
In the ESC “Full Off” mode, the engine torque
reduction and stability features are disabled. There-
fore, the enhanced vehicle stability offered by ESC is
unavailable. In an emergency evasive maneuver, the
ESC system will not engage to assist in maintaining
stability.ESC Off mode is intended for off-highway
or off-road use only.
NOTE: When the ESC is switched OFF, a feature of the
system remains active. This feature controls wheel spin
across an axle quite similarly to a limited slip differential.
If one wheel on an axle is spinning faster than the other,
the system will apply the brake of the spinning wheel
and allow more engine torque to be applied to the wheel
that is not spinning. To improve the vehicle’s traction when driving with tire chains, or when starting off in
deep snow, sand, or gravel, it may be desirable to switch
to the “Partial Off” mode by momentarily pressing the
“ESC Off” switch.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The HSA system is designed to assist the driver when
starting a vehicle from a stop on a hill. HSA will maintain
the level of brake pressure the driver applied for a short
period of time after the driver takes their foot off of the
brake pedal. If the driver does not apply the throttle
during this short period of time, the system will release
brake pressure and the vehicle will roll down the hill. The
system will release brake pressure in proportion to the
amount of throttle applied as the vehicle starts to move in
the intended direction of travel.
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Rain Brake Support
Rain Brake Support may improve braking performance
in wet conditions. It will periodically apply a small
amount of brake pressure to remove any water buildup
on the front brake rotors. It only functions when the
windshield wipers are in the LO or HI mode, it does not
function in the intermittent mode. When Rain Brake
Support is active, there is no notification to the driver and
no driver interaction is required.
ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And
ESC OFF Indicator Light
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” in the instrument cluster will come on
when the ignition switch is cycled to the ON
position. It should go out with the engine
running. If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” comes on continuously with the 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), see your autho-
rized dealer as soon as possible to have the problem
diagnosed and corrected.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” (lo-
cated in the instrument cluster) starts to flash as soon as
the tires lose traction and the ESC system becomes active.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” also
flashes when TCS is active. If the “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” begins to flash during ac-
celeration, 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.
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