2013 DODGE AVENGER key

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!
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob from the ignition 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. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, or
in a location accessible to children, and do not
leave the ignition of a vehicle equipped with
Keyless Enter-N-Go™ in the ACC or ON/RUN
mode. 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.
298 STARTING AND OPERATING

Without Tip Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather” proce-
dures, it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it there while cranking the
engine. This should clear any excess fuel in case the
engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine is flooded, it may start to run, but not have
enough power to continue running when the key is re-
leased. If this occurs, continue cranking up to 15 seconds
with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to the floor.If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15-second
periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal held to the
floor, repeat the “Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold
Weather” procedures.
With Tip Start
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, push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Then, turn the ignition switch to the START position and
release it as soon as the starter engages. The starter motor
will disengage automatically in 10 seconds. Once this
occurs, release the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then
repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 301

WARNING!(Continued)
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and 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,
turn the engine OFF, and remove the ignition key.
Once the key is removed, the transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against un-
wanted movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the igni-
tion key and lock your vehicle.
(Continued)
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 ignition key in or near the vehicle,
or in a location accessible to children. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
304 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 ignition switch can be turned to the LOCK/
OFF position. The key can only be removed from the
ignition when the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position,
and once removed, the shift lever is locked in PARK.
NOTE:If a malfunction occurs, the system will trap the
key in the ignition switch to warn you that this safety
feature is inoperable. The engine can be started and
stopped but the key cannot be removed until you obtain
service.
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 turned to the
ON/RUN position (engine running or not) and the brake
pedal must be pressed.
Four-Speed Automatic Transmission —
If Equipped
The transmission gear 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 Inter-
lock System” in this section). To drive, move the shift
lever from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 305

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.
• 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
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
the engine is idling normally and 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,
turn the engine OFF, and remove the ignition key.
Once the key is removed, the transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against un-
wanted movement.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 307

WARNING!(Continued)
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the igni-
tion key 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 unat-
tended is dangerous for a number of reasons. A child
or others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
• Do not leave the ignition key in or near the vehicle,
or in a location accessible to children. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you must
start the engine, 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 shift lever
all the way forward and to the left until it stops and is
fully seated.
308 STARTING AND OPERATING

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,
turn the engine OFF, and remove the ignition key.
Once the key is removed, the transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against un-
wanted movement.
•
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the igni-
tion key 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 unat-
tended is dangerous for a number of reasons. A child
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
or others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
•Do not leave the ignition key in or near the vehicle,
or in a location accessible to children. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you must
start the engine, 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.
316 STARTING AND OPERATING

When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. Apply the parking
brake before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied whenever the
driver is not in the vehicle.
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.
• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob from the ignition and lock your vehicle.
(Continued)
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.
• Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and a collision.
• Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle or it may roll and cause damage or
injury. Also, be certain to leave the transmission in
PARK. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to roll
and cause damage or injury.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 329