2013 DODGE DART Brake

WARNING! (Continued)
•The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of phys-
ics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking or steering efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes and
tires or the traction afforded.
•The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns,
following another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing.
•The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner, which could jeopardize the user’s safety
or the safety of others.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light
The “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” moni-
tors the ABS. The light will turn on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position
and may stay on for as long as four seconds.
If the “ABS Warning Light” remains on or comes on
while driving, it indicates that the anti-lock portion of the
brake system is not functioning and that service is
required. However, the conventional brake system will
continue to operate normally if the “Brake System Warn-
ing Light” is not on.
If the “ABS Warning Light” is on, the brake system
should be serviced as soon as possible to restore the
benefits of anti-lock brakes. If the “ABS Warning Light”
does not come on when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position, have the light repaired as soon as
possible.
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If both the “Brake System Warning Light” and the “ABS
Warning Light” remain on, the ABS and Electronic Brake
Force Distribution (EBD) systems are not functioning.
Immediate repair to the ABS system is required.
Brake Assist System (BAS)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking
capability during emergency braking maneuvers. The
system detects an emergency braking situation by sens-
ing the rate and amount of brake application and then
applies optimum pressure to the brakes. This can help
reduce braking distances. The BAS complements the
ABS. Applying the brakes very quickly results in the best
BAS assistance. To receive the benefit of the system, you
must apply continuous braking pressure during the
stopping sequence, (do not “pump” the brakes). Do not
reduce brake pedal pressure unless braking is no longer
desired. Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is
deactivated.
WARNING!
The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road conditions. BAS
cannot prevent collisions, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, driving on very slip-
pery surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities of a
BAS-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner, which could jeopar-
dize the user’s safety or the safety of others.
Traction Control System (TCS)
The system monitors the amount of wheel spin at each
wheel by using individual wheel speed sensors. If wheel
spin is detected, brake pressure is applied to the slipping
wheel(s) and engine power is reduced to provide en-
hanced acceleration and stability. A feature of the TCS
functions similar to a limited slip differential and controls
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the wheel spin across a driven axle. If one wheel on a
driven axle is spinning faster than the other, the system
will apply the brake of the spinning wheel. This will
allow more engine torque to be applied to the wheel that
is not spinning. This feature remains active even if TCS
and ESC are in the “Partial Off” mode. Refer to “Elec-
tronic Stability Control (ESC)” in this section for more
information.
Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
This system anticipates the potential for wheel lift by
monitoring the driver ’s steering wheel input and the
speed of the vehicle. When ERM determines that the rate
of change of the steering wheel angle and vehicle’s speed
are sufficient to potentially cause wheel lift, it then
applies the appropriate brake and may also reduce
engine power to lessen the chance that wheel lift will
occur. ERM will only intervene during very severe or
evasive driving maneuvers. ERM can only reduce the
chance of wheel lift occurring during severe or evasivedriving maneuvers. It cannot prevent wheel lift due to
other factors, such as road conditions, leaving the road-
way, or striking objects or other vehicles.
WARNING!
Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road condi-
tions, and driving conditions, influence the chance
that wheel lift or rollover may occur. ERM cannot
prevent all wheel lift or rollovers, especially those
that involve leaving the roadway or striking objects
or other vehicles. The capabilities of an ERM-
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner, which could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
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Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
TSC uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize an exces-
sively swaying trailer. TSC activates automatically once
the excessively swaying trailer is recognized. When TSC
is functioning, the “ESC Light” will flash, the engine
power will be reduced, and you will feel the brake being
applied to individual wheels in an attempt to stop the
trailer from swaying.
NOTE:The TSC is disabled when the ESC system is in
the “Partial Off” mode.
WARNING!
•TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying. Always
use caution when towing a trailer and follow the
tongue weight recommendations. Refer to ”Ve-
hicle Loading” and “Trailer Towing” in “Starting
and Operating” for further information.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•If TSC activates while towing a trailer, stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe location and adjust the
trailer load to eliminate the trailer sway.
•Failure to follow these warnings can result in a
collision or serious personal injury.
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 ’s foot is removed from 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 can roll after brake
pressure is released. The system will release brake pres-
sure in proportion to the amount of throttle applied as
the vehicle starts to move in the intended direction of
travel.
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Hill Start Assist Disable Procedure
NOTE:Vehicle roll back mitigation will not be present
with this feature disabled.
Hill Start assist can be disabled if desired. This procedure
applies to vehicles equipped with a manual or Powertech
transmission.
1. Wheels must be pointed straight ahead, on a level
surface.
2. Automatic transmission should be in PARK.
3. Place manual transmission in NEUTRAL if equipped
4. Begin with the ignition OFF.
5. Engage park brake.
6. Start engine and wait for ESC OFF lamp to turn off.
7. Apply brake pedal. 8. Turn steering wheel 200 degrees counter clockwise,
just over half a turn from center position. Press the
ESC
off button 4 times.
9. Rotate the steering wheel back to center and continue
in a clockwise direction until 200 degrees past center.
10. Turn the ignition to off position.
11. If procedure was done correctly, ESC malfunction
lamp will flashfour times after engine starts.
12. Procedure must be completed within 90 seconds.
13. Repeat the condition to re-enable Hill Start Assist
(HSA).
HSA Activation Criteria
The following criteria must be met in order for HSA to
activate:
•Vehicle must be stopped.
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•Vehicle must be on a 2–7% approximate grade (de-
pending on equipped transmission).
•Gear selection matches vehicle direction (i.e., vehicle
facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle backing uphill
is in REVERSE gear).
HSA will work in all forward gears, reverse and neutral
(if equipped with a manual transmission) when the
activation criteria have been met. The system will not
activate if the vehicle is placed in NEUTRAL or PARK.
WARNING!
There may be situations on minor hills (i.e., less than
7%), with a loaded vehicle, or while pulling a trailer,
when the system will not activate and slight rolling
may occur. This could cause a collision with another
vehicle or object. Always remember the driver is
responsible for braking the vehicle.
Towing With HSA
HSA will provide assistance when starting on a grade
when pulling a trailer.
WARNING!
•If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, your trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated with the brake switch. If so, when the
brake pedal is released, there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold the vehicle and trailer on a
hill and this could cause a collision with another
vehicle or object behind you. In order to avoid
rolling down the hill while resuming acceleration,
manually activate the trailer brake prior to releas-
ing the brake pedal. Always remember the driver
is responsible for braking the vehicle. (Continued)
422 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING! (Continued)
•HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when leaving your vehicle.
Also, be certain to leave the transmission in PARK.
•Failure to follow these warnings may cause the
vehicle to roll down the incline and could collide
with another vehicle, object or person, and cause
serious or fatal injury. Always remember to use the
parking brake while parking on a hill and that the
driver is responsible for braking the vehicle.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESC cor-
rects for over-steering and under-steering the vehicle by
applying the brake of the appropriate wheel. Engine
power may also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain
the desired path.ESC reduces engine torque and applies brake pressure to
select individual wheels to mitigate vehicle under-steer
and vehicle over-steer. The system uses engine torque
reduction along with individual wheel brake pressure to
correct under-steer and over-steer conditions.
•Over-steer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
•Under-steer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
ESC Off Indicator Light
The “ESC OFF Indicator Light” indicates the
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is off.
In some cases, when accelerating from stop on steep
grades, it may be beneficial to turn off ESC. Once the
grade ascent is complete, ESC can be turned on again.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 423

Curb Weight
The curb weight of a vehicle is defined as the total weight
of the vehicle with all fluids, including vehicle fuel, at full
capacity conditions, and with no occupants or cargo
loaded into the vehicle. The front and rear curb weight
values are determined by weighing your vehicle on a
commercial scale before any occupants or cargo are
added.
Overloading
The load carrying components (springs, tires, wheels,
etc.) of your vehicle will provide satisfactory service as
long as you do not exceed the GVWR.
The best way to figure out the total weight of your
vehicle is to weigh it when it is fully loaded and ready for
operation. Weigh it on a commercial scale to ensure that
it is not over the GVWR.Overloading can cause potential safety hazards and
shorten useful service life. Heavier suspension compo-
nents do not necessarily increase the vehicle’s GVWR.
Loading
To load your vehicle properly, first figure out its empty
weight. Store heavier items down low and be sure you
distribute their weight as evenly as possible. Stow all
loose items securely before driving. Improper weight
distribution can have an adverse effect on the way your
vehicle steers and handles, and the way the brakes
operate.
CAUTION!
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can break, or
it can change the way your vehicle handles. This
could cause you to lose control. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
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