2013 DODGE VIPER Owners Manual

1. Wear eye protection and remove any metal jewelrysuch as watchbands or bracelets that might make an
inadvertent electrical contact.
2. When boost is provided by a battery in another vehicle, park that vehicle within booster cable reach,
but without allowing the vehicles touch one another.
3. Set the parking brake, place the transmission in NEU- TRAL, and turn the ignition OFF on both vehicles.
4. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri- cal loads.
5. Remove the plastic fuse cover to gain access to the remote jump-start positive post (+)in the engine
compartment. Refer to the following illustration for
remote jump-starting connections. 1 — Positive Battery Post (+)
2 — Negative Battery Post (-)
Remote Jump Start Connections6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 271

CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
6. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the
remote positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
7. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable to the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
8. Connect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable to the
negative (-)post of the booster battery.
9. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-)jumper
cable to the remote negative (-)post of the vehicle with
the discharged battery.
WARNING!
Do not connect the cable to the negative post (-) of the
discharged battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode and could result in
personal injury.
10. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then
start the engine in the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in
the reverse sequence:
11. Disconnect the negative (-)jumper cable from the
remote negative (-)post of the vehicle with the
discharged battery.
12. Disconnect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable
from the negative (-)post of the booster battery.
272 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

13. Disconnect the positive(+)jumper cable from the
positive (+)post of the booster battery.
14. Disconnect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable
from the remote positive (+)post of the discharged
vehicle.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle
power outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.).
Eventually, if plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s
battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery
life and/or prevent the engine from starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or snow, it
can often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between 2nd gear
and REVERSE, while gently pressing the accelerator. Use
the least amount of pressure to maintain the rocking
motion, without spinning the wheels, or racing the
engine.
CAUTION!
• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting be-
tween 2nd gear and REVERSE, do not spin the
wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain
damage may result.
(Continued)
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 273

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission or clutch overheating and
failure. It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the
wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no
transmission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck. And do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Only use flatbed
equipment. Always comply with applicable state or local
towing ordinances.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission damage. Dam-
age from improper towing is not covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
274 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 8.4L ..........277
 ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (OBD II) . . .278
 EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS ......................... .278
 REPLACEMENT PARTS ..................280
 DEALER SERVICE ..................... .280
 MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ...........281
▫ Engine Oil ......................... .281
▫ Engine Oil Filter ..................... .283
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ................283 ▫
Maintenance-Free Battery ...............284
▫ Hibernation Mode ....................286
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance .............287
▫ Body Lubrication .....................288
▫ Wiper Blades ....................... .289
▫ Adding Washer Fluid ..................289
▫ Exhaust System ..................... .290
▫ Cooling System ..................... .292
▫ Brake System ....................... .298
▫ Manual Transmission ..................301
7

▫Hydraulic Clutch .....................301
▫ Rear Axle .......................... .302
▫ Appearance Care And Protection
From Corrosion ..................... .302
 FUSES ............................. .308
▫ Power Distribution Center ...............308
 VEHICLE STORAGE ....................315
 REPLACEMENT BULBS .................318
 BULB REPLACEMENT ..................319
▫ Front Headlamp, Front Park/Turn Signal
Lamp ............................. .319▫
Front/Rear Side Marker Lamp ............319
▫ Taillamp, Tail/Stop Lamp ................319
▫ Rear Turn Signal Lamp .................319
▫ Backup Lamps ....................... .320
 FLUID CAPACITIES ....................321
 FLUIDS, LUBRICANTS AND
GENUINE PARTS ..................... .322
▫ Engine ............................ .322
▫ Chassis ........................... .323
276 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 8.4L
1 — Washer Fluid Reservoir6 — Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir
2 — Coolant Pressure Cap 7 — Engine Oil Fill
3 — Engine Oil Dipstick 8 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
4 — Power Distribution Center 9 — Air Cleaner Filter
5 — Remote Jump Start Positive Battery Post
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 277

ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (OBD II)
To meet new government regulations and promote
cleaner air, your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated
onboard diagnostic system called OBD II. This system
monitors the performance of the emissions and engine
control systems. When these systems are operating prop-
erly, your vehicle will provide excellent performance and
fuel economy, as well as engine emissions well within
current government regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD II system
will turn on the Malfunction Indicator Light. It will also
store diagnostic codes and other information to assist
your service technician in making repairs. Although your
vehicle will usually be drivable and not need towing, see
your authorized dealer for service as soon as possible.
CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the light on could cause
further damage to the emission control system. It
could also affect fuel economy and driveability. The
vehicle must be serviced before any state emissions
tests can be performed.
If the light is flashing, severe catalytic converter damage
and power loss will soon occur. Immediate service is
required.
EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass
an inspection of your vehicle’s emissions control system.
Failure to pass could prevent vehicle registration. For states that require an Inspection and Mainte-
nance (I/M), this check verifies the “Malfunction
278 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE