IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the potential for overheating by
taking the appropriate action:
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, shift the transmission to NEUTRAL, but do notincrease engine idle speed.
NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow down an impending overheat condition:
• If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C system adds heat to the engine cooling system and turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
• You can also turn the temperature control to maximum heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control to high. This allows the heater core to act as a
supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat from the engine cooling
system.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage your vehicle. If the temperature
gauge reads HOT (H), pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the air
conditioner turned off until the pointer drops back into the normal range. If the
pointer remains on HOT (H), and you hear continuous chimes, turn the engine off
immediately, and call for service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming from under the hood, do not open
the hood until the radiator has had time to cool. Never try to open a cooling system
pressure cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING
During sustained high speed driving or trailer towing up long grades on hot days, the
automatic transmission oil may become too hot.
When the transmission overheat warning light
turns on, you will experience
reduced performance until the automatic transmission cools down. Once the trans-
mission has cooled down and the light turns off, you may continue to drive normally.
If the high speed is maintained, the overheating will continue to occur.
If the overheating continues, it may become necessary to stop the vehicle and run the
engine at idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL until the light turns off.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or Genuine
Part Capacities
Brake Master Cylinder We recommend you use
MOPAR
®DOT 3, SAE
J1703. If DOT 3 is not
available, then DOT 4 is acceptable. —
Power Steering Reservoir We recommend you use
MOPAR
®Power Steering
Fluid +4 or MOPAR®
ATF+4®Automatic
Transmission Fluid. —
CAUTION!
• Mixing of engine coolant (antifreeze) other than specified Organic Additive
Technology (OAT) engine coolant (antifreeze), may result in engine damage and
may decrease corrosion protection. Organic Additive Technology (OAT) engine
coolant is different and should not be mixed with Hybrid Organic Additive
Technology (HOAT) engine coolant (antifreeze) or any “globally compatible”
coolant (antifreeze). If a non-OAT engine coolant (antifreeze) is introduced into
the cooling system in an emergency, the cooling system will need to be drained,
flushed, and refilled with fresh OAT coolant (conforming to MS-12106), by an
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
• Do not use water alone or alcohol-based engine coolant (antifreeze) products.
Do not use additional rust inhibitors or antirust products, as they may not be
compatible with the radiator engine coolant and may plug the radiator.
• This vehicle has not been designed for use with propylene glycol-based engine
coolant (antifreeze). Use of propylene glycol-based engine coolant (antifreeze)
is not recommended.
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic oil change indicator system. The oil
change indicator system will remind you that it is time to take your vehicle in for
scheduled maintenance.
Based on engine operation conditions, the oil change indicator message will
illuminate. This means that service is required for your vehicle. Operating conditions
such as frequent short-trips, trailer tow, extremely hot or cold ambient temperatures
will influence when the “Change Oil” or “Oil Change Required” message is dis-
played. Severe Operating Conditions can cause the change oil message to illuminate
as early as 3,500 miles (5,600 km) since last reset. Have your vehicle serviced as
soon as possible, within the next 500 miles (805 km).
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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