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NOTE:If you experience difficulty in playing a particular
disc, it may be damaged (e.g., scratched, reflective coat-
ing removed, a hair, moisture or dew on the disc)
oversized, or have protection encoding. Try a known
good disc before considering disc player service.
RADIO OPERATION AND MOBILE PHONES
Under certain conditions, the mobile phone being on in
your vehicle can cause erratic or noisy performance from
your radio. This condition may be lessened or eliminated
by relocating the mobile phone antenna. This condition is
not harmful to the radio. If your radio performance does
not satisfactorily “clear” by the repositioning of the
antenna, it is recommended that the radio volume be
turned down or off during mobile phone operation when
not using Uconnect® (if equipped).
CLIMATE CONTROLS
The air conditioning and heating system is designed to
make you comfortable in all types of weather. This
system can be operated through either the controls on the
instrument panel or through the Uconnect® system dis-
play.
When the Uconnect® system is in different modes
(Radio, Player, Settings, More, etc.) the driver and pas-
senger temperature settings will be indicated at the top of
the display.
374 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
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Climate Control Functions
A/C (Air Conditioning)
The Air Conditioning (A/C) button allows the operator
to manually activate or deactivate the air conditioning
system. When the air conditioning system is turned on,
cool dehumidified air will flow through the outlets into
the cabin. For improved fuel economy, press the A/C
button to turn off the air conditioning and manually
adjust the blower and airflow mode settings. Also, make
sure to select only Panel, Bi-Level or Floor modes.
NOTE:
•If fog or mist appears on the windshield or side glass,
select Defrost mode and increase blower speed.
• If your air conditioning performance seems lower
than expected, check the front of the A/C condenser
(located in front of the radiator), for an accumulation of dirt or insects. Clean with a gentle water spray from
behind the radiator and through the condenser. Fabric
front fascia protectors may reduce airflow to the
condenser, reducing air conditioning performance.
MAX A/C
MAX A/C sets the control for maximum cooling perfor-
mance.
Press and release to toggle between MAX A/C and the
prior settings. The soft-key illuminates when MAX A/C
is ON.
In MAX A/C, the blower level and mode position can be
adjusted to desired user settings. Pressing other settings
will cause the MAX A/C operation to switch to the prior
settings and the MAX A/C indicator will turn off.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 381
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Recirculation
When outside air contains smoke, odors, or
high humidity, or if rapid cooling is desired,
you may wish to recirculate interior air by
pressing the Recirculation control button. The
recirculation indicator will illuminate when this button is
selected. Push the button a second time to turn off the
Recirculation mode and allow outside air into the vehicle.
NOTE: In cold weather, use of Recirculation mode may
lead to excessive window fogging. The recirculation
feature may be unavailable (soft button greyed out) if
conditions exist that could create fogging on the inside of
the windshield. On systems with Manual Climate Con-
trols, the Recirculation mode is not allowed in Defrost
mode to improve window clearing operation. Recircula-
tion will be disabled automatically if this mode is se-
lected. Attempting to use Recirculation while in this
mode will cause the LED in the control button to blink
and then turn off.
Automatic Temperature Control (ATC)
Automatic Operation
1. Press the AUTO hard-key or soft-key button (4) on the
Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) Panel.
2. Next, adjust the temperature you would like the system to maintain by adjusting the driver and pas-
senger temperature hard or soft control buttons (8, 9,
14, 15). Once the desired temperature is displayed, the
system will achieve and automatically maintain that
comfort level.
3. When the system is set up for your comfort level, it is not necessary to change the settings. You will experi-
ence the greatest efficiency by simply allowing the
system to function automatically.
382 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
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Operating Tips
NOTE:Refer to the chart at the end of this section for
suggested control settings for various weather conditions.
Summer Operation
The engine cooling system must be protected with a
high-quality antifreeze coolant to provide proper corro-
sion protection and to protect against engine overheating.
A solution of 50% OAT (Organic Additive Technology)
coolant that meets the requirements of Chrysler Material
Standard MS-12106 and 50% water is recommended.
Refer to “Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your
Vehicle” for proper coolant selection.
Winter Operation
Use of the air Recirculation mode during Winter months is
not recommended because it may cause window fogging.
Vacation Storage
Any time you store your vehicle or keep it out of service
(i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run the air
conditioning system at idle for about five minutes in the
fresh air and high blower setting. This will ensure
adequate system lubrication to minimize the possibility
of compressor damage when the system is started again.
Window Fogging
Interior fogging on the windshield can be quickly re-
moved by turning the mode selector to Defrost. The
Defrost/Floor mode can be used to maintain a clear
windshield and provide sufficient heating. If side win-
dow fogging becomes objectionable, increase blower
speed to improve airflow and clearing of the side win-
dows. Vehicle windows tend to fog on the inside in mild
but rainy or humid weather.
384 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
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STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING PROCEDURES ................391
▫ Automatic Transmission ................391
▫ Keyless Enter-N-Go™ ..................393
▫ Normal Starting ...................... .393
▫ Extreme Cold Weather
(Below –20°F Or 29°C) ................395
▫ If Engine Fails To Start .................395
▫ After Starting ....................... .396
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ............396
▫ Key Ignition Park Interlock ...............398 ▫
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . .398
▫ Fuel Economy (ECO) Mode ..............398
▫ Eight–Speed Automatic Transmission .......399
PADDLE SHIFT MODE ..................407
▫ Operation .......................... .407
SELEC-TRAC® — IF EQUIPPED ............409
▫ Description ......................... .409
▫ Active Damping System .................410
▫ Launch Mode — If Equipped .............411
5
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Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the transmission to be in PARK
before the engine can be turned off. This helps the driver
avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without placing
the transmission in PARK. This system also locks the
transmission in PARK whenever the ignition switch is in
the OFF position.
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 engine must be running and the brake
pedal must be pressed. The brake pedal must also be
pressed to shift from NEUTRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE
when the vehicle is stopped or moving at low speeds.
Fuel Economy (ECO) Mode
The Fuel Economy (ECO) mode can improve the vehi-
cle’s overall fuel economy during normal driving condi-
tions. Press the “ECO” switch in the center stack of the
instrument panel and a green light will indicate the ECO
mode is engaged.
Fuel Economy Mode Switch
398 STARTING AND OPERATING
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When the Fuel Economy (ECO) Mode is engaged, the
vehicle control systems will change the following:
•The transmission will upshift sooner and downshift
later.
• The transmission will launch (from a stop) in second
gear.
• The torque converter clutch may engage at lower
engine speeds and remain on longer.
• The engine idle speed will be lower.
• The overall driving performance will be more conser-
vative.
• Some ECO mode functions may be temporarily inhib-
ited based on temperature and other factors.
NOTE: ECO mode is only available in AUTO mode.Eight–Speed Automatic Transmission
Your vehicle is equipped with a state of the art, fuel
efficient eight-speed transmission. The electronic shift
lever in this vehicle does not slide like a conventional
shifter. Instead, the shift lever is spring loaded and moves
forward and rearward, always returning to the center
position after each gear is selected. The transmission gear
(PRND) is displayed both on the shift lever and in the
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC). To select a
gear range, press the lock button on the shift lever and
move the lever rearward or forward. You must also press
the brake pedal to shift the transmission out of PARK, or
to shift from NEUTRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE when
the vehicle is stopped or moving at low speeds (refer to
“Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System” in this sec-
tion). To shift past multiple gear ranges at once (such as
PARK to DRIVE), move the lever past the first (or second)
detent. Select the DRIVE range for normal driving.
5
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NOTE:In cases where the instrument cluster message
indicates the transmission may not re-engage after en-
gine shutdown, perform this procedure only in a desired
location (preferably, at your authorized dealer).
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK, if possible. If not, shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
3. Press and hold the ignition switch until the engine turns OFF.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no longer detected, the transmission will return to normal
operation. NOTE:
Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit your authorized dealer at your
earliest possible convenience. Your authorized dealer has
diagnostic equipment to determine if the problem could
recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
When To Use TOW Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting oc-
curs, select TOW mode, using the rotary switch on the
center console. Selecting TOW mode will improve per-
formance and reduce the potential for transmission over-
heating or failure due to excessive shifting. Refer to
“Selec-Trac®” in “Starting And Operating” for further
information.
406 STARTING AND OPERATING