2015 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Owners Manual

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
!STARTING PROCEDURES................459
▫Automatic Transmission................459
▫Normal Starting.......................460
▫Extreme Cold Weather
(Below –20°F Or−29°C)................460
▫If The Engine Fails To Start..............460
▫After Starting........................462
!ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED . . .462
!AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION............462
▫Key Ignition Park Interlock...............464
▫Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . .464
▫Fuel Economy (ECON) Mode.............465
▫Six-Speed Automatic Transmission.........466
▫Gear Ranges.........................467
!DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES.........475
▫Acceleration.........................475
▫Traction............................475
!DRIVING THROUGH WATER.............476
▫Flowing/Rising Water..................476
▫Shallow Standing Water.................476
5

!POWER STEERING.....................478
▫Power Steering Fluid Check..............479
!PARKING BRAKE......................480
!BRAKE SYSTEM.......................482
!ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .483
▫Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)............483
▫Traction Control System (TCS)............485
▫Brake Assist System (BAS)...............487
▫Electronic Stability Control (ESC)..........488
▫Trailer Sway Control (TSC)..............491
▫Hill Start Assist (HSA).................492
!TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION.............495
▫Tire Markings........................495
▫Tire Identification Number (TIN)...........499
▫Tire Terminology And Definitions..........501
▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure...........502
!TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION........507
▫Tire Pressure........................507
▫Tire Inflation Pressures.................508
▫Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .510
▫Radial Ply Tires......................510
▫Tire Types...........................511
▫Run Flat Tires — If Equipped.............513
▫Spare Tires — If Equipped...............513
▫Tire Spinning........................516
▫Tread Wear Indicators..................516
456 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Life Of Tire.........................517
▫Replacement Tires.....................518
!TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES).......520
!TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS.....521
!TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) . .522
▫Base System.........................525
▫Premium System — If Equipped...........527
!FUEL REQUIREMENTS..................531
▫3.6L Engine..........................531
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................532
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............532
▫E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles.......533
▫MMT In Gasoline.....................533
▫Materials Added To Fuel................534
▫Fuel System Cautions...................534
▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings.............535
!FLEXIBLE FUEL — IF EQUIPPED...........536
▫E-85 General Information...............536
▫Ethanol Fuel (E-85)....................537
▫Fuel Requirements....................537
▫Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles.............538
▫Starting............................539
▫Cruising Range.......................539
▫Replacement Parts....................539
▫Maintenance........................539
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STARTING AND OPERATING 457

!ADDING FUEL........................540
▫Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)...............540
▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message............541
!VEHICLE LOADING....................542
▫Vehicle Certification Label...............542
!TRAILER TOWING.....................545
▫Common Towing Definitions.............545
▫Towing Tips.........................556
!RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)...................557
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle . .557
▫Recreational Towing — All Models.........558
458 STARTING AND OPERATING

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. Press the brake
pedal before shifting into any driving gear.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 459

Normal Starting
1. Do not press the accelerator.
2. Use the Fob with Integrated Key to briefly turn the
ignition switch to the START position and release it as
soon as the starter engages. The starter motor will
continue to run, and it will disengage automatically
when the engine is running.
3. If the engine fails to start, the starter will disengage
automatically in 10 seconds. If this occurs, turn the
ignition switch to the OFF position, wait 10 to 15
seconds, then repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure
(Steps 1–3 above).
NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transmission
shift interlocking system. The brake pedal must be
pressed to shift out of PARK.
Extreme Cold Weather (Below –20°F Or−29°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If The Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
(Continued)
460 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
mission cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel
could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine has started, ignite and damage the converter
and vehicle.
•If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster
cables may be used to obtain a start from a booster
battery or the battery in another vehicle. This type
of start can be dangerous if done improperly. Refer
to “Jump Starting” in “What To Do In Emergen-
cies” for further information.
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” procedure, 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 second intervals at one time.
Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key
fob is released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the
accelerator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release
the accelerator pedal and the key fob once the engine is
running smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15–
second intervals of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “Normal Starting” procedure should
be repeated.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 461

After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver’s side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap
that is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after
the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
462 STARTING AND OPERATING