▫3.6L Engine..........................634
▫5.7L/6.4L Engines.....................635
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................635
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............636
▫E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles.......636
▫MMT In Gasoline.....................637
▫Materials Added To Fuel................637
▫Fuel System Cautions...................637
▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings.............638
!FLEXIBLE FUEL (3.6L ENGINE ONLY) —
IF EQUIPPED.........................639
▫E-85 General Information...............639
▫Ethanol Fuel (E-85)....................640
▫Fuel Requirements....................641
▫Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles.............641
▫Starting............................642
▫Cruising Range.......................642
▫Replacement Parts....................642
▫Maintenance........................643
!ADDING FUEL........................643
▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message............645
!VEHICLE LOADING....................646
▫Certification Label....................646
!TRAILER TOWING.....................648
▫Common Towing Definitions.............648
446 STARTING AND OPERATING
CAUTION!(Continued)
•Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of your
vehicle and also allow extended maintenance inter-
vals. Do not use chemical flushes in these compo-
nents as the chemicals can damage your engine,
transmission, power steering or air conditioning.
Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. If a flush is needed because of
component malfunction, use only the specified
fluid for the flushing procedure.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. Check
the oil level at regular intervals, such as every fuel stop.
The best time to check the engine oil level is about five
minutes after a fully warmed up engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Always
maintain the oil level within the SAFE zone on the
dipstick. Adding one quart of oil when the reading is at
the bottom of the SAFE zone will result in a reading at the
top of the safe zone on these engines.
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will cause
oil aeration or loss of oil pressure. This could damage
your engine.7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 755
Use the following procedure to check the transmission
fluid level properly:
1. Monitor the transmission temperature using the
EVIC/DID screen, and operate the vehicle as required
to reach the normal operating temperature. If the
transmission is not functioning properly, or the vehicle
cannot be driven, see the NOTE and CAUTION below
about checking the fluid level at colder temperatures.
2. Park the vehicle on level ground.
3. Run the engine at normal idle speed for at least 60
seconds, and leave the engine running for the rest of
this procedure.
4. Fully apply the parking brake, and press the brake
pedal.
5.Place the shift lever momentarily into each gear position
(allowing time for the transmission to fully engage in
each position), ending with the transmission in PARK.
6. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean and reinsert it until
seated.
7. Remove the dipstick again and note the fluid level on
both sides. The fluid level reading is only valid if there
is a solid coating of oil on both sides of the dipstick.
Note that the holes in the dipstick will be full of fluid
if the actual level is at or above the hole. The fluid level
should be between the “HOT” (upper) reference holes
on the dipstick at normal operating temperature. If the
fluid level is low, add fluid through the dipstick tube
to bring it to the proper level.Do not overfill.Use
ONLY the specified fluid (see#Fluids, Lubricants, and
Genuine Parts#for fluid specifications). After adding
any quantity of oil through the dipstick tube, wait a
minimum of two minutes for the oil to fully drain into
the transmission before rechecking the fluid level.
788 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
