Page 468 of 702

Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through
shallow standing water, consider the following Cautions
and Warnings before doing so.
WARNING!
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph
(8 km/h) when driving through standing water.
• Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stopping
distances. Therefore, after driving through stand-
ing water, drive slowly and lightly press on the
brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
• Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your pas-
sengers, and others around you.
CAUTION!
• Always check the depth of the standing water
before driving through it. Never drive through
standing water that is deeper than the bottom of
the tire rims mounted on the vehicle.
• Determine the condition of the road or the path
that is under water and if there are any obstacles in
the way before driving through the standing water.
• Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
through standing water. This will minimize wave
effects.
• Driving through standing water may cause damage
to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always
inspect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, trans-
mission, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e.,
fluid that is milky or foamy in appearance) after
driving through standing water. Do not continue to
(Continued)
466 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 589 of 702
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 2.4L ..........589
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L ..........590
ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM — OBD II . .591
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............591
EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS ......................... .592
REPLACEMENT PARTS ..................593
DEALER SERVICE ..................... .594
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ...........594
▫ Engine Oil ......................... .595▫
Engine Oil Filter ..................... .598
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ................599
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery ...............599
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance .............601
▫ Body Lubrication .....................605
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ...............605
▫ Adding Washer Fluid ..................606
▫ Exhaust System ..................... .606
▫ Cooling System ..................... .609
▫ Brake System ....................... .615
7
Page 591 of 702
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 2.4L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter5 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
2 — Engine Coolant Pressure Cap 6 — Battery
3 — Oil Fill Cap 7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Engine Oil Dipstick
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 589
Page 592 of 702
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L
1 — Engine Coolant Reservoir5 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Engine Oil Filter Access Cover 6 — Battery
3 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 7 — Engine Oil Fill
4 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses) 8 — Air Cleaner Filter
590 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 617 of 702

Brake System
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly a collision. Driving with your foot resting or
riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You would not have your full
braking capacity in an emergency.
Brake Master Cylinder
The fluid in the master cylinder should be checked when
performing under hood services or immediately if the
“Brake Warning Light” is illuminated.Be sure to clean the top of the master cylinder area before
removing the cap. If necessary, add fluid to bring the
fluid level up to the requirements described on the brake
fluid reservoir. With disc brakes, fluid level can be
expected to fall as the brake pads wear. Brake fluid level
should be checked when pads are replaced. However,
low fluid level may be caused by a leak and a checkup
may be needed.
Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake fluid. Re-
fer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in “Main-
taining Your Vehicle” for further information.
WARNING!
•
Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake
fluid. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information. Using the wrong type of brake fluid
(Continued)
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 615
Page 618 of 702

WARNING!(Continued)
can severely damage your brake system and/or
impair its performance. The proper type of brake
fluid for your vehicle is also identified on the
original factory installed hydraulic master cylinder
reservoir.
• To avoid contamination from foreign matter or
moisture, use only new brake fluid or fluid that has
been in a tightly closed container. Keep the master
cylinder reservoir cap secured at all times. Brake
fluid in a open container absorbs moisture from the
air resulting in a lower boiling point. This may
cause it to boil unexpectedly during hard or pro-
longed braking, resulting in sudden brake failure.
This could result in a collision.
• Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts, causing
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
the brake fluid to catch fire. Brake fluid can also
damage painted and vinyl surfaces, care should be
taken to avoid its contact with these surfaces.
• Do not allow petroleum based fluid to contaminate
the brake fluid. Brake seal components could be
damaged, causing partial or complete brake failure.
This could result in a collision.
Automatic Transmission
Selection Of Lubricant
It is important to use the proper transmission fluid to
ensure optimum transmission performance and life. Use
only the manufacturer’s specified transmission fluid.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in this
section for fluid specifications. It is important to maintain
the transmission fluid at the correct level using the
recommended fluid.
616 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 659 of 702
Chassis
ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or Genuine Part
Automatic Transmission Use only MOPAR ZF 8&9 Speed ATF Automatic Trans-
mission Fluid, or equivalent.
Failure to use the correct fluid may affect the function or
performance of your transmission.
Brake Master Cylinder We recommend you use MOPAR DOT 3 Brake Fluid,
SAE J1703 should be used. If DOT 3, SAE J1703 brake
fluid is not available, then DOT 4 is acceptable. Use only
recommended brake fluids.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 657
Page 663 of 702

Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
•Check engine oil level.
• Check windshield washer fluid level.
• Check tire pressure and look for unusual wear or
damage. Rotate tires at the first sign of irregular wear,
even if it occurs before the oil indicator system turns
on.
• Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir and
brake master cylinder, fill as needed.
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights.
Required Maintenance Intervals
Refer to the maintenance schedules on the following
page for the required maintenance intervals.At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change Indicator System:
•Change oil and filter
• Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of irregu-
lar wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator
system turns on.
• Inspect battery and clean and tighten terminals as
required
• Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses
and park brake
• Inspect engine cooling system protection and
hoses
• Inspect exhaust system
• Inspect engine air cleaner if using in dusty or
off-road conditions 8
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 661