2016 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT Owners Manual

Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when
shifting between these gears.
The transmission gear selector has PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and MANUAL (Autostick) shift po-
sitions. Manual shifts can be made using the Autostick
shift control (refer to “AutoStick” in this section for
further information). Toggling the gear selector forward
(-) or rearward (+) while in the MANUAL (AutoStick)
position (beside the DRIVE position) will manually select
the transmission gear, and will display the current gear in
the instrument cluster as M1, M2, M3, etc.NOTE:
If the gear selector cannot be moved to the PARK,
REVERSE, or NEUTRAL position (when pushed for-
ward) it is probably in the MANUAL (AutoStick, +/-)
position (beside the DRIVE position). In MANUAL
(AutoStick) mode, the transmission gear is displayed in
the instrument cluster (as M1, M2, M3, etc.). Move the
gear selector to the right (into the DRIVE [D] position) for
access to PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
NOTE: After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerating.
This is especially important when the engine is cold.
PARK (P)
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 391

Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the trans-
mission into PARK first, and then apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
shifting the transmission to PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position of an automatic
transmission as a substitute for the parking brake.
Always apply the parking brake fully when parked
to guard against vehicle movement and possible
injury or damage.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not in PARK (automatic transmission).
Check by trying to move the transmission gear
selector out of PARK with the brake pedal released.
Make sure the automatic transmission is in PARK
before leaving the vehicle.
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
the engine is idling normally and your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
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WARNING!(Continued)
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always shift an
automatic transmission into PARK, or a manual
transmission into FIRST gear or REVERSE, turn
the engine OFF, apply the parking brake, and
remove the ignition key. Always make sure the
keyless ignition node is in “OFF” mode. When the
ignition is in the OFF mode, an automatic transmis-
sion is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob 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
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal
or the transmission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition. A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
• Before moving the gear selector out of PARK, you
must start the engine and also press the brake
pedal. Otherwise, damage to the gear selector could
result.
• DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this
can damage the drivetrain.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 393

The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the transmission into the PARK posi-
tion:
•When shifting into PARK, push the lock button on the
gear selector and firmly move the lever all the way
forward until it stops and is fully seated.
• Look at the transmission gear position display and
verify that it indicates the PARK position (P).
• With brake pedal released, verify that the gear selector
will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop. NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. Apply the parking
brake and shift the transmission into PARK if you must
leave the vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
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394 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!(Continued)
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteris-
tics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain or traveling into strong head winds),
use the AutoStick shift control (refer to AutoStickin this
section for further information) to select a lower gear. Under these conditions, using a lower gear will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat buildup.
During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or
below), transmission operation may be modified depend-
ing on engine and transmission temperature as well as
vehicle speed. Normal operation will resume once the
transmission temperature has risen to a suitable level.
MANUAL (M)
The MANUAL (M, +/-) position (beside the DRIVE
position) enables full manual control of transmission
shifting (also known as AutoStick mode; refer to
“AutoStick” in this section for further information). Tog-
gling the gear selector forward (-) or rearward (+) while
in the MANUAL (AutoStick) position will manually
select the transmission gear, and will display the current
gear in the instrument cluster as M1, M2, M3, etc.
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Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission may
operate only in certain gears, or may not shift at all.
Vehicle performance may be severely degraded and the
engine may stall. In some situations, the transmission
may not re-engage if the engine is turned off and
restarted. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be
illuminated. A message in the instrument cluster will
inform the driver of the more serious conditions, and
indicate what actions may be necessary.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission
can be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps.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. Push 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.
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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.
AUTOSTICK
Steering Wheel Mounted Paddle Shifters Or
Console Mounted Shifter
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission feature
providing manual shift control, giving you more control
of the vehicle. AutoStick allows you to maximize engine
braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
and improve overall vehicle performance. This system can also provide you with more control
during passing, city driving, cold slippery conditions,
mountain driving, and many other situations.
Paddle Shifters
1 — (–) Shift Paddle
2 — (+) Shift Paddle
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Operation
When the gear selector is in the DRIVE (D) position, the
transmission will operate automatically, shifting between
the eight available gears. To activate AutoStick, move the
gear selector into the MANUAL (M) position (beside the
DRIVE position). The current transmission gear will be
displayed in the instrument cluster, along with a high-
lightedM(Manual) indication. When the gear selector
is in the MANUAL (M) position, tap the gear selector
forward (-) (or tap the (-) shift paddle on the steering
wheel) to downshift the transmission to the next lower
gear, (or tap the lever rearward (+) or tap the (+) shift
paddle), to command an upshift. NOTE:
Tapping one of the steering wheel-mounted shift
paddles (+/-), while the gear selector is in DRIVE, will
activate a temporary AutoStick mode. Tapping (-) to
enter AutoStick mode will downshift the transmission to
the next lower gear, while using (+) to enter AutoStick
mode will retain the current gear. The current gear will be
displayed in the instrument cluster, but the Mwill not
be highlighted. The transmission will revert back to
normal operation (if the gear selector remains in DRIVE)
after a period of time, depending on accelerator pedal
activity.
In AutoStick mode, the transmission will shift up or
down when (+/-) is manually selected by the driver
(using the gear selector, or the shift paddles), unless an
engine lugging or overspeed condition would result. It
will remain in the selected gear until another upshift or
downshift is chosen, except as described below.
398 STARTING AND OPERATING