2016 DODGE CHARGER SRT wheel

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING PROCEDURES ................399
▫ Automatic Transmission ................400
▫ Keyless Enter-N-Go ...................400
▫ Normal Starting ...................... .400
▫ Extreme Cold Weather
(Below –22°F Or 30°C) ................402
▫ If Engine Fails To Start .................402
▫ After Starting ....................... .403
 ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED . . .403
 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ............404▫
Key Ignition Park Interlock ...............405
▫ Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . .406
▫ Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission .......406
 AUTOSTICK ......................... .413
▫ Steering Wheel Mounted Paddle Shifters Or
Console Mounted Shifter ................413
 DRIVE MODES ....................... .417
▫ Launch Mode — If Equipped .............422
▫ Guidelines For Track Use ................424
 DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES .........427
5

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. 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)
408 STARTING AND OPERATING

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. 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.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 413

This system can also provide you with more control
during passing, city driving, cold slippery conditions,
mountain driving, and many other situations.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.
Paddle Shifters
1 — (–) Shift Paddle 2 — (+) Shift Paddle
414 STARTING AND OPERATING

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. •
In temporary AutoStick mode (gear selector in
DRIVE), the transmission will automatically shift up
when maximum engine speed is reached. Lack of
accelerator pedal activity will cause the transmission
to revert to automatic operation.
• If normal AutoStick mode is engaged (gear selector in
MANUAL position), manual gear selection will be
maintained until the gear selector is returned to
DRIVE, or as described below. The transmission will
not upshift automatically at redline in this mode, nor
will downshifts be obtained if the accelerator pedal is
pressed to the floor.
• The transmission will automatically downshift as the
vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging) and will
display the current gear.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 415

•The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver
should manually upshift (+) the transmission as the
vehicle is accelerated.
• You can start out, from a stop, in first or second gear.
Tapping (+) (at a stop) will allow starting in second
gear. Starting out in second gear can be helpful in
snowy or icy conditions.
• If a requested downshift would cause the engine to
over-speed, that shift will not occur.
• The system will ignore attempts to upshift at too low
of a vehicle speed.
• Holding the (-) paddle depressed, or holding the gear
selector in the (-) position, will downshift the trans-
mission to the lowest gear possible at the current
speed. •
Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
AutoStick is engaged.
• The system may revert to automatic shift mode if a
fault or overheat condition is detected.
To disengage AutoStick mode, return the gear selector to
the DRIVE position, or press and hold the (+) shift paddle
(if the gear selector is already in DRIVE) until “D” is once
again indicated in the instrument cluster. You can shift in
or out of the AutoStick mode at any time without taking
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
416 STARTING AND OPERATING

DRIVE MODES
Your SRT vehicle is equipped with a SRT Drive Mode
feature. This feature gives the driver control over the
systems in the vehicle which affect its performance,
enabling the driver to tune it for desired driving sce-
narios. Below are the modes of operation:
NOTE:Refer to “Drive Modes” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further descriptions of these
modes.
•TRACK MODE — This mode is a predefined configu-
ration optimized for typical track driving. The ABS,
Transmission, Steering, and Suspension systems are all
set to their TRACK settings. Steering wheel mounted
paddle shifters are enabled.
Drive Modes
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 417

•SPORT MODE — This mode is a predefined configu-
ration optimized for typical enthusiast driving. The
ABS, Transmission, Steering, and Suspension systems
are all set to their SPORT settings. Steering wheel
mounted paddle shifters are enabled.
• CUSTOM MODE — This mode allows the driver to
create a custom vehicle configuration that is saved for
quick selection of favorite settings. The system will
return to Default mode when the ignition switch is
cycled from RUN to OFF to RUN, if this mode is
selected. While in Custom Mode the Traction, Trans-
mission, Steering, Suspension and Paddle shifter set-
tings may be configured through the custom mode
set-up in any combination. Listed below is a description of each of these settings:
Transmission (Trans)
•
Track — provides the fastest shift speeds and has the
highest comfort trade-off.
Custom Mode Set-Up
418 STARTING AND OPERATING