Page 625 of 723

Maintenance-Free Battery
Your vehicle is equipped with a maintenance-free battery.
You will never have to add water, nor is periodic main-
tenance required.
CAUTION!
•Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any
other booster source with a system voltage greater
than 12 Volts or damage to the battery, starter
motor, alternator or electrical system may occur.
• Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle
power outlets draw power from the vehicle’s bat-
tery, even when not in use (i.e., cellular phones,
etc.). Eventually, if plugged in long enough, the
vehicle’s battery will discharge sufficiently to de-
grade battery life and/or prevent the engine from
starting.
WARNING!
• When temperatures are below the freezing point,
electrolyte in a discharged battery may freeze. Do
not attempt jump-starting because the battery
could rupture or explode and cause personal injury.
Battery temperature must be brought above the
freezing point before attempting a jump-start.
• Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan when-
ever the hood is raised. It can start anytime the
ignition switch is on. You can be injured by moving
fan blades.
• Remove any metal jewelry such as watch bands or
bracelets that might make an inadvertent electrical
contact. You could be seriously injured.
(Continued)
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 623
Page 626 of 723

WARNING!(Continued)
•Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your
skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas which is
flammable and explosive. Keep open flames or
sparks away from the battery.
• Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
• Do not connect the cable to the negative post (-) of
the discharged battery. The resulting electrical
spark could cause the battery to explode and could
result in personal injury.
Air Conditioner Maintenance
For best possible performance, your air conditioner should
be checked and serviced by an authorized dealer at the
start of each warm season. This service should include cleaning of the condenser fins and a performance test.
Drive belt tension should also be checked at this time.
WARNING!
•
Use only refrigerants and compressor lubricants
approved by the manufacturer for your air condi-
tioning system. Some unapproved refrigerants are
flammable and can explode, injuring you. Other
unapproved refrigerants or lubricants can cause the
system to fail, requiring costly repairs. Refer to
Warranty Information Book, located on the DVD,
for further warranty information.
• The air conditioning system contains refrigerant
under high pressure. To avoid risk of personal
injury or damage to the system, adding refrigerant
or any repair requiring lines to be disconnected
should be done by an experienced technician.
624 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 627 of 723

CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your air conditioning
system as the chemicals can damage your air condi-
tioning components. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Refrigerant Recovery And Recycling R134a — If
Equipped
R-134a Air Conditioning Refrigerant is a hydrofluoro-
carbon (HFC) that is endorsed by the Environmental
Protection Agency and is an ozone-saving product. How-
ever, the manufacturer recommends that air conditioning
service be performed by authorized dealer or other
service facilities using recovery and recycling equipment.
NOTE:Use only manufacturer approved A/C system
PAG compressor oil and refrigerants.
Refrigerant Recovery And Recycling R1234yf — If
Equipped
R-1234yf Air Conditioning Refrigerant is a hydrofluoole-
fine HFO that is endorsed by the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency and is an ozone-saving product with a low
GWP (Global Warming Potential). However, the manu-
facturer recommends that air conditioning service be
performed by authorized dealer or other service facilities
using recovery and recycling equipment.
NOTE: Use only manufacturer approved A/C system
PAG compressor oil and refrigerants.
Air Conditioning Filter Replacement (A/C Air
Filter)
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 625
Page 628 of 723
WARNING!
Do not remove the A/C air filter while the vehicle is
running, or while the ignition is in the ACC or
ON/RUN mode. With the A/C air filter removed and
the blower operating, the blower can contact hands
and may propel dirt and debris into your eyes,
resulting in personal injury.
The A/C air filter is located in the fresh air inlet behind
the glove compartment. Perform the following procedure
to replace the filter:
1. Open the glove compartment and remove all contents.
Glove Compartment
1 — Glove Compartment Travel Stops
2 — Glove Compartment Tension Tether
3 — Glove Compartment Door
626 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 629 of 723

2. There are glove compartment travel stops on bothsides of the glove compartment door, partially close
the glove compartment door and push inward to
release the glove compartment travel stop on one side
and repeat this procedure for the opposite side.
3. Pull the right hand side of the glove compartment door toward the rear of the vehicle to disengage the
glove compartment door from its hinges.
NOTE: When disengaging the glove compartment door
from its hinges, there will be some resistance.
4. With the glove compartment door loose, remove the glove compartment tension tether and tether clip by
sliding the clip toward the face of the glove compart-
ment door and lifting the clip out of glove compart-
ment door. 5. Remove the filter cover by disengaging the retaining
tab and mid way snap that secures the filter cover to
the HVAC housing. Disengage the mid way snap by
Right Side Of Glove Compartment
1 — Glove Compartment Tension Tether
2 — Glove Compartment Door
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 627
Page 630 of 723
pulling the door outward. Unhinge the filter cover on
the right side to fully remove the cover.6. Remove the A/C air filter by pulling it straight out of
the housing.
7. Install the A/C air filter with the arrow on the filter pointing toward the floor. When installing the filter
cover, make sure the retaining tabs fully engage the
cover.
CAUTION!
The A/C air filter is identified with an arrow to
indicate airflow direction through the filter. Failure
to properly install the filter will result in the need to
replace it more often.
8. Reinstall the glove compartment door on the glove compartment door hinge and reattach the glove com-
partment tension tether by inserting the tether clip in
the glove compartment and sliding the clip away from
the face of the glove compartment door.
A/C Air Filter Cover
1 — Retaining Tab
2 — Mid Way Snap
3 — Filter Cover Hinge 628 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 631 of 723

9. Push the door to the near closed position to reengagethe glove compartment travel stops.
NOTE: Ensure the glove compartment door hinges and
glove compartment travel stops are fully engaged.
Body Lubrication
Locks and all body pivot points, including such items as
seat tracks, door hinge pivot points and rollers, liftgate,
tailgate, decklid, sliding doors and hood hinges, should
be lubricated periodically with a lithium based grease,
such as MOPAR Spray White Lube to assure quiet, easy
operation and to protect against rust and wear. Prior to
the application of any lubricant, the parts concerned
should be wiped clean to remove dust and grit; after
lubricating excess oil and grease should be removed.
Particular attention should also be given to hood latching
components to ensure proper function. When performing
other underhood services, the hood latch, release mecha-
nism and safety catch should be cleaned and lubricated. The external lock cylinders should be lubricated twice a
year, preferably in the Fall and Spring. Apply a small
amount of a high quality lubricant, such as MOPAR Lock
Cylinder Lubricant directly into the lock cylinder.
Windshield Wiper Blades
Clean the rubber edges of the wiper blades and the
windshield periodically with a sponge or soft cloth and a
mild nonabrasive cleaner. This will remove accumula-
tions of salt or road film.
Operation of the wipers on dry glass for long periods
may cause deterioration of the wiper blades. Always use
washer fluid when using the wipers to remove salt or dirt
from a dry windshield.
Avoid using the wiper blades to remove frost or ice from
the windshield. Keep the blade rubber out of contact with
petroleum products such as engine oil, gasoline, etc.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 629
Page 632 of 723

NOTE:Life expectancy of wiper blades varies depend-
ing on geographical area and frequency of use. Poor
performance of blades may be present with chattering,
marks, water lines or wet spots. If any of these conditions
are present, clean the wiper blades or replace as neces-
sary.
The wiper blades and wiper arms should be inspected
periodically, not just when wiper performance problems
are experienced. This inspection should include the fol-
lowing points:
• Wear Or Uneven Edges
• Foreign Material
• Hardening Or Cracking
• Deformation Or Fatigue If a wiper blade or wiper arm is damaged, replace the
affected wiper arm or blade with a new unit. Do not
attempt to repair a wiper arm or blade that is damaged.
Front Wiper Blade Removal/Installation
CAUTION!
Do not allow the wiper arm to spring back against
the glass without the wiper blade in place or the glass
may be damaged.
1. Lift the wiper arm to raise the wiper blade off of the glass, until the wiper arm is in the full up position.
630 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE