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floor and hold it there. Crank the engine for no more than
15 seconds. This should clear any excess fuel in case the
engine is flooded. Leave the ignition key in the MAR/
RUN position, release the accelerator pedal and repeat
the “Normal Starting” procedure.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not continuously
crank the engine for more than 25 seconds at a time.
Wait 60 seconds before trying again.
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
mission cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel
could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine has started, ignite and damage the converter
and vehicle.
•If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster
cables may be used to obtain a start from a booster
battery or the battery in another vehicle. This type
of start can be dangerous if done improperly. Refer
to “Jump-Starting” in “In Case Of Emergency” for
further information.
Cold Weather Operation
To ensure reliable starting under extreme cold conditions
an externally powered electric block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is required for the 1.4L
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Turbo engine below -20°F (-29°C) and for the 2.4L engine
below -29°F (-34°C) and is recommended for the 2.4L
engine below -20°F (-29°C).
To prevent possible engine damage while starting at low
temperatures, this vehicle will inhibit engine cranking
when the ambient temperature is less than -34°F (-35°C)
and the oil temperature sensor reading indicates an
engine block heater has not been used. The message
“plug in engine heater” will be displayed in the instru-
ment cluster when the ambient temperature is below -4°F
(-20°C) at the time the engine is shut off as a reminder to
avoid possible crank delays at the next cold start.
Extended Park Starting
NOTE:Extended Park condition occurs when the vehicle
has not been started or driven for at least 30 days.
1. Install a battery charger or jumper cables to the battery
to ensure a full battery charge during the crank cycle.2. Cycle the ignition in the START position and release it
when the engine starts.
3. If the engine fails to start within ten seconds, cycle the
ignition to the STOP (OFF/LOCK) position, wait five
seconds to allow the starter to cool, then repeat the
Extended Park Starting procedure.
4. If the engine fails to start after eight attempts, allow
the starter to cool for at least 10 minutes, then repeat
the procedure.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank con-
tinuously for more than 10 seconds at a time. Wait 10
to 15 seconds before trying again.
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The electric park brake will be automatically released if
the driver ’s seat belt is buckled and driver’s intention to
start (in forward or reverse direction) is recognized by the
system
To release the EPB manually, the ignition switch must be
in the MAR/RUN position. Put your foot on the brake
pedal, then push the EPB switch down momentarily. You
may hear a slight whirring sound from the back of the car
while the parking brake disengages. You may also notice
a small amount of movement in the brake pedal. Once
the EPB is fully disengaged, The BRAKE warning lamp
in the instrument cluster and the LED indicator on the
switch will extinguish.NOTE:
•When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. Apply the EPB
before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the
load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK.
The EPB should always be applied whenever the
driver is not in the vehicle.
•If the clutch pedal is released at the same time the gas
pedal is pressed, the EPB will be automatically re-
leased (manual transmissions only).
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WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake
fully when parked to guard against vehicle move-
ment and possible injury or damage.
•
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key fob
from the ignition and lock your vehicle. If equipped
with Keyless Enter-N-Go, always make sure the
keyless ignition node is in “OFF” mode, remove the
Key Fob from the vehicle and lock the 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
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal
or the transmission gear selector.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition of a vehicle equipped with
Keyless Enter-N-Go in the ON/RUN mode. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and a collision.
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage or
injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission in
PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to roll
and cause damage or injury.
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CAUTION!
If you skip a gear while downshifting or downshift
at too high of a vehicle speed, these conditions may
cause the engine to overspeed if too low of a gear is
selected and the clutch pedal is released. Damage to
the clutch and the transmission can result from
skipping a gear while downshifting or downshifting
at too high of a vehicle speed even if the clutch pedal
is held pressed (i.e., not released).
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Your vehicle is equipped with a state of the art, fuel
efficient nine-speed transmission.
The transmission gear range (PRND) is displayed beside
the shift lever and in the Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC)/Driver Information Display (DID). To select
a gear range, push the lock button on the shift lever andmove the lever rearward or forward. You must also press
the brake pedal to shift the transmission out of PARK, or to
shift from NEUTRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE when the
vehicle is stopped or moving at low speeds (refer to
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock Systemin this sec-
tion). Select the DRIVE range for normal driving.
The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles (kilometers).
WARNING!
•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
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
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,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
turn the engine STOP/OFF, and remove the Key
Fob. When the ignition is in the STOP/OFF (key
removal) position, the transmission is locked in
PARK, securing the vehicle against unwanted
movement.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the STOP/OFF position, remove the
Key Fob from the vehicle, and lock the 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
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal
or the transmission shift lever.
•Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition (of a vehicle equipped with
Keyless Enter-N-Go) in the MAR/RUN position. A
child could operate power windows, other controls,
or move the vehicle.
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The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating. The first few shifts on a new vehicle may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condition, and
precision shifts will develop within a few hundred miles
(kilometers).The nine-speed transmission has been developed to meet
the needs of FCA current and future lineup of FWD/
AWD vehicles. Software and calibration is refined to
optimize the customer ’s driving experience and fuel
economy. By design, some vehicle and drive-line combi-
nations utilize 9th gear only in very specific driving
situations and conditions.
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.
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
CAUTION!
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.
Shift Lever Lock Button
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Gear Ranges
PARK (P)
This range supplements the Electric Park Brake (EPB) 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 EPB when leaving the vehicle in
this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the EPB.
When parking on a hill, apply the EPB before shifting the
transmission to PARK, otherwise the load on the trans-
mission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of 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 as a substitute for the
Electric Parking Brake (EPB). Always apply the
EPB fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever out of PARK with the brake
pedal released. Make sure the 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.
(Continued)
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