2017 DODGE DURANGO trailer

OFF-ROAD DRIVING TIPS .................400
▫ When To Use LOW Range — If Equipped .....400
▫ Driving Through Water ...................400
▫ Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand ............401
▫ Hill Climbing ......................... .401
▫ Traction Downhill ..................... .402
▫ After Driving Off-Road ...................402
 ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ..............403
 FUEL SAVER TECHNOLOGY 5.7L ENGINE ONLY —
IF EQUIPPED .......................... .404
 PARKING BRAKE ...................... .404
 BRAKE SYSTEM ....................... .406
 ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM .....406
▫ Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) ......406
▫ Brake System Warning Light ...............407
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) .............407
▫ Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light .............408▫
Brake Assist System (BAS) ................408
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) ...................409
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) .............411
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ...........412
▫ Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) ............415
▫ Trailer Sway Control (TSC) ................416
▫ Ready Alert Braking (RAB) ................416
▫ Rain Brake Support (RBS) .................416
▫ Dynamic Steering Torque (DST) .............416
 TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION ..............417
▫ T

ire Markings ........................ .417
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ............421
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ...........422
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ............423
 TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION .........427
▫ Tire Pressure ......................... .427
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures ..................428
376 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation .....429
▫ Radial Ply Tires ....................... .429
▫ Tire Types ........................... .430
▫ Run Flat Tires — If Equipped ..............431
▫ Spare Tires — If Equipped ................431
▫ Tire Spinning ........................ .434
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ...................435
▫ Life Of Tire .......................... .435
▫ Replacement Tires ..................... .436
 TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES) .........437
 TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS ......438
 TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) . . . .439
▫ Tire Pressure Monitoring Low Pressure
Warnings ............................ .441
▫ Service TPM System Warning ..............442
▫ TPMS Deactivation — If Equipped ...........443
▫ General Information ....................444 
FUEL REQUIREMENTS ....................444
▫ 3.6L Engine .......................... .444
▫ 5.7L Engine .......................... .445
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ..................445
▫ Materials Added To Fuel .................446
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ...............446
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles .........447
▫ CNG And LP Fuel System Modifications ......447
▫ MMT In Gasoline ...................... .447
▫ Fuel System Cautions ....................448
▫ Carbon

Monoxide Warnings ...............448
 ADDING FUEL ........................ .449
▫ Emergency Fuel Filler Door Release ..........450
 VEHICLE LOADING .....................451
▫ Certification Label ..................... .451
 TRAILER TOWING ..................... .453
▫ Common Towing Definitions ...............453
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 377

▫Trailer Hitch Classification ................456
▫ Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight
Ratings) ............................ .457
▫ Trailer Hitch Receiver Cover Removal —
If Equipped .......................... .458
▫ Trailer And Tongue Weight ...............459
▫ Towing Requirements ...................460
▫ Towing Tips .......................... .464
 SNOW PLOW ......................... .465
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.) ....................466
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle . . .466
▫ Recreational Towing — Rear-Wheel Drive
Models ............................. .466
▫ Recreational Towing — All-Wheel Drive Models
(Single-Speed Transfer Case) ...............467
▫ Recreational Towing — All-Wheel Drive Models
(Two-Speed Transfer Case) ................468
378 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
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 downshifts,
and the best fuel economy. The transmission automatically
upshifts through all forward gears. The DRIVE position
provides optimum driving characteristics under all normal
operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as when
operating the vehicle under heavy loading conditions, in
hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or while
towing a heavy trailer), use the AutoStick shift control
(refer to AutoStick in 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 cold temperatures, transmission operation may be
modified depending on engine and transmission tempera-
ture as well as vehicle speed. This feature improves warm
up time of the engine and transmission to achieve maxi-
mum efficiency. Engagement of the torque converter clutch
is inhibited until the transmission fluid is warm. Normal
operation will resume once the transmission temperature
has risen to a suitable level.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for ab-
normal 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.
392 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 engine
shutdown, perform this procedure only in a desired loca-
tion (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 diagnos-
tic equipment to determine if the problem could recur. If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
AutoStick
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission feature pro-
viding manual shift control, giving you more control of the
vehicle. AutoStick allows you to maximize engine braking,
eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts, and im-
prove overall vehicle performance. This system can also
provide you with more control during passing, city driv-
ing, cold slippery conditions, mountain driving, trailer
towing, and many other situations.
Operation
When the transmission is in DRIVE, it will operate auto-
matically, shifting between the eight available gears. To
engage AutoStick, simply tap one of the steering wheel-
mounted shift paddles (+/-). 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. When AutoStick is active, the current
transmission gear is displayed in the instrument cluster.
NOTE:
The shift paddles may be disabled (or re-enabled,
as desired) using the Uconnect Personal Settings.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 393

WARNING!(Continued)
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leaving
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.
CAUTION!
If the “Brake” Warning Light remains on with the
parking brake released, a brake system malfunction is
indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an au-
thorized dealer immediately.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with dual hydraulic brake sys-
tems. If either of the two hydraulic systems loses normal
capability, the remaining system will still function. How-
ever, there will be some loss of overall braking effective-
ness. You may notice increased pedal travel during appli-
cation, greater pedal force required to slow or stop, and
potential activation of the “Brake System Warning Light.” In the event power assist is lost for any reason (i.e.,
repeated brake applications with the engine off) the brakes
will still function. However, the effort required to brake the
vehicle will be much greater than that required with the
power system operating.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced Electronic
Brake Control system (EBC). This system includes Elec-
tronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), Brake Assist System (BAS), Hill Start Assist
(HSA), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Stability
Control (ESC), and Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM). These
systems work together to enhance both vehicle stability
and control in various driving conditions.
Your vehicle may also be equipped with Trailer Sway
Control (TSC), Ready Alert Braking (RAB), Rain Brake
Support (RBS), and Dynamic Steering Torque (DST).
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
This function manages the distribution of the braking
torque between the front and rear axles by limiting braking
pressure to the rear axle. This is done to prevent overslip of
the rear wheels to avoid vehicle instability, and to prevent
the rear axle from entering ABS before the front axle.
406 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
There may be situations where the Hill Start Assist
(HSA) will not activate and slight rolling may occur,
such as on minor hills or with a loaded vehicle, or
while pulling a trailer. HSA is not a substitute for
active driving involvement. It is always the driver ’s
responsibility to be attentive to distance to other ve-
hicles, people, and objects, and most importantly brake
operation to ensure safe operation of the vehicle under
all road conditions. Your complete attention is always
required while driving to maintain safe control of your
vehicle. Failure to follow these warnings can result in
a collision or serious personal injury.
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll back while
towing a trailer.
WARNING!
•If you use a trailer brake controller with your trailer,
the trailer brakes may be activated and deactivated
with the brake switch. If so, there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold both the vehicle and the
trailer on a hill when the brake pedal is released. In
order to avoid rolling down an incline while resum-
ing acceleration, manually activate the trailer brake
or apply more vehicle brake pressure prior to releas-
ing the brake pedal.
• HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when leaving your vehicle. Also,
be certain to leave the transmission in PARK.
• Failure to follow these warnings may cause the
vehicle to roll down the incline and could collide
with another vehicle, object or person, and cause
serious or fatal injury. Always remember to use the
parking brake while parking on a hill and that the
driver is responsible for braking the vehicle.
410 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Trailer Sway control (TSC) is disabled when the ESC
system is in the “Partial Off” mode.
Full Off – If Equipped
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use only
and should not be used on any public roadways. In this
mode, TCS and ESC features are turned OFF. To enter the
“Full Off” mode, push and hold the “ESC Off” switch for
five seconds while the vehicle is stopped with the engine
running. After five seconds, a chime will sound, the “ESC
Off Indicator Light” will illuminate, and the “ESC OFF”
message will display in the instrument cluster. To turn ESC
ON again, momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch.
NOTE: System may switch from ESC Full Off to Partial
mode when vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed. When
the vehicle speed slows below the predetermined speed the
system will return to ESC Full Off.
ESC modes may also be affected by drive modes – if
equipped.WARNING!
• In the ESC “Full Off” mode, the engine torque
reduction and stability features are disabled. There-
fore, enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC
system is unavailable. In an emergency evasive ma-
neuver, the ESC system will not engage to assist in
maintaining stability. “ESC Off” mode is intended
for off-highway or off-road use only.
ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light and ESC
OFF Indicator Light
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” in the instrument cluster will come on
when the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position. It should go out with the engine run-
ning. If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light”
comes on continuously with the engine running, a mal-
function has been detected in the ESC system. If this light
remains on after several ignition cycles, and the vehicle has
been driven several miles (kilometers) at speeds greater
than 30 mph (48 km/h), see your authorized dealer as soon
as possible to have the problem diagnosed and corrected.
414 STARTING AND OPERATING