2017 DODGE DURANGO brakes

with caution and maintain a steady controlled speed less
than 5 mph (8 km/h) in deep water to minimize wave
effects.
Flowing Water
If the water is swift flowing and rising (as in storm run-off),
avoid crossing until the water level recedes and/or the
flow rate is reduced. If you must cross flowing water avoid
depths in excess of 9 in (23 cm). The flowing water can
erode the streambed, causing your vehicle to sink into
deeper water. Determine exit point(s) that are downstream
of your entry point to allow for drifting.
Standing Water
Avoid driving in standing water deeper than 20 in (51 cm),
and reduce speed appropriately to minimize wave effects.
Maximum speed in 20 in (51 cm) of water is less than
5 mph (8 km/h).
Maintenance
After driving through deep water, inspect your vehicle
fluids and lubricants (engine oil, transmission oil, axle,
transfer case) to assure the fluids have not been contami-
nated. Contaminated fluid (milky, foamy in appearance)
should be flushed/changed as soon as possible to prevent
component damage.Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand
In heavy snow, when pulling a load, or for additional
control at slower speeds, shift the transmission to a low
gear and shift the transfer case to LOW if necessary. Refer
to “All-Wheel Drive Operation” in “Starting And Operat-
ing” for further information. Do not shift to a lower gear
than necessary to maintain forward motion. Over-revving
the engine can spin the wheels and traction will be lost.
Avoid abrupt downshifts on icy or slippery roads, because
engine braking may cause skidding and loss of control.
Hill Climbing
NOTE:Before attempting to climb a hill, determine the
conditions at the crest and/or on the other side.
Before climbing a steep hill, shift the transmission to a
lower gear and shift the transfer case to LOW. Use first gear
and LOW for very steep hills.
If you stall or begin to lose forward motion while climbing
a steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and
immediately apply the brakes. Restart the engine, and shift
into REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill, allowing the
compression braking of the engine to help regulate your
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speed. If the brakes are required to control vehicle speed,
apply them lightly and avoid locking or skidding the tires.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls, you lose forward motion, or cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never attempt
to turn around. To do so may result in tipping and
rolling the vehicle. Always back carefully straight
down a hill in REVERSE gear. Never back down a hill
in NEUTRAL using only the brake.
Remember, never drive diagonally across a hill; always
drive straight up or down.
If the wheels start to slip as you approach the crest of a hill,
ease off the accelerator and maintain forward motion by
turning the front wheels slowly. This may provide a fresh
“bite” into the surface and will usually provide traction to
complete the climb.
Traction Downhill
Shift the transmission into a low gear, and the transfer case
into LOW range. Let the vehicle go slowly down the hill
with all four wheels turning against engine compression
drag. This will permit you to control the vehicle speed and
direction. When descending mountains or hills, repeated braking can
cause brake fade with loss of braking control. Avoid
repeated heavy braking by downshifting the transmission
whenever possible.
After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than
does most on-road driving. After going off-road, it is
always a good idea to check for damage. That way you can
get any problems taken care of right away and have your
vehicle ready when you need it.
•
Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle.
Check tires, body structure, steering, suspension, and
exhaust system for damage.
• Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and clean as
required.
• Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on
the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and sus-
pension. Retighten them, if required, and torque to the
values specified in the Service Manual.
• Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These things
could be a fire hazard. They might hide damage to fuel
lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and propeller shafts.
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•After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or similar
dirty conditions, have the radiator, fan, brake rotors,
wheels, brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and
cleaned as soon as possible.
WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may cause
excessive wear or unpredictable braking. You might
not have full braking power when you need it to
prevent a collision. If you have been operating your
vehicle in dirty conditions, get your brakes checked
and cleaned as necessary.
• If you experience unusual vibration after driving in
mud, slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for
impacted material. Impacted material can cause a wheel
imbalance and freeing the wheels of it will correct the
situation.
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
The electric power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability in
tight spaces. The system will vary its assist to provide light
efforts while parking and good feel while driving. If the electric steering system experiences a fault that prevents it
from providing assist, you will still have the ability to steer
the vehicle manually.
Alternate electric power steering efforts can be selected
through the Uconnect System. Refer to ”Customer Pro-
grammable Features” within “Uconnect Settings” in “Un-
derstanding Your Instrument Panel” for further informa-
tion.
WARNING!
Continued operation with reduced assist could pose a
safety risk to yourself and others. Service should be
obtained as soon as possible.
If the Electric Power Steering warning icon is
displayed and the “SERVICE POWER STEER-
ING” or the “POWER STEERING ASSIST OFF –
SERVICE SYSTEM” message is displayed within
the instrument cluster, this indicates the vehicle needs to be
taken to the dealer for service. Refer to “Instrument Clus-
ter” in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further
information.
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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.
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish their
effectiveness and may lead to a collision. Pumping
makes the stopping distance longer. Just press firmly
on your brake pedal when you need to slow down or
stop.
• The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase brak-
ing or steering efficiency beyond that afforded by the
condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or the
traction afforded.
• The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, following
another vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
• The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
that could jeopardize the user ’s safety or the safety of
others.
ABS is designed to function with the OEM tires. Modifica-
tion may result in degraded ABS performance.
Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light
The yellow “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” will turn on
when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position and
may stay on for as long as four seconds.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” remains on or
comes on while driving, it indicates that the anti-lock
portion of the brake system is not functioning and that
service is required. However, the conventional brake sys-
tem will continue to operate normally if the “Brake System
Warning Light” is not on.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on, the brake
system should be serviced as soon as possible to restore the
benefits of anti-lock brakes. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warn-
ing Light” does not come on when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position, have the light repaired as soon
as possible.
Brake Assist System (BAS)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking
capability during emergency braking maneuvers. The sys-
tem detects an emergency braking situation by sensing the
rate and amount of brake application and then applies
optimum pressure to the brakes. This can help reduce
braking distances. The BAS complements the anti-lock
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brake system (ABS). Applying the brakes very quickly
results in the best BAS assistance. To receive the benefit of
the system, you must apply continuous braking pressure
during the stopping sequence, (do not “pump” the brakes).
Do not reduce brake pedal pressure unless braking is no
longer desired. Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is
deactivated.
WARNING!
The Brake Assist System (BAS) cannot prevent the natu-
ral laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it
increase the traction afforded by prevailing road condi-
tions. BAS cannot prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on very
slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities of a
BAS-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner, which could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The HSA system is designed to mitigate roll back from a
complete stop while on an incline. If the driver releases the
brake while stopped on an incline, HSA will continue to
hold the brake pressure for a short period. If the driverdoes not apply the throttle before this time expires, the
system will release brake pressure and the vehicle will roll
down the hill as normal.
The following conditions must be met in order for HSA to
activate:
•
The feature must be enabled.
• The vehicle must be stopped.
• Park brake must be off.
• Driver door must be closed.
• The vehicle must be on a sufficient grade.
• The gear selection must match vehicle uphill direction
(i.e., vehicle facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle
backing uphill is in REVERSE gear).
• HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all forward gears.
The system will not activate if the transmission is in
PARK or NEUTRAL. For vehicles equipped with a
manual transmission, if the clutch is pressed, HSA will
remain active.
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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)
TSC uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize an excessively
swaying trailer and will take the appropriate actions to
attempt to stop the sway. TSC will become active automati-
cally once an excessively swaying trailer is recognized.
Note that TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying.
Always use caution when towing a trailer and follow the
trailer tongue weight recommendations. Refer to “Trailer
Towing” in this section for further information. When TSC
is functioning, the “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” will flash, the engine power may be reduced and
you may feel the brakes being applied to individual wheels
to attempt to stop the trailer from swaying. TSC is disabled
when the ESC system is in the “Partial Off” modes.
WARNING!
If TSC activates while driving, slow the vehicle down,
stop at the nearest safe location, and adjust the trailer
load to eliminate trailer sway.
Ready Alert Braking (RAB)
Ready Alert Braking may reduce the time required to reach
full braking during emergency braking situations. It antici-
pates when an emergency braking situation may occur by
monitoring how fast the throttle is released by the driver.
The EBC will prepare the brake system for a panic stop.
Rain Brake Support (RBS)
Rain Brake Support may improve braking performance in
wet conditions. It will periodically apply a small amount of
brake pressure to remove any water buildup on the front
brake rotors. It functions when the windshield wipers are
in LO or HI speed. When Rain Brake Support is active,
there is no notification to the driver and no driver interac-
tion is required.
Dynamic Steering Torque (DST)
Dynamic Steering Torque is a feature of the ESC and EPS
modules that provides torque at the steering wheel for
certain driving conditions in which the ESC module is
detecting vehicle instability. The torque that the steering
wheel receives is only meant to help the driver realize
optimal steering behavior in order to reach/maintain vehicle
stability. The only notification the driver receives that the
feature is active is the torque applied to the steering wheel.
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