CAUTION!
“fast charger” to provide starting volt-
age.
DEALER SERVICE
Your authorized dealer has the qualified ser-
vice personnel, special tools, and equipment
to perform all service operations in an expert
manner. Service Manuals are available which
include detailed service information for your
vehicle. Refer to these Service Manuals be-
fore attempting any procedure yourself.
NOTE:
Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems may void your warranty and could
result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or
around a motor vehicle. Only do service
work for which you have the knowledge
and the proper equipment. If you have any
WARNING!
doubt about your ability to perform a ser-
vice job, take your vehicle to a competent
mechanic.
Air Conditioner Maintenance
For best possible performance, your air con-
ditioner 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 compressorlubricants approved by the manufac-
turer for your air conditioning system.
Some unapproved refrigerants are flam-
mable and can explode, injuring you.
Other unapproved refrigerants or lubri-
cants can cause the system to fail, re-
quiring costly repairs. Refer to Warranty
WARNING!
Information Book, for further warranty
information.
• The air conditioning system contains re-
frigerant 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 tech-
nician.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your air
conditioning system as the chemicals can
damage your air conditioning components.
Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
251
Air Conditioning Filter Replacement (A/C Air
Filter)
Refer to “Scheduled Servicing” in this sec-
tion for the proper maintenance intervals.
WARNING!
Do not remove the cabin air filter while the
vehicle is running, or while the ignition is
in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. With the
cabin 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. 2. There are glove compartment travel stops
on both sides of the glove compartment
door, partially close the glove compart-
ment 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 com-
partment door toward the rear of the ve-
hicle 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 compartment
door and lifting the clip out of glove com-
partment door.
5. Remove the filter cover by disengaging the retaining tab and mid way snap that
secures the filter cover to the HVAC hous-
ing. Disengage the mid way snap by pull-
ing the door outward. Unhinge the filter
cover on the right side to fully remove the
cover.
Glove Compartment
1 — Glove Compartment Travel Stops
2 — Glove Compartment Tension Tether
3 — Glove Compartment DoorSERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
252
Installing The Rear Wiper
1. Lift the rear wiper arm pivot cap awayfrom the glass to allow the rear wiper
blade to be raised off of the glass.
NOTE:
The rear wiper arm cannot be fully raised
off the glass unless the wiper arm pivot
cap is unsnapped first. Attempting to fully
raise the rear wiper arm without unsnap-
ping the wiper arm pivot cap may damage
the vehicle.
2. Lift the rear wiper arm fully off the glass.
3. Insert the wiper blade pivot pin into the opening on the end of the wiper arm. Grab
the bottom end of the wiper arm with one
hand, and press the wiper blade flush with
the wiper arm until it snaps into place.
4. Lower the wiper blade onto the glass and snap the wiper arm pivot cap back into
place.Cooling System
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam
coming from under the hood, do not open
the hood until the radiator has had time to
cool. Never try to open a cooling system
pressure cap when the radiator or coolant
bottle is hot.
Engine Coolant Checks
Check the engine coolant (antifreeze) protec-
tion every 12 months (before the onset of
freezing weather, where applicable). If the
engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty, the sys-
tem should be drained, flushed, and refilled
with fresh OAT coolant (conforming to
MS.90032) by an authorized dealer. Check the front of the A/C condenser for any accu-
mulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean
by gently spraying water from a garden hose
vertically down the face of the condenser.
Check the engine cooling system hoses for
brittle rubber, cracking, tears, cuts, and
tightness of the connection at the coolant
recovery bottle and radiator. Inspect the en-
tire system for leaks.
With the engine at normal operating tempera-
ture (but not running), check the cooling
system pressure cap for proper vacuum seal-
ing by draining a small amount of engine
coolant (antifreeze) from the radiator drain
cock. If the cap is sealing properly, the engine
coolant (antifreeze) will begin to drain from
the coolant recovery bottle. DO NOT RE-
MOVE THE COOLANT PRESSURE CAP
WHEN THE COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT.
257
WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is dangerous.
Overloading can cause tire failure, affect
vehicle handling, and increase your stop-
ping distance. Use tires of the recom-
mended load capacity for your vehicle.
Never overload them.
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care
All wheels and wheel trim, especially alumi-
num and chrome plated wheels, should be
cleaned regularly using mild (neutral Ph)
soap and water to maintain their luster and to
prevent corrosion. Wash wheels with the
same soap solution recommended for the
body of the vehicle.
Your wheels are susceptible to deterioration
caused by salt, sodium chloride, magnesium
chloride, calcium chloride, etc., and other
road chemicals used to melt ice or control
dust on dirt roads. Use a soft cloth or sponge
and mild soap to wipe away promptly. Do notuse harsh chemicals or a stiff brush. They
can damage the wheel’s protective coating
that helps keep them from corroding and
tarnishing.
NOTE:
Many aftermarket wheel cleaners contain
strong acids or strong alkaline additives that
can harm the wheel surface.
CAUTION!
Avoid products or automatic car washes
that use acidic solutions or strong alkaline
additives or harsh brushes. These prod-
ucts and automatic car washes may dam-
age the wheel's protective finish. Such
damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. Only car wash soap,
MOPAR Wheel Cleaner or equivalent is
recommended.
When cleaning extremely dirty wheels includ-
ing excessive brake dust, care must be taken
in the selection of tire and wheel cleaning
chemicals and equipment to prevent damage
to the wheels. Mopar Wheel Treatment or
Mopar Chrome Cleaner or their equivalent is recommended or select a non-abrasive, non-
acidic cleaner for aluminum or chrome
wheels. Do not use any products on Dark
Vapor or Black Satin Chrome Wheels. They
will permanently damage this finish and such
damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
CAUTION!
Do not use scouring pads, steel wool, a
bristle brush, metal polishes or oven
cleaner. These products may damage the
wheel's protective finish. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty. Only car wash soap, MOPAR
Wheel Cleaner or equivalent is recom-
mended.
NOTE:
If you intend parking or storing your vehicle
for an extended period after cleaning the
wheels with wheel cleaner, drive your vehicle
for a few minutes before doing so. Driving the
vehicle and applying the brakes when stop-
ping will reduce the risk of brake rotor corro-
sion.
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
264
Dark Vapor Or Black Satin Chrome Wheels
CAUTION!
If your vehicle is equipped with Dark Vapor
or Black Satin Chrome wheels DO NOT
USE wheel cleaners, abrasives or polishing
compounds. They will permanently dam-
age this finish and such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited War-
ranty. USE ONLY MILD SOAP AND WATER
WITH A SOFT CLOTH. Used on a regular
basis this is all that is required to maintain
this finish.
Tire Chains (Traction Devices)
Use of traction devices require sufficient tire-
to-body clearance. Follow these recommen-
dations to guard against damage.
• Traction device must be of proper size forthe tire, as recommended by the traction
device manufacturer.
• Install on Rear Tires Only • Due to limited clearance, Thule XG-12 Pro
or equivalent is recommended on P245/
70/R17, P265/60R18 or
265/50R20 tires.
WARNING!
Using tires of different size and type (M+S,
Snow) between front and rear axles can
cause unpredictable handling. You could
lose control and have a collision.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle or tires,
observe the following precautions:
• Because of restricted traction deviceclearance between tires and other sus-
pension components, it is important that
only traction devices in good condition
are used. Broken devices can cause se-
rious damage. Stop the vehicle immedi-
ately if noise occurs that could indicate
device breakage. Remove the damaged
parts of the device before further use.
CAUTION!
• Install device as tightly as possible andthen retighten after driving about ½ mile
(0.8 km).
• Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h).
• Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns
and large bumps, especially with a
loaded vehicle.
• Do not drive for a prolonged period on
dry pavement.
• Observe the traction device manufactur-
er’s instructions on the method of instal-
lation, operating speed, and conditions
for use. Always use the suggested oper-
ating speed of the device manufacturer’s
if it is less than 30 mph (48 km/h).
• Do not use traction devices on a com-
pact spare tire.
Tire Rotation Recommendations
The tires on the front and rear of your vehicle
operate at different loads and perform differ-
ent steering, handling, and braking func-
tions. For these reasons, they wear at unequal
rates.
265
WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature Grades
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi-
pate heat, when tested under controlled con-
ditions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade C corre-
sponds to a level of performance, which all
passenger vehicle tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109. Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel,
than the minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is es-
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
under-inflation, or excessive loading, ei-
ther separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire fail-
ure.
STORING THE VEHICLE
If the vehicle should remain stationary for
more than a month, observe the following
precautions:
• Park your vehicle in a covered, dry andpossibly airy location the windows open
slightly.
• Check that the Electric Park Brake is not engaged.
• Disconnect the negative (-) terminal from the battery post and be sure that the
battery is fully charged. During storage
check battery charge quarterly. • If you do not disconnect the battery from
the electrical system, check the battery
charge every thirty days.
• Clean and protect the painted parts by applying protective waxes.
• Clean and protect polished metal parts by applying protective waxes.
• Apply talcum powder to the front and rear wiper blades and leave raised from the
glass.
• Cover the vehicle with an appropriate cover taking care not to damage the
painted surface by dragging across dirty
surfaces. Do not use plastic sheeting
which will not allow the evaporation of
moisture present on the surface of the
vehicle.
• Inflate the tires at a pressure of +7.25 psi (+0.5 bar) higher than recommended on
the tire placard and check it periodically.
• Do not drain the engine cooling system.
• Whenever you leave the vehicle is station- ary for two weeks or more, run idle the
engine for approximately five minutes,
with the air conditioning system on and
high fan speed. This will ensure a proper
267
CAUTION!
• Do not use abrasive or strong cleaningmaterials such as steel wool or scouring
powder that will scratch metal and
painted surfaces.
• Use of power washers exceeding
1,200 psi (8 274 kPa) can result in
damage or removal of paint and decals.
Special Care
• If you drive on salted or dusty roads or if
you drive near the ocean, hose off the
undercarriage at least once a month.
• It is important that the drain holes in the lower edges of the doors, rocker panels,
and trunk be kept clear and open.
• If you detect any stone chips or scratches in the paint, touch them up immediately.
The cost of such repairs is considered the
responsibility of the owner.
• If your vehicle is damaged due to a colli- sion or similar cause that destroys the
paint and protective coating, have your vehicle repaired as soon as possible. The
cost of such repairs is considered the re-
sponsibility of the owner.
•
If you carry special cargo such as chemicals,
fertilizers, de-icer salt, etc., be sure that such
materials are well packaged and sealed.
•If a lot of driving is done on gravel roads,
consider mud or stone shields behind each
wheel.
• Use MOPAR Touch Up Paint on scratches as soon as possible. Your authorized dealer
has touch up paint to match the color of
your vehicle.
INTERIORS
Seats And Fabric Parts
Use MOPAR Total Clean to clean fabric up-
holstery and carpeting.
WARNING!
Do not use volatile solvents for cleaning
purposes. Many are potentially flammable,
and if used in closed areas they may cause
respiratory harm.
Seat Belt Maintenance
Do not bleach, dye or clean the belts with
chemical solvents or abrasive cleaners. This
will weaken the fabric. Sun damage can also
weaken the fabric.
If the belts need cleaning, use a mild soap
solution or lukewarm water. Do not remove
the belts from the vehicle to wash them. Dry
with a soft cloth.
Replace the belts if they appear frayed or
worn or if the buckles do not work properly.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a
collision and leave you with no protection.
Inspect the belt system periodically,
checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immedi-
ately. Do not disassemble or modify the
system. Seat belt assemblies must be re-
placed after a collision if they have been
damaged (i.e., bent retractor, torn web-
bing, etc.).
269
Torque Specifications
Base Model Vehicle
Lug Nut/Bolt Torque **Lug Nut/Bolt SizeLug Nut/
Bolt Socket Size
130 Ft-Lbs (176 N·m) M14x1.50 22mm
SRT Model Vehicle
Lug Nut/Bolt Torque **Lug Nut/
Bolt SizeLug Nut/
Bolt Socket Size
110 Ft-Lbs (149 N·m) M14x1.50 22mm
**Use only your authorized dealer recom-
mended lug nuts/bolts and clean or remove
any dirt or oil before tightening.
Inspect the wheel mounting surface prior to
mounting the tire and remove any corrosion
or loose particles.
Tighten the lug nuts/bolts in a star pattern
until each nut/bolt has been tightened twice. After 25 miles (40 km) check the lug nut/bolt
torque to be sure that all the lug nuts/bolts
are properly seated against the wheel.
WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off
the jack, do not tighten the lug nuts fully
until the vehicle has been lowered. Failure
to follow this warning may result in per-
sonal injury.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS –
GASOLINE ENGINE
3.6L Engine
This engine is designed to
meet all emissions regula-
tions and provide excel-
lent fuel economy and
performance when using
high-quality unleaded
“Regular” gasoline having
an octane rating of 87 as specified by the
(R+M)/2 method. The use of higher octane
“Premium” gasoline will not provide any ben-
efit over “Regular” gasoline in these engines.
While operating on gasoline with an octane
number of 87, hearing a light knocking sound
from the engine is not a cause for concern.
However, if the engine is heard making a
heavy knocking sound, see your dealer imme-
diately. Use of gasoline with an octane num-
ber lower than 87 can cause engine failure
and may void or not be covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Torque Patterns
273