Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks, and bulges.
Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires (includ-
ing spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for proper closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected, or if fuel or brake fluid leaks are
suspected, the cause should be located and corrected
immediately.
5
SAFETY 247
in the AutoStick position (beside the DRIVE position) will
manually select the transmission gear, and will display the
current gear in the instrument cluster as 1, 2, 3, etc.
NOTE:If the gear selector cannot be moved to the PARK,
REVERSE, or NEUTRAL position (when pushed forward)
it is probably in the AutoStick (+/-) position (beside the
DRIVE position). In AutoStick mode, the transmission gear
(1, 2, 3, etc.) is displayed in the instrument cluster. Move
the gear selector to the right (into the DRIVE [D] position)
for access to PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL. 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 de-
sign, some vehicle and drive-line combinations 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.
Gear Selector Lock Button
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 265
NOTE:Remember, never drive diagonally across a hill -
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 headway by turning
the front wheels slowly left and right. 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 4WD System
to 4WD LOW range or Select Hill Descent Control if
equipped (refer to Electronic Brake Control System in this
section for further information). 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.
• 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.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 309
low end of the indicated range will result in the oil level at
the full end of the indicator range.
CAUTION!
Do not overfill the engine with oil. Overfilling the
engine with oil will cause oil aeration, which can lead
to loss of oil pressure and an increase in oil tempera-
ture. This loss of oil pressure and increased oil tem-
perature could damage your engine.
Change Engine Oil — Gasoline Engine
Refer to the “Scheduled Servicing” in this section for the
proper maintenance intervals.
NOTE:Under no circumstances should oil change inter-
vals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km), twelve months or 350
hours of engine run time, whichever comes first. The 350
hours of engine run or idle time is generally only a concern
for fleet customers.
Engine Oil Selection — 1.4L Turbo Engine
For best performance and maximum protection for turbo-
charged engines under all types of operating conditions, the manufacturer recommends synthetic engine oils that
are API Certified and meet the requirements of FCA
Material Standard MS-12991.
Engine Oil Selection — 2.4L Engine
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacturer only rec-
ommends 0W-20 engine oils that are API Certified and
meet the requirements of FCA Material Standard MS-6395.
Engine Oil Viscosity (SAE Grade) — 1.4L Turbo
Engine
Mopar SAE 5W-40 synthetic engine oil approved to FCA
Material Standard MS-12991 such as Pennzoil, Shell Helix
or equivalent is recommended for all operating tempera-
tures. This engine oil improves low temperature starting
and vehicle fuel economy.
The engine oil filler cap also shows the recommended
engine oil viscosity for your engine. For information on
engine oil filler cap location, refer to “Engine Compart-
ment” in this section.
Lubricants which do not have both the engine oil certifi-
cation mark and the correct SAE viscosity grade number
should not be used.8
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 387
2. Grab and hold the wiper arm closest to the wiper bladeend while pushing the wiper blade towards the liftgate
glass to unsnap the blade pivot pin from the wiper blade
holder on the wiper arm.
3. Install the wiper blade pivot pin into the wiper blade holder at the end of the wiper arm, and firmly push the
wiper blade until it snaps into place.
Exhaust System
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into the
vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
If you notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system;
or if the exhaust fumes can be detected inside the vehicle;
or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is damaged;
have an authorized technician inspect the complete ex-
haust system and adjacent body areas for broken, dam-
aged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open seams or
loose connections could permit exhaust fumes to seep into
the passenger compartment. In addition, have the exhaust
system inspected each time the vehicle is raised for lubri-
cation or oil change. Replace as required.
WARNING!
•Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing CO, refer
to “Safety Tips” in “Safety” for further information.
• A hot exhaust system can start a fire if you park over
materials that can burn. Such materials might be
grass or leaves coming into contact with your exhaust
system. Do not park or operate your vehicle in areas
where your exhaust system can contact anything that
can burn.
CAUTION!
• The catalytic converter requires the use of unleaded
fuel only. Leaded gasoline will destroy the effective-
ness of the catalyst as an emissions control device
and may seriously reduce engine performance and
cause serious damage to the engine.
• Damage to the catalytic converter can result if your
vehicle is not kept in proper operating condition. In
(Continued)
392 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION ................432
▫ Chassis Number ....................... .432
BRAKE SYSTEM ....................... .433
WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS . .433
▫ Torque Specifications ....................433
FUEL REQUIREMENTS ...................434
▫ 1.4L Turbo Engine ..................... .434
▫ 2.4L Engine .......................... .435
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ..................435
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ...............435 ▫
E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles .........436
▫ CNG And LP Fuel System Modifications ......436
▫ MMT In Gasoline ...................... .436
▫ Materials Added To Fuel .................436
▫ Fuel System Cautions ....................437
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ...............438
FLUID CAPACITIES ..................... .438
FLUIDS AND LUBRICANTS ................439
▫ Engine ............................. .439
▫ Chassis ............................ .440
9
Tighten the wheel bolts in a star pattern until each bolt has
been tightened twice.
After 25 miles (40 km), check the wheel 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 fully tighten the wheel bolts until the vehicle has
been lowered. Failure to follow this warning may
result in serious injury.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
1.4L Turbo Engine
This engine is designed to meet all emis-
sion regulations and provide satisfac-
tory fuel economy and performance
when using high-quality unleaded
regulargasoline having an octane rat-
ing of 87 using the (R+M)/2 method.
For optimum performance and fuel
economy the use of 91 octane or higher is recommended.
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 immediately. Use
of gasoline with an octane number lower than 87 can cause
engine failure and may void or not be covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Poor quality gasoline can cause problems such as hard
starting, stalling, and hesitations. If you experience these
symptoms, try another brand of gasoline before consider-
ing service for the vehicle.
Torque Patterns
434 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
2.4L Engine
All available gasoline engines are de-
signed to meet all emissions regulations
and provide excellent fuel economy and
performance when using high quality
unleaded “regular” gasoline having a
octane rating of 87 using the (R+M)/2
method. The use of premium gasoline is
not recommended, as it will not provide any benefit 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 immediately. Use
of gasoline with an octane number lower than 87 can cause
engine failure and may void or not be covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Poor quality gasoline can cause problems such as hard
starting, stalling, and hesitations. If you experience these
symptoms, try another brand of gasoline before consider-
ing service for the vehicle.
Reformulated Gasoline
Many areas of the country require the use of cleaner burning
gasoline referred to as “Reformulated Gasoline”. Reformulated
gasoline contains oxygenates and are specifically blended to
reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality.
The use of reformulated gasoline is recommended. Prop-
erly blended reformulated gasoline will provide improved
performance and durability of engine and fuel system
components.
Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends
Some fuel suppliers blend unleaded gasoline with oxygen-
ates such as ethanol.
CAUTION!
DO NOT use gasoline containing methanol or gasoline
containing more than 15% ethanol (E-15). Use of these
blends may result in starting and drivability problems,
damage critical fuel system components, cause emis-
sions to exceed the applicable standard, and/or cause
the “Malfunction Indicator Light” to illuminate. Please
observe pump labels as they should clearly communi-
cate if a fuel contains greater than 15% ethanol (E-15).
9
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 435