2018 DODGE CHARGER SRT ignition

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 parking brake
before placing the gear selector in PARK, otherwise the
load on the transmission locking mechanism may make it
difficult to move the gear selector out of PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied whenever the
driver is not in the vehicle.
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 movement and
possible injury or damage.
• When exiting the vehicle, always remove the key fob
from the ignition and lock your 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 gear
selector.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•When exiting the vehicle, always make sure the
keyless ignition node is in the OFF mode, remove the
key fob from the vehicle and lock the vehicle.
• 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 ACC or 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 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.
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CAUTION!
If the Brake Warning Light remains on with the park-
ing brake released, a brake system malfunction is
indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an au-
thorized dealer immediately.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the
transmission gear selector out of PARK with the
brake pedal released. Make sure the transmission is
in PARK before exiting the vehicle.
• The transmission may not engage PARK if the ve-
hicle is moving. Always bring the vehicle to a
complete stop before shifting to PARK, and verify
that the transmission gear position indicator solidly
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
indicates PARK (P) without blinking. Ensure that the
vehicle is completely stopped, and the PARK posi-
tion is properly indicated, before exiting 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.
• 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 come to a
complete stop, then apply the parking brake, shift
the transmission into PARK, and turn the ignition
OFF. When the ignition is in the OFF mode, the
transmission is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
(Continued)
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STARTING AND OPERATING 219

WARNING!(Continued)
•When exiting the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the 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 trans-
mission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in
a location accessible to children), and do not leave
the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
•Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL,
or DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with an Ignition Park Interlock
which requires the transmission to be in PARK before the
ignition can be turned to the OFF mode. This helps the
driver avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without
placing the transmission in PARK. This system also locks
the transmission in PARK whenever the ignition is in the
OFF mode.
NOTE: The transmission is NOT locked in PARK when the
ignition is in the ACC mode (even though the engine will
be off). Ensure that the transmission is in PARK, and the
ignition is OFF(not in ACC mode) before exiting the
vehicle.
220 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the ignition OFF.
• Remove the key fob from the vehicle.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the
transmission gear selector out of PARK with the
brake pedal released. Make sure the transmission is
in PARK before exiting the vehicle.
• The transmission may not engage PARK if the ve-
hicle is moving. Always bring the vehicle to a
complete stop before shifting to PARK, and verify
that the transmission gear position indicator solidly
indicates PARK (P) without blinking. Ensure that the
vehicle is completely stopped, and the PARK posi-
tion is properly indicated, before exiting the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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.
• 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 come to a
complete stop, then apply the parking brake, shift
the transmission into PARK, and turn the ignition
OFF. When the ignition is in the OFF mode, the
transmission is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
• When exiting the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the 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
(Continued)
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STARTING AND OPERATING 223

WARNING!(Continued)
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 trans-
mission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in
a location accessible to children), and do not leave
the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•Before moving the transmission gear selector out of
PARK, you must start the engine, and also press the
brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the gear selector
could result.
• DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK
or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this can
damage the drivetrain. The following indicators should be used to ensure that you
have properly engaged the transmission into the PARK
position:
•
Look at the transmission gear position display and
verify that it indicates the PARK position (P), and is not
blinking.
• With the brake pedal released, verify that the gear
selector will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. Apply the parking brake
and shift the transmission into PARK if you must exit the
vehicle.
224 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
that limit your response to changing traffic or road
conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and
have a collision.
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 Op-
erating” and “Towing A Disabled Vehicle” in “In Case
Of Emergency” 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, or traveling into strong head winds), 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 extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or be-
low), transmission operation may be modified depending
on engine and transmission temperature as well as vehicle
speed. Normal operation will resume once the transmis-
sion temperature has risen to a suitable level.
MANUAL (M)
The MANUAL (M, +/-) position (beside the DRIVE posi-
tion) enables full manual control of transmission shifting
(also known as AutoStick mode; refer to “AutoStick” in this
section for further information). Toggling the gear selector
forward (-) or rearward (+) while in the MANUAL
(AutoStick) position will manually select the transmission
gear, and will display the current gear in the instrument
cluster as M1, M2, M3, etc.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 225

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.
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 an 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 an authorized dealer at your earliest
possible convenience. An authorized dealer has diagnostic
equipment to assess the condition of your transmission.
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.
226 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Speed Control can be dangerous where the system
cannot maintain a constant speed. Your vehicle could
go too fast for the conditions, and you could lose
control and have an accident. Do not use Speed Control
in heavy traffic or on roads that are winding, icy,
snow-covered or slippery.
To Resume Speed
To resume a previously set speed, push the RES button and
release. Resume can be used at any speed above 20 mph
(32 km/h).
To Deactivate
A soft tap on the brake pedal, pushing the CANC button,
or normal brake pressure while slowing the vehicle will
deactivate the Speed Control without erasing the set speed
from memory.
Pushing the on/off button or turning the ignition switch
OFF erases the set speed from memory.
ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) — IF
EQUIPPED
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) increases the driving con-
venience provided by cruise control while traveling on
highways and major roadways. However, it is not a safety
system and not designed to prevent collisions.Speed
Control function performs differently. Please refer to the
proper section within this chapter.
ACC will allow you to keep cruise control engaged in light
to moderate traffic conditions without the constant need to
reset your cruise control. ACC utilizes a radar sensor and a
forward facing camera designed to detect a vehicle directly
ahead of you.
NOTE:
• If the sensor does not detect a vehicle ahead of you, ACC
will maintain a fixed set speed.
• If the ACC sensor detects a vehicle ahead, ACC will
apply limited braking or accelerate (not to exceed the
original set speed) automatically to maintain a preset
following distance, while matching the speed of the
vehicle ahead.
238 STARTING AND OPERATING