2018 DODGE DURANGO traction control

NOTE:Before retrying a selection, make certain that all the
necessary requirements for selecting a new transfer case
position have been met. To retry the selection, turn the
control knob back to the current position, wait five sec-
onds, and retry selection. To find the shift requirements,
refer to the Shifting Procedure for your transfer case,
located in this section.
The “SERV AWD” Warning Light monitors the electronic
shift all-wheel drive system. If this light remains on after
engine start up or illuminates during driving, it means that
the all-wheel drive system is not functioning properly and
that service is required.
WARNING!
Always engage the parking brake when powering
down the vehicle if the “SERV AWD Warning Light” is
illuminated. Not engaging the parking brake may
allow the vehicle to roll which may cause personal
injury.
NOTE: Do not attempt to make a shift while only the front
or rear wheels are spinning. This could cause damage to
driveline components. When operating your vehicle in LOW RANGE, the engine
speed is approximately three times that of the AWD AUTO
position at a given road speed. Take care not to overspeed
the engine and do not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
Proper operation of all-wheel drive vehicles depends on
tires of equal size, type and circumference on each wheel.
Any difference in tire size can cause damage to the transfer
case.
Because all-wheel drive provides improved traction, there
is a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping speeds.
Do not go faster than road conditions permit.
For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position, see the information below:
AWD Auto
All-Wheel Drive Auto Range – This range sends power to
the rear wheels. The all-wheel drive system will be auto-
matically engaged when the vehicle senses a loss of trac-
tion. Additional traction for varying road conditions.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 283

LOW Range
All-Wheel Drive Low Range – This range provides low
speed all-wheel drive. Locks the front and rear driveshafts
together forcing the front and rear wheels to rotate at the
same speed. Additional traction and maximum pulling
power for loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed
25 mph (40 km/h).
NEUTRAL (N)
NEUTRAL – This range disengages both the front and rear
driveshafts from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing
behind another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the NEU-
TRAL position without first fully engaging the park-
ing brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL position disen-
gages both the front and rear drive shafts from the
powertrain and will allow the vehicle to roll, even if
the transmission is in PARK. The parking brake
should always be applied when the driver is not in the
vehicle.
Shifting Procedure
NOTE:
•If any of the requirements to select a new transfer case
position have not been met, the transfer case will not
shift. The position indicator light for the previous posi-
tion will remain ON and the newly selected position
indicator light will continue to flash until all the require-
ments for the selected position have been met. To retry a
shift: return the control switch back to the original
position, make certain all shift requirements have been
met, wait five seconds and try the shift again.
• If all the requirements to select a new transfer case
position have been met, the current position indicator
light will turn OFF, the selected position indicator light
will flash until the transfer case completes the shift.
When the shift is complete, the position indicator light
for the selected position will stop flashing and remain
ON.
AWD Auto To Low Range
NOTE: When shifting into or out of LOW RANGE some
gear noise may be heard. This noise is normal and is not
detrimental to the vehicle or occupants.
284 STARTING AND OPERATING

If the system is set when the vehicle speed is below 20 mph
(32 km/h), the set speed shall be defaulted to 20 mph
(32 km/h). If the system is set when the vehicle speed is
above 20 mph (32 km/h), the set speed shall be the current
speed of the vehicle.
NOTE:ACC cannot be set if there is a stationary vehicle in
front of your vehicle in close proximity.
Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal. If you do not,
the vehicle may continue to accelerate beyond the set
speed. If this occurs:
• The message “DRIVER OVERRIDE” will display in the
instrument cluster display.
• The system will not be controlling the distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. The vehicle speed
will only be determined by the position of the accelera-
tor pedal.
To Cancel
The following conditions cancel the system:
•The brake pedal is applied.
• The CANC button is pushed.
• An Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) event occurs. •
The gear selector is removed from the DRIVE position.
• The Electronic Stability Control/Traction Control Sys-
tem (ESC/TCS) activates.
• The vehicle parking brake is applied.
• Driver seatbelt is unbuckled at low speeds.
• Driver door is opened at low speeds.
• The braking temperature exceeds normal range (over-
heated).
To Turn Off
The system will turn off and clear the set speed in memory
if:
•The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) on/off button is
pushed.
• The Normal (Fixed Speed) Cruise Control on/off button
is pushed.
• The ignition is turned OFF.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 297

The driver’s preferred units can be selected through the
instrument cluster display. Refer to “Getting To Know Your
Instrument Panel” for more information. The speed decre-
ment shown is dependant on the speed of U.S. (mph) or
Metric (km/h) units:
U.S. Speed (mph)
•Pushing the SET (-)button once will result in a 1 mph
decrease in set speed. Each subsequent tap of the button
results in a decrease of 1 mph.
• If the button is continually pushed, the set speed will
continue to decrease in 5 mph decrements until the
button is released. The decrease in set speed is reflected
in the instrument cluster display.
Metric Speed (km/h)
• Pushing the SET (-)button once will result in a 1 km/h
decrease in set speed. Each subsequent tap of the button
results in a decrease of 1 km/h.
• If the button is continually pushed, the set speed will
continue to decrease in 10 km/h decrements until the
button is released. The decrease in set speed is reflected
in the instrument cluster display.To Cancel
The following conditions will cancel the Normal (Fixed
Speed) Cruise Control without clearing the memory:
•The brake pedal is applied.
• The CANC button is pushed.
• The Electronic Stability Control/Traction Control Sys-
tem (ESC/TCS) activates.
• The vehicle parking brake is applied.
• The braking temperature exceeds normal range (over-
heated).
• The gear selector is removed from the DRIVE position.
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 Turn Off
The system will turn off and erase the set speed in memory
if:
•The Normal (Fixed Speed) Cruise Control on/off button
is pushed.
312 STARTING AND OPERATING

Changing LaneSense Status
The LaneSense system has settings to adjust the intensity of
the torque warning and the warning zone sensitivity
(early/late) that you can configure through the Uconnect
system screen. Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Multime-
dia” for further information.
NOTE:
•When enabled the system operates above 37 mph
(60 km/h) and below 112 mph (180 km/h).
• Use of the turn signal suppresses the warnings.
• The system will not apply torque to the steering wheel
whenever a safety system engages (anti-lock brakes,
traction control system, electronic stability control, for-
ward collision warning, etc.).
PARKVIEW REAR BACK UP CAMERA
Your vehicle is equipped with the ParkView Rear Back Up
Camera that allows you to see an on-screen image of the
rear surroundings of your vehicle whenever the gear
selector is put into REVERSE. The image will be displayed on the Navigation/Multimedia radio display screen along
with a caution note to “check entire surroundings” across
the top of the screen. After five seconds this note will
disappear. The ParkView camera is located on the rear of
the vehicle above the rear license plate.
When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE (with camera
delay turned off), the rear camera mode is exited and the
navigation or audio screen appears again.
When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE (with camera
delay turned on), the rear view image with dynamic grid
lines will be displayed for up to 10 seconds after shifting
out of REVERSE unless the forward vehicle speed exceeds
8 mph (13 km/h), the transmission is shifted into PARK or
the ignition is switched to the OFF position or can also exit
out from the image defeat [X] button.
NOTE:
The ParkView Rear Back Up Camera has program-
mable modes of operation that may be selected through the
Uconnect System. Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Multi-
media” for further information.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 337

13. Press and hold the brake pedal.
14. Release the parking brake.
15. Shift the transmission into DRIVE, release the brakepedal, and check that the vehicle operates normally.
NOTE:
• Steps 1 through 5 are requirements that must be met
before pushing the NEUTRAL (N) button, and must
continue to be met until the shift has been completed. If
any of these requirements are not met before pushing
the NEUTRAL (N) button or are no longer met during
the shift, the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will flash
continuously until all requirements are met or until the
NEUTRAL (N) button is released.
• The ignition must be in the ON/RUN mode for a shift to
take place and for the position indicator lights to be
operable. If the ignition is not in the ON/RUN mode, the
shift will not take place and no position indicator lights
will be on or flashing.
• A flashing NEUTRAL (N) position indicator light indi-
cates that shift requirements have not been met.DRIVING TIPS
On-Road Driving Tips
Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and a nar-
rower track to make them capable of performing in a wide
variety of off-road applications. Specific design character-
istics give them a higher center of gravity than conven-
tional passenger cars.
An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better view
of the road, allowing you to anticipate problems. They are not
designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional
passenger cars any more than low-slung sports cars are
designed to perform satisfactorily in off-road conditions.
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. As with other
vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly
may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover.
Off-Road Driving Tips
When To Use 4WD LOW Range — If Equipped
When off-road driving, shift to 4WD LOW for additional
traction. This range should be limited to extreme situations
such as deep snow, mud, or sand where additional low speed
pulling power is needed. Vehicle speeds in excess of 25 mph
(40 km/h) should be avoided when in 4WD LOW range.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 361

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
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
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 363

WARNING!(Continued)
•Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having ad-
equate speed capability can result in sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size
may result in false speedometer and odometer read-
ings.
Tire Types
All Season Tires — If Equipped
All Season tires provide traction for all seasons (Spring,
Summer, Fall, and Winter). Traction levels may vary be-
tween different all season tires. All season tires can be
identified by the M+S, M&S, M/S or MS designation on the
tire sidewall. Use all season tires only in sets of four; failure
to do so may adversely affect the safety and handling of
your vehicle.
Summer Or Three Season Tires — If Equipped
Summer tires provide traction in both wet and dry condi-
tions, and are not intended to be driven in snow or on ice.
If your vehicle is equipped with Summer tires, be aware
these tires are not designed for Winter or cold driving
conditions. Install Winter tires on your vehicle when am-
bient temperatures are less than 40°F (5°C) or if roads are
covered with ice or snow. For more information, contact an
authorized dealer.
Summer tires do not contain the all season designation or
mountain/snowflake symbol on the tire sidewall. Use
Summer tires only in sets of four; failure to do so may
adversely affect the safety and handling of your vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not use Summer tires in snow/ice conditions. You
could lose vehicle control, resulting in severe injury or
death. Driving too fast for conditions also creates the
possibility of loss of vehicle control.
456 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE