2020 CHRYSLER 300 towing

STARTING AND OPERATING193
TRAILER HITCH CLASSIFICATION
The following chart provides the industry standard for the maximum trailer weight a given trailer hitch class can tow and should be used to assist you
in selecting the correct trailer hitch for your intended towing condition.
Trailer Hitch Classification Definitions

Class Max. Trailer Hitch Industry Standards
Class I - Light Duty 2,000 lbs (907 kg)
Class II - Medium Duty 3,500 lbs (1,587 kg)
Class III - Heavy Duty 6,000 lbs (2,722 kg)
Class IV - Extra Heavy Duty 10,000 lbs (4,535 kg)
Refer to the “Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings)” chart for the Maximum Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) towable for your given
drivetrain.
All trailer hitches should be professionally installed on your vehicle.
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194STARTING AND OPERATING
TRAILER TOWING WEIGHTS (MAXIMUM TRAILER WEIGHT RATINGS)
NOTE:
The trailer tongue weight must be considered as
part of the combined weight of occupants and
cargo, and it should never exceed the weight
referenced on the “Tire and Loading Informa -
tion” placard. Refer to “Tire Safety Information”
in “Servicing And Maintenance” for further infor -
mation.TRAILER AND TONGUE WEIGHT
Never exceed the maximum tongue weight
stamped on your bumper or trailer hitch.

Weight Distribution
Consider the following items when computing
the weight on the rear axle of the vehicle:The tongue weight of the trailer.
The weight of any other type of cargo or
equipment put in or on your vehicle.
The weight of the driver and all passengers.
NOTE:
Remember that everything put into or on the
trailer adds to the load on your vehicle. Also,
additional factory-installed options or
dealer-installed options must be considered as
part of the total load on your vehicle. Refer to
the “Tire And Loading Information” placard for
the maximum combined weight of occupants
and cargo for your vehicle.
Engine/Transmission Frontal AreaMax. GTW (Gross Trailer
Weight) Max. Tongue Weight
(See Note)
3.6L Automatic 22 sq ft (2.04 sq m)1,000 lbs (454 kg)100 lbs (45 kg)
5.7L Automatic 32 sq ft (2.97 sq m)1,000 lbs (454 kg)100 lbs (45 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.

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STARTING AND OPERATING195
(Continued)
TOWING REQUIREMENTS
To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle
drivetrain components, the following guidelines
are recommended. Perform the maintenance listed in the
“Scheduled Servicing”. Refer to “Scheduled
Servicing” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
the proper maintenance intervals. When towing
a trailer, never exceed the GAWR or GCWR
ratings.
Towing Requirements — Tires
Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire.
Do not drive more than 50 mph (80 km/h) when towing while using a full size spare tire.
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential
to the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle. Refer to “Tires” in “Servicing And
Maintenance” for proper tire inflation proce -
dures.
Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
WARNING!

Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and will not shift during travel. When
trailering cargo that is not fully secured,
dynamic load shifts can occur that may be diffi -
cult for the driver to control. You could lose
control of your vehicle and have a collision.

When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do
not overload your vehicle or trailer. Over -
loading can cause a loss of control, poor
performance or damage to brakes, axle,
engine, transmission, steering, suspension,
chassis structure or tires.
Safety chains must always be used
between your vehicle and trailer. Always
connect the chains to the hook retainers of
the vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under
the trailer tongue and allow enough slack
for turning corners.
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked
on a grade. When parking, apply the
parking brake on the tow vehicle. Put the
tow vehicle transmission in PARK. Always,
block or "chock" the trailer wheels.
GCWR must not be exceeded.
Total weight must be distributed between
the tow vehicle and the trailer such that the
following four ratings are not exceeded :
Max loading as defined on the “Tire and
Loading Information” placard.
GTW
GAWR
Tongue weight rating for the trailer
hitch utilized.
WARNING! (Continued)CAUTION!
Do not tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (805 km) the new vehicle is
driven. The engine, axle or other parts could
be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km)
that a trailer is towed, do not drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts
at full throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
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196STARTING AND OPERATING
Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire
damage before towing a trailer. Refer to
“Tires” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
the proper inspection procedure.

When replacing tires, refer to “Tires” in
“Servicing And Maintenance” for the proper
tire replacement procedures. Replacing tires
with a higher load carrying capacity will not
increase the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR limits.

Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake
system or vacuum system of your vehicle
with that of the trailer. This could cause inad -
equate braking and possible personal injury.
An electronically actuated trailer brake
controller is required when towing a trailer
with electronically actuated brakes. When
towing a trailer equipped with a hydraulic
surge actuated brake system, an electronic
brake controller is not required.
Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers
over 1,000 lbs (453 kg) and required for
trailers in excess of 2,000 lbs (907 kg).
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights And
Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the
trailer size, stoplights and turn signals on the
trailer are required for motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may include a four- and
seven-pin wiring harness. Use a factory
approved trailer harness and connector.
NOTE:
Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicle’s
wiring harness.
The electrical connections are all complete to
the vehicle but you must mate the harness to a
trailer connector. Refer to the following
illustrations.
NOTE:
Disconnect trailer wiring connector from the
vehicle before launching a boat (or any other
device plugged into vehicle’s electrical
connect) into water.
Be sure to reconnect after clear from water
area.
WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your
vehicle's hydraulic brake lines. It can over -
load your brake system and cause it to fail.
You might not have brakes when you need
them and could have an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stop -
ping distance. When towing, you should
allow for additional space between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Failure to do so could result in an accident.
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs
(453 kg) loaded, it should have its own
brakes and they should be of adequate
capacity. Failure to do this could lead to
accelerated brake lining wear, higher brake
pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.

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STARTING AND OPERATING197

Four-Pin Connector
Seven-Pin Connector

TOWING TIPS
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning,
stopping, and backing up the trailer in an area
located away from heavy traffic.
Automatic Transmission
Select the DRIVE range when towing. The
transmission controls include a drive strategy to
avoid frequent shifting when towing. However, if
frequent shifting does occur while in DRIVE, you
can use the AutoStick shift control (if equipped)
to manually select a lower gear.
NOTE:
Using a lower gear while operating the vehicle
under heavy loading conditions will improve
performance and extend transmission life by
reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
This action will also provide better engine
braking.
Speed Control — If Equipped
Do not use on hilly terrain or with heavy
loads.
When using the Speed Control, if you experi-
ence speed drops greater than 10 mph
(16 km/h), disengage until you can get back
to cruising speed.
Use Speed Control in flat terrain and with
light loads to maximize fuel efficiency.
1 — Ground
2 — Park
3 — Left Stop/Turn
4 — Right Stop/Turn1 — Battery
2 — Backup Lamps
3 — Right Stop/Turn
4 — Electric Brakes
5 — Ground
6 — Left Stop/Turn
7 — Running Lamps
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198STARTING AND OPERATING
AutoStick — If Equipped
When using the AutoStick shift control, select
the highest gear that allows for adequate
performance and avoids frequent down -
shifts. For example, choose “5” if the desired
speed can be maintained. Choose “4” or “3”
if needed to maintain the desired speed.
To prevent excess heat generation, avoid
continuous driving at high RPM. Reduce
vehicle speed as necessary to avoid
extended driving at high RPM. Return to a
higher gear or vehicle speed when grade and
road conditions allow.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission
overheating, take the following actions:
City Driving
In city traffic — while stopped, place the trans -
mission in NEUTRAL, but do not increase
engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Temporarily turn off air conditioning.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Recreational towing (with all four wheels on the
ground, or using a tow dolly) is NOT ALLOWED.
The only acceptable method for towing this
vehicle (behind another vehicle) is on a vehicle
trailer with all four wheels OFF the ground.
DRIVING TIPS
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Information in this section will aid in safe
controlled launches in adverse conditions.
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or
other slippery surfaces may cause the driving
wheels to pull erratically to the right or left. This
phenomenon occurs when there is a difference
in the surface traction under the rear (driving)
wheels.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above
requirements can cause severe transmission
and/or transfer case damage. Damage from
improper towing is not covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is
dangerous. Unequal traction can cause
sudden pulling of the front wheels. You could
lose control of the vehicle and possibly have a
collision. Accelerate slowly and carefully
whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).

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228IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
(Continued)
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled vehicle using a commercial towing service.
Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to
prevent damage to your vehicle. Use only tow
bars and other equipment designed for this
purpose, following equipment manufacturer’s
instructions. Use of safety chains is mandatory.
Attach a tow bar or other towing device to main
structural members of the vehicle, not to
bumpers or associated brackets. State and
local laws regarding vehicles under tow must be
observed.If you must use the accessories (wipers,
defrosters, etc.) while being towed, the ignition
must be in the ON/RUN mode, not the ACC
mode.
If the key fob is unavailable, or the vehicle's
battery is discharged, refer to "Manual Park
Release" in this section for instructions on
shifting the transmission out of PARK for
towing.
Towing Condition
Wheels OFF The Ground RWD MODELS AWD MODELS
Flat Tow NONEIf transmission is operable:

• Transmission in NEUTRAL
• 30 mph (48 km/h) max speed
• 30 miles (48 km) max distance NOT ALLOWED
Wheel Lift Or Dolly Tow Front
NOT RECOMMENDED (but, if used,
same limitations as above) NOT ALLOWED
Rear NOT RECOMMENDED NOT RECOMMENDED, but, if used:
Ignition in ON/RUN mode
Transmission in
NEUTRAL (NOT in PARK)
Flatbed ALLBEST METHOD BEST METHOD
CAUTION!
Do not use sling type equipment when
towing. Vehicle damage may occur.
When securing the vehicle to a flat bed
truck, do not attach to front or rear suspen -
sion components. Damage to your vehicle
may result from improper towing.

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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY229
(Continued)
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) MODELS
The manufacturer recommends towing your
vehicle with all four wheels OFF the ground
using a flatbed.
If the transmission and driveline are operable,
AWD models can also be towed with the ignition
in the ON/RUN mode, the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N) (not in PARK!), and the rear
wheels OFF the ground with no limitation on
speed or distance. Since the ignition MUST be in
the ON/RUN mode to tow in this manner, AWD
vehicles must be towed with ALL FOUR wheels
OFF the ground (e.g. on a flatbed truck) if the
key fob is unavailable.
REAR-WHEEL DRIVE (RWD) MODELS
The manufacturer recommends towing your
vehicle with all four wheels OFF the ground
using a flatbed.
If flatbed equipment is not available, and the
transmission is operable, this vehicle may be
flat towed (with all four wheels on the ground)
under the following conditions:
The automatic transmission must be in
NEUTRAL (N). Refer to “Manual Park
Release” in this section for instructions on
shifting the transmission to NEUTRAL when
the engine is off.
The towing speed must not exceed 30 mph
(48 km/h).
The towing distance must not exceed
30 miles (48 km). If the transmission is not operable, or the
vehicle must be towed faster than 30 mph
(48 km/h) or farther than 30 miles (48 km),
then the only acceptable method of towing is
with a flatbed truck.
The manufacturer does not recommend
towing this vehicle using a tow dolly.
Vehicle damage may occur.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle using any other method
can cause severe transmission and/or
transfer case damage.
CAUTION!
(Continued)
Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
CAUTION! (Continued)
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above
requirements can cause severe transmission
damage. Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
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