228IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
Connecting The Jumper Cables
1. Connect the positive
(+) end of the jumper
cable to the remote positive (+)
post of the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+)
jumper cable to the positive (+) post of the
booster battery.
3. Connect the negative (-) end of the jumper
cable to the negative (-) post of the booster
battery.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-)
jumper cable to the remote negative (-) post
(exposed metallic/unpainted post of the
discharge vehicle) located directly behind
the under-hood fuse box. 5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the
booster battery, let the engine idle a few
minutes, and then start the engine in the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
6. Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in the reverse sequence.
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables
1. Disconnect the negative
(-) end of the
jumper cable from the remote negative (-)
post of the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
2. Disconnect the opposite end of the negative (-) jumper cable from the negative (-) post of
the booster battery. 3. Disconnect the positive
(+) end of the
jumper cable from the positive (+) post of
the booster battery.
4. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive (+) jumper cable from the remote positive
(+) post of the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
If frequent jump starting is required to start your
vehicle you should have the battery and
charging system inspected at an authorized
dealer.
WARNING!
Do not connect the jumper cable to the
negative (-) post of the discharged battery.
The resulting electrical spark could cause the
battery to explode and could result in
personal injury.
CAUTION!
Do not run the booster vehicle engine above
2,000 rpm since it provides no charging
benefit, wastes fuel, and can damage booster
vehicle engine.
CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle power
outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular devices,
etc.). Eventually, if plugged in long enough
without engine operation, the vehicle’s
battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade
battery life and/or prevent the engine from
starting.
20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 228
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY229
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can
reduce the potential for overheating by taking
the appropriate action.
On the highways — slow down.
In city traffic — while stopped, place the trans -
mission in NEUTRAL, but do not increase the
engine idle speed while preventing vehicle
motion with the brakes.
NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
If your Air Conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off.
The A/C system adds heat to the engine
cooling system and turning the A/C off can
help remove this heat.
You can also turn the temperature control to
maximum heat, the mode control to floor and
the blower control to high. This allows the
heater core to act as a supplement to the
radiator and aids in removing heat from the
engine cooling system.
MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 – SPEED
TRANSMISSION 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.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If the temperature
gauge reads HOT (H), pull over and stop the
vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the air
conditioner turned off until the pointer drops
back into the normal range. If the pointer
remains on HOT (H), and you hear continuous
chimes, turn the engine off immediately and
call for service.
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying
the parking brake before activating the
Manual Park Release. In addition, you should
be seated in the driver's seat with your foot
firmly on the brake pedal when activating the
Manual Park Release. Activating the Manual
Park Release will allow your vehicle to roll
away if it is not secured by the parking brake,
or by proper connection to a tow vehicle.
Activating the Manual Park Release on an
unsecured vehicle could lead to serious injury
or death for those in or around the vehicle.
6
20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 229
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY231
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or
snow, it can often be moved using a rocking
motion. Turn the steering wheel right and left to
clear the area around the front wheels. For
vehicles with automatic transmission, push and
hold the lock button on the gear selector. Then
shift back and forth between DRIVE and
REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or
FIRST gear and REVERSE (with manual
transmission), while gently pressing the
accelerator. Use the least amount of
accelerator pedal pressure that will maintain
the rocking motion, without spinning the wheels
or racing the engine.
NOTE:
For vehicles with automatic transmission: Shifts
between DRIVE and REVERSE can only be
achieved at wheel speeds of 5 mph (8 km/h) or
less. Whenever the transmission remains in
NEUTRAL for more than two seconds, you must
press the brake pedal to engage DRIVE or
REVERSE. NOTE:
Push the ESC OFF switch (if necessary), to place
the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system in
“Partial Off” mode, before rocking the vehicle.
Refer to “Electronic Brake Control System” in
“Safety” for further information. Once the
vehicle has been freed, push the ESC OFF
switch again to restore “ESC On” mode.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may
lead to transmission overheating and failure.
Allow the engine to idle with the transmission
in NEUTRAL for at least one minute after
every five rocking-motion cycles. This will
minimize overheating and reduce the risk of
clutch or transmission failure during
prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces
generated by excessive wheel speeds may
cause damage, or even failure, of the axle
and tires. A tire could explode and injure
someone. Do not spin your vehicle's wheels
faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for longer
than 30 seconds continuously without
stopping when you are stuck and do not let
anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter
what the speed.
CAUTION!
When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting
between DRIVE / FIRST gear and REVERSE,
do not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph
(24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
Revving the engine or spinning the wheels
too fast may lead to transmission over -
heating and failure. It can also damage the
tires. Do not spin the wheels above 30 mph
(48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission
shifting occurring).
6
20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 231
238SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
(Continued)
Change the rear axle fluid and on
models equipped with All Wheel
Drive (AWD) change the front axle
fluid if using your vehicle for any of
the following: police, taxi, fleet,
off-road, or frequent trailer towing. X
X X
Inspect and replace PCV valve if
necessary. X
1. The spark plug change interval is mileage based only, yearly intervals do not apply.
Mileage or time passed (whichever
comes first)
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
Or Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or
around a motor vehicle. Do only service
work for which you have the knowledge and
the right equipment. If you have any doubt
about your ability to perform a service job,
take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.Failure to properly inspect and maintain
your vehicle could result in a component
malfunction and effect vehicle handling
and performance. This could cause an acci -
dent.
WARNING! (Continued)
20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 238
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE245
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or
around a motor vehicle. Do only service
work for which you have the knowledge and
the right equipment. If you have any doubt
about your ability to perform a service job,
take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
Failure to properly inspect and maintain
your vehicle could result in a component
malfunction and effect vehicle handling
and performance. This could cause an
accident.
7
20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 245
250SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
CHECKING OIL LEVEL — 3.6L AND 5.7L
E
NGINE
To ensure proper engine lubrication, the engine
oil must be maintained at the correct level.
Check the oil level at regular intervals, such as
every month. The best time to check the engine
oil level is about five minutes after a fully
warmed up engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level
ground will improve the accuracy of the oil level
readings.
There are three possible dipstick types:
Crosshatched zone.
Crosshatched zone marked SAFE.
Crosshatched zone marked with MIN at the
low end of the range and MAX at the high end
of the range.
NOTE:
Always maintain the oil level within the cross -
hatch markings on the dipstick.
Adding 1 Quart (1.0 Liter) of oil when the
reading is at the low end of the dipstick range
will raise the oil level to the high end of the
range marking.
CHECKING OIL LEVEL — 6.2L
S
UPERCHARGED ENGINE AND 6.4L
E
NGINE
To ensure proper engine lubrication, the engine
oil must be maintained at the correct level.
Check the oil level at regular intervals, such as
once a month. The best time to check the
engine oil level is about five minutes after a fully
warmed engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level
ground will improve the accuracy of the oil level
readings. Maintain the oil level in the “SAFE”
range. Adding 1.0 Quart (1 Liter) of oil when the
reading is at the bottom of the “SAFE” range will
result in an oil level at the top of the “SAFE”
range on these engines.
ADDING WASHER FLUID
The windshield washer fluid reservoir is located
in the front of the engine compartment. Be sure
to check the fluid level at regular intervals. Fill
the reservoir with windshield washer solvent
(not radiator antifreeze) and operate the system
for a few seconds to flush out the residual
water.
When refilling the washer fluid reservoir, apply
some washer fluid to a cloth or towel and wipe
the wiper blades clean. This will help blade
performance.
To prevent freeze-up of your windshield washer
system in cold weather, select a solution or
mixture that meets or exceeds the temperature
range of your climate. This rating information
can be found on most washer fluid containers.
The fluid reservoir will hold nearly 1 Gallon
(4 Liters) of washer fluid when the message
“Low Washer Fluid” appears in the instrument
cluster.CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will
cause aeration or loss of oil pressure. This
could damage your engine.
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will
cause aeration or loss of oil pressure. This
could damage your engine.
WARNING!
Commercially available windshield washer
solvents are flammable. They could ignite and
burn you. Care must be exercised when filling
or working around the washer solution.
20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 250
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE251
(Continued)
(Continued)
MAINTENANCE-FREE BATTERY
The vehicle is equipped with a
maintenance-free battery. You will never have
to add water, nor is periodic maintenance
required.
NOTE:
The battery is stored under an access cover in
the trunk. Remote battery terminals are located
in the engine compartment for jump starting.
Refer to “Jump Starting Procedure” in “In Case
Of Emergency” for further information.
PRESSURE WASHING
WARNING!
Battery fluid is a corrosive acid solution and
can burn or even blind you. Do not allow
battery fluid to contact your eyes, skin, or
clothing. Do not lean over a battery when
attaching clamps. If acid splashes in eyes
or on skin, flush the area immediately with
large amounts of water. Refer to “Jump
Starting Procedure” in “In Case Of Emer
-
gency” for further information.
Battery gas is flammable and explosive.
Keep flame or sparks away from the
battery. Do not use a booster battery or any
other booster source with an output greater
than 12 Volts. Do not allow cable clamps to
touch each other.
Battery posts, terminals, and related acces -
sories contain lead and lead compounds.
Wash hands after handling.
The battery in this vehicle has a vent hose
that should not be disconnected and
should only be replaced with a battery of
the same type (vented).
CAUTION!
It is essential when replacing the cables on
the battery that the positive cable is
attached to the positive post and the nega -
tive cable is attached to the negative post.
Battery posts are marked positive (+) and
negative (-) and are identified on the battery
case. Cable clamps should be tight on the
terminal posts and free of corrosion.
WARNING! (Continued)
If a “fast charger” is used while the battery
is in the vehicle, disconnect both vehicle
battery cables before connecting the
charger to the battery. Do not use a “fast
charger” to provide starting voltage.
CAUTION!
Cleaning the engine compartment with a high
pressure washer is not recommended.
Precautions have been taken to safeguard all
parts and connections however, the
pressures generated by these machines is
such that complete protection against water
ingress cannot be guaranteed.
CAUTION! (Continued)
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20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 251
252SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
DEALER SERVICE
An authorized dealer has the qualified service
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 before
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.
ENGINE OIL
Change Engine Oil — 3.6L And 5.7L Engine
The oil change indicator system will remind you
that it is time to take your vehicle in for
scheduled maintenance. Refer to “Scheduled
Servicing” in this section for the proper
maintenance intervals.
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change
intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km),
12 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.
Change Engine Oil — 6.2L And 6.4L Engine
The oil change indicator system will remind you
that it is time to take your vehicle in for
scheduled maintenance. Refer to “Scheduled
Servicing” in this section for the proper
maintenance intervals.
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change
intervals exceed 6,000 miles (10,000 km) or
6 months, whichever occurs first.
Engine Oil Selection — 3.6L And 5.7L
Engine
For best performance and maximum protection
under all types of operating conditions, the
manufacturer only recommends engine oils
that are API Certified and meet the
requirements of FCA Material Standard
MS-6395.
NOTE:
Hemi engines (5.7L) at times can tick right after
startup and then quiet down after approxi -
mately 30 seconds. This is normal and will not
harm the engine. This characteristic can be
caused by short drive cycles. For example, if the
vehicle is started then shut off after driving a
short distance. Upon restarting, you may experi -
ence a ticking sound. Other causes could be if
the vehicle is unused for an extended period of
time, incorrect oil, extended oil changes or
extended idling. If the engine continues to tick
or if the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) comes
on, see the nearest authorized dealer.
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 doubt
about your ability to perform a service job,
take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
20_LA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 252