SAFETY161
(Continued)
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 (including 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 the vehicle after overnight
parking for fuel, 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.
ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING FLOOR
MAT FROM THE VEHICLE before
installing any other floor mat. NEVER install
or stack an additional floor mat on top of an
existing floor mat.
ONLY install floor mats designed to fit your
vehicle. NEVER install a floor mat that
cannot be properly attached and secured to
your vehicle. If a floor mat needs to be
replaced, only use a FCA approved floor
mat for the specific make, model, and year
of your vehicle.
ONLY use the driver’s side floor mat on the
driver’s side floor area. To check for inter -
ference, with the vehicle properly parked
with the engine off, fully depress the accel -
erator, the brake, and the clutch pedal (if
present) to check for interference. If your
floor mat interferes with the operation of
any pedal, or is not secure to the floor,
remove the floor mat from the vehicle and
place the floor mat in your trunk.
ONLY use the passenger’s side floor mat on
the passenger’s side floor area.
WARNING! (Continued)
ALWAYS make sure objects cannot fall or
slide into the driver’s side floor area when
the vehicle is moving. Objects can become
trapped under accelerator, brake, or clutch
pedals and could cause a loss of vehicle
control.
NEVER place any objects under the floor
mat (e.g., towels, keys, etc.). These objects
could change the position of the floor mat
and may cause interference with the accel -
erator, brake, or clutch pedals.
If the vehicle carpet has been removed and
re-installed, always properly attach carpet
to the floor and check the floor mat
fasteners are secure to the vehicle carpet.
Fully depress each pedal to check for inter -
ference with the accelerator, brake, or
clutch pedals then re-install the floor mats.
It is recommended to only use mild soap
and water to clean your floor mats. After
cleaning, always check your floor mat has
been properly installed and is secured to
your vehicle using the floor mat fasteners
by lightly pulling mat.
WARNING! (Continued)
4
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164STARTING AND OPERATING
The engine oil installed in the engine at the
factory is a high-quality energy conserving type
lubricant. Oil changes should be consistent with
anticipated climate conditions under which
vehicle operations will occur. For the
recommended viscosity and quality grades,
refer to “Dealer Service” in “Servicing And
Maintenance”.
NOTE:
A new engine may consume some oil during its
first few thousand miles (kilometers) of
operation. This should be considered a normal
part of the break-in and not interpreted as a
problem.
PARK BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the
parking brake is fully applied and place the gear
selector in the PARK position. The foot operated parking brake is positioned
below the lower left corner of the instrument
panel. To apply the park brake, firmly push the
park brake pedal fully. To release the parking
brake, press the park brake pedal a second
time and let your foot up as you feel the brake
disengage.
Parking Brake
When the parking brake is applied with the
ignition switch in the ON position, the “Brake
Warning Light” in the instrument cluster will
illuminate. NOTE:
When the parking brake is applied and the
automatic transmission is placed in gear, the
“Brake Warning Light” will flash. If vehicle
speed is detected, a chime will sound to alert
the driver. Fully release the parking brake
before attempting to move the vehicle.
This light only shows that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake
application.
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. For vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission, 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.CAUTION!
Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight
Mineral Oil in the engine or damage may
result.
20_RT_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 164
STARTING AND OPERATING193
(Continued)
Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving
through shallow standing water, consider the
following Warnings and Cautions before doing so.
WARNING!
Driving through standing water limits your
vehicle’s traction capabilities. Do not
exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
through standing water.
Driving through standing water limits your
vehicle’s braking capabilities, which
increases stopping distances. Therefore,
after driving through standing water, drive
slowly and lightly press on the brake pedal
several times to dry the brakes.
Failure to follow these warnings may result
in injuries that are serious or fatal to you,
your passengers, and others around you.
CAUTION!
Always check the depth of the standing
water before driving through it. Never drive
through standing water that is deeper than
the bottom of the tire rims mounted on the
vehicle.
Determine the condition of the road or the
path that is under water and if there are any
obstacles in the way before driving through
the standing water.
Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when
driving through standing water. This will
minimize wave effects.
Driving through standing water may cause
damage to your vehicle’s drivetrain compo -
nents. Always inspect your vehicle’s fluids
(i.e., engine oil, transmission, axle, etc.) for
signs of contamination (i.e., fluid that is
milky or foamy in appearance) after driving
through standing water. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle if any fluid appears
contaminated, as this may result in further
damage. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine
can cause it to lock up and stall out, and
cause serious internal damage to the
engine. Such damage is not covered by the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
CAUTION! (Continued)
5
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226
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULED SERVICING
This vehicle is equipped with an automatic oil
change indicator system. The oil change
indicator system will remind you that it is time to
take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance.
Based on engine operation conditions, the oil
change indicator message will illuminate. This
means that service is required for your vehicle.
Operating conditions such as frequent
short-trips, trailer tow, extremely hot or cold
ambient temperatures, and E85 fuel usage will
influence when the “Oil Change Required”
message is displayed. Severe Operating
Conditions can cause the change oil message
to illuminate as early as 3,500 miles
(5,600 km) since last reset. Have your vehicle
serviced as soon as possible, within the next
500 miles (805 km).An authorized dealer will reset the oil change
indicator message after completing the
scheduled oil change. If a scheduled oil change
is performed by someone other than an
authorized dealer, the message can be reset by
referring to the steps described under
“Instrument Cluster Display” in “Getting To
Know Your Instrument Panel” for further
information.
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.
Severe Duty All Models
Change engine oil at 4,000 miles (6,500 km) if
the vehicle is operated in a dusty and off road
environment or is operated predominately at
idle or only very low engine RPM. This type of
vehicle use is considered Severe Duty.Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:Check engine oil level.
Check windshield washer fluid level.
Check tire pressure and look for unusual
wear or damage. Rotate tires at the first sign
of irregular wear, even if it occurs before the
oil indicator system turns on.
Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir,
brake master cylinder, and power steering
and fill as needed.
Check function of all interior and exterior
lights.
20_RT_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 226
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE227
Maintenance Plan
Required Maintenance Intervals.
Refer to the maintenance schedules on the following page for the required maintenance intervals.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change Indicator System:
Change oil and filter.
Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator system turns on.
Inspect battery and clean and tighten terminals as required.
Inspect the CV/Universal joints.
Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses and park brake.
Inspect engine cooling system protection and hoses.
Inspect exhaust system.
Inspect engine air cleaner if using in dusty or off-road conditions, replace engine air cleaner filter if necessary.
7
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE231
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Engine Compartment — 3.6L
1 — Engine Air Cleaner Filter Cover 6 — Battery
2 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir Cap 7 — Totally Integrated Power Module (Fuses)
3 — Coolant Pressure Cap 8 — Engine Coolant Reservoir Cap
4 — Engine Oil Fill 9 — Engine Oil Dipstick
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir Cap 10 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
7
20_RT_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 231
232SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Checking Oil Level
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 fuel stop. 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 within the SAFE
crosshatch marking on the dipstick. Adding one
quart of oil when the reading is at the bottom of
the mark will result in reading the top of the
mark on these engines.
Adding Washer Fluid
The fluid reservoir for the windshield washers
and the rear window washer is shared. It is
located in the engine compartment and should
be checked at regular intervals. Fill the reservoir with windshield washer solvent
(not radiator antifreeze) and operate the system
for a few seconds to flush out any residual
water.
The washer fluid reservoir will hold a full gallon
of fluid when the Low Washer Fluid Light
illuminates.
After the engine has warmed, operate the
defroster for a few minutes to reduce the
possibility of smearing or freezing the fluid on
the cold windshield. Mopar All Weather
Windshield Washer Solution or equivalent, used
with water as directed on the container, aids
cleaning action, reduces the freezing point to
avoid line clogging, and is not harmful to paint
or trim.
Maintenance-Free Battery
Your vehicle is equipped with a
maintenance-free battery. You will never have
to add water, nor is periodic maintenance
required.
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling will cause oil
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.
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.
20_RT_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 232
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE233
Pressure Washing
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
The oil change indicator system will remind you
that it is time to take your vehicle in for
scheduled maintenance. Refer to the
“Maintenance Plan” for further information.
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.
Engine Oil Selection
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.
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.
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.
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.7
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