2020 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN brakes

103(Continued)
SAFETY
SAFETY FEATURES
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides
increased vehicle stability and brake
performance under most braking conditions.
The system automatically prevents wheel lock,
and enhances vehicle control during braking.
The ABS performs a self-check cycle to ensure
that the ABS is working properly each time the
vehicle is started and driven. During this
self-check, you may hear a slight clicking sound
as well as some related motor noises.
ABS is activated during braking when the
system detects one or more wheels begin to
lock. Road conditions such as ice, snow, gravel,
bumps, railroad tracks, loose debris, or panic
stops may increase the likelihood of ABS
activation(s).
You also may experience the following when
ABS activates:
The ABS motor noise (it may continue to run
for a short time after the stop)
The clicking sound of solenoid valves
Brake pedal pulsations
A slight drop of the brake pedal at the end of
the stop
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
ABS is designed to function with the Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) tires. Modifi-
cation may result in degraded ABS
performance.
WARNING!
The ABS contains sophisticated electronic
equipment that may be susceptible to inter -
ference caused by improperly installed or
high output radio transmitting equipment.
This interference can cause possible loss of
anti-lock braking capability. Installation of
such equipment should be performed by
qualified professionals.
Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will
diminish their effectiveness and may lead
to a collision. Pumping makes the stopping
distance longer. Just press firmly on your
brake pedal when you need to slow down or
stop.
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency
beyond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded.
The ABS cannot prevent collisions,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle
too closely, or hydroplaning.
The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or
dangerous manner that could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
WARNING! (Continued)
4

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104SAFETY
Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light
The yellow “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” will
turn on when the ignition is placed in the ON/
RUN mode and may stay on for as long as four
seconds.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” remains
on or comes on while driving, it indicates that
the anti-lock portion of the brake system is not
functioning and that service is required.
However, the conventional brake system will
continue to operate normally if the “Anti-Lock
Brake Warning Light” is on.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on, the
brake system should be serviced as soon as
possible to restore the benefits of anti-lock
brakes. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light”
does not come on when the ignition is placed in
the ON/RUN mode, have the light repaired as
soon as possible.
Electronic Brake Control (EBC) System
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced
Electronic Brake Control (EBC) system. This
system includes Electronic Brake Force Distri -
bution (EBD), Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
Brake Assist System (BAS), Hill Start Assist
(HSA), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Electronic Roll
Mitigation (ERM). These systems work together
to enhance both vehicle stability and control in
various driving conditions.
Your vehicle may also be equipped with Trailer
Sway Control (TSC).
Brake Assist System (BAS)
The Brake Assist System (BAS) is designed to
optimize the vehicle’s braking capability during
emergency braking maneuvers. The system
detects an emergency braking situation by
sensing the rate and amount of brake
application and then applies optimum pressure
to the brakes. This can help reduce braking
distances. The BAS complements the Anti-Lock
Brake System (ABS). Applying the brakes very
quickly results in the best BAS assistance. To
receive the benefit of the system, you must
apply continuous braking pressure during the
stopping sequence, (do not “pump” the brakes).
Do not reduce brake pedal pressure unless
braking is no longer desired. Once the brake
pedal is released, the BAS is deactivated.
Brake System Warning Light
The red “Brake System Warning Light” will turn
on when the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN
mode and may stay on for as long as four
seconds.
If the “Brake System Warning Light” remains on
or comes on while driving, it indicates that the
brake system is not functioning properly and
that immediate service is required. If the “Brake
System Warning Light” does not come on when
the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN mode,
have the light repaired as soon as possible.
WARNING!
The Brake Assist System (BAS) cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from
acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. BAS cannot prevent collisions,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery
surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities of
a BAS-equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner,
which could jeopardize the user's safety or
the safety of others.

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108SAFETY
The “ESC OFF Indicator Light”
indicates the customer has elected to
have the Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) in a reduced mode.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The Hill Start Assist (HSA) system is designed to
mitigate roll back from a complete stop while on
an incline. If the driver releases the brake while
stopped on an incline, HSA will continue to hold
the brake pressure for a short period. If the
driver does not apply the throttle before this
time expires, the system will release brake
pressure and the vehicle will roll down the hill as
normal.
The following conditions must be met in order
for HSA to activate:
The feature must be enabled.
The vehicle must be stopped.
The park brake must be off.
The driver door must be closed.
The vehicle must be on a sufficient grade.
The gear selection must match vehicle uphill
direction (i.e., vehicle facing uphill is in
forward gear; vehicle backing uphill is in
REVERSE gear).
HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all
forward gears. The system will not activate if
the transmission is in PARK or NEUTRAL. For
vehicles equipped with a manual transmis -
sion, if the clutch is pressed, HSA will remain
active.
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll
back while towing a trailer.
WARNING!
There may be situations where the Hill Start
Assist (HSA) will not activate and slight rolling
may occur, such as on minor hills or with a
loaded vehicle, or while pulling a trailer. HSA
is not a substitute for active driving
involvement. It is always the driver’s
responsibility to be attentive to distance to
other vehicles, people, and objects, and most
importantly brake operation to ensure safe
operation of the vehicle under all road
conditions. Your complete attention is always
required while driving to maintain safe control
of your vehicle. Failure to follow these
warnings can result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
WARNING!
If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, the trailer brakes may be activated
and deactivated with the brake switch. If
so, there may not be enough brake pres -
sure to hold both the vehicle and the trailer
on a hill when the brake pedal is released.
In order to avoid rolling down an incline
while resuming acceleration, manually acti -
vate the trailer brake or apply more vehicle
brake pressure prior to releasing the brake
pedal.
HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply
the parking brake fully when exiting your
vehicle. Also, be certain to place the trans -
mission in PARK.
Failure to follow these warnings can result
in a collision or serious personal injury.

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SAFETY109
Disabling And Enabling HSA
This feature can be turned on or turned off. To
change the current setting, proceed as follows:
For vehicles equipped with the instrument
cluster display, refer to “Instrument Cluster
Display” in “Getting To Know Your Instrument
Panel” for further information.
For vehicles not equipped with the instrument
cluster display, perform the following steps:

1. Center the steering wheel (front wheels
pointing straight forward).

2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Start the engine.
5. Rotate the steering wheel slightly more than one-half turn to the left.
6. Push the “ESC OFF” button located in the lower switch bank below the climate control
four times within 20 seconds. The “ESC OFF
Indicator Light” should turn on and turn off
two times.
7. Rotate the steering wheel back to center and then an additional slightly more than
one-half turn to the right. 8. Place the ignition switch to the OFF position
and then back to the ON position. If the
sequence was completed properly, the
“ESC OFF Indicator Light” will blink several
times to confirm HSA is disabled.
9. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to its previous setting.
Traction Control System (TCS)
The Traction Control System (TCS) monitors the
amount of wheel spin of each of the driven
wheels. If wheel spin is detected, the TCS may
apply brake pressure to the spinning wheel(s)
and/or reduce vehicle power to provide
enhanced acceleration and stability. A feature
of the TCS, Brake Limited Differential (BLD),
functions similar to a limited slip differential
and controls the wheel spin across a driven
axle. If one wheel on a driven axle is spinning
faster than the other, the system will apply the
brake of the spinning wheel. This will allow more
vehicle torque to be applied to the wheel that is
not spinning. BLD may remain enabled even if
TCS and ESC are in a reduced mode.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) uses sensors in the
vehicle to recognize an excessively swaying
trailer and will take the appropriate actions to
attempt to stop the sway. TSC will become
active automatically once an excessively
swaying trailer is recognized. Note that TSC
cannot stop all trailers from swaying. Always
use caution when towing a trailer and follow the
trailer tongue weight recommendations. Refer
to “Trailer Towing” in “Starting And Operating”
for further information. When TSC is
functioning, the “ESC Activation/Malfunction
Indicator Light” will flash, the engine power may
be reduced and you may feel the brakes being
applied to individual wheels to attempt to stop
the trailer from swaying. TSC is disabled when
the ESC system is in the “Partial Off” mode.
WARNING!
If TSC activates while driving, slow the vehicle
down, stop at the nearest safe location, and
adjust the trailer load to eliminate trailer
sway.
4

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166STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
NOTE:
You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park
Interlock which requires the transmission to be
in PARK before the ignition can be turned to the
LOCK/OFF (key removal) position. The key fob
can only be removed from the ignition when the
ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position, and the
transmission is locked in PARK whenever the
ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position.
NOTE:
If a malfunction occurs, the system will trap the
key fob in the ignition to warn you that this
safety feature is inoperable. The engine can be
started and stopped but the key fob cannot be
removed until you obtain service.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake
Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) system that
holds the transmission gear selector in PARK
unless the brakes are applied. To shift the
transmission out of PARK, the ignition must be
in the ON/RUN mode (engine running or not)
and the brake pedal must be pressed.
When leaving the vehicle, always make
sure the ignition is in the OFF mode,
remove the key fob from the vehicle, and
lock the vehicle.
Never use the PARK position as a substi -
tute 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 gear selector out of PARK with the
brake pedal released. Make sure the trans -
mission is in PARK before exiting the
vehicle.
Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Allowing children to be in a vehicle unat -
tended 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 transmission gear
selector.
WARNING! (Continued)
Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle (or in a location accessible to chil -
dren), 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!
Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only
after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
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.
WARNING! (Continued)

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STARTING AND OPERATING183
The entire vehicle should first be weighed on a
commercial scale to ensure that the GVWR has
not been exceeded. The weight on the front and
rear of the vehicle should then be determined
separately to be sure that the load is properly
distributed over the front and rear axle.
Weighing the vehicle may show that the GAWR
of either the front or rear axles has been
exceeded but the total load is within the
specified GVWR. If so, weight must be shifted
from front to rear or rear to front as appropriate
until the specified weight limitations are met.
Store the heavier items down low and be sure
that the weight is distributed equally. Stow all
loose items securely before driving.
Improper weight distributions can have an
adverse effect on the way your vehicle steers
and handles and the way the brakes operate.TRAILER TOWING
In this section you will find safety tips and
information on limits to the type of towing you
can reasonably do with your vehicle. Before
towing a trailer, carefully review this information
to tow your load as efficiently and safely as
possible.
To maintain the New Vehicle Limited Warranty
coverage, follow the requirements and
recommendations in this manual concerning
vehicles used for trailer towing.
Common Towing Definitions
The following trailer towing related definitions
will assist you in understanding the following
information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable weight of your
vehicle. This includes driver, passengers, cargo
and tongue weight. The total load must be
limited so that you do not exceed the GVWR.
Refer to “Vehicle Loading” in “Starting And
Operating” for further information.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus the
weight of all cargo, consumables and
equipment (permanent or temporary) loaded in
or on the trailer in its "loaded and ready for
operation" condition.
The recommended way to measure GTW is to
put your fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
The entire weight of the trailer must be
supported by the scale.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum capacity of the front
and rear axles. Distribute the load over the front
and rear axles evenly. Make sure that you do
not exceed either front or rear GAWR. Refer to
“Vehicle Loading” in “Starting And Operating”
for further information.
CAUTION!
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR or the maximum front and rear GAWR.
If you do, parts on your vehicle can break, or
it can change the way your vehicle handles.
This could cause you to lose control. Also
overloading can shorten the life of your
vehicle.
WARNING!
It is important that you do not exceed the
maximum front or rear GAWR. A dangerous
driving condition can result if either rating is
exceeded. You could lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
5

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184STARTING AND OPERATING
Tongue Weight (TW)
The tongue weight is the downward force
exerted on the hitch ball by the trailer. You must
consider this as part of the load on your vehicle.
Trailer Frontal Area
The frontal area is the maximum height
multiplied by the maximum width of the front of
a trailer.
Trailer Sway Control
The Trailer Sway Control can be a mechanical
telescoping link that can be installed between
the hitch receiver and the trailer tongue that
typically provides adjustable friction associated
with the telescoping motion to dampen any
unwanted trailer swaying motions while
traveling.
If equipped, the electronic Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) recognizes a swaying trailer and automat -
ically applies individual wheel brakes and/or
reduces engine power to attempt to eliminate
the trailer sway.
Weight-Carrying Hitch
A weight-carrying hitch supports the trailer
tongue weight, just as if it were luggage located
at a hitch ball or some other connecting point of
the vehicle. These kinds of hitches are the most
popular on the market today and they are
commonly used to tow small and medium sized
trailers.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
A weight-distributing system works by applying
leverage through spring (load) bars. They are
typically used for heavier loads to distribute
trailer tongue weight to the tow vehicle's front
axle and the trailer axle(s). When used in
accordance with the manufacturer's directions,
it provides for a more level ride, offering more
consistent steering and brake control thereby
enhancing towing safety. The addition of a
friction/hydraulic sway control also dampens
sway caused by traffic and crosswinds and
contributes positively to tow vehicle and trailer
stability. Trailer sway control and a weight distributing
(load equalizing) hitch are recommended for
heavier Tongue Weights (TW) and may be
required depending on vehicle and trailer
configuration/loading to comply with Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) requirements.
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.
WARNING!
An improperly adjusted Weight Distributing
Hitch system may reduce handling,
stability, braking performance, and could
result in a collision.
Weight Distributing Systems may not be
compatible with Surge Brake Couplers.
Consult with your hitch and trailer manufac
-
turer or a reputable Recreational Vehicle
dealer for additional information.

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STARTING AND OPERATING187
(Continued)
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.
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.
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.
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
difficult 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.
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