2020 DODGE JOURNEY transmission fluid

188 STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving
through shallow standing water, consider the
following Cautions and Warnings before doing
so.
WARNING!
Driving through standing water limits your
vehicle’s traction capabilities. Do not
exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
t h

rough 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
dr
iving 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)

216
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULED SERVICING
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
oil change indicator system. The oil change
i n

dicator 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
v e

hicle. Operating conditions such as frequent
short-trips, trailer tow, extremely hot or cold
ambient temperatures, and E-85 fuel usage will
influence when the “Change Oil” or “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
s e

rviced as soon as possible, within the next
500 miles (805 km).
An authorized dealer will reset the oil change
i
n

dicator 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
“ I

nstrument Cluster Display” in “Getting To
Know Your Instrument Panel” for further
information.
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change
i n

tervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km),
1 2

months or 350 hours of engine run time,
w h

ichever 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) or
3 5

0 hours of engine run time 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, power steering, and
transmission (4-speed only) and fill as
needed.
Check function of all interior and exterior
lights.

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 217
MAINTENANCE PLAN
Required Maintenance Intervals .
Refer to the maintenance plan on the following pages for the required maintenance intervals.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change Indicator System:
Change oil and filter.
Rotate the tires.
NOTE:
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 automatic transmission fluid if equipped with dipstick.
Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses and parking 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

218 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Mileage or time passed (whichever comes first)
20,000
30,0 00
40,0 00
50,0 00
60,0 00
70,0 00
80,0 00
90,0 00
100,0 00
110,0 00
120,0 00
130,0 00
140,0 00
150,0 00
Or Years: 2345678910 1112131415
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,0 00
64,0 00
80,0 00
96,0 00
112,0 00
128,0 00
144,0 00
160,0 00
176,0 00
192,0 00
208,0 00
224,0 00
240,0 00
Additional Inspections
Inspect the CV/Universal joints. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Inspect front suspension, tie rod ends, and replace if necessary. XXXXXXX
Inspect the brake linings, parking brake function. XXXXXXX
Additional Maintenance
Replace engine air filter. XXXXX
Replace air conditioning filter. XXXXXXX
Replace spark plugs.
1X XXXX
Flush and replace the engine coolant at 10 years or
150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first. X
X
Change the automatic transmission fluid and filter. X
Change the automatic transmission fluid and filter if using your
v e

hicle for any of the following: police, taxi, fleet, or frequent
trailer towing. X
X

220 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
2.4L ENGINE
1 — Engine Coolant Reservoir 7 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
2 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir 8 — Air Cleaner Filter
3 — Engine Oil Fill 9 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick (4–Speed Only – If Equipped)
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir Cap 10 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
5 — Remote Jump Start (Positive Battery Post) 11 — Coolant Pressure Cap
6 — Remote Jump Start (Negative Battery Post) 12 — Engine Oil Dipstick

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 233
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Selection Of Lubricant
It is important to use the proper transmission
fluid to ensure optimum transmission
performance and life. Use only the
manufacturer's specified transmission fluid.
Refer to “Fluids And Lubricants” in “Technical
Specifications” for fluid specifications. It is
important to maintain the transmission fluid at
the correct level using the recommended fluid.
NOTE:
No chemical flushes should be used in any
t r

ansmission; only the approved lubricant
should be used.
Special Additives

The manufacturer strongly recommends against
using any special additives in the transmission.
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is an
engineered product and its performance
may be impaired by supplemental additives.
T h

erefore, do not add any fluid additives to the
transmission. The only exception to this policy is
the use of special dyes for diagnosing fluid leaks.
Avoid using transmission sealers as they may
adversely affect seals.

Fluid Level Check
Use the following procedure to check the
transmission fluid level properly:

1. P ark the vehicle on level ground.

2
. R un the engine at normal idle speed for at
l
east 60 seconds, and leave the engine
running for the rest of this procedure. 3. F
ully apply the parking brake, and press the
b
rake pedal.
4. P lace the gear selector momentarily into
e
ach gear position (allowing time for the
transmission to fully engage in each
position), ending with the transmission in
PARK.
5. W ipe the area around the dipstick clean to
p
revent dirt from entering the transmission.
6. R emove the dipstick and determine if the
f
luid is hot or cold. You can also read the
transmission fluid temperature using the
instrument cluster. Refer to "Instrument
Cluster Display" in "Getting To Know Your
Instrument Panel" for further information.
Hot fluid is approximately 180°F (82°C),
which is the normal operating temperature
after the vehicle is driven at least 15 miles
( 2

4 km). Hot fluid cannot be held
c o

mfortably between the fingertips. Cold
fluid is at a temperature of approximately
80°F (27°C).
CAUTION!

Using a transmission fluid other than the
manufacturer’s recommended fluid may cause
deterioration in transmission shift quality and/
or torque converter shudder, and will require
more frequent fluid and filter changes. Refer to
“Fluids And Lubricants” in “Technical
Specifications” for fluid specifications.

CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your
transmission as the chemicals can damage
your transmission components. Such damage
is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
7

234 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

7. Wipe the dipstick clean and reinsert it until
seated. Then, remove the dipstick and note
the fluid level on both sides. The fluid level
reading is only valid if there is a solid coating
of oil on both sides of the dipstick. Note that
the holes in the dipstick will be full of fluid if
the actual level is at or above the hole.

If the fluid is hot, the fluid level should be
in the crosshatched area marked “HOT”
(between the upper two holes in the
dipstick).
If the fluid is cold, the fluid level should
be between the lower two holes in the
area marked “COLD”.

If the fluid level is low, add fluid through the
d i

pstick tube to bring it to the proper level. Do
not overfill. After adding any quantity of oil
through the dipstick tube, wait at least two
minutes for the oil to fully drain into the trans -
mission before rechecking the fluid level.

NOTE:
If it is necessary to check the transmission
b e

low the operating temperature, the fluid level
should be between the two COLD (lower) holes
on the dipstick with the fluid at approximately
80°F (27°C). If the fluid level is correctly estab -lished at 80°F (27°C), it should be between the
HO

T (upper) reference holes when the transmis -
sion reaches 180°F (82°C). Remember it is
b e

st to check the level at the normal operating
temperature.
8. C heck for leaks. Release the parking brake.
Fluid And Filter Changes
Refer to the “Maintenance Plan” in “Servicing
and Maintenance” for the proper maintenance
intervals.
In addition, change the fluid and filter if the fluid
be

comes contaminated (with water, etc.), or if
the transmission is disassembled for any
reason.
RAISING THE VEHICLE
In the case where it is necessary to raise the
vehicle, go to an authorized dealer or service
station.
TIRES
TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION
Tire safety information will cover aspects of the
following information: Tire Markings, Tire
Identification Numbers, Tire Terminology and
Definitions, Tire Pressures, and Tire Loading.
CAUTION!
Using a transmission fluid other than the
manufacturer’s recommended fluid may
cause deterioration in transmission shift
quality and/or torque converter shudder,
and will require more frequent fluid and
filter changes. Refer to “Fluids And Lubri -
cants” in “Technical Specifications” for
f l

uid specifications.
Dirt and water in the transmission can
cause serious damage. To prevent dirt and
water from entering the transmission after
checking or replenishing fluid, make sure
that the dipstick cap is re-seated properly.

264 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
CHASSIS
Component Fluid, Lubricant, or Genuine Part
Automatic TransmissionUse only ATF+4 Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Failure to use ATF+4 fluid may affect the function or performance of your transmission.
We recommend Mopar ATF+4 fluid.
Brake Master Cylinder We recommend you use Mopar DOT 3, SAE J1703.
Power Steering Reservoir We recommend you use Mopar Power Steering Fluid+4, or Mopar ATF+4 Automatic Transmission Fluid.