2020 DODGE JOURNEY tires

STARTING AND OPERATING 187
DRIVING TIPS
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
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 front (driving)
wheels.
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is
possible for a wedge of water to build up
between the tire and road surface. This is
hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the following
precautions should be observed:
Slow down during rainstorms or when the
roads are slushy.
Slow down if the road has standing water or
puddles.
Replace the tires when tread wear indicators
first become visible.
Keep tires properly inflated.
Maintain sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid
a collision in a sudden stop.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to
ensure safety and prevent damage to your
vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
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.).
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or path
where water is flowing and/or rising (as in
storm run-off). Flowing water can wear away
the road or path's surface and cause your
vehicle to sink into deeper water.
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising water can
carry your vehicle away swiftly. Failure to
follow this warning may result in injuries that
are serious or fatal to you, your passengers,
and others around you.
5

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 199
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGINGJACK LOCATION
The jack and jack-handle are stowed
underneath a cover in the rear storage bin in the
cargo area, lift up on the handle to access the
storage bin.

Cargo Area

The jack will be located under the storage bin,
l i

ft up on the storage bin cover to access the
jack and tools.
Storage Bin
Jack/Tools Location

WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side
of the vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull
far enough off the road to avoid the danger
of being hit when operating the jack or
changing the wheel.
Being under a jacked-up vehicle is
dangerous. The vehicle could slip off the
jack and fall on you. You could be crushed.
Never put any part of your body under a
vehicle that is on a jack. If you need to get
under a raised vehicle, take it to a service
center where it can be raised on a lift.
Never start or run the engine while the
vehicle is on a jack.
The jack is designed to be used as a tool for
changing tires only. The jack should not be
used to lift the vehicle for service purposes.
The vehicle should be jacked on a firm level
surface only. Avoid ice or slippery areas.
6

202 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

Jack Warning Label
Jacking Locations
1. R
emove the spare tire, jack, and
j
ack-handle from stowage.

2. Lo osen, but do not remove, the wheel nuts
o
n the wheel with the flat tire. Turn the
wheel nuts counterclockwise one turn while
the wheel is still on the ground.

3. Place the jack in the notches underneath the l
ift area that is closest to the flat tire. Center
the jack saddle between the drain flute
formations on the sill flange. Turn the jack
screw clockwise to firmly engage the jack
saddle with the lift area of the sill flange.
Front Lifting Point

Block the wheel diagonally opposite the
wheel to be raised.
Never start or run the engine with the
vehicle on a jack.
Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it
is on a jack.
Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a
jack. If you need to get under a raised
vehicle, take it to a service center where it
can be raised on a lift.
Only use the jack in the positions indicated
and for lifting this vehicle during a tire
change.
If working on or near a roadway, be
extremely careful of motor traffic.
To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated,
are securely stowed, spares must be
stowed with the valve stem facing the
ground.
WARNING! (Continued)
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to raise the vehicle by jacking
on locations other than those indicated in the
Jacking Instructions for this vehicle.

204 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
NOTE:
For vehicles so equipped, do not attempt to
install a center cap or wheel cover on the
compact spare.
Refer to “Compact Spare Tire” and to
“Limited Use Spare” under “Tires” in
“Servicing And Maintenance” for additional
warnings, cautions, and information about
the spare tire, its use, and operation.
7. I nstall the wheel nuts with the cone-shaped
e
nd of the nut toward the wheel. Lightly
tighten the wheel nuts.
8. Lo wer the vehicle by turning the jack screw
c
ounterclockwise with the jack handle.
9. F
inish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on
t
he wrench while at the end of the handle for
increased leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in
a star pattern until each nut has been
t i

ghtened twice. For the correct lug nut
torque, refer to “Wheel And Tire Torque
Specifications” in “Technical Specifications”.
If in doubt about the correct tightness, have
them checked with a torque wrench by an
authorized dealer or service station.

10. Lo wer the jack to its fully closed position.
1
1. P lace the deflated (flat) tire in the cargo
a
rea. Do not stow the deflated tire in the
spare tire stowage location. Have the
deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced as
soon as possible.

12. T o stow the winch cable and retainer, fit the
a
ssembled jack-handle over the winch drive
nut. Rotate the jack-handle assembly clockwise
until you hear the winch mechanism click three
times. It cannot be over tightened.
Stowing The Winch Cable And Retainer

13. S tow the jack-handle and jack. Remove the
w
heel blocks from the vehicle and release
the park brake.
14. C heck the tire pressure as soon as possible.
A
djust the tire pressure as required.WARNING!

To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the
jack, do not tighten the wheel nuts fully until
the vehicle has been lowered. Failure to follow
this warning may result in serious injury.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 211
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. Then, shift back and
forth between DRIVE (D) and REVERSE (R) 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.
Push the ESC OFF switch, to place the
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
s
y
stem in "ESC 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
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
t h

an 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 and REVERSE, do not spin
the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h),
o r

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
t i

res. Do not spin the wheels above 30 mph
( 4

8 km/h) while in gear (no transmission
s h

ifting occurring).
6

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

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.