2020 DODGE JOURNEY towing

182 STARTING AND OPERATING
(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
d e

aler-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:
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to a collision. Follow
these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and that it 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
p e

rformance, 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 frame or hook
retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow
enough slack for turning corners.
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked
on a grade. When parking, apply the
parking brake on the tow vehicle. Put the
tow vehicle automatic transmission in
PARK. Always block or "chock" the trailer
wheels.
Total weight must be distributed between
the tow vehicle and the trailer such that the
following four ratings are not exceeded:
GVWR
GCWR
GAWR
Tongue weight rating for the trailer
hitch utilized.
WARNING! (Continued)

STARTING AND OPERATING 183
Perform the maintenance listed in the
“Maintenance Plan”. Refer to “Scheduled
Servicing” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
further information. When towing a trailer,
never exceed the GAWR, or GCWR, ratings.
Towing Requirements — Tires
Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire.
Do not drive more than 50 mph (80 km/h)
wh
en towing while using a full size spare tire.

Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to
the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle. Refer to “Tires” in “Servicing And Mainte -
nance” for proper tire inflation procedures.

Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire
damage before towing a trailer. Refer to
“Tires” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
the proper inspection procedure.
When replacing tires, refer to “Tires” in
“Servicing And Maintenance” for the proper
tire replacement procedures. Replacing tires
with a higher load carrying capacity will not
increase the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake
system or vacuum system of your vehicle
with that of the trailer. This could cause inad -
equate braking and possible personal injury.
An electronically actuated trailer brake
controller is required when towing a trailer
with electronically actuated brakes. When
towing a trailer equipped with a hydraulic
surge actuated brake system, an electronic
brake controller is not required.
Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers
over 1,000 lbs (453 kg) and required for
trailers in excess of 2,000 lbs (907 kg).
CAUTION!
Do not tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (805 km) the new vehicle is
d r

iven. The engine, axle or other parts could
be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km)
th
at a trailer is towed, do not drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts
a t

full throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your
vehicle's hydraulic brake lines. It can over -
load your brake system and cause it to fail.
Y o

u might not have brakes when you need
them and could have an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stop -
ping distance. When towing, you should
a l

low for additional space between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Failure to do so could result in an accident.
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs
(453 kg) loaded, it should have its own
b r

akes and they should be of adequate
capacity. Failure to do this could lead to
accelerated brake lining wear, higher brake
pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
5

184 STARTING AND OPERATING
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights And
Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the
trailer size, stoplights and turn signals on the
trailer are required for motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may include a four- and
se

ven-pin wiring harness. Use a factory
approved trailer harness and connector.
NOTE:
Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicle’s
wi
ring harness.
The electrical connections are all complete to
t h

e vehicle but you must mate the harness to
a trailer connector. Refer to the following
i l

lustrations.
NOTE:
Disconnect trailer wiring connector from the
vehicle before launching a boat (or any other
device plugged into vehicle’s electrical
connect) into water.
Be sure to reconnect after clear from water
area.
Four-Pin Connector
Seven-Pin Connector

TOWING TIPS
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning,
stopping, and backing up the trailer in an area
located away from heavy traffic.
1 — Ground
2 — Park
3 — Left Stop/Turn
4 — Right Stop/Turn1 — Battery
2 — Backup Lamps
3 — Right Stop/Turn
4 — Electric Brakes
5 — Ground
6 — Left Stop/Turn
7 — Running Lamps

STARTING AND OPERATING 185
Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing.
However, if frequent shifting occurs while in
DRIVE, use the AutoStick shift control to
manually select a lower gear.
NOTE:
Using a lower gear while operating the vehicle
u n

der heavy loading conditions will improve
performance and extend transmission life by
reducing excessive shifting and heat build up.
This action will also provide better engine
braking.
If you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than
4 5

minutes of continuous operation, then
c h

ange the transmission fluid and filter as
specified for “police, taxi, fleet, or frequent
trailer towing”. Refer to the “Scheduled
Servicing” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
the proper maintenance intervals.
NOTE:
Check the automatic transmission fluid level
b e

fore towing. If you notice fluid leakage or
transmission malfunction, see an authorized
dealer immediately for assistance.
Speed Control — If Equipped
Do not use on hilly terrain or with heavy
loads.
When using the Speed Control, if you experi -
ence speed drops greater than 10 mph
( 1

6 km/h), disengage until you can get back
t o

cruising speed.
Use Speed Control in flat terrain and with
light loads to maximize fuel efficiency.
AutoStick
When using the AutoStick shift control, select
the highest gear that allows for adequate
performance and avoids frequent down -
shifts. For example, choose “4” if the desired
s p

eed can be maintained. Choose “3” or “2”
if needed to maintain the desired speed.
To prevent excess heat generation, avoid
continuous driving at high RPM. Reduce
vehicle speed as necessary to avoid
extended driving at high RPM. Return to a
higher gear or vehicle speed when grade and
road conditions allow.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission
overheating, take the following actions:
City Driving
In city traffic — while stopped, place the
tr

ansmission in NEUTRAL, but do not increase
engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Temporarily turn off air conditioning.5

186 STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
TOWING THIS VEHICLE BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE
Recreational Towing
Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) Models
Recreational towing is allowed ON
LY if the front
wheels are OFF the ground. This may be
accomplished using a tow dolly or vehicle
trailer. If using a tow dolly, follow this procedure:

1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow vehicle, f
ollowing the dolly manufacturer's
instructions.

2. D rive the front wheels onto the tow dolly.
3
. F irmly apply the parking brake. Place the
t
ransmission in PARK. 4. P
roperly secure the front wheels to the
d
olly, following the dolly manufacturer's
instructions.
5. R elease the parking brake.
Towing Condition Wheel OFF the Ground FWD Models
Flat Tow NONENOT ALLOWED
Dolly Tow Front
OK
Rear NOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALLOK

NOTE: When towing your vehicle, always follow applicable state and provincial laws. Contact state and provincial Highway Safety offices for additional details.

CAUTION!
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the
drivetrain will result. If this vehicle requires
towing, make sure the drive wheels are OFF
the ground.
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above
requirements can cause severe transmis -
sion damage. Damage from improper
t o

wing is not covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
CAUTION! (Continued)

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.

210 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
2.4L ENGINE — IF EQUIPPED
On hot days, the engine oil temperature may
become too hot during sustained high-speed
driving or if towing a trailer up long grades. If
this happens, a HOTOIL message will flash in
the odometer and the vehicle speed will be
reduced to 48
mph (77 km/h) maximum until
t h

e engine oil temperature is reduced.
NOTE:
The maximum vehicle speed is reduced to
4 8

mph (77 km/h), you may reduce vehicle
s p

eed further as needed. Once the engine oil
temperature is reduced, you may continue to
drive normally.
GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the gear selector
cannot be moved out of the PARK position, you
can use the following procedure to temporarily
move the gear selector:

1. Turn the engine off.

2

. F irmly apply the parking brake.
3
. O pen the center console and remove the
g
ear selector override access cover (located
in the front lower right corner of the console
storage bin).

Gear Selector Override Access Cover

4. P ress and maintain firm pressure on the
b
rake pedal. 5. I
nsert a screwdriver or similar small tool into
t
he access port, and push and hold the
override release lever forward.

Gear Selector Override Access Cover Removal

6. M ove the gear selector to the NEUTRAL
p
osition.
7. T he vehicle may then be started in
N
EUTRAL.
8. R einstall the gear selector override access
c
over.
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
c o

nditioner 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.

212 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled vehicle using a commercial towing service.
Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to
pr

event damage to your vehicle. Use only tow
bars and other equipment designed for this
purpose, following equipment manufacturer’s
instructions. Use of safety chains is mandatory.
Attach a tow bar or other towing device to main
structural members of the vehicle, not to
bumpers or associated brackets. State and
local laws regarding vehicles under tow must be
observed. If you must use the accessories (wipers,
de
frosters, etc.) while being towed, the ignition
must be in the ON/RUN mode, not the ACC
mode.
If the key fob is unavailable, or the vehicle's
b a

ttery is discharged, refer to “Gear Selector
Override” in this section for instructions on
shifting the transmission out of PARK for
towing.
Towing Condition Wheel OFF The Ground FWD MODELS
Flat Tow NONEIF transmission is operable:
Ignition in ACC or ON/RUN mode
Transmission in NEUTRAL
25 mph (40 km/h) max speed
15 miles (24 km) max distance
Wheel Lift Or Dolly Tow
Rear
Front OK
Flatbed ALLBEST METHOD
CAUTION!
Do not use sling type equipment when
towing. Vehicle damage may occur.
When securing the vehicle to a flatbed
truck, do not attach to front or rear suspen-
sion components. Damage to your vehicle
m a

y result from improper towing.
Do not push or tow this vehicle with another
vehicle as damage to the bumper fascia
and transmission may result.