2020 DODGE JOURNEY Start stop

176 STARTING AND OPERATING
The following table shows the approximate
distances for each zone:
NOTE:
If snow, ice, mud, or any foreign substance
bu
ilds up on the camera lens, clean the lens,
rinse with water, and dry with a soft cloth. Do
not cover the lens.
REFUELING THE VEHICLE
The gas cap is located behind the fuel filler door
on the left side of the vehicle. If the gas cap is
lost or damaged, be sure the replacement cap
has been designed for use with this vehicle.

Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)

NOTE:
When removing the fuel filler cap, lay the cap
t e

ther in the hook, located on the fuel filler door
reinforcement.
Zone
Distance To The Rear Of The
Ve

hicle
Red 0 - 1 ft (0 - 30 cm)
Yellow 1 ft - 3 ft (30 cm - 1 m)
Green 3 ft or greater (1 m or greater)
WARNING!
Drivers must be careful when backing up
even when using the ParkView Rear Back Up
Camera. Always check carefully behind your
vehicle, and be sure to check for pedestrians,
animals, other vehicles, obstructions, or blind
spots before backing up. You are responsible
for the safety of your surroundings and must
continue to pay attention while backing up.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury or
death.
CAUTION!
To avoid vehicle damage, ParkView should
only be used as a parking aid. The ParkView
camera is unable to view every obstacle or
object in your drive path.
To avoid vehicle damage, the vehicle must
be driven slowly when using ParkView to be
able to stop in time when an obstacle is
seen. It is recommended that the driver
look frequently over his/her shoulder when
using ParkView.

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

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

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)

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 209
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables

1. D isconnect the negative
(-)
jumper cable
from the remote negative (-)
post of the
vehicle with the discharged battery.

2. D isconnect the negative end (
-) of the
jumper cable from the negative (-) post of
the booster battery.
3. D isconnect the opposite end of the
p
ositive (+)
jumper cable from the
positive (+)
post of the booster battery.
4. D isconnect the positive (
+) end of the
jumper cable from the remote positive (+)
post of the discharged vehicle.
5. R einstall the protective cover over the
r
emote positive (+) battery post of the
discharged vehicle.
If frequent jump starting is required to start
your vehicle, you should have the battery and
c h

arging system inspected at an authorized
dealer.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can
reduce the potential for overheating by taking
the appropriate action.
On the highways — slow down.
In city traffic — while stopped, place the trans -
mission in NEUTRAL, but do not increase the
e n

gine idle speed while preventing vehicle
motion with the brakes. NOTE:

There are steps that you can take to slow down
an
impending overheat condition:
If your Air Conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off.
The A/C system adds heat to the engine
cooling system and turning the A/C off can
help remove this heat.
You can also turn the temperature control to
maximum heat, the mode control to floor and
the blower control to high. This allows the
heater core to act as a supplement to the
radiator and aids in removing heat from the
engine cooling system.
CAUTION!

Accessories plugged into the vehicle power
outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular devices,
etc.). Eventually, if plugged in long enough
without engine operation, the vehicle’s battery
will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery
life and/or prevent the engine from starting.

WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming
from under the hood, do not open the hood
until the radiator has had time to cool. Never
try to open a cooling system pressure cap
when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
6

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.