2021 CHRYSLER 300 Owners Manual

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 183
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. P lace the gear selector into PARK (P).
5
. T urn the ignition to the OFF position.
6
. B lock both the front and rear of the wheel
d
iagonally opposite the jacking position. For
example, if the driver’s front wheel is being
changed, block the passenger’s rear wheel.

Wheel Blocked

NOTE:
Passengers should not remain in the vehicle when
t h
e vehicle is being lifted or raised.
JACK LOCATION/SPARE TIRE STOWAGE
The jack and spare tire are both stowed under an
access cover in the trunk. Follow these steps to
access the jack and spare tire.
NOTE:
The spare tire must be removed in order to access
t h
e jack.

1. Open the trunk.

2

. Li ft the access cover using the pull strap.
3
. R otate the fastener securing the spare tire
c
ounterclockwise to remove it.

Spare Tire Fastener

4. R emove the spare tire.
5
. R otate the fastener securing the jack counter -
c
lockwise to remove it.
Jack Fastener

6. R emove the jack and lug wrench assembly
f
rom under the spare tire. Turn the jack screw
to the left to loosen the lug wrench, and
remove the wrench from the jack assembly.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision
or hard stop could endanger the occupants of
the vehicle. Always stow the jack parts and the
spare tire in the places provided. Have the
deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced
immediately.7

184 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
(Continued)
JACKING AND CHANGING A TIRE

Jacking Warning Label

Placement for the front and rear jacking locations
ar
e critical. See the following images for proper
jacking locations.
Jacking Locations

1. R emove the spare tire, jack, and lug wrench.

2
. I f equipped with aluminum wheels where the
c
enter cap covers the lug nuts, use the lug
wrench to pry the center cap off carefully
before raising the vehicle.
3. Before raising the vehicle, use the lug wrench t
o loosen, but not remove, the lug nuts on the
wheel with the flat tire. Turn the lug nuts
counterclockwise one turn while the wheel is
still on the ground.
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to
help prevent personal injury or damage to your
vehicle:
Always park on a firm, level surface as far from
the edge of the roadway as possible before
raising the vehicle.
Turn on the Hazard Warning Flashers.
Apply the parking brake firmly and set an auto -
matic transmission in PARK.
Chock 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 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!
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to raise the vehicle by jacking on
locations other than those indicated in the
Jacking Instructions for this vehicle.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 185
4. Place the jack underneath the lift area that is
closest to the flat tire. Turn the jack screw
clockwise to firmly engage the jack saddle with
the lift area of the sill flange.
NOTE:
If the vehicle is too low for jack placement, slide
t h
e jack on its side and rotate it up into position.

Front Lifting Point Front Jacking Location
Rear Lifting Point Rear Jacking Location

5. R aise the vehicle just enough to remove the
f
lat tire and install the spare tire.
6. R emove the lug nuts and tire.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can
make the vehicle less stable. It could slip off the
jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle
only enough to remove the tire.
7

186 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
7. Mount the spare tire.

Mounting Spare Tire

NOTE:
For vehicles so equipped, do not attempt to install
a
center cap or wheel cover on the compact spare
Ú page 236.
8. I nstall the lug nuts with the cone shaped end
of
the lug nut toward the wheel. Lightly tighten
the lug nuts. 9. Low
er the vehicle to the ground by turning the
j
ack handle counterclockwise.
10. Finish tightening the wheel bolts. Push down on
the wrench while at the end of the handle
for increased leverage. Tighten the wheel bolts
in a star pattern until each wheel bolt has been
tightened twice. If in doubt about the correct
tightness, have them checked with a torque
wrench by an authorized dealer or at a service
station
Ú page 245.
11. S tow the jack, tools and flat tire. Make sure the
b
ase of the jack faces the front of the vehicle
before tightening down the fastener.
JUMP STARTING
If your vehicle has a discharged battery, it can be
jump started using a set of jumper cables and a
battery in another vehicle, or by using a portable
battery booster pack. Jump starting can be
dangerous if done improperly, so please follow the
procedures in this section carefully.
NOTE:
When using a portable battery booster pack, follow
t h
e manufacturer's operating instructions and
precautions.
CAUTION!
Be sure to mount the spare tire with the valve
stem facing outward. The vehicle could be
damaged if the spare tire is mounted incorrectly.
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.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision
or hard stop could endanger the occupants of
the vehicle. Always stow the jack parts and the
spare tire in the places provided. Have the
deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced
immediately.
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump starting if the battery is
frozen. It could rupture or explode and cause
personal injury.
CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack or
any other booster source with a system voltage
greater than 12 Volts or damage to the battery,
starter motor, alternator or electrical system may
occur.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 187
PREPARATIONS FOR JUMP START
The battery is stored under an access cover in the
trunk. Remote battery posts are located on the
right side of the engine compartment for jump
starting.

Jump Starting Locations

NOTE:
The remote battery posts are viewed by standing
on
the right side of the vehicle looking over the
fender. The positive battery post may be covered
with a protective cap. Lift up on the cap to gain
access to the positive battery post. Do not jump off
fuses. Only jump directly off positive post which
has a positive (+) symbol on or around the post.
Jump Starting Posts

See below steps to prepare for jump starting:

1. Apply the parking brake, shift the automatic t
ransmission into PARK and cycle the ignition
to OFF.

2. T urn off the heater, radio, and all electrical
a
ccessories.
3. If using another vehicle to jump start the b
attery, park the vehicle within the jumper
cables reach, set the parking brake, and make
sure the ignition is OFF.
Remote Positive (+) Post
Remote Negative (-) Post
Remote Positive (+) Post
Remote Negative (-) Post
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and
personal injury could result.
WARNING!
Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan
whenever the hood is raised. It can start
anytime the ignition switch is ON. You can be
injured by moving fan blades.
Remove any metal jewelry such as rings,
watch bands and bracelets that could make
an inadvertent electrical contact. You could be
seriously injured.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn
your skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas
which is flammable and explosive. Keep open
flames or sparks away from the battery.7

188 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE
NOTE:
Make sure at all times that unused ends of jumper
c a
bles are not contacting each other or either
vehicle while making connections.
Connecting The Jumper Cables

1. C onnect the positive
(
+) end of the jumper
cable to the remote positive (+)
post of the
discharged vehicle.

2. C onnect the opposite end of the positive (
+)
jumper cable to the positive (+) post of the
booster battery.
3. C onnect the negative (
-) end of the jumper
cable to the negative (-) post of the booster
battery. 4. C
onnect the opposite end of the negative (
-)
jumper cable to the remote negative (-) post
(exposed metallic/unpainted post of the
discharge vehicle) located directly behind the
under-hood fuse box.
5. S tart the engine in the vehicle that has the
b
ooster battery, let the engine idle a few
minutes, and then start the engine in the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
6. O nce the engine is started, follow the discon-
n
ection procedure below. Disconnecting The Jumper Cables

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

2. D isconnect the opposite end of the negative (
-)
jumper cable from the negative (-) post of the
booster battery.
3. D isconnect the positive (
+) end of the jumper
cable from the positive (+) post of the booster
battery.
4. D isconnect the opposite end of the positive (
+)
jumper cable from the remote positive (+) post
of the discharged vehicle.
5. R einstall the protective cover over the remote
p
ositive (+) post of the discharged vehicle.
If frequent jump starting is required to start your
ve
hicle you should have the battery and charging
system tested at an authorized dealer.
WARNING!
Failure to follow this jump starting procedure
could result in personal injury or property
damage due to battery explosion.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster
vehicle or the discharged vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not connect the jumper cable to the negative
(-) post of the discharged battery. The resulting
electrical spark could cause the battery to
explode and could result in personal injury.
CAUTION!
Do not run the booster vehicle engine above
2,000 rpm since it provides no charging benefit,
w a
stes fuel, and can damage booster vehicle
engine.
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.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 189
REFUELING IN AN EMERGENCY –
IF EQUIPPED
The vehicle is equipped with a refueling funnel for
a Cap-Less Fuel System. If refueling is necessary,
while using an approved gas can, insert the
refueling funnel into the filler neck opening. Take
care to open both flappers with the funnel to avoid
spills.
NOTE:
In certain cold conditions, ice may prevent the fuel
d oor
from opening. If this occurs, lightly push on
the fuel door to break the ice buildup and
re-release the fuel door using the inside release
button. Do not pry on the door.

Refueling Funnel
Emergency Gas Can Refueling
Most gas cans will not open the flapper doors. A
f
u

nnel is provided to allow emergency refueling
with a gas can.
See below steps for refueling:

1. Retrieve funnel from the spare tire storage a
rea.

2. Insert funnel into same filler pipe opening as t
he fuel nozzle.

Inserting Funnel

3. E nsure funnel is inserted fully to hold flapper
d
oors open. 4. Pour fuel into funnel opening.
5
. Remove funnel from filler pipe, clean off prior t
o putting back in the spare tire storage area.
CAUTION!
To avoid fuel spillage and overfilling, do not “top
off” the fuel tank after filling.
WARNING!
Never have any smoking materials lit in or
near the vehicle when the fuel door is open or
the tank is being filled.
Never add fuel when the engine is running.
This is in violation of most state and federal
fire regulations and may cause the Malfunc -
tion Indicator Light to turn on.
A fire may result if fuel is pumped into a
portable container that is inside of a vehicle.
You could be burned. Always place fuel
containers on the ground while filling.
7

190 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
If the vehicle is overheating, it will need to be
serviced by an authorized dealer.
In any of the following situations, you can reduce
th

e 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
i m
pending 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.
MANUAL PARK RELEASE
To move the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (such as a
depleted battery), a Manual Park Release is
available.
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.

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 conditioner 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.

WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying the
parking brake before activating the Manual Park
Release. In addition, you should be seated in the
driver's seat with your foot firmly on the brake
pedal when activating the Manual Park Release.
Activating the Manual Park Release will allow
your vehicle to roll away if it is not secured by the
parking brake, or by proper connection to a tow
vehicle. Activating the Manual Park Release on
an unsecured vehicle could lead to serious
injury or death for those in or around the vehicle.