2021 DODGE CHALLENGER ECU

STARTING AND OPERATING111
GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum capacity of the front
and rear axles. Distribute the load over the front
and rear axles evenly. Make sure that you do not
exceed either front or rear GAWR.
OVERLOADING
The load carrying components (axle, springs, tires,
wheels, etc.) of your vehicle will provide
satisfactory service as long as you do not exceed
the GVWR and the front and rear GAWR.
The best way to figure out the total weight of your
vehicle is to weigh it when it is fully loaded and
ready for operation. Weigh it on a commercial scale
to ensure that it is not over the GVWR.
Figure out the weight on the front and rear of the
vehicle separately. It is important that you
distribute the load evenly over the front and rear
axles. Overloading can cause potential safety hazards
and shorten useful service life. Heavier axles or
suspension components do not necessarily
increase the vehicle's GVWR.
LOADING
To load your vehicle properly, first figure out its
empty weight, axle-by-axle and side-by-side. Store
heavier items down low and be sure you distribute
their weight as evenly as possible. Stow all loose
items securely before driving. If weighing the
loaded vehicle shows that you have exceeded
either GAWR, but the total load is within the
specified GVWR, you must redistribute the weight.
Improper weight distribution can have an adverse
effect on the way your vehicle steers and handles
and the way the brakes operate.
NOTE:Refer to the Vehicle Certification Label affixed to
the rear of the driver's door for your vehicle's GVWR
and GAWRs Ú
page 110.
TRAILER TOWING
In this section, you will find safety tips and
information on limits to the type of towing you can
reasonably do with your vehicle. Before towing a
trailer, carefully review this information to tow your
load as efficiently and safely as possible. To maintain warranty coverage, follow the
requirements and recommendations in this
manual concerning vehicles used for trailer towing.
Manual Transmission — If Equipped
Trailer towing with this vehicle is not
recommended.
COMMON TOWING DEFINITIONS
The following trailer towing related definitions will
assist you in understanding the following
information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable weight of your
vehicle. This includes driver, passengers, cargo
and tongue weight. The total load must be limited
so that you do not exceed the GVWR Ú
page 110.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus the weight
of all cargo, consumables, and equipment
(permanent or temporary) loaded in or on the
trailer in its "loaded and ready for operation"
condition.
The recommended way to measure GTW is to put
your fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale. The
entire weight of the trailer must be supported by
the scale.
WARNING!
Because the front wheels steer the vehicle, it is
important that you do not exceed the maximum
front or rear GAWR. A dangerous driving
condition can result if either rating is exceeded.
You could lose control of the vehicle and have a
collision.
4

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114STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
(Continued)
TRAILER AND TONGUE WEIGHT
Never exceed the maximum tongue weight
stamped on your fascia/bumper or trailer hitch.

Weight Distribution
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 equip
-
ment 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 dealer-installed options
must be considered as part of the total load on
your vehicle. Refer to the “Tire And Loading Infor -
mation” 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.CAUTION!
Always load a trailer with 60% of the weight in
the front of the trailer. This places 10% of the
GTW on the tow hitch of your vehicle. Loads
balanced over the wheels or heavier in the rear
can cause the trailer to sway severely side to
side which will cause loss of control of the
vehicle and trailer. Failure to load trailers heavier
in front is the cause of many trailer collisions.
WARNING!
Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and 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. Overloading
can cause a loss of control, poor performance
or damage to brakes, axle, engine, transmis -
sion, steering, suspension, chassis structure
or tires.
Safety chains must always be used between
your vehicle and trailer. Always connect the
chains to the 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
transmission in PARK. Always, block or
"chock" the trailer wheels.
GCWR must not be exceeded.
WARNING!

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119
MULTIMEDIA
UCONNECT SYSTEMS
For detailed information about your Uconnect 4/
4C/4C NAV With 8.4-inch Display system, refer to
your Uconnect Owner’s Manual Supplement.
NOTE:Uconnect screen images are for illustration
purposes only and may not reflect exact software
for your vehicle.
CYBERSECURITY
Your vehicle may be a connected vehicle and may
be equipped with both wired and wireless
networks. These networks allow your vehicle to
send and receive information. This information
allows systems and features in your vehicle to
function properly.
Your vehicle may be equipped with certain security
features to reduce the risk of unauthorized and
unlawful access to vehicle systems and wireless
communications. Vehicle software technology
continues to evolve over time and FCA US LLC,
working with its suppliers, evaluates and takes
appropriate steps as needed. Similar to a
computer or other devices, your vehicle may
require software updates to improve the usability and performance of your systems or to reduce the
potential risk of unauthorized and unlawful access
to your vehicle systems.
The risk of unauthorized and unlawful access to
your vehicle systems may still exist, even if the
most recent version of vehicle software (such as
Uconnect software) is installed.
NOTE:
FCA US LLC or an authorized dealer may contact
you directly regarding software updates.
To help further improve vehicle security and
minimize the potential risk of a security breach,
vehicle owners should:
Routinely check www.driveuconnect.com
(US Residents) or www.driveuconnect.ca
(Canadian Residents) to learn about avail -
able Uconnect software updates.
Only connect and use trusted media
devices (e.g. personal mobile phones,
USBs, CDs).
Privacy of any wireless and wired communications
cannot be assured. Third parties may unlawfully
intercept information and private communications
without your consent. For further information, refer
to “Data Collection & Privacy” in your Uconnect
Owner’s Manual Supplement or “Onboard
Diagnostic System (OBD II) Cybersecurity”
Ú page 76.
WARNING!
It is not possible to know or to predict all of the
possible outcomes if your vehicle’s systems
are breached. It may be possible that vehicle
systems, including safety related systems,
could be impaired or a loss of vehicle control
could occur that may result in an accident
involving serious injury or death.
ONLY insert media (e.g., USB or CD) into your
vehicle if it came from a trusted source. Media
of unknown origin could possibly contain mali -
cious software, and if installed in your vehicle,
it may increase the possibility for vehicle
systems to be breached.
As always, if you experience unusual vehicle
behavior, take your vehicle to your nearest
authorized dealer immediately.
5

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MULTIMEDIA163
NOTE:
Requires compatible smartphone running
Android™ 6.0 or higher and download app on
Google Play. Android™, Android Auto™, and
Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc.
Android Auto™ may be downloaded automati -
cally depending on the software version
installed on your mobile device.
To wirelessly use Android Auto™ on your car
display, you need a compatible Android™ smart -
phone with an active data plan. You can check
which smartphones are compatible at
g.co/
androidauto/requirements.
Android™ is a trademark of Google Inc.
APPLE CARPLAY®
Use this QR code to access your
digital experience.
Uconnect works seamlessly with
Apple CarPlay®, the smarter,
more secure way to use your
iPhone® in the car, and stay
focused on the road. Use your
Uconnect Touchscreen display, the vehicle's knobs
and controls, and your voice with Siri to get access
to Apple Music®, Maps, Messages, and more.
NOTE:Feature availability depends on your carrier and
mobile phone manufacturer. Some Apple
CarPlay® features may or may not be available in
every region and/or language.
To use Apple CarPlay®, make sure you are using
iPhone® 5 or later, have Siri enabled in Settings,
ensure your iPhone® is unlocked for the very first
connection only, and then use the following
procedure:

1. Connect your iPhone® to one of the media USB ports in your vehicle.

NOTE:Be sure to use the factory-provided Lightning cable
that came with your phone, as aftermarket cables
may not work.
2. Once the device is connected and recognized, the Phone icon on the drag & drop menu bar
changes to the Apple CarPlay® Icon.
NOTE:Apple CarPlay® is set to launch immediately. You
can also launch it by pressing the Apple CarPlay®
icon on the touchscreen.
Apple CarPlay® And LTE Data Coverage

NOTE:To use Apple CarPlay®, make sure that cellular
data is turned on, and that you are in an area with
cellular coverage. Your data and cellular coverage
is shown on the left side of the radio screen. Data
plan rates apply.
1 — LTE Data Coverage
2 — Apple CarPlay® Icon5

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192SAFETY
5. Once you repair or replace the original road tire and reinstall it on the vehicle in place of the
compact spare or non-matching full size, the
TPMS will update automatically. In addition,
the TPMS Warning Light will turn off and the
graphic in the instrument cluster will display a
new pressure value instead of dashes (- -), as
long as no tire pressure is below the
low-pressure warning limit in any of the four
active road tires. The vehicle may need to be
driven for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph
(24 km/h) in order for the TPMS to receive this
information.
TPMS Deactivation — If Equipped
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) can
be deactivated if replacing all four wheel and tire
assemblies (road tires) with wheel and tire
assemblies that do not have TPMS sensors, such
as when installing winter wheel and tire
assemblies on your vehicle.
To deactivate the TPMS, first replace all four wheel
and tire assemblies (road tires) with tires not
equipped with Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) sensors. Then, drive the vehicle for
20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h). The TPMS
will chime, the TPMS Warning Light will flash on
and off for 75 seconds and then remain on. The
instrument cluster will display the “Service Tire
Pressure System” message and then display
dashes (--) in place of the pressure values. Beginning with the next ignition cycle, the TPMS
will no longer chime or display the “Service Tire
Pressure System” message in the instrument
cluster but dashes (--) will remain in place of the
pressure values.
To reactivate the TPMS, replace all four wheel and
tire assemblies (road tires) with tires equipped with
TPMS sensors. Then, drive the vehicle for up to
20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h). The TPMS
will chime, the TPMS Warning Light will flash on
and off for 75 seconds and then turn off. The
instrument cluster will display the “Service Tire
Pressure System” message and then display
pressure values in place of the dashes. On the next
ignition cycle the "Service Tire Pressure System"
message will no longer be displayed as long as no
system fault exists.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
F
EATURES
Seat Belt Systems
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Air Bags
Child Restraints Some of the safety features described in this
section may be standard equipment on some
models, or may be optional equipment on others. If
you are not sure, ask an authorized dealer.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Please pay close attention to the information in
this section. It tells you how to use your restraint
system properly, to keep you and your passengers
as safe as possible.
Here are some simple steps you can take to
minimize the risk of harm from a deploying air bag:

1. Children 12 years old and under should
always ride buckled up in the rear seat of a
vehicle with a rear seat.

If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear
seat, FCA US LLC recommends that you do
not allow children 12 years old and under to
ride in your vehicle.
2. A child who is not big enough to wear the vehicle seat belt properly must be secured in
the appropriate child restraint or
belt-positioning booster seat in a rear seating
position Ú page 208.
3. If a child from 2 to 12 years old (not in a rear-facing child restraint) must ride in the
front passenger seat, move the seat as far
back as possible and use the proper child
restraint Ú page 208.

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194SAFETY
Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert)
Driver And Passenger BeltAlert — If Equipped
BeltAlert is a feature intended to remind the
driver and outboard front seat passenger (if
equipped with outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert) to buckle their seat belts. The BeltAlert
feature is active whenever the ignition switch is in
the START or ON/RUN position. Initial Indication
If the driver is unbuckled when the ignition switch
is first in the START or ON/RUN position, a chime
will signal for a few seconds. If the driver or
outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with
outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) is
unbuckled when the ignition switch is first in the
START or ON/RUN position the Seat Belt Reminder
Light will turn on and remain on until both outboard
front seat belts are buckled. The outboard front
passenger seat BeltAlert is not active when an
outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied.
BeltAlert Warning Sequence
The BeltAlert warning sequence is activated when
the vehicle is moving above a specified vehicle
speed range and the driver or outboard front seat
passenger is unbuckled (if equipped with outboard
front passenger seat BeltAlert) (the outboard front
passenger seat BeltAlert is not active when the
outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied). The
BeltAlert warning sequence starts by blinking the
Seat Belt Reminder Light and sounding an
intermittent chime. Once the BeltAlert warning
sequence has completed, the Seat Belt Reminder
Light will remain on until the seat belts are
buckled. The BeltAlert warning sequence may
repeat based on vehicle speed until the driver and
occupied outboard front seat passenger seat belts
are buckled. The driver should instruct all
occupants to buckle their seat belts.
Change Of Status
If the driver or outboard front seat passenger (if
equipped with outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert) unbuckles their seat belt while the
vehicle is traveling, the BeltAlert warning sequence
will begin until the seat belts are buckled again.
The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not
active when the outboard front passenger seat is
unoccupied. BeltAlert may be triggered when an
animal or other items are placed on the outboard
front passenger seat or when the seat is folded flat
(if equipped). It is recommended that pets be
restrained in the rear seat (if equipped) in pet
harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat
belts, and cargo is properly stowed.
BeltAlert can be activated or deactivated by an
authorized dealer. FCA US LLC does not
recommend deactivating BeltAlert.
NOTE:If BeltAlert has been deactivated and the driver or
outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with
outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) is
unbuckled the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn
on and remain on until the driver and outboard
front seat passenger seat belts are buckled.
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat
and using a seat belt properly. Occupants,
including the driver, should always wear their
seat belts whether or not an air bag is also
provided at their seating positions to minimize
the risk of severe injury or death in the event
of a crash.
All occupants, including the driver, should not
operate a vehicle or sit in a vehicle’s seat if the
head restraints are not in place of their proper
positions in order to minimize the risk of neck
injury in the event of a crash.
Head restraints should never be adjusted
while the vehicle is in motion. Driving a vehicle
with the head restraints improperly adjusted
or removed could cause serious injury or
death in the event of a collision.
WARNING!

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198SAFETY
Seat Belt Pretensioner
The front outboard seat belt system is equipped
with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt in the event of a
collision. These devices may improve the
performance of the seat belt by removing slack
from the seat belt early in a collision. Pretensioners
work for all size occupants, including those in child
restraints.
NOTE:These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still
must be worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant
Restraint Controller (ORC). Like the air bags, the
pretensioners are single use items. A deployed
pretensioner or a deployed air bag must be
replaced immediately.
Energy Management Feature
The front outboard seat belt system is equipped
with an Energy Management feature that may help
further reduce the risk of injury in the event of a
collision. The seat belt system has a retractor
assembly that is designed to release webbing in a
controlled manner.
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR)
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions
are equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) which is used to secure a child
restraint system Ú page 217.
The figure below illustrates the locking feature for
each seating position.

Vehicle With Rear Seating Rear Seat Delete — Only Front Passenger Seat Available
Passenger Seat Delete — No Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations

ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor

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208SAFETY
NOTE:EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving condi -
tions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender,
age, and crash location) are recorded. However,
other parties, such as law enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required, and access to the vehicle or
the EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle
manufacturer, other parties, such as law
enforcement, that have the special equipment,
can read the information if they have access to the
vehicle or the EDR.
CHILD RESTRAINTS
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at
all times, including babies and children. Every
state in the United States, and every Canadian
province, requires that small children ride in
proper restraint systems. This is the law, and you
can be prosecuted for ignoring it. Children 12 years or younger should ride properly
buckled up in a rear seat, if available.
According to crash statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seats rather
than in the front.
If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat, FCA
US LLC recommends that you do not allow children
12 years old and under to ride in your vehicle. If the
rear seats are not present in your vehicle, NEVER
install a child restraint in these positions.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost
large enough for an adult safety belt. Always check
the child seat Owner’s Manual to make sure you
have the correct seat for your child. Carefully read
and follow all the instructions and warnings in the
child restraint Owner’s Manual and on all the
labels attached to the child restraint.
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that
it has a label certifying that it meets all applicable
Safety Standards. You should also make sure that
you can install it in the vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:
For additional information, refer to http://
www.nhtsa.gov/parents-and-caregivers or
call: 1–888–327–4236
Canadian residents should refer to Transport
Canada’s website for additional information:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/road/
child-car-seat-safety.html
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become
a projectile inside the vehicle. The force required
to hold even an infant on your lap could become
so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured or killed. Any child riding
in your vehicle should be in a proper restraint for
the child’s size.

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