2021 DODGE DURANGO towing

94GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
Vehicle Security Warning Light —
If Equipped
This light will flash at a fast rate for
approximately 15 seconds when the
vehicle security system is arming, and
then will flash slowly until the vehicle is
disarmed.
YELLOW WARNING LIGHTS
Engine Check/Malfunction Indicator
Warning Light (MIL)
The Engine Check/Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) is a part of an Onboard
Diagnostic System called OBD II that
monitors engine and automatic
transmission control systems. This warning light
will illuminate when the ignition is in the ON/RUN
position before engine start. If the bulb does not
come on when turning the ignition switch from OFF
to ON/RUN, have the condition checked promptly. Certain conditions, such as a loose or missing gas
cap, poor quality fuel, etc., may illuminate the light
after engine start. The vehicle should be serviced if
the light stays on through several typical driving
styles. In most situations, the vehicle will drive
normally and will not require towing.
When the engine is running, the MIL may flash to
alert serious conditions that could lead to
immediate loss of power or severe catalytic
converter damage. The vehicle should be serviced
by an authorized dealer as soon as possible if this
occurs.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Active
Warning Light
This warning light will indicate when the
ESC system is Active. The ESC Indicator
Light in the instrument cluster will come
on when the ignition is placed in the
ON/RUN or ACC/ON/RUN position, and when ESC
is activated. It should go out with the engine
running. If the ESC Indicator Light comes on
continuously with the engine running, a
malfunction has been detected in the ESC system.
If this warning light remains on after several
ignition cycles, and the vehicle has been driven
several miles (kilometers) at speeds greater than
30 mph (48 km/h), see an authorized dealer as
soon as possible to have the problem diagnosed
and corrected.WARNING!
A malfunctioning catalytic converter, as
referenced above, can reach higher
temperatures than in normal operating
conditions. This can cause a fire if you drive
slowly or park over flammable substances such
as dry plants, wood, cardboard, etc. This could
result in death or serious injury to the driver,
occupants or others.
CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) on could cause damage to the
vehicle control system. It also could affect fuel
economy and driveability. If the MIL is flashing,
severe catalytic converter damage and power
loss will soon occur. Immediate service is
required.

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL99
ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM — OBD II
Your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated
Onboard Diagnostic system called OBD II. This
system monitors the performance of the
emissions, engine, and transmission control
systems. When these systems are operating
properly, your vehicle will provide excellent
performance and fuel economy, as well as engine
emissions well within current government
regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD II
system will turn on the Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL). It will also store diagnostic codes and other
information to assist your service technician in
making repairs. Although your vehicle will usually
be driveable and not need towing, see an
authorized dealer for service as soon as possible.
ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM
(OBD II) C
YBERSECURITY
Your vehicle is required to have an OBD II and a
connection port to allow access to information
related to the performance of your emissions
controls. Authorized service technicians may need
to access this information to assist with the
diagnosis and service of your vehicle and
emissions system Ú page 158.
CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the MIL on could cause
further damage to the emission control
system. It could also affect fuel economy and
driveability. The vehicle must be serviced
before any emissions tests can be performed.
If the MIL is flashing while the vehicle is
running, severe catalytic converter damage
and power loss will soon occur. Immediate
service is required.
WARNING!
ONLY an authorized service technician should
connect equipment to the OBD II connection
port in order to read the VIN, diagnose, or
service your vehicle.
If unauthorized equipment is connected to the
OBD II connection port, such as a
driver-behavior tracking device, 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.
Access, or allow others to access, infor -
mation stored in your vehicle systems,
including personal information.
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110STARTING AND OPERATING
The following indicators should be used to ensure
that you have properly engaged the transmission
into the PARK position:
When shifting into PARK, push the lock button
on the gear selector and firmly move the
selector all the way forward until it stops and is
fully seated.
Look at the transmission gear position display
and verify that it indicates the PARK position (P),
and is not blinking.
With the brake pedal released, verify that the
gear selector will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward.
Shift into REVERSE only after the vehicle has come
to a complete stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with the engine running. Apply
the parking brake and shift the transmission into
PARK (P) if you must exit the vehicle.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and
highway driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts
and downshifts, and the best fuel economy. The
transmission automatically upshifts through all
forward gears. When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such
as when operating the vehicle under heavy loading
conditions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong
head winds, or while towing a heavy trailer), use
the AutoStick shift control to select a lower gear
Ú
page 111. Under these conditions, using a lower
gear will improve performance and extend
transmission life by reducing excessive shifting
and heat buildup.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation
may be modified depending on engine and
transmission temperature as well as vehicle
speed. This feature improves warm up time of the
engine and transmission to achieve maximum
efficiency. Engagement of the torque converter
clutch is inhibited until the transmission fluid is
warm. Normal operation will resume once the
transmission temperature has risen to a suitable
level.
Manual (M)
The MANUAL (M, +/-) position (beside the DRIVE
position) enables full manual control of
transmission shifting (also known as AutoStick
mode Ú page 111). Toggling the gear selector
forward (-) or rearward (+) while in the MANUAL
(AutoStick) position will manually select the
transmission gear, and will display the current gear
in the instrument cluster as 1, 2, 3, etc.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing
traffic or road conditions. You might lose control
of the vehicle and have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL
can cause severe transmission damage.
For Recreational Towing Ú page 153.
For Towing A Disabled Vehicle Ú page 261.

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STARTING AND OPERATING111
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically
for abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected
that could result in transmission damage,
Transmission Limp Home Mode is activated. In this
mode, the transmission may operate only in
certain gears, or may not shift at all. Vehicle
performance may be severely degraded and the
engine may stall. In some situations, the
transmission may not re-engage if the engine is
turned off and restarted. The Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) may be illuminated. A message in the
instrument cluster will inform the driver of the
more serious conditions, and indicate what actions
may be necessary.
In the event of a momentary problem, the
transmission can be reset to regain all forward
gears by performing the following steps:
NOTE:In cases where the instrument cluster message
indicates the transmission may not re-engage after
engine shutdown, perform this procedure only in a
desired location (preferably, at an authorized
dealer):

1. Stop the vehicle.

2. Shift the transmission into PARK (P), if
possible. If not, shift the transmission to
NEUTRAL (N). 3. Push and hold the ignition switch until the
engine turns off.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no longer detected, the
transmission will return to normal operation.
NOTE:Even if the transmission can be reset, we
recommend that you visit an authorized dealer at
your earliest possible convenience. An authorized
dealer has diagnostic equipment to assess the
condition of your transmission. If the transmission
cannot be reset, authorized dealer service is
required.
AutoStick — If Equipped
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission
feature providing manual shift control, giving you
more control of the vehicle. AutoStick allows you to
maximize engine braking, eliminate undesirable
upshifts and downshifts, and improve overall
vehicle performance. This system can also provide
you with more control during passing, city driving,
cold slippery conditions, mountain driving, trailer
towing, and many other situations. Operation
In AutoStick mode, you can use the gear selector
(in the MANUAL position), or the shift paddles to
the MANUAL (M) position (beside the DRIVE (D)
position), or tap one of the shift paddles on the
steering wheel. Tapping the (-) shift paddle to enter
AutoStick mode will downshift the transmission to
the next lower gear, while tapping (+) to enter
AutoStick mode will retain the current gear. The
current transmission gear will be displayed in the
instrument cluster.
NOTE:The shift paddles (if equipped) may be disabled
using the Uconnect Personal Settings.
AutoStick mode has the following operational
benefits:
The transmission will automatically downshift
as the vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging)
and will display the current gear.
The transmission will automatically downshift to
FIRST gear when coming to a stop. After a stop,
the driver should manually upshift (+) the trans
-
mission as the vehicle is accelerated.
You can start out, from a stop, in FIRST or
SECOND gear. Tapping (+) at a stop will allow
starting in SECOND gear. Starting out in
SECOND gear can be helpful in snowy or icy
conditions.
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114STARTING AND OPERATING
NEUTRAL (N)
This range disengages both the front and rear
driveshafts from the powertrain. To be used for flat
towing behind another vehicle Ú page 153.
SHIFTING PROCEDURE
NOTE:
If any of the requirements to select a new
transfer case position have not been met, the
transfer case will not shift. The position indi -
cator light for the previous position will remain
on and the newly selected position indicator
light will continue to flash until all the require -
ments for the selected position have been met.
To retry a shift: return the control switch back to
the original position, make certain all shift
requirements have been met, wait five seconds
and try the shift again.
If all the requirements to select a new transfer
case position have been met, the current posi -
tion indicator light will turn off, the selected posi -
tion indicator light will flash until the transfer
case completes the shift. When the shift is
complete, the position indicator light for the
selected position will stop flashing and remain
on.
AWD AUTO To AWD LOW
NOTE:When shifting into or out of AWD LOW some gear
noise may be heard. This noise is normal and is not
detrimental to the vehicle or occupants.
Shifting can be performed with the vehicle rolling
2 to 3 mph (3 to 5 km/h) or completely stopped.
Use either of the following procedures:
Preferred Procedure

1. With the engine running, slow the vehicle to 2 to 3 mph (3 to 5 km/h).

2. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
3. While still rolling, push the AWD LOW control switch.
4. After the AWD LOW position indicator light is on (not flashing), shift the transmission back into
gear. Alternate Procedure

1. Bring the vehicle to complete stop.

2. With the ignition in ON/RUN position and
engine running, shift the transmission to
NEUTRAL.
3. Push the AWD LOW control switch.
4. After the AWD LOW position indicator light is on (not flashing), shift the transmission back into
gear.NOTE:
If steps 1 or 2 of either the “Preferred” or “Alter -
nate Procedure” are not satisfied prior to
attempting the shift or if they no longer are
being met while the shift attempt is in process,
the desired position indicator light will flash
continuously while the original position indicator
light is on, until all requirements have been met.
The ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN posi -
tion for a shift to take place and for the position
indicator lights to be operable. If the ignition
switch is not in the ON/RUN position, then the
shift will not take place and no position indicator
lights will be on or flashing.
N (Neutral) Shift Procedure
For information regarding the transfer case N
(Neutral) shift procedure, see Ú page 154.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you
leave the vehicle unattended with the transfer
case in the NEUTRAL position without first fully
engaging the parking brake. The transfer case
NEUTRAL position disengages both the front and
rear drive shafts from the powertrain and will
allow the vehicle to roll, even if the transmission
is in PARK. The parking brake should always be
applied when the driver is not in the vehicle.

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STARTING AND OPERATING115
TOW N GO — IF EQUIPPED
Tow N Go combines the capabilities of the vehicle
control systems, along with driver input, to provide
optimum performance for road conditions.
Push any one of the four drive mode buttons to
select the desired mode.

Drive Mode Buttons
Tow N Go consists of the following positions:TRACK
– Track mode optimizes settings for
transmission, engine, driveline, and suspension
in order to maximize vehicle performance. Also
the electric power steering offers more feed -
back of the tire gripping the road. This feature
will reset to AUTO upon an ignition cycle. To turn
off Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Ú page 192.
SPORT – Dry weather, on-road calibration.
Performance based tuning that provides a
rear-wheel drive feel but with improved handling
and acceleration over a two-wheel drive vehicle.
This feature will reset to AUTO upon an ignition
cycle.
TOW – Tow drive mode also optimizes the trans -
mission shifting for towing, as well as maxi -
mizing straight line traction by optimizing
driveline settings on AWD system. Use this
mode for towing/hauling. Vehicle suspension
will go to SPORT mode. Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) is enabled in the ESC system. This feature
will reset to AUTO upon an ignition cycle.
SNOW – Tuning set for additional stability in
inclement weather. Use on and off-road on
loose traction surfaces such as snow. This
feature will reset to AUTO upon an ignition cycle.
GUIDELINES FOR TRACK USE
If your vehicle is equipped with Drive Modes,
they will alter the vehicle’s performance in
various driving situations. It is recommended
that your vehicle operates in SPORT or TRACK
modes during the track event.
Prior to each track event, verify all fluids are at
the correct levels.
Prior to each track event, verify the front and
rear brake pads have more than half pad thick -
ness remaining. If the brake pads require
changing, complete a brake burnish procedure
prior to track outing at full pace.
NOTE:Use of DOT 4 brake fluid is suggested for extended
track usage due to increased thermal capacity.
At the conclusion of each track event, it is
recommended that a brake bleed procedure is
performed to maintain the pedal feel and stop -
ping capability of your Brembo High Perfor -
mance brake system.
It is recommended that each track outing
should end with a minimum of one cooldown lap
using minimal braking.
It is recommended that the suspension system,
brake system, prop shaft, and half shaft boots
be checked for wear or damage after every track
event.
1 — TRACK
2 — SPORT
3 — TOW
4 — SNOW
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122STARTING AND OPERATING
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Operation
The buttons on the right side of the steering wheel
operate the ACC system.

Adaptive Cruise Control Buttons

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Menu
The instrument cluster display will show the
current ACC system settings. The information it
displays depends on ACC system status.
Push the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) on/off
button until one of the following appears in the
instrument cluster display:
Adaptive Cruise Control Off
When ACC is deactivated, the display will read
“Adaptive Cruise Control Off.”
Adaptive Cruise Control Ready
When ACC is activated but the vehicle speed
setting has not been selected, the display will read
“Adaptive Cruise Control Ready.”
Adaptive Cruise Control Set
When the SET (+) or the SET (-) button is pushed,
the display will read “ACC SET.”
When ACC is set, the set speed will show in the
instrument cluster display.Will bring the vehicle to a complete stop
while following a target vehicle and hold
the vehicle for two seconds in the stop
position. If the target vehicle does not
start moving within two seconds the ACC
system will display a message that the
system will release the brakes and that
the brakes must be applied manually. An
audible chime will sound when the brakes
are released.
You should switch off the ACC system:
When driving in fog, heavy rain, heavy snow,
sleet, heavy traffic, and complex driving situa -
tions (i.e., in highway construction zones).
When entering a turn lane or highway
off-ramp; when driving on roads that are
winding, icy, snow-covered, slippery, or have
steep uphill or downhill slopes.
When towing a trailer up or down steep slopes.
When circumstances do not allow safe driving
at a constant speed.
WARNING!
1 — CANC/Cancel
2 — Fixed Speed Cruise Control On/Off
3 — Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) On/Off
4 — Distance Decrease Button
5 — SET (+)/Accel
6 — RES/Resume
7 — SET (-)/Decel
8 — Distance Increase Button

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128STARTING AND OPERATING
This message can sometimes be displayed
while driving in adverse weather conditions. The
ACC/FCW system will recover after the vehicle has
left these areas. Under rare conditions, when the
camera is not tracking any vehicles or objects in its
path this warning may temporarily occur.
If weather conditions are not a factor, the driver
should examine the windshield and the camera
located on the back side of the inside rearview
mirror. They may require cleaning or removal of an
obstruction.
When the condition that created limited
functionality is no longer present, the system will
return to full functionality.
NOTE:If the “ACC/FCW Limited Functionality Clean Front
Windshield” message occurs frequently (e.g. more
than once on every trip) without any snow, rain,
mud, or other obstruction, have the windshield and
forward facing camera inspected at an authorized
dealer.
SERVICE ACC/FCW WARNING
If the system turns off, and the instrument cluster
display reads “ACC/FCW Unavailable Service
Required” or “Cruise/FCW Unavailable Service
Required”, there may be an internal system fault or
a temporary malfunction that limits ACC
functionality. Although the vehicle is still drivable
under normal conditions, ACC will be temporarily
unavailable. If this occurs, try activating ACC again
later, following an ignition cycle. If the problem
persists, see an authorized dealer.
Precautions While Driving With ACC
In certain driving situations, ACC may have
detection issues. In these cases, ACC may brake
late or unexpectedly. The driver needs to stay alert
and may need to intervene. The following are
examples of these types of situations:
TOWING A TRAILER
ACC while towing a trailer is recommended only
with an Integrated Trailer Brake Controller.
Aftermarket trailer brake controllers will not
activate the trailer brakes when ACC is braking.
OFFSET DRIVING
ACC may not detect a vehicle in the same lane that
is offset from your direct line of travel, or a vehicle
merging in from a side lane. There may not be
sufficient distance to the vehicle ahead. The offset
vehicle may move in and out of the line of travel,
which can cause your vehicle to brake or
accelerate unexpectedly.

Offset Driving Condition Example

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