208IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or
snow, it can often be moved using a rocking
motion. Turn the steering wheel right and left to
clear the area around the front wheels. Shift
back and forth between DRIVE (D) and
REVERSE (R), while gently pressing the
accelerator. Use the least amount of
accelerator pedal pressure that will maintain
the rocking motion, without spinning the wheels
or racing the engine. NOTE:
Push the “ESC OFF” switch, to place the
Electronic Stability Control System (ESC) in
“Partial OFF” mode, before rocking the vehicle
Ú
page 150. Once the vehicle has been freed,
push the “ESC OFF” switch again to restore
“ESC ON” mode.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may
lead to transmission overheating and failure.
Allow the engine to idle with the transmission
in NEUTRAL for at least one minute after
every five rocking-motion cycles. This will
minimize overheating and reduce the risk of
transmission failure during prolonged efforts
to free a stuck vehicle.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces
generated by excessive wheel speeds may
cause damage, or even failure, of the axle
and tires. A tire could explode and injure
someone. Do not spin your vehicle's wheels
faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for longer than 30 seconds continuously without
stopping when you are stuck and do not let
anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter
what the speed.
CAUTION!
When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting
between DRIVE and REVERSE, do not spin
the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may result.
Spinning the wheels too fast may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. It can
also damage the tires. Do not spin the
wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in
gear (no transmission shifting occurring).
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211
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULED SERVICING
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic oil
change indicator system. The oil change
indicator system will remind you that it is time to
take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance.
Based on engine operation conditions, the oil
change indicator message will illuminate in the
instrument cluster. This means that service is
required for your vehicle. Operating conditions
such as frequent short-trips, trailer tow, and
extremely hot or cold ambient temperatures will
influence when the “Oil Change Required”
message is displayed. Severe Operating
Conditions can cause the change oil message to
illuminate as early as 3,500 miles (5,600 km)
since last reset. Have the vehicle serviced as
soon as possible, within the next 500 miles
(805 km).
An authorized dealer will reset the oil change
indicator message after completing the
scheduled oil change. If a scheduled oil change
is performed by someone other than an
authorized dealer, the message can be reset by
referring to the steps described under
Instrument Cluster Display Ú
page 45.
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change
intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km),
12 months or 350 hours of engine run time,
whichever comes first. The 350 hours of engine
run or idle time is generally only a concern for
fleet customers. Severe Duty All Models
Vehicles that are operated in a dusty and off-road
environment, or predominately at idle or very low
engine RPM are known as Severe Duty vehicles.
It is recommended that you change the engine oil
at 4,000 miles (6,500 km) or 350 hours of
engine run time.
Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
Check engine oil level
Check windshield washer fluid level
Check the tire pressures and look for unusual
wear or damage. Rotate at the first sign of
irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil
indicator system turns on
Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir,
brake master cylinder, and power steering
and fill as needed
Check function of all interior and exterior
lights
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212SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
MAINTENANCE PLAN
Refer to the maintenance plan for the required maintenance intervals. More frequent maintenance may be needed in severe conditions, such as dusty
areas and very short trip driving. In some extreme conditions, additional maintenance not specified in the maintenance schedule may be required.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change Indicator System:
Change oil and filter.
Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator system turns on.
Inspect battery and clean and tighten terminals as required.
Inspect the CV/Universal joints.
Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses and park brake.
Inspect engine cooling system protection and hoses.
Inspect exhaust system.
Inspect engine air cleaner if using in dusty or off-road conditions.
Inspect and replace the Evaporative System Fresh Air Filter as necessary, replacement may be more frequent if vehicle is operated in extreme dusty
conditions.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE213
Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first)
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
Or Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000
Additional Inspections
Inspect the CV/Universal joints. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Inspect front suspension, tie rod
ends, boot seals, and replace if
necessary. X
X X X X XX
Inspect the brake pads, replace
as necessary. X
X X X X XX
Additional Maintenance
Replace the engine air filter. XX X X X
Inspect the cabin air filter, replace
as necessary. X
X X X X XX
Replace the Brake Fluid every
two years.
1X X X X X XX
Replace the spark plugs.
2X
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214SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Flush and replace the engine
coolant at 10 years or
150,000 miles (240,000 km)
whichever comes first. X
X
Change the automatic
transmission fluid and filter. X
X
Inspect and replace the PCV valve
if necessary. X
1. The brake fluid change interval is time based only, mileage intervals do not apply.
2. The spark plug change interval is mileage based only, yearly intervals do not apply.
Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first)
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
Or Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or around a motor vehicle. Do only service work for which you have the knowledge and the right equipment.
If you have any doubt about your ability to perform a service job, take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
Failure to properly inspect and maintain your vehicle could result in a component malfunction and effect vehicle handling and performance.
This could cause an accident.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE215
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
3.6L ENGINE
1 — Washer Fluid Reservoir Cap 5 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
2 — Engine Oil Fill 6 — Coolant Reservoir Cap
3 — Engine Oil Dipstick 7 — Power Steering Reservoir Cap
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir Cap
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216SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
(Continued)
CHECKING OIL LEVEL
To ensure proper engine lubrication, the engine
oil must be maintained at the correct level.
Check the oil level at regular intervals, such as
every fuel stop. The best time to check the
engine oil level is about five minutes after a fully
warmed up engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level
ground will improve the accuracy of the oil level
readings. There are four possible dipstick types:
Crosshatched zone.
Crosshatched zone marked SAFE.
Crosshatched zone marked with MIN at the
low end of the range and MAX at the high end
of the range.
Crosshatched zone marked with dimples at
the MIN and the MAX ends of the range.
NOTE:
Always maintain the oil level within the cross -
hatch markings on the dipstick.
Adding 1 quart (1.0 liter) of oil when the reading
is at the low end of the dipstick range will raise
the oil level to the high end of the range
marking.
WARNING!
Never smoke while working in the engine
compartment: gas and inflammable vapors
may be present, with the risk of fire.
Be very careful when working in the engine
compartment when the engine is hot: you
may get burned. Do not get too close to the
radiator cooling fan: the electric fan may
start; danger of injury. Scarves, ties and
other loose clothing might be pulled by
moving parts.
CAUTION!
Be careful not to confuse the various types
of fluids while topping up: they are not
compatible with each other! Topping up
with an unsuitable fluid could severely
damage your car.
The oil level must never exceed the
MAX mark.
Always top up using engine oil of the same
specifications as that already in the engine.
If the engine oil is being topped up, wait for
the engine to cool down before loosening
the filler cap, particularly for vehicles with
aluminium cap (if equipped). WARNING:
risk of burns!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will
cause aeration or loss of oil pressure. This
could damage your engine.
CAUTION! (Continued)
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will
cause aeration or loss of oil pressure. This
could damage your engine.
21_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 216
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE217
ADDING WASHER FLUID
The fluid reservoir is located in the engine
compartment and should be checked at regular
intervals. Fill the reservoir with windshield
washer solvent (not radiator antifreeze) and
operate the system for a few seconds to flush
out any residual water.
The washer fluid reservoir will hold a full gallon
of fluid when the Low Washer Fluid Light
illuminates.
After the engine has warmed, operate the
defroster for a few minutes to reduce the
possibility of smearing or freezing the fluid on
the cold windshield. Mopar All Weather
Windshield Washer Solution or equivalent, used
with water as directed on the container, aids
cleaning action, reduces the freezing point to
avoid line clogging, and is not harmful to paint
or trim.
MAINTENANCE-FREE BATTERY
Your vehicle is equipped with a
maintenance-free battery. You will never have
to add water, and periodic maintenance is not
required.
PRESSURE WASHING
Cleaning the engine compartment with a high
pressure washer is not recommended.
WARNING!
Commercially available windshield washer
solvents are flammable. They could ignite and
burn you. Care must be exercised when filling
or working around the washer solution.
WARNING!
Battery fluid is a corrosive acid solution and
can burn or even blind you. Do not allow
battery fluid to contact your eyes, skin, or
clothing. Do not lean over a battery when
attaching clamps. If acid splashes in eyes
or on skin, flush the area immediately with
large amounts of water Úpage 203.
Battery gas is flammable and explosive.
Keep flame or sparks away from the
battery. Do not use a booster battery or any
other booster source with an output greater
than 12 Volts. Do not allow cable clamps to
touch each other.
Battery posts, terminals, and related acces -
sories contain lead and lead compounds.
Wash hands after handling.
CAUTION!
It is essential when replacing the cables on
the battery that the positive cable is
attached to the positive post and the nega -
tive cable is attached to the negative post.
Battery posts are marked positive (+) and
negative (-) and are identified on the battery
case. Cable clamps should be tight on the
terminal posts and free of corrosion.
If a “fast charger” is used while the battery
is in the vehicle, disconnect both vehicle
battery cables before connecting the
charger to the battery. Do not use a “fast
charger” to provide starting voltage.
CAUTION!
Precautions have been taken to safeguard all
parts and connections however, the
pressures generated by these machines is
such that complete protection against water
ingress cannot be guaranteed.
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