towing CHRYSLER 200 2015 2.G User Guide

reduced performance, an elevated/rough idle or en-
gine stall and your vehicle may require towing.
•Oil Temperature Warning Light
This telltale indicates engine oil tempera-
ture is high. If the light turns on while
driving, stop the vehicle and shut off the
engine as soon as possible.
• Air Bag Warning Light
This light will turn on for four to eight
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition
switch is first turned to the ON/RUN po-
sition. If the light is either not on during
starting, stays on, or turns on while driving, have the
system inspected at an authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Refer to “Occupant Restraints” in “Things
To Know Before Starting Your Vehicle” for further
information. •
Transmission Temperature Warning Light
This light indicates that there is excessive
transmission fluid temperature that might
occur with severe usage such as trailer
towing. It may also occur when operating
the vehicle in a high torque converter slip condition.
If this light comes on, stop the vehicle and run the
engine at idle or faster, with the transmission in
NEUTRAL until the light goes off.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Light illuminated will eventually cause
severe transmission damage or transmission failure.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 361

12. Low Fuel DisplayThis area will display text to the visual warn-
ings (i.e., “Push Brake To Start”).
Odometer Display/Fuel Gauge/Temperature Gauge/
Submenu Area •The odometer display shows the total distance the
vehicle has been driven.
U.S. Federal regulations require that upon transfer of
vehicle ownership, the seller certify to the purchaser
the correct mileage that the vehicle has been driven. If
your odometer needs to be repaired or serviced, the
repair technician should leave the odometer reading
the same as it was before the repair or service. If s/he
cannot do so, then the odometer must be set at zero,
and a sticker must be placed in the door jamb stating
what the mileage was before the repair or service. It
is a good idea for you to make a record of the odometer reading before the repair/service, so that
you can be sure that it is properly reset, or that the
door jamb sticker is accurate if the odometer must be
reset at zero.
When the appropriate conditions exist, this display
shows the DID messages and Submenus.
•
Fuel Gauge
Fuel Gauge displays the level of fuel in the fuel tank
when the ignition switch is in the ON/RUN position.
• Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading within the normal range indi-
cates that the engine cooling system is operating
satisfactorily.
The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tem-
perature when driving in hot weather, up mountain
grades, or when towing a trailer. It should not be
allowed to exceed the upper limits of the normal
operating range.
368 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

FUEL REQUIREMENTS ..................531
▫ Reformulated Gasoline .................531
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............532
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles .......532
▫ MMT In Gasoline .....................533
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ................533
▫ Fuel System Cautions ...................534
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings .............535
 FLEXIBLE FUEL — IF EQUIPPED ...........535
▫ E-85 General Information ...............535
▫ Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ....................537
▫ Fuel Requirements ....................537 ▫
Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles .............538
▫ Starting ........................... .538
▫ Cruising Range ...................... .538
▫ Replacement Parts ....................539
▫ Maintenance ....................... .539
 ADDING FUEL ....................... .539
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............542
 VEHICLE LOADING ....................542
▫ Certification Label ....................542
 TRAILER TOWING .....................544
 RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.) ...................545
446 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle . .545
▫ Recreational Towing — Front-Wheel Drive (FWD)
Models ........................... .545▫
Recreational Towing — All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Models ............................ .546
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STARTING AND OPERATING 447

CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteris-
tics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, or traveling into strong headwinds), use the shift paddles (if equipped, refer to
Paddle Shift Mode
in this section for further informa-
tion) or the LOW range (if equipped) to select a lower
gear. Under these conditions, using a lower gear range
will improve performance and extend transmission life
by reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
If the transmission operating temperature exceeds nor-
mal operating limits, the transmission controller may
modify the transmission shift schedule, reduce engine
torque, and/or expand the range of torque converter
clutch engagement. This is done to prevent transmission
damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot, the Transmis-
sion Temperature Warning Light will illuminate, a warn-
ing message will appear in the EVIC/DID and the
transmission may operate differently until the transmis-
sion cools down.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 465

3. Tire size designed for your vehicle.
4. Cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear, andspare tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed
the load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You
will not exceed the tire’s load carrying capacity if you
adhere to the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the Tire and Loading
Information placard and in the “Vehicle Loading” section
of this manual.
NOTE: Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition,
gross axle weight ratings (GAWRs) for the front and rear
axles must not be exceeded. For further information on
GAWRs, vehicle loading, and trailer towing, refer to
“Vehicle Loading” in this section. To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or
XXX kg” on the Tire and Loading Information placard.
The combined weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight (if applicable) should never exceed
the weight referenced here.
Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or
XXX kg” on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and pas- sengers from XXX lbs or XXX kg.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 501

4. The resulting figure equals the available amount ofcargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if
“XXX” amount equals 1,400 lbs (635 kg) and there will
be five 150 lb (68 kg) passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 650 lbs (295 kg) (since 5 x 150 lbs (68 kg) = 750 lbs
(340 kg), and 1400 lbs (635 kg) – 750 lbs (340 kg) =
650 lbs [295 kg]).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4. NOTE:
•
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. The follow-
ing table shows examples on how to calculate total
load, cargo/luggage, and towing capacities of your
vehicle with varying seating configurations and num-
ber and size of occupants. This table is for illustration
purposes only and may not be accurate for the seating
and load carry capacity of your vehicle.
• For the following example, the combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed 865 lbs
(392 kg).
502 STARTING AND OPERATING

Loading
The actual total weight and the weight of the front and
rear of your vehicle at the ground can best be determined
by weighing it when it is loaded and ready for operation.
The entire vehicle should first be weighed on a commer-
cial scale to insure that the GVWR has not been exceeded.
The weight on the front and rear of the vehicle should
then be determined separately to be sure that the load is
properly distributed over the front and rear axle. Weigh-
ing the vehicle may show that the GAWR of either the
front or rear axles has been exceeded but the total load is
within the specified GVWR. If so, weight must be shifted
from front to rear or rear to front as appropriate until the
specified weight limitations are met. Store the heavier
items down low and be sure that the weight is distributed
equally. Stow all loose items securely before driving.Improper weight distributions can have an adverse effect
on the way your vehicle steers and handles and the way
the brakes operate.
CAUTION!
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the GVWR
or the maximum front and rear GAWR. If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, or it can change the
way your vehicle handles. This could cause you to
lose control. Also overloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle.
TRAILER TOWING
Trailer towing with this vehicle is not recommended.
544 STARTING AND OPERATING

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Recreational Towing — Front-Wheel Drive (FWD)
Models
DO NOTflat tow this vehicle. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.
Recreational towing for front-wheel drive models is
allowed ONLY if the front wheels are OFFthe ground.
This may be accomplished using a tow dolly or vehicle
trailer. If using a tow dolly, follow this procedure:
1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow vehicle, following the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Drive the front wheels onto the tow dolly.
3. Apply the parking brake. Place the transmission in PARK. 4. Properly secure the front wheels to the dolly, following
the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Release the parking brake.
CAUTION!
• DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the
drivetrain will result. If this vehicle requires tow-
ing, make sure the drive wheels are OFF the
ground.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above re-
quirements can cause severe transmission damage.
Damage from improper towing is not covered un-
der the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 545

Recreational Towing — All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Models
Recreational towing is not allowed. These models do
not have a NEUTRAL (N) position in the power transfer
unit.
NOTE:This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or vehicle
trailer provided all four wheels are OFF the ground.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle with ANY of its wheels on the
ground can cause severe transmission and/or power
transfer unit damage. Damage from improper towing
is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited War-
ranty.
546 STARTING AND OPERATING