CHRYSLER 300 2012 2.G Owners Manual

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.
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump-starting if the battery is frozen.
It could rupture or explode and cause personal injury.
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.Remote Battery Posts
1 — Remote Positive(+) Post
2 — Remote Negative(-) Post
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 459

WARNING!
•Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan when-
ever 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 watch bands or
bracelets that might 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.
1. Set the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission
into PARK and turn the ignition to LOCK.
2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal accessories.3. If using another vehicle to jump-start the battery, park
the vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
Jump-Starting Procedure
WARNING!
Failure to follow this procedure could result in per-
sonal injury or property damage due to battery ex-
plosion.
460 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
1. Connect the positive(+)end of the jumper cable to the
remote positive(+)post of the discharged vehicle.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive(+)jumper
cable to the positive(+)post of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative end(-)of the jumper cable to the
negative(-)post of the booster battery.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative(-)jumper
cable to the remote negative(-)post of the vehicle with
the discharged battery.
WARNING!
Do not connect the 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.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster
battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then start
the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in
the reverse sequence:
6. Disconnect the negative(-)jumper cable from the
remote negative(-)post of the vehicle with the dis-
charged battery.
7. Disconnect the negative end(-)of the jumper cable
from the negative(-)post of the booster battery.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 461

8. Disconnect the positive(+)jumper cable from the
positive(+)post of the booster battery.
9. Disconnect the positive(+)end of the jumper cable
from the remote positive(+)post of the discharged
vehicle.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle
power outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.).
Eventually, if plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s
battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery
life and/or prevent the engine from starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or snow, it
can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE. Using minimal accelerator pedal pressure
to maintain the rocking motion, without spinning the
wheels, is most effective.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the shift lever 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.
462 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

NOTE:Turn off the Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
— if equipped, or Traction Control System (TCS) — if
equipped before rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic
Brake Control” in “Starting And Operating” for further
information.
CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving be-
tween DRIVE and REVERSE, do not spin the
wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain
damage may result.
•Revving the engine or 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).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated 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 vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 463

SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE — 5 SPEED
TRANSMISSION
If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the
following procedure to temporarily move the shift lever:
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Remove the rubber tray from the storage bin located to
the right of the shift lever. The override access port is near
the bottom of the bin to the right of the shift lever gate.
3. Turn the engine OFF.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Using a screwdriver or similar tool, press and hold the
override tab through the access port on the center con-
sole.6. Move the shift lever to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
8. Reinstall the rubber tray in the storage bin.
Shift Lever Override
464 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 SPEED
TRANSMISSION (3.6L Engine)
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying the
parking brake, before 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.
In order to push or tow the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (such as a dead
battery), a Manual Park Release is available.
Follow these steps to use the Manual Park Release:NOTE:To prevent the vehicle from rolling unintention-
ally, firmly apply the parking brake.
1. Remove the console storage bin to access the Manual
Park Release lever.
2. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, fish the
tether strap up through the opening in the console base.
Console Storage Bin
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 465

3. Insert the screwdriver into the slot in the center of the
lever, and disengage the spring steel lever locking tab by
pushing it to the right.
4. While holding the locking tab in the disengaged
position, pull the tether strap to rotate the lever up and
rearward, until it locks in place in the vertical position.The vehicle is now out of PARK and can be towed.
Release the parking brake only when the vehicle is
securely connected to a tow vehicle.
Locking TabTether Strap
466 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

To Reset The Manual Park Release:
1. Push the latch (at the base of the lever, on the rear side)
rearward (away from the lever) to unlatch the lever.
2. Rotate the Manual Park Release lever forward and
down, to its original position, until the locking tab snaps
into place to secure the lever.3. Pull up gently on the tether strap to confirm that the
lever is locked in its stowed position.
4. Tuck the tether strap into the base of the console.
Reinstall the console storage bin.
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Towing ConditionWheels OFF the
GroundRWD MODELS AWD MODELS
Flat Tow NONEIF Transmission is operable:
•Transmission inNEUTRAL
•30 mph (48 km/h)maxspeed
•15 mi (24 km)maxdistance
(5-speed trans)
•30 mi (48 km)maxdistance
(8-speed trans)NOT ALLOWED
Wheel LiftFrontNOT ALLOWED
Rear OK Trans inNEUTRAL
FlatbedALL BEST METHODBEST METHOD6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 467

Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to prevent
damage to your vehicle. Use only tow bars and other
equipment designed for the purpose, following equip-
ment manufacturer ’s instructions. Use of safety chains is
mandatory. Attach a tow bar or other towing device to
main structural members of the vehicle, not to bumpers
or associated brackets. State and local laws applying to
vehicles under tow must be observed.
If you must use the accessories (wipers, defrosters, etc.)
while being towed, the ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position, not the ACC position.
If the vehicle’s battery is discharged, see “Manual Park
Release” or “Shift Lever Override” in “What To Do In
Emergencies” for instructions on shifting the automatic
transmission out of the PARK position for towing.CAUTION!
•Do not use sling type equipment when towing.
Damage to the fascia will occur.
•When securing the vehicle to a flatbed truck, do
not attach to the front or rear suspension compo-
nents. Damage to your vehicle may result from
improper towing.
•Do not push or tow this vehicle with another
vehicle as damage to the bumper fascia and trans-
mission may result.
•The manufacturer does not recommend that you
tow this vehicle on a tow dolly. Vehicle damage
may occur.
Flatbed towing is recommended.DO NOTtow an AWD
vehicle with the rear wheels on the ground.
468 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES