CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE 2008 1.G Owners Manual

NOTE:Due to the starter non-repeat feature, the key
must be turned completely to the left before attempting
to start the engine again.Extremely Cold Weather (below -20ÉF or -29ÉC)
For reliable starting in areas where temperatures fre-
quently drop below -20ÉF (-29ÉC), we recommend the use
of an externally powered battery and an electric engine
block heater. Advice on these items and installation is
available at your authorized dealer.
If Engine Fails to Start
CAUTION!
Do not try to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Your vehicle cannot be started this way.
Pushing with another vehicle may damage the trans-
mission or the rear of your vehicle. See Section 6 of
this manual for proper jump-starting procedures.
STARTING AND OPERATING 169
5

WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire, causing
serious personal injury.
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
Normal Starting procedure, it may be flooded. Push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there
while cranking the engine. This should clear any excess
fuel in case the engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15-
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the Normal Starting procedure should
be repeated.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
170 STARTING AND OPERATING

TRANSMISSION SHIFTING
Manual TransmissionNOTE:The parking brake should be engaged and the
shift lever placed in REVERSE before leaving the vehicle,
especially on an incline. To place the transmission in
REVERSE, lift up on the shift lever knob, push it to the
left and pull it back.
Fully depress the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As
you release the clutch pedal, lightly depress the accelera-
tor pedal.
Be sure the transmission is in FIRST gear, (not THIRD),
when starting from a stopped position. Damage to the
clutch can result from starting in THIRD.
NOTE:If there is a need to restart your engine, you
must recycle your ignition switch to the OFF position
before restarting the engine.
For most city driving, you will find it easier to use only
the lower gears. For steady highway driving with light
accelerations, sixth gear is recommended.
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5

Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, or
try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal
partially engaged. This will cause abnormal wear on the
clutch.
Never shift into REVERSE until the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
NOTE:During cold weather, until the transmission
lubricant has warmed, you may have difficulty shifting.
This is normal and not harmful to the transmission.Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transmission for both fuel economy
and performance, it should be upshifted as shown in the
chart. Shift at the vehicle speeds listed for acceleration.
Earlier upshifts during cruise conditions (relatively
steady speeds) will result in increased fuel economy, and
may be used as indicated.
Higher upshift speeds may be used to obtain a desired
acceleration rate.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
RECOMMENDED SHIFT SPEEDS
1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6
MPH 15 25 40 45 50
(km/h) (24) (40) (64) (72) (80)
172 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
from the ignition switch, and lock the vehicle. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could move
the gearshift lever, which could result in an accident
or serious injury.
WARNING!
Skipping more than one gear while downshifting
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle. You
could have an accident.
CAUTION!
If you skip more than one gear while downshifting
or downshift at too high an engine speed, you could
damage the engine, transmission, or clutch.
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5

Automatic Transmission
The automatic transmission selects individual gears au-
tomatically, dependent upon:
²Shift lever position
²Program mode selector switch
²Accelerator position
²Vehicle speed
The gear shifting process is continuously adapted, de-
pendent on the driving style, the driving situation and
the road characteristics.
The shift lever is automatically locked while in the PARK
position. To move the shift lever out of the PARK
position, the brake pedal must be firmly depressed before
the shift lock will release.
Move the shift lever to the desired position only when the
engine is idling normally and the brake pedal is applied.
Do not release the brake until ready to drive. The vehicle
may otherwise accelerate quickly when the shift lever is
in DRIVE or REVERSE position.
NOTE:After selecting any driving position, wait a
moment to allow the gear to fully engage before acceler-
ating, especially when the engine is cold.
174 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the shift lever out of PARK or
NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than idle
speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal,
the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in
reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal.
Stopping
For brief stops, leave the transmission in gear and hold
the vehicle with the brake pedal. For longer stops with
the engine idling, shift into the NEUTRAL or PARK
position and hold the vehicle with the parking brake.When stopping the vehicle uphill, do not hold it with the
accelerator; use the brake. This avoids unnecessary trans-
mission heat build-up.
Maneuvering
To maneuver in tight areas, control the vehicle speed by
gradually releasing the brakes. Accelerate gently and
never abruptly step on the accelerator.
To rock a vehicle out of soft ground (mud or snow),
alternately shift from FORWARD to REVERSE, while
applying only slight acceleration. Rocking a vehicle free
in this manner may cause the ABS or traction system
malfunction indicator light to come on. Turn off the
engine and restart the engine to clear the malfunction
indication.
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5

Park Position
The PARK position is to be used when parking the
vehicle. Engage only with the vehicle stopped. The PARK
position is not intended to serve as a brake when the
vehicle is parked. Rather, the driver should always use
the parking brake in addition to placing the shift lever in
PARK to secure the vehicle.
NOTE:The key can be removed from the ignition
switch only with the shift lever in the PARK position.
With the key removed, the shift lever is locked in the
PARK position.
With a malfunction in the vehicle's electrical system, the
shift lever could remain locked in the PARK position. To
unlock the shift lever manually, insert the end of the
multipurpose tool from the glove box (or ball point pen)
into the covered opening below the position ªDº of the
shift pattern. While pushing the tool down, move the
shift lever out of the PARK position. After removal of the
176 STARTING AND OPERATING

tool from the opening, the cover will not close fully. Only
after moving the selector lever to the ªD+º and ªD-º
positions does the cover return to its closed position.Reverse
Shift into REVERSE gear only when the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
Dependent on the program mode selector switch position
Standard ªSº and Winter/Wet ªWº (snow and ice), the
maximum speed in the REVERSE gear is different. How-
ever, it is not possible to change the program mode while
in REVERSE.
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the engine to the drive
axle. When the brakes are released, the vehicle can be
moved freely (pushed or towed). Do not engage in
NEUTRAL position while driving except to coast when
the vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g., on icy roads).
NOTE:Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason with selector lever in NEUTRAL can result in
transmission damage that is not covered by the Limited
Warranty.
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Drive
The transmission automatically upshifts through FIFTH
gear. The DRIVE position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
AutoStickTGear selection
The transmission gear can be selected by pressing the
shift lever to the right or the left with the shift lever in the
DRIVE position. The gear currently selected is indicated
in the instrument cluster display. Briefly press shift lever
in the ªD-º direction. The transmission will shift from the
current gear to the next lower gear. Shifting into another
gear that allows for quicker acceleration or to slow the
vehicle down is possible. Downshifts can also be per-
formed.Press and hold the shift lever in the ªD-º direction. The
transmission will shift from the current gear directly to
the best gear for acceleration.
NOTE:To avoid over-revving the engine when the shift
lever is moved in ªD-º direction, the transmission will
not shift to a lower gear if the engine's revolutions per
minute limit would be exceeded.
Briefly press the shift lever in the ªD+º direction. The
transmission will shift from the current gear to the next
higher gear.
Press and hold the shift lever in the ªD+º direction. The
transmission will shift from the current gear directly to
gear ªD.º
178 STARTING AND OPERATING