tow CHRYSLER PT CRUISER 2008 1.G Owner's Manual

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DESCRIPTIONS1. Fuel GaugeWhen the ignition switch is in the ON position, the
pointer will show the level of fuel remaining in the
fuel tank.
2. Fuel Door Reminder
This is a reminder that the Fuel Filler Door is located on
the front passenger’s (right) side of the vehicle.
3. Temperature Gauge The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading below the red area of the
gauge shows that the engine cooling system is
operating properly. The gauge pointer may show a
higher than normal temperature when driving in hot
weather, up mountain grades, in heavy stop and go
traffic, or when towing a trailer. If the pointer rises to the
H(red) mark, the instrument
cluster will sound a chime. Pull over and stop the vehicle.
Idle the vehicle with the air conditioner turned off until
the pointer drops back into the normal range. If the
pointer remains on the H(red) mark, turn the engine off
immediately and call for service.
There are steps that you can take to slow down an
impending overheat condition. If your air conditioning is
on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the engine cooling system and turning off the A/C
removes this heat. You can also turn the Temperature
control to maximum heat, the Mode control to Floor and
the Fan control to High. This allows the heater core to act
as a supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
4. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.226 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Certain conditions such as a loose or missing gas cap,
poor fuel quality, etc. may illuminate the light after
engine start. The vehicle should be serviced if the light
stays on through several of your typical driving cycles. In
most situations the vehicle will drive normally and will
not require towing.
If the Malfunction Indicator Light flashes when the
engine is running, serious conditions may exist that
could lead to immediate loss of power or severe catalytic
converter damage. The vehicle should be serviced as
soon as possible if this occurs.
11. Odometer/Trip Odometer Reset Knob
Press this button to change the display from odometer to
either of the two trip odometer settings. Trip A or Trip B
will appear when in the trip odometer mode. Push in and
hold the button for two seconds to reset the trip odometer
to 0 miles or kilometers. The odometer must be in trip
mode to reset.12. Charging System Light
This light shows the status of the electrical charg-
ing system. The light should come on briefly when
the ignition switch is first turned ON and remain on
briefly as a bulb check. If the light stays on or comes on
while driving, it means that there is a problem with the
charging system. Obtain SERVICE IMMEDIATELY.
13. Turn Signal Indicators The arrows will flash in unison with the exterior
turn signal, when using the turn signal lever.
NOTE: Turn signal bulbs are located in the Instrument
Panel.230 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

22. Oil Pressure LightShows low engine oil pressure. The light will come
on and remain on when the ignition switch is
turned from the OFF to the ON position, and the light
will turn off after the engine is started. If the bulb does
not come on during starting, have the system checked by
an authorized dealer.
If the light comes on and remains on while driving, stop
the vehicle and shut off the engine. DO NOT OPERATE
THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE CAUSE IS CORRECTED.
The light does not show the quantity of oil in the engine.
This can be determined using the procedure shown in
Section 7.
23. Airbag Light The light comes on and remains on for 6 to 8
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition
switch is first turned ON. If the light does not come on during starting, stays on, or comes on while
driving, have the system checked by an authorized
dealer.
24. High Beam Indicator
This light shows that the headlights are on high
beam. Pull the turn signal lever toward the steer-
ing wheel to switch the headlights from high or low
beam.
25. Compass Mini-Trip Computer (CMTC) or Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) Button—If Equipped
Pushing this button will switch between the different
EVIC functions.
Press the CMTC reset button to scroll through sub menus
(i.e. Trip Functions: AVG. Fuel Economy, DTE, Elapsed
Time, and Units.234 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

CAUTION!
If the Defroster is not working the windshield and
windows may become fogged and your visibility will
be greatly diminished. See your authorized dealer as
soon as possible. the windshield and windows may
become fogged and your visibility will be greatly
diminished.Air OutletsThe airflow from each of the instrument panel outlets can
be adjusted for direction and turned on or off to control
air flow.
NOTE:For maximum airflow to the rear seat passen-
gers, the center instrument panel outlets can be aimed, so
that the left center outlet is directed toward the right rear
passenger and the right center outlet is directed toward
the left rear passenger.
Temperature Control
Use this control to regulate the
temperature of the air inside the
passenger compartment. The blue
area of the scale indicates cooler
temperatures while the red area
indicates warmer temperatures.
NOTE: If your air conditioning performance seems
lower than expected, check the front of the A/C con-
denser: located in front of the radiator, for an accumula-
tion of dirt or insects. Clean with a gentle water spray
from behind the radiator and through the condenser.
Fabric front fascia protectors may reduce air flow to the
condenser, reducing air conditioning performance.
280 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Window FoggingVehicle side windows tend to fog on the inside in mild
rainy or humid weather. To clear the windows, use the
A/C, PANEL and blower controls. Direct the panel
outlets toward the side windows. Do not use recirculate
without A/C for long periods as fogging may occur.
Interior fogging on the windshield can be quickly re-
moved by using the defrost position.
If the fogging problem persists, clean the inside window
surfaces. The cause of undue fogging may be dirt collect-
ing on the inside surface of the glass
NOTE:In cold weather, the use of the recirculate
position will cause windows to fog on the inside because
of moisture build up inside the vehicle. For maximum
defogging, use the Outside Air position.
Summer OperationVehicles must be protected with a high-quality antifreeze
coolant to provide proper corrosion protection and to
raise the boiling point of the coolant for protection
against overheating. A 50% concentration is recom-
mended.Outside Air IntakeWhen operating the system, make sure the air intake,
directly in front of the windshield, is free of ice, slush,
snow or other obstructions such as leaves. Leaves col-
lected in the air-intake plenum may reduce air flow and
plug the plenum water drains.
The blower air will heat faster in cold weather if you use
only a low blower speed for the first few minutes of
vehicle operation.
284 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Side Window DemistersA side window demister outlet is at each end of the
instrument panel. These nonadjustable outlets direct air
toward the side windows when the system is in either the
FLOOR, MIX, or DEFROST mode. The air is directed at
the area of the windows through which you view the
outside mirrors.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 285
4

▫Replacement Tires .....................328
▫ Alignment And Balance .................329
 Tire Chains ...........................330
 Snow Tires ...........................330
 Tire Rotation Recommendations ............331
 Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) —
If Equipped ...........................332
▫ Base System — If Equipped ..............334
▫ General Information ...................336
 Fuel Requirements — Gasoline Engines .......337
▫ 2.4L And 2.4L Standard Turbo Engines ......337
▫ Reformulated Gasoline .................337
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............337 ▫
MMT In Gasoline .....................338
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ................338
▫ Fuel System Cautions ..................338
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ..............339
 Adding Fuel ..........................340
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) ...............340
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............342
 Vehicle Loading ........................342
 Trailer Towing .........................343
▫ Common Towing Definitions .............343
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification ...............345
▫ Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings) ......................347
STARTING AND OPERATING 289
5

▫Trailer And Tongue Weight ..............348
▫ Towing Requirements ..................349
▫ Towing Tips .........................354 
Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 356
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground) ............................356
290 STARTING AND OPERATING

MANUAL TRANSAXLEBefore starting the engine fully apply the parking brake,
press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift the gear
selector lever in NEUTRAL.
NOTE:The engine will not start unless the clutch pedal
is pressed to the floor.NORMAL STARTINGNormal starting of either a cold or a warm engine does
not require pumping or depressing the accelerator pedal.
Simply turn the ignition switch to the START position
and release when the engine starts. If the engine has not
started within three seconds, slightly depress the accel-
erator pedal while continuing to crank. If the engine fails
to start within 15 seconds, turn the ignition switch to the
OFF position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the
“NORMAL STARTING” procedure above.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
axle cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel could
enter the catalytic converter and once the engine has
started, ignite and damage the converter and vehicle.
If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster cables
may be used to obtain a start from another vehicle.
This type of start can be dangerous if done improp-
erly, so follow the procedure carefully. See Section 6
of this manual for jump starting instructions.EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER (BELOW 20°F or
29°C)To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
292 STARTING AND OPERATING

The following chart should be used as a guide in deter-
mining the amount of engine idle time required to
sufficiently cool down the turbocharger before shut
down, depending upon the type of driving and the
amount of cargo.
TURBOCHARGER COOL-DOWN CHART
Driving Conditions IdleBefore Shut Down
Normal 0 min
Aggressive/Heavy Load 3 min
Trailer Tow 5 min
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE — IF EQUIPPEDYou must step on the brake pedal and depress the gear
selector lever knob button before you will be able to shift
out of PARK.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transaxle may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:•
Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
•
Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the vehicle has
come to a complete stop and the engine is at idle
speed.
•
Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL into
any forward gear when the engine is above idle speed.
•
Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must step on the brake pedal and depress
the gear selector lever knob button before you will be
able to shift the gear selector lever out of PARK.
294 STARTING AND OPERATING