DODGE DAKOTA 2010 3.G Owners Manual

Front Axle
Front axle fluid level should be at the bottom of the fill
plug.
Appearance Care and Protection from Corrosion
Protection of Body and Paint from Corrosion
Vehicle body care requirements vary according to geo-
graphic locations and usage. Chemicals that make roads
passable in snow and ice, and those that are sprayed on
trees and road surfaces during other seasons, are highly
corrosive to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking,
which exposes your vehicle to airborne contaminants,
road surfaces on which the vehicle is operated, extreme
hot or cold weather and other extreme conditions will
have an adverse affect on paint, metal trim, and under-
body protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will enable
you to obtain maximum benefit from the corrosion
resistance built into your vehicle.
What Causes Corrosion?
Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of
paint and protective coatings from your vehicle.
The most common causes are:
•Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation
•Stone and gravel impact
•Insects, tree sap and tar
•Salt in the air near seacoast localities
•Atmospheric fallout/industrial pollutants
Washing
•
Wash your vehicle regularly. Always wash your ve-
hicle in the shade using MOPARCar Wash or equiva-
lent, or a mild car wash soap, and rinse the panels
completely with clear water.
380 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

•If insects, tar or other similar deposits have accumu-
lated on your vehicle, use MOPARSuper Kleen Bug
and Tar Remover or equivalent to remove.
•Use a high quality cleaner wax, such as MOPAR
Cleaner Wax or equivalent to remove road film, stains,
and to protect your paint finish. Take care never to
scratch the paint.
•Avoid using abrasive compounds and power buffing
that may diminish the gloss or thin out the paint
finish.
CAUTION!
•Do not use abrasive or strong cleaning materials
such as steel wool or scouring powder, which will
scratch metal and painted surfaces.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Use of power washers exceeding 1,200 psi
(8 274 kPa) can result in damage or removal of
paint and decals.
Special Care
•
If you drive on salted or dusty roads, or if you drive
near the ocean, hose off the undercarriage at least once
a month.
•It is important that the drain holes in the lower edges
of the doors, rocker panels be kept clear and open.
•If you detect any stone chips or scratches in the paint,
touch them up immediately. The cost of such repairs is
considered the responsibility of the owner.7
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•If your vehicle is damaged due to an accident or
similar cause, which destroys the paint and protective
coating, have your vehicle repaired as soon as pos-
sible. The cost of such repairs is considered the respon-
sibility of the owner.
•If you carry special cargo such as chemicals, fertilizers,
de-icer salt, etc., be sure that such materials are well
packaged and sealed.
•If a lot of driving is done on gravel roads, consider
mud or stone shields behind each wheel.
•Use MOPARTouch Up Paint or equivalent on
scratches as soon as possible. Your authorized dealer
has touch up-paint to match the color of your vehicle.
Wheel and Wheel Trim Care
All wheels and wheel trim, especially aluminum and
chrome-plated wheels, should be cleaned regularly with
a mild soap and water to prevent corrosion. To remove heavy soil, use MOPAR
Wheel Cleaner or equivalent, or
select a nonabrasive, non-acidic cleaner. Do not use
scouring pads, steel wool, a bristle brush or metal pol-
ishes. Only MOPAR cleaners or equivalent are recom-
mended. Do not use oven cleaner. Avoid automatic car
washes that use acidic solutions or harsh brushes that
may damage the wheels’ protective finish.
Stain Repel Fabric Cleaning Procedure – If Equipped
Stain Repel seats may be cleaned in the following man-
ner:
•Remove as much of the stain as possible by blotting
with a clean, dry towel.
•Blot any remaining stain with a clean, damp towel.
•For tough stains, apply MOPAR Total Clean or
equivalent or a mild soap solution to a clean, damp
cloth and remove the stain. Use a fresh, damp towel to
remove soap residue.
382 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

•For grease stains, apply MOPARMulti-Purpose
Cleaner or equivalent to a clean, damp cloth and
remove the stain. Use a fresh, damp towel to remove
soap residue.
•Do not use any harsh solvents or any other form of
protectants on Stain Repel products.
Interior Care
Use MOPAR Total Clean or equivalent to clean fabric
upholstery and carpeting.
Interior trim should be cleaned starting with a damp
cloth, a damp cloth with MOPAR Total Clean or equiva-
lent, then MOPAR Spot & Stain Remover or equivalent,
if absolutely necessary. Do not use harsh cleaners or
Armor All. Use MOPAR Total Clean or equivalent to
clean vinyl upholstery.
Use MOPAR Vinyl Cleaner or equivalent to clean vinyl
upholstery and trim.
Leather Seat Care and Cleaning
MOPAR Total Clean or equivalent is specifically recom-
mended for leather upholstery.
Your leather upholstery can be best preserved by regular
cleaning with a damp soft cloth. Small particles of dirt
can act as an abrasive and damage the leather upholstery
and should be removed promptly with a damp cloth.
Stubborn soils can be removed easily with a soft cloth
and MOPAR Total Clean or equivalent. Care should be
taken to avoid soaking your leather upholstery with any
liquid. Please do not use polishes, oils, cleaning fluids,
solvents, detergents, or ammonia-based cleaners to clean
your leather upholstery. Application of a leather condi-
tioner is not required to maintain the original condition.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 383

WARNING!
Do not use volatile solvents for cleaning purposes.
Many are potentially flammable, and if used in
closed areas they may cause respiratory harm.
Glass Surfaces
All glass surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis
with any commercial household-type glass cleaner.
Never use an abrasive type cleaner. Use caution when
cleaning inside rear windows equipped with electric
defrosters, or windshields equipped with a windshield
wiper de-icer. Do not use scrapers or other sharp instru-
ments, which may scratch the elements.
When cleaning the rearview mirror, spray cleaner on the
towel or rag that you are using. Do not spray cleaner
directly on the mirror.
Cleaning Plastic Instrument Cluster Lenses
The lenses in front of the instruments in this vehicle are
molded in clear plastic. When cleaning the lenses, care
must be taken to avoid scratching the plastic.
1.
Clean with a wet soft rag. A mild soap solution may be
used, but do not use high alcohol content or abrasive
cleaners. If soap is used, wipe clean with a clean damp rag.
2. Dry with a soft tissue.
Seat Belt Maintenance
Do not bleach, dye or clean the belts with chemical
solvents or abrasive cleaners. This will weaken the fabric.
Sun damage will also weaken the fabric.
If the belts need cleaning, use a mild soap solution or
lukewarm water. Do not remove the belts from the car to
wash them.
Replace the belts if they appear frayed or worn, or if the
buckles do not work properly.
384 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

FUSES
CAUTION!
When replacing a blown fuse, it is important to use
only a fuse having the correct amperage rating. The
use of a fuse with a rating other than indicated may
result in a dangerous electrical system overload. If a
properly rated fuse continues to blow, it suggests a
problem in the circuit that must be corrected.
Underhood Fuses (Power Distribution Center)
Your vehicle is equipped with an electrical power distri-
bution center located on the left side of the engine
compartment.This center contains cartridge fuses, mini fuses and
relays. A description of each fuse and component may be
stamped on the inside cover, otherwise the cavity num-
ber of each fuse is stamped on the inside cover that
Power Distribution Center7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 385

corresponds to the following chart. These fuses and
relays can be obtained from your authorized dealer.
CavityCartridge
Fuse Mini-
Fuse Description
1 Spare
2 Spare
3 30 Amp Pink Electric Brake
4 50 Amp Red Power Seat
5 Spare
6 20 Amp
YellowIgnition Off Draw
(IOD) Cabin Com-
partment Node
(CCN), Radio
7 10 Amp
RedPowertrain Control
Module (PCM)/Fuel/
RAD/AC Coils
Cavity
Cartridge
Fuse Mini-
Fuse Description
8 10 Amp
RedCabin Compartment
Node (CCN)/Mirror/
4x4
9 Spare
10 2 Amp
GrayRun/Start Ignition
Switch
11 10 Amp
RedAC Clutch
12 15 Amp
BlueTrailer Tow Lt Stop/
Turn
13 15 Amp
BlueTrailer Tow Rt Stop/
Turn
14 20 Amp
YellowIgnition Off Draw
(IOD) #2
15 25 Amp
NaturalTrans/Powertrain
Control Module
(PCM)
386 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CavityCartridge
Fuse Mini-
Fuse Description
16 20 Amp
YellowHorn
17 20 Amp
YellowABS Feed (Valves)
18 20 Amp
YellowFuel Pump
19 15 Amp
BlueCenter High-Mounted
Stop Light (CHMSL)
20 20 Amp
YellowCabin Compartment
Node (CCN) Door
Locks/Brake Trans-
mission Shift Inter-
lock (BTSI)
21 25 Amp
NaturalAudio Amp
22 20 Amp
YellowPower Outlet (Switch-
able)Cavity
Cartridge
Fuse Mini-
Fuse Description
23 20 Amp
YellowFog Lamps
24 20 Amp
YellowPowertrain Control
Module (PCM) B+
25 15 Amp
BlueCabin Compartment
Node (CCN) Illumi-
nation
26 20 Amp
YellowIgnition Run/Start
Feed
27 10 Amp
RedPower Mirror
28 20 Amp
YellowPower Outlet
29 20 Amp
YellowFront Control Module
(FCM) 4 (Wipers)
30 Spare
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 387

CavityCartridge
Fuse Mini-
Fuse Description
31 30 Amp
GreenIgnition Run/AC/
Windows
32 30 Amp Pink Front Control Module
(FCM) 1 (Ext. Lights #
1)
33 30 Amp Pink Auto Shut Down
(ASD)
34 30 Amp Pink Front Control Module
(FCM) 2 (Ext. Light #
2)
35 40 Amp Green HVAC Blower Motor
36 Spare
37 Spare
38 20 Amp Blue SpareCavity
Cartridge
Fuse Mini-
Fuse Description
39 30 Amp Pink Starter Solenoid
40 40 Amp Green Ignition Run Feeds
41 30 Amp Pink Wiper Motor
42 25 Amp
NaturalFront Control Module
(FCM) 5 (T-Case)
43 10 Amp
RedLt Park Lamps
44 10 Amp
RedRt Park Lamps
45 20 Amp
YellowTrailer Tow Park
Lamps
46 10 Amp
RedAirbag System # 2
388 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CavityCartridge
Fuse Mini-
Fuse Description
47 Spare
48 20 Amp Blue Sunroof/Sound Box
49 30 Amp Pink Trailer Tow B+
50 40 Amp Green Anti-Lock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS) Module
(Pump)
51 40 Amp Green Park Lamps
52 Spare
53 40 Amp Green Rear Defogger
54 Spare
55 SpareCavityCartridge
Fuse Mini-
Fuse Description
56 10 Amp
RedHeated Seats
57 20 Amp
YellowAirbag System # 2
58 20 Amp
YellowHeated Seats
59 10 Amp
RedHVAC Module
60 10 Amp
RedABS Module
61 20 Amp
YellowFront Control Module
(FCM) 3 (Reverse
Lamps)
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 389