engine DODGE DURANGO 2004 2.G User Guide
Page 62 of 386
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine in
your new vehicle. Drive moderately during the first 300
miles (500 km). After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds
up to 50 or 55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable. While
cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration, within the limits
of local traffic laws, contributes to a good break-in.
Avoid wide open throttle acceleration in low gear.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality, energy-conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with anticipated climate
conditions under which vehicle operations will occur.
The recommended viscosity and quality grades are
shown in Section 7.
NON-DETERGENT OR STRAIGHT MINERAL OILS
MUST NEVER BE USED.A new engine may consume some oil during its first few
thousand miles of operation. This is a normal part of the
break-in and is not an indication of difficulty.
SAFETY TIPS
Exhaust System
WARNING!
Exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an ex-
tremely toxic gas that by itself is colorless and
odorless. To avoid inhaling these gases, the follow-
ing precautions should be observed:
²Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in confined
areas any longer than needed to move your vehicle in
or out of the area.
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 63 of 386
²It may be necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running for more than a short period. If so,
adjust your climate control system to force outside air
into the vehicle. Set the blower at high speed and the
controls in any position except OFF or RECIRC.
²The best protection against carbon monoxide entry
into the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine
exhaust system.
Be aware of changes in the sound of the exhaust system;
exhaust fumes detected inside the vehicle; or damage to
the underside or rear of the vehicle. Have a competent
mechanic inspect the complete exhaust system and adja-
cent body areas for broken, damaged, deteriorated or
mispositioned parts. Open seams or loose connections
could permit exhaust fumes to seep into the passenger
compartment. In addition, inspect the exhaust system
each time the vehicle is raised for lubrication or oil
change. Replace or adjust as required.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Seat belt assemblies must be replaced after an accident if
they have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.). If there is any question regarding belt or retractor
condition, replace the belt.
Defrosters
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You can feel the air
directed against the windshield.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63
2
Page 69 of 386
NElectrical Outlet Use With Engine Off
(Battery Fed Configuration)..............136
mFloor Console.........................137NFloor Console Features.................137
mFactory Installed Roof Luggage RackÐ
If Equipped...........................139
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 69
3
Page 105 of 386
all the way down to the OFF detent will cause all the
interior lights to go out. This allows the doors to stay
open for extended periods of time without discharging
the vehicle's battery.
The brightness of the instrument panel lighting can be
regulated by rotating the dimmer control up (brighter) or
down (dimmer). When the headlights are ON you can
supplement the brightness of the odometer, trip odom-
eter, radio and overhead console by rotating the control
up until you hear a click. This feature is termed the
9Parade9mode and is useful when headlights are re-
quired during the day.
Battery Saver
To protect the life of your vehicle's battery, Load Shed-
ding is provided for both the interior and exterior lights.If the ignition is off and any door is left ajar for eight
minutes or the dimmer control is rotated upwards for
eight minutes, the interior lights will automatically turn
off.
If the headlights remain on while the ignition is cycled
off, the exterior lights will automatically turn off after 8
minutes. If the headlights are turned on and left on for 8
minutes while the ignition is off, the exterior lights will
automatically turn off.
NOTE:Battery Saver mode is cancelled if the ignition is
ON.
NOTE:While the engine is running, the system will
deactivate the Fog Lights and Heated seats if a low
battery system voltage is detected.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 105
3
Page 107 of 386
Illuminated Entry
Headlights turn on for 90 seconds, when the Remote
Keyless Entry UNLOCK button is pressed.
NOTE:This feature can be activated by your authorized
dealer.
Daytime Running Lights (Canada Only)
The headlights on your Durango will illuminate when
the engine is started. This provides a constant ªLights
ONº condition until the ignition is turned OFF. The lights
illuminate at reduced intensity. If the parking brake is
applied the Daytime Running Lights will turn off. If the
headlights are activated, the Daytime Running Lights
feature will transition to the normal headlight operating
mode.
Lights-on Reminder
If the headlights, parking lights, or courtesy lights are left
On, after the ignition is turned Off, a chime will sound
when the driver's door is opened.
Fog Lights Ð If Equipped
The foglights are turned ON by placing the headlight
rotary control in the parking light, headlight, or Auto
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 107
3
Page 116 of 386
ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL Ð IF EQUIPPED
When engaged, this device takes over accelerator opera-
tion at speeds greater than (refer to the table below for
the speed for your specific engine). The controls are
mounted on the steering wheel.
To Activate
Push the ON/OFF button to the ON position. In the
instrument cluster, the word ªCRUISEº illuminates when
the system is on.
To Set At A Desired Speed
When the vehicle has reached the desired speed, press
and release the SET button. Release the accelerator and
the vehicle will operate at the selected speed.
To Deactivate
A soft tap on the brake pedal, normal braking, or pressing
the CANCEL button will deactivate speed control with-
out erasing the memory. Pushing the ON/OFF button to
the OFF position or turning off the ignition erases the
memory.
116 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
Page 117 of 386
WARNING!
Leaving the Speed Control ON when not in use is
dangerous. You could accidentally set the system to
cause it to go faster than you want. You could lose
control and have an accident. Always leave the
system OFF when you aren't using it.
To Resume Speed
To resume a previously set speed, push and release the
RESUME button. Resume can be used at any speed above
(refer to the table below for the speed for your specific
engine).
To Vary The Speed Setting
When the speed control is on, speed can be increased by
pressing and holding the ACCEL button. When the
button is released, a new set speed will be established.Tapping the ACCEL button once will result in a speed
increase (refer to the table below for the speed for your
specific engine). Each time the button is tapped, speed
increases so that tapping the button three times will
increase speed by three increments.
Tapping the COAST button once will result in a speed
decrease (refer to the table below for the speed for your
specific engine). Each time the button is tapped, speed
will decrease. For example, tapping the button 3 times
will decrease the speed by 3 times the speed listed in the
table below (refer to the table below for the speed for
your specific engine).
To decrease speed while the speed control is on, press
and hold the COAST button. Release the button when the
desired speed is reached, and the new speed will be set.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 117
3
Page 118 of 386
Functions 3.7L 4.7L 5.7L
Engage Speed 35 mph (56 km/h) 35 mph (56 km/h) 25 mph (40 km/h)
Minimun RESUME Speed 30 mph (50 km/h) 30 mph (50 km/h) 20 mph (32 km/h)
ACCEL Increase 2 mph (3km/h) 2 mph (3km/h) 1 mph (2 km/h)
COAST Decrease 1 mph (2 km/h) 1 mph (2 km/h) 1 mph (2 km/h)
Dropout Speed 30 mph (50 km/h) 30 mph (50 km/h) 20 mph (32 km/h)
To Accelerate For Passing
Depress the accelerator as you would normally. When the
pedal is released, the vehicle will return to the set speed.
NOTE:When driving uphill, at elevations above 2,000
feet (610 meters), or when the vehicle is heavily loaded
(especially when towing) the vehicle may slow below the
SET speed. If the vehicle speed drops below (refer to the
table below for the speed for your specific engine), the
speed control will automatically disengage. If this hap-
pens, you can push down on the accelerator pedal to
maintain the desired speed.Vehicles equipped with a Automatic transmission may
exhibit several downshifts under the above conditions.
To reduce the frequency of the downshifts and to im-
prove vehicle performance, it is advisable to lock out
overdrive by pressing the ªTOW/HAULº button located
at the end of the gear shifter.
118 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
Page 126 of 386
To set the variance: Turn the ignition ON and set the
display to ªCompass/Temperature.º Press and hold the
RESET button approximately five seconds. The last vari-
ance zone number will be displayed. Press the STEP
button to select the new variance zone and press the
RESET button to resume normal operation.
Outside Temperature
Because the ambient temperature sensor is located un-
derhood, engine temperature can influence the displayed
temperature, therefore, temperature readings are slowly
updated when the vehicle speed is below 20 mph (30
km/h) or during stop and go driving.
GARAGE DOOR OPENER Ð IF EQUIPPED
The HomeLinktUniversal Transceiver replaces up to
three remote controls (hand held transmitters) that oper-
ate devices such as garage door openers, motorized
gates, or home lighting. It triggers these devices at the
push of a button. The Universal Transceiver operates off
your vehicle's battery and charging system; no batteries
are needed.
126 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
Page 136 of 386
Electrical Outlet Use With Engine OFF (Battery
Fed Configuration)
CAUTION!
²Many accessories that can be plugged in 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 suffi-
ciently to degrade battery life and/or prevent engine
starting.
²Accessories that draw higher power (i.e. coolers,
vacuum cleaners, lights, etc.), will discharge the
battery even more quickly. Only use these intermit-
tently and with greater caution.
²After the use of high power draw accessories, or
long periods of the vehicle not being started (with
accessories still plugged in), the vehicle must be
driven a sufficient length of time to allow the
generator to recharge the vehicle's battery.
Reconfiguring Power Outlets
To reconfigure the outlets, be sure the ignition is OFF
before removing the fuse. The reconfigurable fuse loca-
tion is a special design that allows the fuse to be installed
in two different ways. If the fuse is located in the9Upper
or Top Position9the outlets will work at all times. If the
fuse is located in the9Lower or Bottom Position9the
power outlets will only work when the ignition is ON.
NOTE:The fuse block is located in the left side kick
panel behind a removable cover near the park brake
pedal.
136 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE