warning DODGE DURANGO 2011 3.G Owners Manual

CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (454 kg)
loaded, it should have its own brakes and they
should be of adequate capacity. Failure to do this
could lead to accelerated brake lining wear, higher
brake pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
WARNING!
•Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle’s
hydraulic brake lines. It can overload your brake
system and cause it to fail. You might not have
brakes when you need them and could have a
collision.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Towing any trailer will increase your stopping
distance. When towing, you should allow for ad-
ditional space between your vehicle and the ve-
hicle in front of you. Failure to do so could result
in a collision.
Towing Requirements – Trailer Lights And Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stop lights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package includes both a seven-pin and a
four-pin connector at the rear of the vehicle.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 435

Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
SNOW PLOW
Snow plows, winches, and other aftermarket equipment
should notbe added to the front end of your vehicle. The
airbag crash sensors may be affected by the change in the
front end structure. The airbags could deploy unexpect-
edly or could fail to deploy during a collision.
WARNING!
Do not add a snow plow, winches, or any other
aftermarket equipment to the front of your vehicle.
This could adversely affect the functioning of the
airbag system and you could be injured.
438 STARTING AND OPERATING

Shifting Into Neutral
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing:
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the
NEUTRAL position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from
the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to move,
even if the transmission is in PARK. The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL before recre-
ational towing to prevent damage to internal parts.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Shift the trans-
mission into PARK.
2. Turn OFF the engine.
3. For vehicles with Keyless Enter-N-Go, remove the
Keyless Enter-N-Go button and use the key fob to
complete this procedure. Refer to “Starting Procedures/
Keyless Enter-N-Go” in “Starting and Operating” for
further information.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position, but
do not start the engine.
5. Press and hold the brake pedal.
442 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flashers ................ 448
 If Your Engine Overheats ................ 448
 Jacking And Tire Changing ............... 449
â–« Jack Location ....................... 450
â–« Spare Tire Stowage ................... 451
â–« Spare Tire Removal ................... 452
â–« Preparations For Jacking ............... 455
â–« Jacking Instructions ................... 455 
Jump-Starting ........................ 463
â–« Preparations For Jump-Start ............. 464
â–« Jump-Starting Procedure ............... 465
 Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped ...... 467
 Shift Lever Override ................... 468
 Towing A Disabled Vehicle ............... 469
â–« Towing Without The Ignition Key FOB ..... 471
â–« Rear-Wheel Drive Models .............. 471
â–« All-Wheel Drive Vehicles ............... 472
6

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located on the
switch bank just above the climate controls.Press the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flasher. When the switch is activated, all directional
turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. Press the switch a second time to
turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it should not
be used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
Hazard Warning flashers will continue to operate even
though the ignition is placed in the OFF position.
NOTE: With extended use the Hazard Warning flashers
may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
•On the highways — slow down.
•In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission
in NEUTRAL, but do not increase the engine idle
speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
•If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
448 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

•You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower 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.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads HOT
(H), 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 HOT (H), and you hear continuous
chimes, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine
coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If
you see or hear steam coming from under the hood,
do not open the hood until the radiator has had time
to cool. Never try to open a cooling system pressure
cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
WARNING!
•Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off
the road to avoid the danger of being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.(Continued)
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 449

WARNING! (Continued)
•Being under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous. The
vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you. You
could be crushed. Never put any part of your body
under a vehicle that is on a jack.
•Never start or run the engine while the vehicle is
on a jack. If you need to get under a raised vehicle,
take it to a service center where it can be raised on
a lift.
•The jack is designed to be used as a tool for
changing tires only. The jack should not be used to
lift the vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle
should be jacked on a firm level surface only.
Avoid ice or slippery areas.
Jack Location
The scissor-type jack and tire changing tools are located
in rear cargo area, below the load floor.
Rotate the thumb screw on the jack to loosen the assem-
bly and remove the jack from the bracket.
Jack Storage Location
450 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm level surface, away from
traffic.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle closest to moving traffic, pull far enough off
the road to avoid being hit when operating the jack
or changing the wheel.
2. Place the transmission in PARK, set the parking brake
and activate the Hazard Warning flashers. 3. Block the diagonally opposite
wheel.
NOTE: Passengers should not remain in the vehicle
when the vehicle is being jacked.
Jacking Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to help
prevent personal injury or damage to your vehicle:
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far from
the edge of the roadway as possible before raising
the vehicle.
(Continued)
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 455

WARNING! (Continued)
•Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
•Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to
be raised.
•Set the parking brake firmly and set the automatic
transmission in PARK.
•Never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a
jack.
•Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it is on a
jack.
•Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a jack.
•Only use the jack in the positions indicated and
for lifting this vehicle during a tire change.
•If working on or near a roadway, be extremely
careful of motor traffic.
WARNING! (Continued)
•To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are
securely stowed, spares must be stowed with the
valve stem facing the ground.
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to raise the vehicle by jacking on
locations other than those indicated in the Jacking
Instructions for this vehicle.
Jack Warning Label
456 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

5. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw clockwise.
Raise the vehicle just enough to remove the flat tire.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make
the vehicle less stable. It could slip off the jack and
hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle only enough
to remove the tire.
6. Remove the lug nuts and wheel.
7. Install the spare wheel/tire on the vehicle and install
the lug nuts with the cone-shaped end toward the wheel.
Lightly tighten the nuts.
WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not fully tighten the wheel nuts until the vehicle
has been lowered. Failure to follow this warning may
result in personal injury.
Rear Jacking Location6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 459