Transmission CHRYSLER 300 2008 1.G Owner's Guide

Gear Ranges
“P” (Park)
“P” (Park) supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.Never use “P” (Park) while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this
range.
When parking on a flat surface, place the gear selector in
the “P” (Park) position first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the gear selector in “P” (Park),
otherwise the load on the transmission locking mecha-
nism may make it difficult to move the selector out of
park. As an added precaution, turn the front wheels
toward the curb on a downhill grade and away from the
curb on an uphill grade.
Selector Lever
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CAUTION!
Coasting the vehicle or driving for any other reason
with selector lever in NEUTRAL can result in trans-
mission damage.
WARNING!
Do not coast in “N” (Neutral) and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have an accident.“D” (Drive)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts and the best fuel economy.
The transmission automatically upshifts through fifth
gear. The “D” (Drive) position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs when using
the Overdrive range, such as when operating the vehicle
under heavy loading conditions (in hilly terrain, travel-
ing into strong head winds, or while towing heavy
trailers, use the AutoStickmode and select the “3”
range.
AutoStickGear selection
The AutoStickfeature can be selected by pressing the
selector lever to the right or the left with the lever in the
“D” (Drive) position. The gear currently selected is
indicated in the instrument cluster display. Briefly, press
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the selector lever in the “D -” direction and the transmis-
sion will shift from the current gear to the next lower
gear.
Press and hold the selector lever in the “D-” direction and
the transmission will shift from the current gear directly
to the next lowest gear for best acceleration.
NOTE:To avoid overrevving the engine when the
selector lever is moved in “D -” direction, the transmis-
sion will not shift to a lower gear if the engine’s revolu-
tions per minute (RPM) limit would be exceeded.
Briefly, press the selector lever in the “D +” direction and
the transmission will shift from the current gear to the
next higher gear.
Press and hold the selector lever in the “D +” direction
and the transmission will shift from the current gear
directly to gear “D.”WARNING!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in order
to obtain braking action. This could result in drive
wheel slip and reduced vehicle control. Your vehi-
cle’s ABS will not prevent this type of loss of control.
You could lose control of your vehicle and have an
accident.
Delayed Shifts in Cold Temperatures
During cold temperature operation, you may notice
delayed upshifts depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature im-
proves warm up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency.
Temporary Transmission Limp Home Mode
The transmission is monitored for abnormal conditions.
If a condition is detected that could result in transmission
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damage, the transmission will engage Limp Home Mode.
If vehicle acceleration worsens, or the transmission no
longer shifts, the transmission is most likely operating in
the Limp Home Mode. In this mode, the transmission
will remain in the current gear until the vehicle is
brought to a stop. After the vehicle has stopped, “P”
(Park), “R” (Reverse), and “N” (Neutral) will continue to
operate. Second gear will operate in the “D” (Drive)
shifter position. The Malfunction Indicator Light may be
illuminated.
A reset feature is available to allow the vehicle to be
driven to a dealer for service. To reset the transmission,
use the following procedure:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Move the selector lever to the “P” (Park) position.
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.5. Restart the engine.
6. Move the selector lever to the desired range. If the
problem is no longer detected, the transmission will
return to normal operation.
NOTE:Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit a dealer at your earliest possible
convenience. Your dealer has diagnostic equipment to
determine if the problem could recur.
Have the transmission checked at your authorized dealer
as soon as possible.
If the problem has been momentary, the transmission can
be reset to regain all forward gears.
Permanent Transmission Limp Home Mode
Permanent Limp Home Mode will be activated if the
transmission enters temporary Limp Home Mode three
times. Follow the reset procedure described under “Tem-
porary Transmission Limp Home Mode” in this section.
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In Permanent Limp Home Mode, “P” (Park), “R” (Re-
verse), and “N” (Neutral) will continue to operate. Sec-
ond gear will operate in the “D” (Drive) shifter position.
The malfunction indicator light may illuminate.
AUTOSTICK— IF EQUIPPED
Autostickis a driver-interactive transmission that offers
manual gear shifting to provide you with more control of
the vehicle. Autostickallows you to maximize engine
braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
and improve overall vehicle performance. This system
can also provide you with more control during passing,
city driving, cold slippery conditions, mountain driving,
trailer towing, and many other situations.
AutostickOperation
By placing the selector lever in the “D” (Drive) position,
it can be moved from side to side. This allows the driver
to select a higher or lower range of gears. Moving the
selector lever to the Left (-) triggers a downshift and to
the Right (+) an upshift. The gear position will display in
the instrument cluster on the transmission range indica-
tor.
You can shift in or out of the Autostickmode at any time
without taking your foot off the accelerator pedal. If you
choose the Overdrive mode, the transmission will oper-
ate automatically, shifting between the five available
gears. When you wish to engage Autostick, simply
move the selector lever to the Right or Left (D+/D-) while
in the “D” (Drive) position. The transmission will remain
in the current gear until an upshift or downshift is
chosen.
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Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through
shallow standing water, consider the following before
doing so:CAUTION!
•Always check the depth of the standing water before driving
through it. Never drive through standing water that is deeper
than the bottom of the tire rims mounted on the vehicle.
•Determine the condition of the road or the path that is under
water and if there are any obstacles in the way before driving
through the standing water.
•Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through
standing water. This will minimize wave effects.
•Driving through standing water may cause damage to your
vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always inspect your vehi-
cle’s fluids (i.e. engine oil, transmission, axle, etc.) for signs
of contamination (i.e. fluid that is milky or foamy in appear-
ance) after driving through standing water. Do not continue
to operate the vehicle if any fluid appears contaminated, as
this may result in further damage. Such damage is not
covered by the new vehicle limited warranty.
•Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can cause it to
lockup and stall out and cause serious internal damage to the
engine. Such damage is not covered by the new vehicle
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otherwise the load on the transmission locking mecha-
nism may make it difficult to move the selector out of
park. As an added precaution, turn the front wheels
toward the curb on a downhill grade and away from the
curb on an uphill grade.
The foot operated parking brake is positioned below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel. To apply the
parking brake, push the parking brake pedal down and
then remove your foot from the pedal. To release the
parking brake, push down on the parking brake pedal
and then release.
The brake light in the instrument cluster will turn on
when the parking brake is applied and the ignition
switch is on.
NOTE:This light only shows that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
Parking Brake
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Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight
Ratings)
The following chart provides the maximum trailer
weight ratings towable for your given drivetrain.
Engine/Transmission Frontal Area Max. GTW
(Gross Trailer Wt.)Max. Tongue Wt.
2.7L & 3.5L Rear Wheel
Drive (RWD) Automatic22 SQ. FT.
(2.04 square meters)Up to 2 persons & Luggage
1,000 lbs (454 kg)100 lbs (45 kg)
22 SQ. FT.
(2.04 square meters)Up to 3 persons & Luggage
1,000 lbs (454 kg)100 lbs (45 kg)
22 SQ. FT.
(2.04 square meters)Up to 4 persons & Luggage
1,000 lbs (454 kg)100 lbs (45 kg)
22 SQ. FT.
(2.04 square meters)Up to 5 persons & NO Luggage
1,000 lbs (454 kg)100 lbs (45 kg)
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Engine/Transmission Frontal Area Max. GTW
(Gross Trailer Wt.)Max. Tongue Wt.
3.5L All Wheel Drive
(AWD) & 5.7L Automatic32 SQ. FT.
(2.97 square meters)Up to 2 persons & Luggage
2,000 lbs (907 kg)200 lbs (91 kg)
32 SQ. FT.
(2.97 square meters)Up to 3 persons & Luggage
2,000 lbs (907 kg)200 lbs (91 kg)
32 SQ. FT.
(2.97 square meters)Up to 4 persons & Luggage
1,500 lbs (680 kg)150 lbs (68 kg)
32 SQ. FT.
(2.97 square meters)Up to 5 persons & NO Luggage
1,000 lbs (454 kg)100 lbs (45 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.
NOTE:The trailer tongue weight must be considered as
part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo, and
it should never exceed the weight referenced on the “Tire
and Loading Information” placard. Refer to “Tire–Safety
Information” in this section.
Trailer and Tongue Weight
Always load a trailer with 60% to 65% of the weight in
the front of the trailer. This places 10% to 15% of the
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) on the tow hitch of your
vehicle. Loads balanced over the wheels or heavier in the
rear can cause the trailer to swayseverelyside to side
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Towing Requirements
To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle driv-
etrain components the following guidelines are recom-
mended:
CAUTION!
•Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles (805
km) of vehicle operation. Doing so may damage
your vehicle.
•During the first 500 miles (805 km) of trailer
towing, limit your speed to 50 mph (80 km/h).
Perform the maintenance listed in Section 8 of this
manual. When towing a trailer, never exceed the GAWR,
or GCWR, ratings.
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and it will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.
•When hauling cargo, or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause
a loss of control, poor performance, or damage to
brakes, axle, engine, transmission, steering, suspen-
sion, chassis structure, or tires.
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