warning light CHRYSLER 300 2011 2.G Owner's Guide

Gear Ranges
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never use 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 shift lever in the
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 shift lever in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the shift lever 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.
WARNING!
Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the shift lever in the PARK position:
•When shifting into PARK, move the shift lever all the
way forward and left until it stops and is fully seated.
•Look at the shift indicator display on the instrument
panel to ensure it is in the PARK position.
CAUTION!
Damage to the shifter could result if the shift lever is
moved out of PARK before the ignition light is
turned from the OFF to the RUN position.
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The transmission will automatically downshift as the
vehicle slows to a stop (to prevent engine lugging) and
will display the current gear. Tapping the shift lever to
the D+ position (at a stop) will allow starting in second
gear. After a stop, the driver should manually upshift
(D+) the transmission as the vehicle is accelerated.
To disengage AutoStickmode, hold the shift lever to the
right (D+) for a few seconds. You can shift in or out of the
AutoStick mode at any time without taking your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) — IF EQUIPPED
This vehicle is equipped with an active on-demand
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system which makes available
optimum traction for a wide variety of road surface and
driving conditions. The system minimizes wheel slip by
automatically redirecting torque to the front and rear
wheels as necessary.
To maximize fuel economy, your AWD vehicle automati-
cally defaults to rear-wheel drive (RWD) when road and
environmental conditions are such that wheel slip is
unlikely to occur. When specific road and environmental
conditions require increased levels of road traction, the
vehicle automatically shifts into AWD mode. Automatic
AWD operation could be activated by outside tempera-
ture, wheel slip, or other predetermined conditions (there
may be a slight delay for AWD engagement after a wheel
slip condition occurs). AWD can also be manually se-
lected by moving the shift lever into the AutoStick mode
(+/-) or activating the windshield wipers for an extended
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WARNING!
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph
(8 km/h) when driving through standing water.
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stop-
ping distances. Therefore, after driving through
standing water, drive slowly and lightly press on
the brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
•Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and leave you
stranded.
•Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
POWER STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with an electro-hydraulic power
steering system that will give you good vehicle response
and increased ease of maneuverability in tight spaces.
The system will vary its assist to provide light efforts
while parking and good feel while driving. If the electro-
hydraulic power steering system experiences a fault that
prevents it from providing power steering assist, then the
system will provide mechanical steering capability.
CAUTION!
Extreme steering maneuvers may cause the electri-
cally driven pump to reduce or stop power steering
assistance in order to prevent damage to the system.
Normal operation will resume once the system is
allowed to cool.
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PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied and place the shift lever in the
PARK position.
The foot operated parking brake is located below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel. To apply the
park brake, firmly push the park brake pedal fully. To
release the parking brake, press the park brake pedal a
second time and let your foot up as you feel the brake
disengage.When the parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch in the ON position, the “Brake Warning Light” in
the instrument cluster will illuminate.
Parking Brake
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NOTE:
•When the parking brake is applied and the transmis-
sion is placed in gear, the “Brake Warning Light” will
flash. If vehicle speed is detected, a chime will sound
to alert the driver. Fully release the parking brake
before attempting to move the vehicle.
•This light only shows that the parking brake is ap-
plied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. Apply the parking
brake before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied whenever the
driver is not in the vehicle.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for
the parking brake. Always apply the parking
brake fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob from the ignition and lock your vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children
to be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the shift lever. (Continued)
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WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, and
do not leave a vehicle equipped with Keyless
Enter-N-Go in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and a collision.
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission
in PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to
roll and cause damage or injury.
CAUTION!
If the “Brake Warning Light” remains on with the
parking brake released, a brake system malfunction
is indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an
authorized dealer immediately.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides increased
vehicle stability and brake performance under most
braking conditions. The system automatically “pumps”
the brakes during severe braking conditions to prevent
wheel lock-up.
The Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) prevents
the rear wheels from over-braking and provides greater
control of available braking forces applied to the rear
axle.
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When the vehicle is driven over 7 mph (11 km/h), you
may also hear a slight clicking sound as well as some
related motor noises. These noises are the system per-
forming its self check cycle to ensure that the ABS is
working properly. This self check occurs each time the
vehicle is started and accelerated past 7 mph (11 km/h).
ABS is activated during braking under certain road or
stopping conditions. ABS-inducing conditions can in-
clude ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose
debris, or panic stops.
You also may experience the following when the brake
system goes into Anti-Lock:
•The ABS motor running (it may continue to run for a
short time after the stop),
•The clicking sound of solenoid valves,
•Brake pedal pulsations, and
•A slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the end
of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
WARNING!
•The ABS contains sophisticated electronic equip-
ment that may be susceptible to interference
caused by improperly installed or high output
radio transmitting equipment. This interference
can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking capa-
bility. Installation of such equipment should be
performed by qualified professionals.
•Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish
their effectiveness and may lead to a collision.
Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just
press firmly on your brake pedal when you need
to slow down or stop. (Continued)
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HSA will work in REVERSE and all forward gears when
the activation criteria have been met. The system will not
activate if the vehicle is placed in NEUTRAL or PARK.
WARNING!
There may be situations on minor hills (i.e., less than
8%), with a loaded vehicle, or while pulling a trailer,
when the system will not activate and slight rolling
may occur. This could cause a collision with another
vehicle or object. Always remember the driver is
responsible for braking the vehicle.
Towing With HSA
HSA will provide assistance when starting on a grade
when pulling a trailer.
WARNING!
•If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, your trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated with the brake switch. If so, when the
brake pedal is released, there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold the vehicle and trailer on a
hill and this could cause a collision with another
vehicle or object behind you. In order to avoid
rolling down the hill while resuming acceleration,
manually activate the trailer brake prior to releas-
ing the brake pedal. Always remember the driver
is responsible for braking the vehicle.(Continued)
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Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed. (Refer to the paragraph on
“Tread Wear Indicators”). Refer to the “Tire and Loading
Information” placard for the size designation of your tire.
The service description and load identification will be
found on the original equipment tire. Failure to use
equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect the
safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend
that you contact your original equipment or an autho-
rized tire dealer with any questions you may have on tire
specifications or capability.
WARNING!
•Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combinations
of unapproved tires and wheels may change sus-
pension dimensions and performance characteris-
tics, resulting in changes to steering, handling, and
braking of your vehicle. This can cause unpredict-
able handling and stress to steering and suspen-
sion components. You could lose control and have
a collision resulting in serious injury or death. Use
only the tire and wheel sizes with load ratings
approved for your vehicle.
•Never use a tire with a smaller load index or
capacity, other than what was originally equipped
on your vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load
index could result in tire overloading and failure.
You could lose control and have a collision.(Continued)
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The TPMS will warn the driver of a low tire pressure if
the tire pressure falls below the low-pressure warning
limit for any reason, including low temperature effects
and natural pressure loss through the tire.
The TPMS will continue to warn the driver of low tire
pressure as long as the condition exists, and will not turn
off until the tire pressure is at or above the recommended
cold placard pressure. Once the low tire pressure warn-
ing (Tire Pressure Monitoring [TPM] Telltale Light) illu-
minates, you must increase the tire pressure to the
recommended cold placard pressure in order for the TPM
Telltale Light to turn off. The system will automatically
update and the TPM Telltale Light will turn off once the
system receives the updated tire pressures. The vehicle
may need to be driven for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph
(24 km/h) in order for the TPMS to receive this informa-
tion.For example, your vehicle may have a recommended
cold (parked for more than three hours) placard pressure
of 30 psi (207 kPa). If the ambient temperature is 68°F
(20°C) and the measured tire pressure is 27 psi (186 kPa),
a temperature drop to 20°F (-7°C) will decrease the tire
pressure to approximately 23 psi (158 kPa). This tire
pressure is sufficiently low enough to turn ON the TPM
Telltale Light. Driving the vehicle may cause the tire
pressure to rise to approximately 27 psi (186 kPa), but the
TPM Telltale Light will still be ON. In this situation, the
TPM Telltale Light will turn OFF only after the tires are
inflated to the vehicle’s recommended cold placard pres-
sure value.
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