trailer CHRYSLER 300 2015 2.G Owners Manual

The BSM detection zone covers approximately one lane
width on both sides of the vehicle 12 ft (3.8 m). The zone
length starts at the outside rear view mirror and extends
approximately 10 ft (3 m) beyond the rear bumper of the
vehicle. The BSM system monitors the detection zones on
both sides of the vehicle when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 6 mph (10 km/h) or higher and will alert
the driver of vehicles in these areas.
NOTE:
•The BSM system does NOT alert the driver about
rapidly approaching vehicles that are outside the de-
tection zones.
•The BSM system detection zone DOES NOT change if
your vehicle is towing a trailer. Therefore, visually
verify the adjacent lane is clear for both your vehicle
and trailer before making a lane change. If the trailer or
other object (i.e., bicycle, sports equipment) extends
beyond the side of your vehicle, this may result in the
BSM warning light remaining illuminated the entire
time the vehicle is in a forward gear.
BSM Warning Light
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WARNING!(Continued)
•When driving in fog, heavy rain, heavy snow, sleet,
heavy traffic, and complex driving situations (i.e.,
in highway construction zones).
•When entering a turn lane or highway off ramp;
when driving on roads that are winding, icy, snow-
covered, slippery, or have steep uphill or downhill
slopes.
•When towing a trailer up or down steep slopes.
•When circumstances do not allow safe driving at a
constant speed.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Operation
The speed control buttons (located on the right side of the
steering wheel) operates the ACC system.
Adaptive Cruise Control Buttons1—NORMAL(FIXEDSPEED)CRUISECONTROLON/OFF2—SET+/ACCEL3—RESUME4—SET-/DECEL5—DISTANCESETTING—INCREASE6—ADAPTIVECRUISECONTROL(ACC)ON/OFF7—DISTANCESETTING—DECREASE8—CANCEL
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 175

When the condition that created limited functionality is
no longer present, the system will return to full function-
ality.
NOTE:If the “ACC/FCW Limited Functionality Clean
Front Windshield” message occurs frequently (e.g. more
than once on every trip) without any snow, rain, mud, or
other obstruction, have the windshield and forward
facing camera inspected at your authorized dealer.
Service ACC/FCW Warning
If the system turns off, and the DID displays “ACC/FCW
Unavailable Service Required” or “Cruise/FCW Unavail-
able Service Required”, there may be an internal system
fault or a temporary malfunction that limits ACC func-
tionality. Although the vehicle is still drivable under
normal conditions, ACC will be temporarily unavailable.
If this occurs, try activating ACC again later, following an
ignition cycle. If the problem persists, see your autho-
rized dealer.
Precautions While Driving With ACC
In certain driving situations, ACC may have detection
issues. In these cases, ACC may brake late or unexpect-
edly. The driver needs to stay alert and may need to
intervene.
Towing A Trailer
Towing a trailer is not advised when using ACC.
Offset Driving
ACC may not detect a vehicle in the same lane that is
offset from your direct line of travel, or a vehicle merging
in from a side lane. There may not be sufficient distance
to the vehicle ahead. The offset vehicle may move in and
out of the line of travel, which can cause your vehicle to
brake or accelerate unexpectedly.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 191

Cleaning The ParkSense® System
Clean the ParkSense® sensors with water, car wash soap
and a soft cloth. Do not use rough or hard cloths. Do not
scratch or poke the sensors. Otherwise, you could dam-
age the sensors.
ParkSense® System Usage Precautions
NOTE:
•Ensure that the front and rear bumper are free of snow,
ice, mud, dirt and debris to keep the ParkSense®
system operating properly.
•Construction equipment, large trucks, and other vibra-
tions could affect the performance of ParkSense®.
•When you turn ParkSense® off, the instrument cluster
will display “PARKSENSE OFF.” Furthermore, once
you turn ParkSense® off, it remains off until you turn
it on again, even if you cycle the ignition key.
•When you move the gear selector to the REVERSE
position and ParkSense® is turned off, the instrument
cluster will display “PARKSENSE OFF” for as long as
the vehicle is in REVERSE.
•ParkSense®, when on, will reduce the volume of the
radio when it is sounding a tone.
•Clean the ParkSense® sensors regularly, taking care
not to scratch or damage them. The sensors must not
be covered with ice, snow, slush, mud, dirt or debris.
Failure to do so can result in the system not working
properly. The ParkSense® system might not detect an
obstacle behind or in front of the fascia/bumper, or it
could provide a false indication that an obstacle is
behind or in front of the fascia/bumper.
•Use the ParkSense® switch to turn the ParkSense®
system off if objects such as bicycle carriers, trailer
hitches, etc. are placed within 12 in (30 cm) from the
rear fascia/bumper. Failure to do so can result in the
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 221

The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tempera-
ture when driving in hot weather, up mountain grades,
or when towing a trailer. It should not be allowed to
exceed the upper limits of the normal operating range.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads
“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 the “H” and you hear continuous chimes,
turn the engine off immediately and call an autho-
rized dealer for service.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call an authorized dealer
for service if your vehicle overheats. If you decide to
look under the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your
Vehicle”. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
18. Seat Belt Reminder Light
When the ignition switch is first turned to ON/
RUN, this light will turn on for four to eight
seconds as a bulb check. During the bulb check, if
the driver’s seat belt is unbuckled, a chime will sound.
After the bulb check or when driving, if the driver’s seat
belt remains unbuckled, the Seat Belt Reminder Light
will illuminate and the chime will sound. Refer to
“Occupant Restraints” in “Things To Know Before Start-
ing Your Vehicle” for further information.
270 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

▫E-85 General Information...............417
▫Ethanol Fuel (E-85)....................418
▫Fuel Requirements....................418
▫Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles.............419
▫Starting............................419
▫Cruising Range.......................420
▫Replacement Parts....................420
▫Maintenance........................420
!ADDING FUEL........................421
▫Emergency Fuel Filler Door Release.........423
!VEHICLE LOADING....................424
▫Vehicle Certification Label...............424
▫Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).......425
▫Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).........425
▫Overloading.........................425
▫Loading............................426
!TRAILER TOWING.....................426
▫Common Towing Definitions.............426
▫Trailer Hitch Classification...............430
▫Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight
Ratings)............................431
▫Trailer And Tongue Weight..............432
▫Towing Requirements..................433
▫Towing Tips.........................439
!RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)...................440
▫Two-Wheel Drive And All-Wheel Drive......440
336 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.
DRIVE (D)
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 all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteris-
tics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or
while towing heavy trailers), use the AutoStick shift
control (if equipped; refer to AutoStick in this section for
further information) to select a lower gear. Under these
conditions, using a lower gear will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shift-
ing and heat buildup.
During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or
below), transmission operation may be modified depend-
ing on engine and transmission temperature as well as
vehicle speed. Normal operation will resume once the
transmission temperature has risen to a suitable level.
SPORT (S) — If Equipped
This mode alters the transmission’s automatic shift
schedule for sportier driving. Upshift speeds are in-
creased to make full use of available engine power. To
350 STARTING AND OPERATING

can also provide you with more control during passing,
city driving, cold slippery conditions, mountain driving,
trailer towing, and many other situations.
Operation
When the transmission is in DRIVE or SPORT mode, it
will operate automatically, shifting between the eight
available gears. To engage AutoStick, simply tap one of
the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles (+/-) while in
DRIVE or SPORT mode. In DRIVE mode, this will
activate a temporary AutoStick mode. The transmission
will revert back to normal operation after a period of
time, depending on accelerator pedal activity. When the
transmission gear selector is in the SPORT position,
tapping either shift paddle will activate#permanent#
AutoStick mode. The transmission will remain in
AutoStick mode until the driver deliberately disables
AutoStick (as described below). Tapping (-) to enter
AutoStick will downshift the transmission to the next
lower gear, while using (+) to enter AutoStick will retain
the current gear. When AutoStick is active, the current
transmission gear is displayed in the instrument cluster.
In AutoStick mode, the transmission will shift up or
down when (+/-) is manually selected by the driver,
unless an engine lugging or overspeed condition would
result. It will remain in the selected gear until another
upshift or downshift is chosen, except as described
below.
•If AutoStick is engaged while in DRIVE mode, the
transmission will automatically shift up when maxi-
mum engine speed is reached. If the accelerator is fully
depressed, the transmission will downshift when pos-
sible (based on current vehicle speed and gear). Lack
of accelerator pedal activity will cause the transmis-
sion to revert to automatic operation.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 353

ESC Operating Modes
The ESC system has two or three available operating
modes:
ESC On
This is the normal operating mode for the ESC. When-
ever the vehicle is started, the ESC system will be in this
mode. This mode should be used for most driving
conditions. The ESC should only be turned OFF for
specific reasons as noted in the following paragraphs.
Partial Off
The “Partial Off” mode is intended for times when a
more spirited driving experience is desired. It is also
intended for driving in deep snow, sand, or gravel. This
mode disables the TCS portion of the ESC and raises the
threshold for ESC activation, which allows for more
wheel spin than what ESC normally allows.
The “ESC Off” switch is located on the switch bank in the
center of the instrument panel. To enter the “Partial Off”
mode, momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch and the
#ESC off indicator light#will illuminate. To turn the ESC
on again, momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch and
the#ESC off indicator light#will turn off.
WARNING!
•When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS functionality
of ESC, (except for the limited slip feature de-
scribed in the TCS section), has been disabled and
the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will be illuminated.
When in “Partial Off” mode, the engine power
reduction feature of TCS is disabled, and the
enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC sys-
tem is reduced.
•Trailer Sway control (TSC) is disabled when the
ESC system is in the “Partial Off” mode.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 369

WARNING!
There may be situations on minor hills 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 brak-
ing 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
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
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.
•HSA is not a parking brake. If you stop the vehicle
on a hill without putting the transmission in PARK
and using the parking brake, it will roll down the
hill and could cause a collision with another ve-
hicle or object. Always remember to use the park-
ing brake while parking on a hill, and that the
driver is responsible for braking the vehicle.
372 STARTING AND OPERATING