tow CHRYSLER 300 2015 2.G Owner's Manual

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Tw o - W h e e l D r i v e A n d A l l - W h e e l D r i v e
Recreational towing (with all four wheels on the ground, or using a tow dolly) isNOT AL-
LOWED.Theonlyacceptablemethodfortowingthisvehicle(behindanothervehicle)isona
vehicle trailer with all four wheelsOFFthe ground.
CAUTION!
To w i n g t h i s v e h i c l e i n v i o l a t i o n o f t h e a b o v e r e q u i r e m e n t s c a n c a u s e s e v e r e t r a n s m i s s i o n
and/or transfer case damage. Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
UTILITY
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WARNING!
Ahotenginecoolingsystemisdangerous.Youorotherscouldbebadlyburnedbysteamor
boiling coolant.
–BrakeWarningLight
This light monitors various brake functions, including brake fluid level and parking brake appli-
cation. If the brake light turns on, it may indicate that the parking brake is applied, that the brake
fluid level is low, or that there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system reservoir.
If the light remains on when the parking brake has been disengaged, and the fluid level is at the
full mark on the master cylinder reservoir, it indicates a possible brake hydraulic system malfunc-
tion or that a problem with the Brake Booster has been detected by the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS)/Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system. In this case, the light will remain on until the
condition has been corrected. If the problem is related to the brake booster, the ABS pump will
run when applying the brake, and a brake pedal pulsation may be felt during each stop.
The dual brake system provides a reserve braking capacity in the event of a failure to a portion of
the hydraulic system. A leak in either half of the dual brake system is indicated by the Brake
Wa r n i n g L i g h t , w h i c h w i l l t u r n o n w h e n t h e b r a k e f l u i d l e v e l i n t h e m a s t e r c y l i n d e r h a s d r o p p e d
below a specified level. The light will remain on until the cause is corrected.
Ve h i c l e s e q u i p p e d w i t h t h e A n t i - L o c k B r a k e S y s t e m ( A B S ) a r e a l s o e q u i p p e d w i t h E l e c t r o n i c
Brake Force Distribution (EBD). In the event of an EBD failure, the Brake Warning Light will turn
on along with the ABS Light. Immediate repair to the ABS system is required.
Operation of the Brake Warning Light can be checked by turning the ignition switch from the
OFF position to the ON/RUN position. The light should illuminate for approximately two
seconds. The light should then turn off unless the parking brake is applied or a brake fault is
detected. If the light does not illuminate, have the light inspected by an authorized dealer.
The light also will turn on when the parking brake is applied with the ignition switch in the
ON/RUN position.
NOTE:
This light shows only that the parking brake is applied. It does not show the degree of brake
application.
WARNING!
Driving a vehicle with the red brake light on is dangerous. Part of the brake system may have
failed. It will take longer to stop the vehicle. You could have a collision. Have the vehicle
checked immediately.
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
Certain conditions, such as a poor fuel quality, etc., may illuminate the MIL after engine start. The
vehicle should be serviced if the light stays on through several typical driving cycles. In most
situations, the vehicle will drive normally and not require towing.
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If the MIL flashes when the engine is running, serious conditions may exist that could lead to
immediate loss of power or severe catalytic converter damage. We recommend you do not
operate the vehicle. Have the vehicle serviced immediately.
–ElectronicStabilityControl(ESC)OFFIndicatorLight
This light indicates the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is off.
Charging System Light
This light shows the status of the electrical charging system. If the charging system light remains
on, it means that the vehicle is experiencing a problem with the charging system.
We r e c o m m e n d y o u d o n o t c o n t i n u e d r i v i n g i f t h e c h a r g i n g s y s t e m l i g h t i s o n . H a v e t h e v e h i c l e
serviced immediately.
–OilPressureWarningLight
This light indicates low engine oil pressure. If the light turns on while driving, stop the vehicle and
shut off the engine as soon as possible. A chime will sound when this light turns on.
We r e c o m m e n d y o u d o n o t o p e r a t e t h e v e h i c l e o r e n g i n e d a m a g e w i l l o c c u r. H a v e t h e v e h i c l e
serviced immediately.
–Anti-LockBrake(ABS)Light
This light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).
If the light is not on during starting, stays on or turns on while driving, we recommend you contact
the nearest authorized dealer and have the vehicle serviced immediately.
–ElectronicThrottleControl(ETC)IndicatorLight
This light informs you of a problem with the system.
If a problem is detected, the light will come on while the engine is running. Cycle the ignition
when the vehicle has completely stopped and the shift lever is placed in the PARK position; the
light should turn off.
If the light remains lit with the engine running, your vehicle will usually be drivable. However, see
an authorized dealer immediately. If the light is flashing when the engine is running, immediate
service is required, and you may experience reduced performance, an elevated/rough idle or
engine stall, and your vehicle may require towing.
–AirBagWarningLight
If the light is not on during starting, stays on, or turns on while driving, have the vehicle serviced
by an authorized dealer immediately.
SERVICE AWD SYSTEM Message
If the SERVICE AWD SYSTEM warning message appears after engine start up, or during
driving, it means the AWD system is not functioning properly. We recommend you do not
operate the vehicle. Have the vehicle serviced immediately.
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IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the potential for overheating by taking the
appropriate action:
•Onthehighways—slowdown.
• In city traffic — while stopped, shift the transmission to NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine
idle speed.
NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow down an impending overheat condition:
•Ifyourairconditioner(A/C)ison,turnitoff.TheA/Csystemaddsheattotheenginecooling
system and turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
• 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!
Yo u o r o t h e r s c a n b e b a d l y b u r n e d b y h o t e n g i n e c o o l a n t ( a n t i f r e e z e ) o r s t e a m f r o m y o u r
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
Jack Location/Spare Tire Stowage
The jack and spare tire are both stowed under an access cover in the trunk. Follow these steps to
access the jack and spare tire.
NOTE:
The spare tire must be removed in order to access the jack.
1. Open the trunk.
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7. Mount the spare tire.
NOTE:
•Forvehiclessoequipped,donotattempt
to install a center cap or wheel cover on
the compact spare.
•Referto“CompactSpareTire”andto
“Limited-Use Spare” under “Tires—
General Information” in “Starting and
Operating” in the Owner's Manual on
the DVD for additional warnings, cau-
tions, and information about the spare
tire, its use, and operation.
8. Install the lug nuts with the cone shaped end
of the lug nut toward the wheel. Lightly
tighten the lug nuts.
9. Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
10. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the wrench while at the end of the handle for
increased leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until each nut has been tightened
twice. The correct tightness of each lug nut is 130 ft-lb. (176 N·m). If in doubt about the
correct tightness, have them checked with a torque wrench by your authorized dealer or at a
service station.
11. Stow the jack, tools and flat tire. Make sure the base of the jack faces the front of the vehicle
before tightening down the fastener.
Road Tire Installation
1. Mount the road tire on the axle.
2. Install the remaining lug nuts with the cone shaped end of the nut toward the wheel. Lightly
tighten the lug nuts.
3. Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
4. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the wrench while at the end of the handle for
increased leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until each nut has been tightened
twice. The correct tightness of each lug nut is 130 ft-lbs (176 N·m). If in doubt about the
correct tightness, have them checked with a torque wrench by your authorized dealer or
service station.
5. After 25 miles (40 km) check the lug nut torque with a torque wrench to ensure that all lug nuts
are properly seated against the wheel.
Install Compact Spare
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CAUTION!
Do not attempt to raise the vehicle by jacking on locations other than those indicated in the
Jacking Instructions for this vehicle.
WARNING!
•Donotattempttochangeatireonthesideofthevehicleclosetomovingtraffic.Pullfar
enough off the road to avoid the danger of being hit when operating the jack or changing
the wheel.
•Beingunderajacked-upvehicleisdangerous.Thevehiclecouldslipoffthejackandfallon
you. You could be crushed. Never put any part of your body under a vehicle that is on a
jack.
•Neverstartorruntheenginewhilethevehicleisonajack.Ifyouneedtogetunderaraised
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.
•Aloosetireorjackthrownforwardinacollisionorhardstopcouldendangertheoccupants
of the vehicle. Always stow the jack parts and the spare tire in the places provided.
•Carefullyfollowthesetirechangingwarningstohelppreventpersonalinjuryordamageto
your vehicle:
•Alwaysparkonafirm,levelsurfaceasfarfromtheedgeoftheroadwayaspossiblebefore
raising the vehicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to be raised.
•SettheparkingbrakefirmlyandsetanautomatictransmissioninPARK;amanual
transmission in REVERSE.
•Donotletanyonesitinthevehiclewhenitisonajack.
•Donotgetunderthevehiclewhenitisonajack.
•Onlyusethejackinthepositionsindicatedandforliftingthisvehicleduringatirechange.
•Ifworkingonorneararoadway,beextremelycarefulofmotortraffic.
•Raisingthevehiclehigherthannecessarycanmakethevehiclelessstable.Itcouldslipoff
the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle only enough to remove the tire.
•Toavoidtheriskofforcingthevehicleoffthejack,donotfullytightenthewheelnutsuntil
the vehicle has been lowered. Failure to follow this warning may result in personal injury.
•Aloosetireorjackthrownforwardinacollisionorhardstopcouldendangertheoccupants
of the vehicle. Always stow the jack parts and the spare tire in the places provided.
•Thelimited-usesparetiresareforemergencyuseonly.Installationofthislimited-usespare
tire affects vehicle handling. With this tire, do not drive more than 60 mph (100 km/h).
Keep inflated to the cold tire inflation pressure listed on either your tire placard or
limited-use spare tire and wheel assembly. Replace (or repair) the original tire at the first
opportunity and reinstall it on your vehicle. Failure to do so could result in loss of vehicle
control.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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WARNING!
•Whentemperaturesarebelowthefreezingpoint,electrolyteinadischargedbatterymay
freeze. Do not attempt jump-starting because the battery could rupture or explode and
cause personal injury. Battery temperature must be brought above freezing point before
attempting a jump-start.
•Takecaretoavoidtheradiatorcoolingfanwheneverthehoodisraised.Itcanstartanytime
the ignition switch is on. You can be injured by moving fan blades.
•Removeanymetaljewelry,suchaswatchbandsorbracelets,thatmightmakean
inadvertent electrical contact. You could be severely injured.
•Batteriescontainsulfuricacidthatcanburnyourskinoreyesandgeneratehydrogengas
which is flammable and explosive. Keep open flames or sparks away from the battery.
•Donotallowvehiclestotoucheachotherasthiscouldestablishagroundconnectionand
personal injury could result.
• Failure to follow this procedure could result in personal injury or property damage due to
battery explosion.
•Donotconnectthecabletothenegativepost(-)of the discharged battery. The resulting
electrical spark could cause the battery to explode and could result in personal injury.
MANUAL PARK RELEASE
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying the parking brake, before activating the Manual
Park Release. Activating the Manual Park Release will allow your vehicle to roll away if it is not
secured by the parking brake or by proper connection to a tow vehicle. Activating the Manual
Park Release on an unsecured vehicle could lead to serious injury or death for those in or
around the vehicle.
In order to push or tow the vehicle in cases where the transmission will not shift out of PARK (such
as a dead battery), a Manual Park Release is available.
Follow these steps to use the Manual Park Release:
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Remove the console storage bin to access the Manual Park Release lever.
3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, fish the tether strap up through the opening in the
console base.
4. Insert the screwdriver into the slot in the center of the lever, and disengage the lever locking
tab by pushing it to the right.
5. While holding the locking tab in the disengaged position, pull the tether strap to rotate the
lever up and rearward, until it locks in place in the vertical position. The vehicle is now out of
PA R K a n d c a n b e t o w e d . Re l e a s e t h e p a r k i n g b ra ke o n l y w h e n t h e v e h i c l e i s s e c u re l y
connected to a tow vehicle.
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To R e s e t T h e M a n u a l P a r k R e l e a s e :
1. Push the latch (at the base of the lever, on the rear side) rearward (away from the lever) to
unlatch the lever.
2. Rotate the Manual Park Release lever forward and down, to its original position, until the
locking tab snaps into place to secure the lever.
3. Pull up gently on the tether strap to confirm that the lever is locked in its stowed position.
4. Tuck the tether strap into the base of the console. Reinstall the console storage bin.
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled vehicle using a commercial towing
service.
Towing ConditionWheels OFF TheGroundRWD MODELS AWD MODELS
Flat TowNONE
If transmission is op-erable:• Transmission inNEUTRAL• 30 mph (48 km/h)maxspeed• 30 miles (48 km)maxdistance
NOT ALLOWED
Wheel Lift or DollyTo w
Front
NOT RECOM-MENDED (but, ifused, same limita-tions as above)
NOT ALLOWED
RearNOT RECOM-MENDED
NOT RECOM-MENDED, but, if used:• Ignition in ON/RUN position• Transmission
inNEUTRAL
(NOT in Park)
FlatbedALLBEST METHOD BEST METHOD
Refer to your Owner’s Manual on the DVD for further information.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
For information on the maintenance procedures for your vehicle, please refer to “Maintenance
Procedures” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” in your Owner’s Manual or applicable supplement on
the DVD for further details.
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
Yo u r v e h i c l e i s e q u i p p e d w i t h a n a u t o m a t i c o i l c h a n g e i n d i c a t o r s y s t e m . T h e o i l c h a n g e i n d i c a t o r
system will remind you that it is time to take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance.
Based on engine operation conditions, the oil change indicator message will illuminate. This
means that service is required for your vehicle. Operating conditions such as frequent short-trips,
trailer tow, extremely hot or cold ambient temperatures, and E85 fuel usage will influence when
the “Change Oil” or “Oil Change Required” message is displayed. Severe Operating Conditions
can cause the change oil message to illuminate as early as 3,500 miles (5,600 km) since last reset.
Have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible, within the next 500 miles (805 km).
The “Oil Change Required” message will be displayed in the DID and a single chime will sound,
indicating that an oil change is necessary.
Your authorized dealer will reset the oil change indicator message after completing the scheduled
oil change. If a scheduled oil change is performed by someone other than your authorized dealer,
the message can be reset by referring to the steps described under “Instrument Cluster Warning
Lights” in “What To Do In Emergencies” in this guide or “Driver Information Dispay (DID)” in
“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” in your Owners Manual on the DVD for further infor-
mation.
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km) or twelve
months, whichever comes first.
Severe Duty All Models
Change Engine Oil at 4,000 miles (6,500 km) if the vehicle is operated in a dusty and off road
environment. This type of vehicle use is considered Severe Duty
Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
•Checkengineoillevel
•Checkwindshieldwasherfluidlevel
• Check tire pressure and look for unusual wear or damage. Rotate tires at the first sign of
irregular wear, even if it occurs before your next scheduled service.
•Checkthefluidlevelsofthecoolantreservoir,brakemastercylinder,andpowersteering(if
equipped) and fill as needed.
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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Mileage or time passed (whichever comes first)
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
Or Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000
Inspect the transfer case fluid. Change the transfer case fluid; if usingyour vehicle for any of the following: police, taxi, fleet, off-road, or fre-quent trailer towing. (All Wheel Drive Only).
XX
Change the rear axle fluid and on models equipped with All WheelDrive (AWD) change the front axle fluid if using your vehicle for any ofthe following: police, taxi, fleet, off-road, or frequent trailer towing.
XX X
Inspect and replace PCV valve if necessary.
X
** The spark plug change interval is mileage based only, yearly intervals do not apply.
WARNING!
•Youcanbebadlyinjuredworkingonoraroundamotorvehicle.Doonlyserviceworkforwhichyouhavetheknowledgeandtherightequipment.
If you have any doubt about your ability to perform a service job, take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
•Failuretoproperlyinspectandmaintainyourvehiclecouldresultinacomponentmalfunctionandeffectvehiclehandlingandperformance.This
could cause an accident.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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