radiator CHRYSLER 300 SRT 2008 1.G Owners Manual

Adding Washer Fluid
The windshield washer fluid reservoir is located in the
front of the engine compartment. Be sure to check the
fluid level in the reservoir at regular intervals. Fill the
reservoir with windshield washer solvent (not radiator
antifreeze) and operate the system for a few seconds to
flush out the residual water.
The fluid reservoir will hold nearly 1 gal (4 l) of washer
fluid when the message “Low Washer Fluid” appears in
the EVIC.
Washer Fluid Reservoir
144 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Adding Washer Fluid
The headlight washer and windshield washer share the
same fluid reservoir. The reservoir is located in the front
of the engine compartment. Be sure to check the fluid
level in the reservoir at regular intervals. Fill the reservoir
with windshield washer solvent (not radiator antifreeze)
and operate the system for a few seconds to flush out the
residual water.
Washer Fluid Reservoir
146 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

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, put transmission in
NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE:There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition. If your air conditioner
is on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the engine cooling system and turning off the A/C
removes this heat. You can also turn the temperature
control to maximum heat, the mode control to floor, and
the Fan control to HI. 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 240°F
(116°C) or greater pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle
the vehicle with the air conditioner turned off until
the pointer drops back into the normal range 200–
230°F (93–110°C). If the pointer remains at 240°F
(116°C) or greater and you hear a chime, turn the
engine off immediately and call for service.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 371
6

JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURES
WARNING!
•Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan whenever the hood is raised.
It can start anytime the ignition switch is ON. You can be hurt by the
fan.
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it started. Vehicles
equipped with an automatic transmission cannot be started this way.
Unburned fuel could enter the catalytic converter and once the engine
has started, ignite and damage the converter and vehicle. If the vehicle
has a discharged battery, booster cables may be used to obtain a start
from another vehicle. This type of start can be dangerous if done
improperly, so follow this procedure carefully.
•Battery fluid is a corrosive acid solution; do not allow battery fluid to
contact eyes, skin, or clothing. Don’t lean over battery when attaching
clamps or allow the clamps to touch each other. If acid splashes in eyes
or on skin, flush contaminated area immediately with large quantities
of water.
•A battery generates hydrogen gas, which is flammable and explosive.
Keep flame or spark away from the vent holes.
•Do not use a booster battery or any other booster source with an output
that exceeds 12 Volts.
•The battery in this vehicle has a vent hose that should not be discon-
nected and should only be replaced with a battery of the same type
(vented).
NOTE:The battery is stored under an access cover in
the trunk. Remote battery terminals are located in the
engine compartment for jump-starting.
1. Wear eye protection and remove any metal jewelry
such as watchbands or bracelets that might make an
inadvertent electrical contact.
2. When boost is provided by a battery in another
vehicle, park that vehicle within booster cable reach, but
do not allow the vehicles to touch one another.
WARNING!
Do not permit vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 377
6

The external lock cylinders should be lubricated twice a
year, preferably in the Fall and Spring. Apply a small
amount of a high quality lubricant such as MoparLock
Cylinder Lubricant or equivalent directly into the lock
cylinder.
Windshield Wiper Blades
The rubber edges of the wiper blades and the windshield
should be cleaned periodically with a sponge or soft cloth
and a mild nonabrasive cleaner. This will remove accu-
mulations of salt or road film.
Operation of the wipers on dry glass for long periods
may cause deterioration of the wiper blades. Always use
washer fluid when using the wipers to remove salt or dirt
from a dry windshield.
Avoid using the wiper blades to remove frost or ice from
the windshield. Keep the blade rubber out of contact with
petroleum products such as engine oil, gasoline, etc.
Windshield Washers/Headlight Washers
The windshield washer and the headlight washer share
the same fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir is located in
the front of the engine compartment. Be sure to check the
fluid level in the reservoir at regular intervals. Fill the
reservoir with windshield washer solvent (not radiator
antifreeze) and operate the system for a few seconds to
flush out the residual water.
When refilling the washer fluid reservoir, apply some
washer fluid to a cloth or towel and wipe the wiper
blades clean. This will help blade performance.
To prevent freeze-up of your windshield washer system
in cold weather, select a solution or mixture that meets or
exceeds the temperature range of your climate. This
rating information can be found on most washer fluid
containers.
402 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Cooling System
WARNING!
•When working near the radiator cooling fan, dis-
connect the fan motor lead or turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position. The fan is tempera-
ture controlled and can start at any time the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
•You or others can be badly burned by hot coolant
or steam from your radiator. If you see or hear
steam coming from under the hood, don’t open the
hood until the radiator has had time to cool. Never
try to open a cooling system pressure cap when the
radiator is hot.
Coolant Checks
Check engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every 12
months (before the onset of freezing weather, where
applicable). If coolant is dirty or rusty in appearance, the
system should be drained, flushed, and refilled with
fresh coolant. Check the front of the A/C condenser for
any accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean by
gently spraying water from a garden hose vertically
down the face of the condenser.
Check the coolant recovery bottle tubing for brittle rub-
ber, cracking, tears, cuts, and tightness of the connection
at the bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire system for
leaks.
With the engine at normal operating temperature (but
not running), check the cooling system pressure cap for
proper vacuum sealing by draining a small amount of
coolant from the radiator drain cock. If the cap is sealing
properly, the engine coolant (antifreeze) will begin to
404 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

drain from the coolant recovery bottle. DO NOT RE-
MOVE THE COOLANT PRESSURE CAP WHEN THE
COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT.
Cooling System — Drain, Flush, and Refill
The system should be drained, flushed, and refilled at the
intervals shown in the “Maintenance Schedule” in Sec-
tion 8.
If the solution is dirty or contains a considerable amount
of sediment, clean and flush with a reliable cooling
system cleaner. Follow with a thorough rinsing to remove
all deposits and chemicals. Properly dispose of old
antifreeze solution.
Selection of Coolant
Use only the manufacturer’s recommended coolant. Re-
fer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in this
section for the correct coolant type.
CAUTION!
•Mixing of coolants other than specified HOAT
engine coolants, may result in engine damage and
may decrease corrosion protection. If a non-HOAT
coolant is introduced into the cooling system in an
emergency, it should be replaced with the speci-
fied coolant as soon as possible.
•Do not use plain water alone or alcohol-based
engine coolant (antifreeze) products. Do not use
additional rust inhibitors or antirust products, as
they may not be compatible with the radiator
engine coolant and may plug the radiator.
•This vehicle has not been designed for use with
propylene glycol-based coolants. Use of propylene
glycol-based coolants is not recommended.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 405
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Adding Coolant
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine
coolant that allows extended maintenance intervals. This
coolant can be used up to five years or 100,000 mi (160
000 km) before replacement. To prevent reducing this
extended maintenance period, it is important that you
use the same coolant throughout the life of your vehicle.
Please review these recommendations for using Hybrid
Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) coolant.
When adding coolant:
•The manufacturer recommends using Mopar
Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/100,000 Mile Formula
HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technology).
•Mix a minimum solution of 50% HOAT engine coolant
and distilled water. Use higher concentrations (not to
exceed 70%) if temperatures below
34°F (
37°C) are
anticipated.
•Use only high purity water such as distilled or deion-
ized water when mixing the water/engine coolant
solution. The use of lower quality water will reduce
the amount of corrosion protection in the engine
cooling system.
Please note that it is the owner’s responsibility to main-
tain the proper level of protection against freezing ac-
cording to the temperatures occurring in the area where
the vehicle is operated.
NOTE:Mixing coolant types will decrease the life of the
engine coolant and will require more frequent coolant
changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of coolant
and to ensure that coolant will return to the radiator from
the coolant recovery bottle.
406 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is
no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking for
coolant freeze point or replacing coolant. Advise your
service attendant of this. As long as the engine operating
temperature is satisfactory, the coolant bottle need only
be checked once a month.
When additional coolant is needed to maintain the
proper level, it should be added to the coolant bottle. Do
not overfill.
Points to Remember
NOTE:When the vehicle is stopped after a few miles
(kilometers) of operation, you may observe vapor coming
from the front of the engine compartment. This is nor-
mally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or high
humidity accumulating on the radiator and being vapor-
ized when the thermostat opens, allowing hot coolant to
enter the radiator.If an examination of your engine compartment shows no
evidence of radiator or hose leaks, the vehicle may be
safely driven. The vapor will soon dissipate.
•Do not overfill the coolant recovery bottle.
•Check coolant freeze point in the radiator and in the
coolant recovery bottle. If antifreeze needs to be
added, contents of coolant recovery bottle must also be
protected against freezing.
•If frequent coolant additions are required, or if the
level in the coolant recovery bottle does not drop when
the engine cools, the cooling system should be pres-
sure tested for leaks.
•Maintain coolant concentration at 50% HOAT engine
coolant (minimum) and distilled water for proper
corrosion protection of your engine, which contains
aluminum components.
408 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

•Make sure that the radiator and coolant recovery
bottle overflow hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
•Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is
equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean, also.
•Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs may
result in unsatisfactory coolant performance, poor gas
mileage, and increased emissions.
Hoses and Vacuum/Vapor Harnesses
Inspect surfaces of hoses and nylon tubing for evidence
of heat and mechanical damage. Hard or soft spots,
brittle rubber, cracking, tears, cuts, abrasions, and exces-
sive swelling indicate deterioration of the rubber.
Pay particular attention to those hoses nearest to high
heat sources such as the exhaust manifold. Inspect hoserouting to be sure hoses do not come in contact with any
heat source or moving component, which may cause heat
damage or mechanical wear.
Ensure nylon tubing in these areas has not melted or
collapsed.
Inspect all hose connections such as clamps and cou-
plings to make sure they are secure and no leaks are
present.
Components should be replaced immediately if there is
any evidence of wear or damage that could cause failure.Fuel System
The Electronic Fuel Injection high-pressure fuel system’s
hoses and quick connect fittings have unique material
characteristics that provide adequate sealing and resist
attack by deteriorated gasoline.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 409
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