engine CHRYSLER 300 SRT 2012 2.G Workshop Manual

Extreme Cold Weather (Below –20°F Or29°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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 dis-
charged battery, booster cables may be used to
obtain a start from a booster battery or the battery
in another vehicle. This type of start can be dan-
gerous if done improperly. Refer to “Jump Start-
ing” in “What To Do In Emergencies” for further
information.
352 STARTING AND OPERATING

Clearing A Flooded Engine (Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button)
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weatherproce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel, press
and hold the brake pedal, push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it, then press and release the
ENGINE START/STOP button once. The starter motor
will engage automatically, run for 10 seconds, and then
disengage. Once this occurs, release the accelerator pedal
and the brake pedal, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat
the “Normal Starting” procedure.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap that
is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 353

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the automatic transmission may occur if
the following precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.NOTE:
You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
WARNING!
•It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing on
the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or some-
thing. Only shift into gear when the engine is
idling normally and when your foot is firmly
pressing on the brake pedal.
(Continued)
354 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING! (Continued)
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
and turn the engine OFF. When the ignition is in
the OFF position, the shift lever is locked in
PARK, securing the vehicle against unwanted
movement. Furthermore, you should never leave
unattended children inside a vehicle.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK
before the engine can be turned off. This helps the driver
avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without placingthe transmission in PARK. This system also locks the shift
lever in PARK whenever the ignition switch is in the OFF
position.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock (BTSI) system that holds the shift lever in the
PARK position unless the brakes are applied. To move
the shift lever out of the PARK position, the ignition
switch must be turned to the ON/RUN position (engine
running or not) and the brake pedal must be pressed.
Five-Speed Automatic Transmission
The shift lever position display (located in the instrument
panel cluster) indicates the transmission gear range. You
must press the brake pedal to move the shift lever out of
the PARK position (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift
Interlock System” in this section). To drive, move the shift
lever from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 355

The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles (kilometers).
Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be
done only after the accelerator pedal is released and the
vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake
pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears.
The console mounted shift lever provides PARK, RE-
VERSE, NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and AutoStickshift posi-
tions. Once the shifter is in DRIVE, tapping the shift lever
side to side (+/-), or pressing the paddle shifters will
place the vehicle in AutoStick. AutoStick allows for
manual shift control (refer to “AutoStick” in this sec-
tion). While in AutoStick the transmission gear position
will be displayed in the EVIC.Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may place the shift
lever in the PARK position first, and then apply the
parking brake.
When parking on a hill, 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. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
356 STARTING AND OPERATING

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.
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever rearward (with the brake
pedal released), after you have placed it in PARK.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK before
leaving the vehicle.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly
forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the
vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your foot is firmly pressing on the brake
pedal.(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 357

WARNING! (Continued)
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
and turn the engine off. When the ignition is in the
OFF position, the shift lever is locked in the
PARK, securing the vehicle against unwanted
movement.
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob from the ignition and lock your vehicle.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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.
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, and
do not leave Keyless Enter-N-Go in the ACC or
ON/RUN mode. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
358 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
•Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you
must turn the ignition switch from the LOCK/OFF
position to the ON/RUN position, and also press
the brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the shift
lever could result.
•DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as
this can damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the shift lever into the PARK position:
•When shifting into PARK, move the shift lever all the
way forward and to the left until it stops and is fully
seated.
•Look at the shift lever position display and verify that
it indicates the PARK position.
•With brake pedal released, verify that the shift lever
will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with engine running. The engine may be started
in this range. Set the parking brake and shift the trans-
mission into PARK if you must leave the vehicle.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 359

Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission remains
in the current gear until the vehicle is brought to a stop.
After the vehicle has stopped, the transmission will
remain in second gear regardless of which forward gear
is selected. PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL will con-
tinue to operate. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
may be illuminated. Limp Home Mode allows the vehicle
to be driven to an authorized dealer for service without
damaging the transmission.In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission
can be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Turn the engine OFF.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no
longer detected, the transmission will return to normal
operation.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 361

NOTE:Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit your authorized dealer at your
earliest possible convenience. Your authorized dealer has
diagnostic equipment to determine if the problem could
recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (fifth gear). The transmission will
automatically shift into the Overdrive gear if the follow-
ing conditions are present:
•the shift lever is in the DRIVE position,
•vehicle speed is sufficiently high, and
•the driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator
AUTOSTICK
Steering Wheel Mounted Paddle Shifters Or
Console Mounted Shifter
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission feature that
offers manual gear shifting to provide you with more
control of the vehicle. AutoStick allows you to maximize
engine braking, 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.
Operation
When the shift lever is in the DRIVE position, the
transmission will operate automatically, shifting between
the five available gears. To engage AutoStick, simply
move the shift lever to the right or left (+/-) while in the
DRIVE position, or press one of the steering wheel
mounted shift paddles (+/-). When AutoStick is active,
362 STARTING AND OPERATING