Section 6 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE 2005 1.G User Guide

NOTE:Due to the starter non-repeat feature, the key
must be turned completely to the left before attempting
to start the engine again.
Extremely Cold Weather (below -20°F or -29°C)
For reliable starting in areas where temperatures fre-
quently drop below -20°F (-29°C), we recommend the use
of an externally powered battery and an electric engine
block heater. Advice on these items and installation is
available at your authorized dealer.
If Engine Fails to Start
CAUTION!
Do not try to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Your vehicle cannot be started this way.
Pushing with another vehicle may damage the trans-
mission or the rear of your vehicle. See Section 6 of
this manual for proper jump-starting procedures.
WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid 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.
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If the ESP warning light flashes during acceleration, ease
up on the accelerator and apply as little throttle as
possible. While driving, adapt your speed to the prevail-
ing road conditions.
CAUTION!
If the vehicle is towed with the front axle raised (see
the What To Do In Emergencies section in this
manual), the engine must be shut off (key in the
ignition switch turned to the OFF/LOCK or ACC
position). Otherwise, the ESP will immediately be
engaged and will apply the rear wheel brakes.
NOTE:When the ESP warning light is illuminated
continuously, the ESP is switched off. Adapt your speed
and driving to the prevailing road conditions.
NOTE:Avoid spinning of one drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is not
covered by the DaimlerChrysler Limited Warranty.
NOTE:If the ESP warning light flashes during accel-
eration, ease up on the accelerator.
NOTE:ESP should not be switched off during normal
driving. Disabling of the system under normal operating
conditions will eliminate the benefits of the ESP system.
Synchronizing ESP
If the power supply was interrupted (battery discon-
nected or discharged), the BAS/ESP malfunction indica-
tor light may be illuminated with the engine running. To
re-synchronize the ESP, and cancel the malfunction indi-
cator light, the steering angle sensor will need to be
recalibrated.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position.
2. Rotate the steering wheel to the center position.
3. Rotate the steering wheel completely to the left, and
then rotate the steering wheel completely to the right.
4. Bring the steering wheel back to the center position.
5. The BAS/ESP malfunction indicator light will go out.
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CAUTION!
After inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure al-
ways reinstall the valve stem cap—if equipped. This
will prevent moisture and dirt from entering the
valve stem, which could damage the valve stem.
Inflation pressures specified on the placard are always
“cold tire inflation pressure.” Cold tire inflation pressure
is defined as the tire pressure after the vehicle has not
been driven for at least 3 hours, or driven less than 1 mile
(1.6 km) after a 3 hour period. The cold tire inflation
pressure must not exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sure molded into the tire side wall.
Check tire pressures more often if subject to a wide range
of outdoor temperatures, as tire pressures vary with
temperature changes.
Tire pressures change by approximately 1 psi (7 kPa) per
12°F (7°C) of air temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire pressure inside a garage especially in
the winter.Example: If garage temperature = 68°F (20°C) and the
outside temperature = 32°F (0°C) then the cold tire
inflation pressure should be increased by 3 psi (21 kPa),
which equals 1 psi (7 kPa) for every 12°F (7°C) for this
outside temperature condition.
Tire pressure may increase from 2 to 6 psi (13 to 40 kPa)
during operation. DO NOT reduce this normal pressure
build up or your tire pressure will be too low.
Tire Pressures for High Speed Operation
The manufacturer advocates driving at safe speeds
within posted speed limits. Where speed limits or condi-
tions are such that the vehicle can be driven at high
speeds, maintaining correct tire inflation pressure is very
important. Increased tire pressure and reduced vehicle
loading may be required for high speed vehicle opera-
tion. Refer elsewhere in this section for recommended
safe operating speeds, loading and cold tire inflation
pressures.
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WARNING!
High speed driving with your vehicle under maxi-
mum load is dangerous. The added strain on your
tires could cause them to fail. You could have a
serious accident. Don’t drive a vehicle loaded to the
maximum capacity at continuous speeds above 75
mph (120 km/h).
Radial-Ply Tires
WARNING!
Combining radial ply tires with other types of tires
on your vehicle will cause your vehicle to handle
poorly. The instability could cause an accident. Al-
ways use radial tires in sets of four. Never combine
them with other types of tires.
Cuts and punctures in radial tires are repairable only in
the tread area because of sidewall flexing. Consult your
authorized tire dealer for radial tire repairs.
Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, do not
spin your vehicle’s wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h).
See the paragraph on Freeing A Stuck Vehicle in Section
6 of this manual.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire dam-
age or failure. A tire could explode and injure
someone. Do not spin your vehicle’s wheels faster
than 35 mph (55 km/h) when you are stuck. And
don’t let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter
what the speed.
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Tire Pressure Monitor System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPM) monitors
the pressure in all tires. The TPM system uses
wireless technology to monitor tire pressure levels.
Sensors, mounted to each wheel as part of the valve stem,
transmit tire pressure readings to a computer which
monitors for low pressure. If low pressure is measured,
the TPM Indicator Light will illuminate.
The TPM system informs you of a low tire pressure
condition. If this occurs, correct your tire inflation pres-
sure as soon as possible, and inspect all of your tires. Be
sure to use a high quality gauge when adjusting pressure.
The TPM system is designed to periodically monitor your
tire pressure but cannot be expected to function as a tire
pressure gauge. There can be a delay between the instant
you adjust the air pressure in a tire and when the system
updates the display. The TPM system is not intended to
provide you with notification of rapid air loss.
The TPM system will cause the indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster to illuminate whenever the pressure in
one tire falls 25% below the recommended pressure
shown on the tire label.
NOTE:A TPM system does not replace normal tire
maintenance.
CAUTION!
The TPM system has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPM system pressures
have been established for the tire size equipped on
your vehicle. Undesirable operation or sensor dam-
age may result when using replacement equipment
that is not of the same size, type, and/or style.
Aftermarket wheels can cause sensor damage. Do
not use aftermarket tire sealant or balance beads as
damage to the sensors may result. The standard
TIREFIT system (see Tirefit Tire Repair and Jacking
Instructions in the What To Do In Emergencies
section) is specifically designed to operate in con-
junction with the TPM system, and will not damage
the sensors.
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Snow Tires
Some areas of the country require the use of snow tires
during winter. See the recommended snow type winter
tire applications in this section.
WARNING!
Your vehicle may be equipped with sport perfor-
mance tires that are optimized for driving in dry and
wet weather conditions. However, these tires have
reduced traction capability in snow and ice. When
driving your Crossfire in these conditions with these
tires, you must take special care to maintain control
and avoid accidents. We recommend that you equip
your vehicle with “SNOW” or “ALL SEASON” tires
on all four wheels for driving in snowy and icy
conditions.
If you need snow tires, the recommended size for the
front and rear tires is the same size as the original
equipment front tires. This size tire on the rear allows the
use of tire chains on the rear wheels. Selection of this size
tire also requires the purchase of two additional wheels
with the same size specification as the original equip-
ment front wheels.
Snow tires may have a lower speed rating than factory
equipped tires and may not match the maximum vehicle
speed.
Snow tires should not be operated at sustained speeds
over 75 mph (120 km/h).
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Materials Added to Fuel
All gasoline sold in the United States is required to
contain effective detergent additives. Use of additional
detergents or other additives is not needed under normal
conditions and would result in unnecessary cost. There-
fore, you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
Sulfur in Gasoline
If you live in the Northeast United States, your vehicle
may have been designed to meet California low emission
standards with cleaner burning California reformulated
gasoline with low sulfur. If such fuels are not available in
states adopting California emission standards, your ve-
hicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting Federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be adversely affected.
Gasoline sold outside of California is permitted to have
higher sulfur levels, which may affect the performance of
the vehicle’s catalytic converter. This may cause the
CHECK ENGINE light to illuminate. DaimlerChrysler
Corporation recommends that you try a different brand
of unleaded gasoline having lower sulfur to determine if
the problem is fuel-related prior to returning your vehicle
to an authorized dealer for service.
CAUTION!
If the CHECK ENGINE Light is flashing, immediate
service is required. See the Onboard Diagnostic
System (OBDII) paragraph in the Maintaining Your
Vehicle section of this manual.
ADDING FUEL
Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)
The gas cap is located under the fuel filler door, on the
passenger’s side of the vehicle. To open the door, be sure
it is unlocked, then gently press the rear edge of the door
until a click can be heard, then release. The door rear edge
will spring open enough to grasp and pull it completely
open. If the central locking system does not release the
fuel filler door, see your authorized dealer for service. If
the gas cap is lost or damaged, be sure the replacement
cap has been designed for use with this vehicle.
166 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 cooling system and turning off the A/C removes this
heat. You can also turn the temperature control to maxi-
mum heat, the mode control to floor, and the fan control
to high. This allows the heater core to act as a supplement
to the radiator and aids in removing heat from the
cooling system.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If 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,” turn the engine off immediately, and call for
service.
WARNING!
A hot cooling system is dangerous. You or others
could be badly burned by steam or boiling coolant.
If your temperature gauge pointer is in the red area,
turn off the engine immediately. You may want to
call an authorized dealer for service. If you decide to
look under the hood yourself, see Section 7 of this
manual. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 173
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NOTE:Do not operate the electric air pump for more
than eight minutes to avoid overheating. The air pump
may be used again once it has cooled down.
NOTE:Replace the TIREFIT sealant bottle once every
four years to assure optimum operation of the system.
NOTE:If TIREFIT is liquid, clean water and a damp
cloth will remove the material from the vehicle or tire and
wheel components. Once TIREFIT sealing material has
dried, it can easily be peeled off and properly discarded.
Preparations for Jacking
WARNING!
Getting under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous. The
vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you. You
could be crushed. Never get any part of your body
under a vehicle that is on a jack. Never start or run
the engine while the vehicle is on a jack. If you need
to get under a raised vehicle, take it to a service
facility where it can be raised on a lift.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to repair a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to traffic. Pull far enough off the road to
avoid the danger of being hit when operating the
jack or repairing a tire.
Jacking the vehicle should only be necessary in the event
that a tire has been severely damaged, and must be
replaced. (See TIREFIT Tire Repair section for a descrip-
tion of cuts and punctures that may be repairable with
TIREFIT.)
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3. Unlock the storage compartment by placing the tool
on the bolt between the backrest and the tonneau cover.
Turn the wrench in the direction of the arrow to its stop
and remove the tool.
4. Open the tonneau cover and secure it in the upright
position.5. Pull up hard on the upper section of the convertible
top to move it out of its storage compartment.
NOTE:Do not let go of the convertible top as it may fall
back into the convertible top storage compartment.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 191
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