trailer CHRYSLER PT CRUISER 2008 1.G Owners Manual

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DESCRIPTIONS1. Fuel GaugeWhen the ignition switch is in the ON position, the
pointer will show the level of fuel remaining in the
fuel tank.
2. Fuel Door Reminder
This is a reminder that the Fuel Filler Door is located on
the front passenger’s (right) side of the vehicle.
3. Temperature Gauge The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading below the red area of the
gauge shows that the engine cooling system is
operating properly. The gauge pointer may show a
higher than normal temperature when driving in hot
weather, up mountain grades, in heavy stop and go
traffic, or when towing a trailer. If the pointer rises to the
H(red) mark, the instrument
cluster will sound a chime. 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(red) mark, turn the engine off
immediately and call for service.
There are steps that you can take to slow down an
impending overheat condition. If your air conditioning 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 High. This allows the heater core to act
as a supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
4. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.226 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

▫Replacement Tires .....................328
▫ Alignment And Balance .................329
 Tire Chains ...........................330
 Snow Tires ...........................330
 Tire Rotation Recommendations ............331
 Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) —
If Equipped ...........................332
▫ Base System — If Equipped ..............334
▫ General Information ...................336
 Fuel Requirements — Gasoline Engines .......337
▫ 2.4L And 2.4L Standard Turbo Engines ......337
▫ Reformulated Gasoline .................337
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............337 ▫
MMT In Gasoline .....................338
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ................338
▫ Fuel System Cautions ..................338
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ..............339
 Adding Fuel ..........................340
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) ...............340
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............342
 Vehicle Loading ........................342
 Trailer Towing .........................343
▫ Common Towing Definitions .............343
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification ...............345
▫ Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings) ......................347
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▫Trailer And Tongue Weight ..............348
▫ Towing Requirements ..................349
▫ Towing Tips .........................354 
Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 356
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground) ............................356
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The following chart should be used as a guide in deter-
mining the amount of engine idle time required to
sufficiently cool down the turbocharger before shut
down, depending upon the type of driving and the
amount of cargo.
TURBOCHARGER COOL-DOWN CHART
Driving Conditions IdleBefore Shut Down
Normal 0 min
Aggressive/Heavy Load 3 min
Trailer Tow 5 min
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE — IF EQUIPPEDYou must step on the brake pedal and depress the gear
selector lever knob button before you will be able to shift
out of PARK.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transaxle 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 from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL into
any forward gear when the engine is above idle speed.
•
Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must step on the brake pedal and depress
the gear selector lever knob button before you will be
able to shift the gear selector lever out of PARK.
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When frequent transaxle shifting occurs while using the
DRIVE/OVERDRIVE range, such as when operating the
vehicle under heavy loading conditions (in hilly terrain,
traveling into strong head winds, or while towing trail-
ers), use the[3]range.[3] DRIVEThis range eliminates shifts into OVERDRIVE. The trans-
axle will operate normally in first and second while in
this range.
NOTE: Using the [3]range while operating the vehicle
under heavy operating conditions will improve perfor-
mance, fuel economy, and extend transaxle life by reduc-
ing excessive shifting and heat build up.
Use the [3]range when descending steep grades to
prevent brake system distress.
[1] LowThis range should be used for maximum engine braking
when descending steep grades. In this range, up shifts
will occur only to prevent engine over speed while down
shifts from [2]to[1] will occur as early as possible.AUTOSTICK — IF EQUIPPEDAUTOSTICK is a driver-interactive transmission that
offers manual gear shifting capability to provide you
with more control. AUTOSTICK allows you to maximize
engine braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and
downshifts, 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 situa-
tions.
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LoadingThe vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed
the load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You
will not exceed the tire’s load carrying capacity if you
adhere to the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the Tire and Loading
Information placard and in the “Vehicle Loading” section
of this manual.
NOTE:Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition,
gross axle weight ratings (GAWRs) for the front and rear
axles must not be exceeded. For further information on
GAWRs, vehicle loading, and trailer towing, refer to
“Vehicle Loading” in this section.
To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX
lbs.” on the Tire and Loading Information placard. The combined weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight (if applicable) should never exceed
the weight referenced here.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or XXX kg”
on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and pas-
sengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of
cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if “XXX”
amount equals 1,400 lbs (635 kg) and there will be five
150 lb (68 kg) passengers in your vehicle, the amount of318 STARTING AND OPERATING

available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs (295
kg) {(since 5 x 150 = 750, and 1400 – 750 = 650 lbs (295
kg)}.
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.NOTE:
The following table shows examples on how to
calculate total load, cargo/luggage, and towing capaci-
ties of your vehicle with varying seating configurations
and number and size of occupants. This table is for
illustration purposes only and may not be accurate for
the seating and load carry capacity of your vehicle.
NOTE: For the following example, the combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed 865 lbs (392
kg).
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TRAILER TOWINGIn this section you will find safety tips and information
on limits to the type of towing you can reasonably do
with your vehicle. Before towing a trailer carefully re-
view this information to tow your load as efficiently and
safely as possible.
To maintain warranty coverage, follow the requirements
and recommendations in this manual concerning ve-
hicles used for trailer towing.COMMON TOWING DEFINITIONSThe following trailer towing related definitions will assist
you in understanding the following information:Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)The GVWR is the total allowable weight of your vehicle.
This includes driver, passengers, cargo and tongue
weight. The total load must be limited so that you do not
exceed the GVWR.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)The gross trailer weight (GTW) is the weight of the trailer
plus the weight of all cargo, consumables and equipment
(permanent or temporary) loaded in or on the trailer in its
loaded and ready for operationcondition. The recom-
mended way to measure GTW is to put your fully loaded
trailer on a vehicle scale. The entire weight of the trailer
must be supported by the scale.Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)The gross combination weight rating (GCWR) is the total
permissible weight of your vehicle and trailer when
weighed in combination. (Note that GCWR ratings in-
clude a 68 kg (150 lbs) allowance for the presence of a
driver).
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Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)The GAWR is the maximum capacity of the front and rear
axles. Distribute the load over the front and rear axles
evenly. Make sure that you do not exceed either front or
rear GAWR.
WARNING!
It is important that you do not exceed the maximum
front or rear GAWR. A dangerous driving condition
can result if either rating is exceeded. You could lose
control of the vehicle and have an accident.Tongue Weight (TW)The downward force exerted on the hitch ball by the
trailer. In most cases it should not be less than 10% or
more than 15% of the trailer load. You must consider this
as part of the load on your vehicle.
Frontal AreaThe maximum height and maximum width of the front of
a trailer.Trailer Sway ControlThe trailer sway control is a telescoping link that can be
installed between the hitch receiver and the trailer tongue
that typically provides adjustable friction associated with
the telescoping motion to dampen any unwanted trailer
swaying motions while traveling.Weight-Carrying HitchA weight-carrying hitch supports the trailer tongue
weight, just as if it were luggage located at a hitch ball or
some other connecting point of the vehicle. These kind of
hitches are the most popular on the market today and
they’re commonly used to tow small- and medium-sized
trailers.
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Weight-Distributing HitchA weight-distributing system works by applying lever-
age through spring (load) bars. They are typically used
for heavier loads, to distribute trailer tongue weight to
the tow vehicle’s front axle and the trailer axle(s). When
used in accordance with the manufacturers’ directions, it
provides for a more level ride, offering more consistent
steering and brake control thereby enhancing towing
safety. The addition of a friction/hydraulic sway control
also dampens sway caused by traffic and crosswinds and
contributes positively to tow vehicle and trailer stability.
Trailer sway control and a weight distributing (load
equalizing) hitch are recommended for heavier Tongue
Weights (TW) and may be required depending on Vehicle
and Trailer configuration / loading to comply with gross
axle weight rating (GAWR) requirements.
WARNING!
An improperly adjusted Weight Distributing Hitch
system may reduce handling, stability, braking per-
formance, and could result in an accident.
Weight Distributing Systems may not be compatible
with Surge Brake Couplers. Consult with your hitch
and trailer manufacturer or a reputable Recreational
Vehicle dealer for additional information.TRAILER HITCH CLASSIFICATIONYour vehicle may be factory equipped for safe towing of
trailers weighing over 1,000 lbs (454 kg) with the optional
Trailer Tow Prep Package. See your authorized dealer
service center for package content.
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