brake CHRYSLER PT CRUISER 2008 1.G User Guide

mAutoStick Ð If Equipped.................299
NAutoStick Operation...................300
NAutoStick General Information............300
mManual Transaxle Operation Ð If Equipped....301
N2.4 Liter Turbo Ð If Equipped............303
NManual Transaxle Ð Recommended Shift
Speeds.............................304
NDownshifting........................304
mParking Brake.........................305
mBrake System..........................307
NAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Ð
If Equipped.........................308
mPower Steering........................310
mTraction Control System Ð If Equipped.......311mTire Safety Information...................313
NTire Markings........................313
NTire Identification Number (TIN)..........316
NTire Loading And Tire Pressure...........317
mTires Ð General Information...............321
NTire Pressure.........................321
NTire Inflation Pressures.................322
NRadial Ply Tires......................324
NCompact Spare Tire Ð If Equipped.........325
NLimited-Use Spare Ð If Equipped.........325
NTire Spinning........................326
NTread Wear Indicators..................327
NLife Of Tire.........................327
288 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Don't leave the keys in the
ignition. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
WARNING!
Be sure to turn off the engine if you want to rest or
sleep in your car. Accidents can be caused by inad-
vertently moving the gear selector lever or by press-
ing the accelerator pedal. This may cause excessive
heat in the exhaust system, resulting in overheating
and vehicle fire which may cause serious or fatal
injuries.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
The gear selector lever must be in the NEUTRAL or
PARK position before you can start the engine. Apply the
brakes and depress the gear selector lever knob button
before shifting to any driving gear.
NOTE:You must press the brake pedal before shifting
out of PARK.
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5

MANUAL TRANSAXLE
Before starting the engine fully apply the parking brake,
press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift the gear
selector lever in NEUTRAL.
NOTE:The engine will not start unless the clutch pedal
is pressed to the floor.
NORMAL STARTING
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine does
not require pumping or depressing the accelerator pedal.
Simply turn the ignition switch to the START position
and release when the engine starts. If the engine has not
started within three seconds, slightly depress the accel-
erator pedal while continuing to crank. If the engine fails
to start within 15 seconds, turn the ignition switch to the
OFF position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the
ªNORMAL STARTINGº procedure above.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
axle 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 improp-
erly, so follow the procedure carefully. See Section 6
of this manual for jump starting instructions.
EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER (BELOW220ÉF or
229ÉC)
To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
292 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 Ð IF EQUIPPED
You 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:
²Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
²Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the vehicle has
come to a complete stop and the engine is at idle
speed.
²Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL into
any forward gear when the engine is above idle speed.
²Before 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.
294 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector lever out of
PARK, or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on 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 the
gear selector lever into gear when the engine is idling
normally and when your right foot is firmly on the
brake pedal.
BRAKE/TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM
This system prevents you from shifting the gear selector
lever out of PARK and into any gear unless the brake
pedal is pressed. This system is active only while the
ignition switch is in the ON or ACC positions.Alwaysstep on the brake pedal and depress the gear selector
lever knob button before shifting out of PARK.
NOTE:If a malfunction occurs, the system will function
normally, except you may be able to shift the vehicle from
PARK, without depressing the brake pedal. If this occurs
obtain service from an authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE IGNITION INTERLOCK
SYSTEM
This system prevents the key from being removed unless
the gear selector lever is in PARK and the gear selector
lever knob push button is out. It also prevents shifting
out of PARK unless the key is in the ACC or ON
positions, and the brake pedal is depressed.
NOTE:If a malfunction occurs, the system will trap the
key in the ignition cylinder to warn you that this safety
STARTING AND OPERATING 295
5

GEAR RANGES FOR THE FOUR-SPEED
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL positions into another gear range.
PARK
PARK supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never use PARK while the vehicle is in motion. Apply
the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this range.
Always apply the parking brake first, and then shift the
gear selector lever into the PARK position.
WARNING!
Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, you should always
shift the vehicle into PARK, remove the key from the
ignition, and apply the parking brake. Once the key
is removed from the ignition, the transmission gear
selector lever is locked in the PARK position, secur-
ing the vehicle against unwanted movement. Further-
more, you should never leave children unattended
inside a vehicle.
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5

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] DRIVE
This 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] Low
This 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 Ð IF EQUIPPED
AUTOSTICK 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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5

²While in the AUTOSTICK mode, Speed Control will
only function in third or fourth gear.
Downshifting out of third gear will turn off the speed
control.
²If the system detects powertrain overheating, the
transmission will revert to the automatic shift mode
and remain in that mode until the powertrain cools off.
²If the system detects a problem it will disable the
AUTOSTICK mode and the transmission will return to
the automatic mode until the problem is corrected.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE OPERATION Ð IF
EQUIPPED
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.
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5

To maintain a safe speed and prolong brake life, shift
down to SECOND or FIRST gear when descending a
steep grade.
When turning a corner, or driving up a steep grade,
downshift early so that the engine will not be overbur-
dened.
PARKING BRAKE
When the parking brake is applied with the
ignition on, the BRAKE Light in the instrument
cluster will come on.
NOTE:This light only shows that the parking brake is
on. It does not show the degree of brake application.If the parking brake is applied while the vehicle is
moving, a chime will sound to alert the driver. The chime
will sound up to 10 times or until the vehicle has
returned to a stop.
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is set. To set the parking brake, pull up firmly on
the lever. Always shift the gear selector lever into the
PARK position (automatic transaxle) or into the RE-
VERSE position (manual transaxle). To release the park-
ing brake, apply the brake pedal, pull up slightly on the
lever, then depress the button on the end of the lever and
push the lever fully down toward the floor.
STARTING AND OPERATING 305
5

NOTE:The parking brake lever will not release unless
the lever is pulled up slightly past its applied position.
When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the gear selector lever in PARK,
otherwise the load on the automatic transaxle locking
mechanism may make it difficult to move the gearselector lever out of PARK. As an added precaution, turn
the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade
and away from the curb on a uphill grade.
You should always apply the parking brake before leav-
ing the vehicle.
WARNING!
²Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Don't leave the keys in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
²Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and an accident.Parking Brake Lever
306 STARTING AND OPERATING