warning CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE 2004 2.G Workshop Manual

WARNING!
Overloading of your tire is dangerous. Overloading
can cause tire failure, affect vehicle handling, and
increase your stopping distance. Use tires of the
recommended load capacity for your vehicle. Never
overload them.
TIRESÐGENERAL INFORMATION
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and
satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire pressure:
1. SafetyÐ
WARNING!
Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can
cause accidents.
²Under inflation increases tire flexing and can
result in tire failure.
²Over inflation reduces a tire's ability to cushion
shock. Objects on the road and chuck holes can cause
damage that results in tire failure.
²Unequal tire pressures can cause steering prob-
lems. You could lose control of your vehicle.
²Over inflated or under inflated tires can affect
vehicle handling and can fail suddenly, resulting in
loss of vehicle control.
²Unequal tire pressures from one side of the vehicle
to the other can cause the vehicle to drift to the right
or left.
Always drive with each tire inflated to the recom-
mended cold tire inflation pressure.
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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 ply tires in sets of four (or 6, in case
of trucks with dual rear wheels). 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.
Compact Spare Tire Ð If Equipped
The compact spare is for temporary emergency use with
radial tires. It is engineered to be used on your style
vehicle only. Since this tire has limited tread life, the
original tire should be repaired (or replaced) and rein-
stalled at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
Temporary use spare tires are for emergency use
only. With these tires, do not drive more than 50 mph
(80 km/h). Temporary-use spare tires have a total
tread life of 3,000 miles (4 800 km). Be sure to follow
the warnings which apply to your spare. Failure to
do so could result in spare tire failure and loss of
vehicle control.
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Do not install a wheel cover or attempt to mount a
conventional tire on the compact spare wheel, since the
wheel is designed specifically for the compact spare.
Do not install more than one compact spare tire/wheel
on the vehicle at any given time.
CAUTION!
Because of the reduced ground clearance, do not take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with the
compact spare installed. Damage to the vehicle may
result.
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 (55km/h) when you are stuck. And don't
let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the
speed.
156 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
²Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combina-
tions of unapproved tires and wheels may change
suspension dimensions and performance charac-
teristics, resulting in changes to steering, han-
dling, and braking of your vehicle. This can cause
unpredictable handling and stress to steering and
suspension components. You could lose control
and have an accident resulting in serious injury or
death. Use only the tire and wheel sizes with load
ratings approved for your vehicle.
²Never use a tire with a smaller load index or
capacity, other than what was originally equipped
on your vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load
index could result in tire overloading and failure.
You could lose control and have an accident.
²Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size
may result in false speedometer and odometer read-
ings.
Alignment And Balance
Poor suspension alignment may result in:
²Fast tire wear.
²Uneven tire wear, such as feathering and one-sided
wear.
²Vehicle pull to right or left.
Tires may also cause the vehicle to pull to the left or right.
Alignment will not correct this condition. See your dealer
for proper diagnosis.
Improper alignment will not cause vehicle vibration.
Vibration may be a result of tire and wheel out-of-
balance. Proper balancing will reduce vibration and
avoid tire cupping and spotty wear.
158 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:Tighten the gas cap until you hear a ªclickingº
sound. This is an indication that the gas cap is properly
tightened.
The Malfunction Indicator Light will come on if the
gas cap is not properly secured. Make sure that the gas
cap is tightened each time the vehicle is refueled.
NOTE:
When the fuel nozzle ªclicksº or shuts off, the
fuel tank is full.
NOTE:The fuel tank filler tube may have a restricting
door about 50 mm (2 inches) down from the opening. If
fuel is poured from a portable container, the container
should have a flexible nozzle long enough to force open
the restricting door.
CAUTION!
A poorly fitting gas cap may cause the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp to turn on.
WARNING!
²Never have any smoking materials lit in or near
the vehicle when the gas cap is removed or the
tank filled.
²Never add fuel to the vehicle when the engine is
running.
²A fire may result if gasoline is pumped into a
portable container that is inside of a vehicle. You
could be burned. Always place gas containers on
the ground while filling.
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²The ªDº range can be selected when towing. However,
if frquent shifting occurs while in this range, the ª3º
range must be selected.
NOTE:Using the ª3º range while operating the vehicle
under heavy operating conditions will improve perfor-
mance and extend tranaxle life by reducing excessive
shifting and heat build up.
WARNING!
Connecting trailer brakes to your vehicle's hydraulic
brake lines can overload your brake system and
cause it to fail. You might not have brakes when you
need them and could have an accident.
²Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact
spare tire.
²Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer
size, stop lights and turn signals on the trailer are
recommended for motoring safety.
²The automatic transaxle fluid and filter should be
changed if you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more
than 45 minutes of continuous operation. See Schedule
ªBº in section 8 of this manual for transaxle fluid
change intervals.
NOTE:Check the automatic transaxle fluid level before
towing. Fluid discoloration, or a burnt odor, shows the
need for a transmission fluid and filter change.
NOTE:For vehicles equipped with Autostick. By using
the Autostick modes, and slecting a specific gear range,
frequent shifting can be avoided. The highest gear range
should be selected that allows for adequate performance.
For example, choose ª4º if the desired speed can be
maintaned. Choose ª3º or ª2º if needed to maintain the
desired speed.
NOTE:Extended driving at high RPM should be
avoided to prevent excess heat generation. A reduction in
vehicle speed may be required to avoid extended driving
at high RPM. Return to a higher gear range or vehicle
speed when road conditions and RPM level allows.
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FLEXIBLE FUEL ± (2.7L Engines with Automatic
Transmission Only)
E-85 General Information
The information in this section is for Flexible Fuel ve-
hicles only. These vehicles can be identified by the unique
fuel filler door label that statesEthanol (E-85) or Un-
leaded Gasoline Only.This section only covers those
subjects that are unique to these vehicles. Please refer to
the other sections of this manual for information on
features that are common between Flexible Fuel and
gasoline only powered vehicles.
CAUTION!
Only vehicles with the E-85 fuel filler door label can
operate on E-85.
ETHANOL FUEL (E-85)
E-85 is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel ethanol and
15% unleaded gasoline.
WARNING!
Ethanol vapors are extremely flammable and could
cause serious personal injury. Never have any smok-
ing materials lit in or near the vehicle when remov-
ing the fuel filler tube cap (gas cap) or filling the
tank. Do not use E-85 as a cleaning agent and never
use it near an open flame.
Fuel Requirements
Your vehicle will operate on both unleaded gasoline with
an octane rating of 87, or E-85 fuel, or any mixture of
these two.
For best results, a refueling pattern that alternates be-
tween E-85 and unleaded gasoline should be avoided.
When you do switch fuels, it is recommended that:
²you do not switch when the fuel gauge indicates less
than 1/4 full
²you do not add less than 5 gallons (19 liters) when
refueling
168 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
mHazard Warning Flasher.................174
mIf Your Engine Overheats................174
mJacking And Tire Changing...............176
NPreparations For Jacking................176
mJump-Starting The Battery...............181
mDriving On Slippery Surfaces.............184
NAcceleration.........................184
NTraction............................184
mFreeing A Stuck Vehicle.................185
mTowing A Disabled Vehicle...............185
mTowing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground)
.............................186
NAutomatic Transaxle...................186
NManual Transaxle.....................186
NAll Transaxles........................1866

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The flasher switch is on top of the steering column,
just behind the steering wheel. Depress the switch
and both cluster indicators and all front and rear direc-
tional signals will flash. Depress the switch again to turn
Hazard Warning Flashers off.
Do not use this emergency warning system when the
vehicle is in motion. Use it when your vehicle is disabled
and is creating a safety hazard for other motorists.If it is necessary to leave the vehicle to go for service, the
flasher system will continue to operate with the ignition
key removed and the vehicle locked.
NOTE:With extended use, the flasher may wear down
your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
²On the highways Ð Slow down.
²In city traffic Ð While stopped, put transaxle 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
174 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

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.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If temperature gauge reads ªHº, pull
over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle in Park
with the air conditioner turned off until the pointer
drops back into the normal range. If the pointer
remains on the ªHº, turn the engine off immediately,
and call for service.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call a service center if your
vehicle overheats. If you decide to look under the
hood yourself, see Section 7, Maintenance, of this
manual. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 175
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