maintenance schedule CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 2009 5.G Owners Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTSSECTIONPAGE
1INTRODUCTION............................................................3
2THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE..............................9
3UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE............................. 97
4UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL.................................. 239
5STARTING AND OPERATING................................................331
6WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES............................................. 415
7MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE..............................................437
8MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES.................................................491
9IF YOU NEED CONSUMER ASSISTANCE........................................ 509
10INDEX...................................................................519
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NOTE:When this message is displayed, bring the
vehicle to a stop and idle the engine until the message
clears.
CHAngE OIL
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil change
indicator system. The CHAngE OILmessage will flash in
the instrument cluster odometer for approximately
12 seconds, after a single chime has sounded, to indicate
the next scheduled oil change interval. The engine oil
change indicator system is duty cycle-based, which
means the engine oil change interval may fluctuate
dependent upon your personal driving style.
Unless reset, this message will continue to display each
time you turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN
position. To turn off the message temporarily, press and
release the Trip / Odometer Display reset button on the instrument cluster. To reset the oil change indicator
system (after performing the scheduled maintenance),
perform the following steps.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position (do not
start the engine).
2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal, slowly, three times
within 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
NOTE:
If the indicator message illuminates when you
start the engine, the oil change indicator system did not
reset. If necessary, repeat these steps.
25. Odometer
The odometer shows the total distance the vehicle has
been driven.
U.S. federal regulations require that upon transfer of
vehicle ownership, the seller certify to the purchaser the
256 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

•Blind Spot System Not Available — This message is
displayed to indicate the Blind Spot Monitor (BSM)
system is temporarily unavailable due to sensor block-
age, electronic interference, or othertemporarycon-
ditions. When this message is displayed both outside
rear view icons will be illuminated. If electronic inter-
ference is present, the BSM system will illuminate the
icon only on the side of interference as long as
interference is present.
•Service Blind Spot System — This message is dis-
played to indicate the Blind Spot Monitor (BSM)
system is permanently unavailable. The driver will
receive an EVIC message and the BSM display warn-
ing in both mirrors will be permanently illuminated. If
this message is present see an authorized dealer.
Oil Change Required
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil change
indicator system. The Oil Change Required message willflash in the EVIC display for approximately 10 seconds,
after a single chime has sounded, to indicate the next
scheduled oil change interval. The engine oil change
indicator system is duty-cycle based, which means the
engine oil change interval may fluctuate dependent upon
your personal driving style.
Unless reset, this message will continue to display each
time you turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN
position. To turn off the message temporarily, press and
release the Menu button. To reset the oil change indicator
system (after performing the scheduled maintenance)
perform the following steps.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position (do not
start the engine).
2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal, slowly, three times
within 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
264 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

SNOW TIRES
Some areas of the country require the use of snow tires
during Winter. Standard tires are of the all-season type
and satisfy this requirement as indicated by the M+S
designation on the tire sidewall.
If you need snow tires, select tires equivalent in size and
type to the original equipment tires. Use snow tires only
in sets of four; failure to do so may adversely affect the
safety and handling of your vehicle.
Snow tires generally have lower speed ratings than what
was originally equipped with your vehicle and should
not be operated at sustained speeds over 75 mph
(120 km/h).
TIRE ROTATION
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving,
and braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at
unequal rates, and tend to develop irregular wear pat-
terns.
These effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires.
The benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with
aggressive tread designs such as those on All-Season type
tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help to maintain
mud, snow, and wet traction levels, and contribute to a
smooth, quiet ride.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” in Section 8 for the
proper maintenance intervals. More frequent rotation is
permissible if desired. The reasons for any rapid or
unusual wear should be corrected prior to rotation being
performed.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 375

Starting
The characteristics of E-85 fuel make it unsuitable for use
when ambient temperatures fall below 0°F (-18°C). In the
range of 0°F (-18°C) to 32°F (0°C), you may experience an
increase in the time it takes for your engine to start, and
a deterioration in driveability (sags and/or hesitations)
until the engine is fully warmed up.
NOTE:Use of the engine block heater (if equipped) is
beneficial for E-85 startability when the ambient tempera-
ture is less than 32°F (0°C).
Cruising Range
Because E-85 fuel contains less energy per gallon/liter
than gasoline, you will experience an increase in fuel
consumption. You can expect your miles per gallon
(mpg)/miles per liter and your driving range to decrease
by about 30% compared to gasoline operation.
Replacement Parts
Many components in your Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) are
designed to be compatible with ethanol. Always be sure
that your vehicle is serviced with correct ethanol com-
patible parts.
CAUTION!
Replacing fuel system components with non-ethanol
compatible components can damage your vehicle.
Maintenance
If you operate the vehicle using E-85 fuel, follow the
maintenance schedule section of this manual.
CAUTION!
Do not use ethanol mixture greater than 85% in your
vehicle. It will cause difficulty in cold starting and
may affect driveability.
392 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
•Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles
(805 km) of vehicle operation. Doing so may dam-
age your vehicle.
•During the first 500 miles (805 km) of trailer
towing, limit your speed to 50 mph (80 km/h).
Perform the maintenance listed in the “Maintenance
Schedule.” Refer to Section 8 of this manual. When
towing a trailer, never exceed the GAWR or GCWR
ratings.
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible: (Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.
•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a
loss of control, poor performance or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transaxle, steering, suspension, chassis
structure or tires.
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the
frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 407

45 minutes of continuous operation. Refer to the “Main-
tenance Schedule” in Section 8 of this manual for the
proper maintenance intervals.
NOTE:
•Check the automatic transaxle fluid level before tow-
ing.
•The six-speed automatic transaxle is sealed and re-
quires an authorized dealer to check the transaxle
fluid.
Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped
•
Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
•When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
•Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transaxle overheating,
take the following actions:
•City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, put the shift
lever in NEUTRAL but do not increase engine idle speed.
•Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
•Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
412 STARTING AND OPERATING

4. As soon as you turn your key to the ON position, you
will see the MIL symbol come on as part of a normal bulb
check.
5. Approximately 15 seconds later, one of two things will
happen:a. The MIL will flash for about 10 seconds and then
return to being fully illuminated until you turn OFF
the ignition or start the engine. This means that your
vehicle’s OBD II system is not readyand you should
not proceed to the I/M station.
b. The MIL will not flash at all and will remain fully
illuminated until you turn OFF the ignition or start the
engine. This means that your vehicle’s OBD II system
is ready and you can proceed to the I/M station.
If your OBD II system is not ready,you should see your
authorized dealer or repair facility. If your vehicle was
recently serviced or had a battery failure or replacement, you may need to do nothing more than drive your
vehicle as you normally would in order for your OBD II
system to update. A recheck with the above test routine
may then indicate that the system is now ready.
Regardless of whether your vehicle’s OBD II system is
ready or not, if the MIL is illuminated during normal
vehicle operation you should have your vehicle serviced
before going to the I/M station. The I/M station can fail
your vehicle because the MIL is on with the engine
running.
REPLACEMENT PARTS
Use of genuine MOPAR
parts for normal/scheduled
maintenance and repairs is highly recommended to en-
sure the designed performance. Damage or failures
caused by the use of non-MOPAR parts for maintenance
and repairs will not be covered by the manufacturer’s
warranty.7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 443

DEALER SERVICE
Your authorized dealer has the qualified service person-
nel, special tools, and equipment to perform all service
operations in an expert manner. Service Manuals are
available which include detailed service information for
your vehicle. Refer to these manuals before attempting
any procedure yourself.
NOTE:Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Only do service work for which you
have the knowledge and the proper equipment. If
you have any doubt about your ability to perform a
service job, take your vehicle to a competent me-
chanic.
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain the requiredmaintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides those maintenance items specified in the fixed
maintenance schedule, there are other components which
may require servicing or replacement in the future.
CAUTION!
•Failure to properly maintain your vehicle or per-
form repairs and service when necessary could
result in more costly repairs, damage to other
components or negatively impact vehicle perfor-
mance. Immediately have potential malfunctions
examined by an authorized Chrysler LLC dealer-
ship or qualified repair center.
(Continued)
444 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Change Engine Oil
The oil change indicator system will remind you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” in Section 8 of this
manual for information on this system.
NOTE: Under no circumstances should oil change
intervals exceed 6,000 miles (10 000 km) or six months,
whichever occurs first.
Engine Oil Selection
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacturer only
recommends engine oils that are API certified and meet
the requirements of Chrysler Material Standard MS-6395.
American Petroleum Institute (API) Engine Oil
Identification Symbol
This symbol means that the oil has
been certified by the American
Petroleum Institute (API). The
manufacturer only recommends
API Certified engine oils.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your engine oil as the
chemicals can damage your engine. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
446 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE