overheating CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 2010 5.G Owners Manual

WARNING!
•Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes,
spinal cord injury, medication, alcohol use, ex-
haustion or other physical condition must exercise
care when using the seat heater. It may cause burns
even at low temperatures, especially if used for
long periods of time.
•Do not place anything on the seat that insulates
against heat, such as a blanket or cushion. This
may cause the seat heater to overheat. Sitting in a
seat that has been overheated could cause serious
burns due to the increased surface temperature of
the seat.
CAUTION!
Repeated overheating of the seat could damage the
heating element and/or degrade the material of the
seat.
Adjusting Head Restraints
Head restraints can reduce the risk of injury in the event
of a rear impact. The head restraint should be adjusted so
the top of the head restraint is located above the top of
your ear.
132 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Using HomeLink
To operate, press and release the programmed
HomeLinkbutton. Activation will now occur for the
trained device (i.e., garage door opener, gate operator,
security system, entry door lock, home/office lighting,
etc.,). The handheld transmitter of the device may also be
used at any time.
Reprogramming a Single HomeLink Button
To reprogram a channel that has been previously trained,
follow these steps:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position.
2. Press and hold the desired HomeLink button until
the indicator light begins to flash after 20 seconds. Do not
release the button.
3. Without releasing the button, proceed with Program-
ming HomeLink Step 2 and follow all remaining steps.
Gate Operator/Canadian Programming
Canadian radio frequency laws require transmitter sig-
nals to time-out (or quit) after several seconds of trans-
mission – which may not be long enough for HomeLink
to pick up the signal during programming. Similar to this
Canadian law, some U.S. gate operators are designed to
time-out in the same manner.
It may be helpful to unplug the device during the cycling
process to prevent possible overheating of the garage
door or gate motor.
If you are having difficulties programming a garage door
opener or a gate operator, replace “Programming
HomeLink” Step 3, with the following:
3. Continue to press and hold the HomeLink button,
while you press and release (“cycle”), your handheld
transmitter every two seconds until HomeLink has
196 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

6. Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light indicates low engine oil pressure. The
light should turn on momentarily when the engine
is started. If the light turns on while driving, stop the
vehicle and shut off the engine as soon as possible. A chime
will sound for four minutes when this light turns on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected.
This light does not indicate how much oil is in the engine.
The engine oil level must be checked under the hood.
7. Engine Temperature Warning Light This light warns of an overheated engine condi-
tion. As temperatures rise and the gauge ap-
proaches H, this indicator will illuminate and a
single chime will sound after reaching a set threshold.
Further overheating will cause the temperature gauge to
pass H, the indicator will continuously flash and a
continuous chime will occur until the engine is allowed
to cool. If the light turns on while driving, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is on, turn it off. Also,
shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and idle the ve-
hicle. If the temperature reading does not return to
normal, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service. Refer to “If Your Engine Overheats” in “What To
Do In Emergencies” for further information.
8. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.
9. Turn Signal Indicators
The arrow will flash with the exterior turn signal
when the turn signal lever is operated.
If the vehicle electronics sense that the vehicle has
traveled about 1 mile (1.6 km) with the turn signals on, a
continuous chime will sound to alert you to turn the
signals off. If either indicator flashes at a rapid rate, check
for a defective outside light bulb.
236 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

When rear controls are locked by the front system, the
LOCK symbol on the temperature knob is illuminated
and any rear overhead adjustments are ignored.
Rear Mode Control
Auto Mode
The rear system automatically maintains the correct
mode and comfort level desired by the rear seat occu-
pants.
Headliner ModeAir comes from the outlets in the headliner. Each of
these outlets can be individually adjusted to direct
the flow of air. Moving the air vanes of the outlets to one
side will shut off the airflow.
Bi-Level Mode Air comes from both the headliner outlets and the
floor outlets. NOTE:
In many temperature positions, the BI-LEVEL
mode is designed to provide cooler air out of the head-
liner outlets and warmer air from the floor outlets.
Floor Mode Air comes from the floor outlets.
Summer Operation
The engine cooling system in air conditioned vehicles
must be protected with a high-quality antifreeze coolant
to provide proper corrosion protection and to protect
against engine overheating. A solution of 50% ethylene
glycol antifreeze coolant and 50% water is recommended.
Refer to “Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your
Vehicle” for proper coolant selection.
320 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

CAUTION!
If the transmission operating temperature exceeds
acceptable limits, the vehicle computer will override
DRIVE and select “5” range (on six-speed transmis-
sions) or “3” range (on four-speed transmissions) by
changing shift points. This is done to prevent trans-
mission damage due to overheating.
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control allows
you to move the shift lever to the left (-) or right (+) when
the shift lever is in the DRIVE position, this allows the
selection of the desired top gear. For example, if you shift
the transmission into third gear, the transmission will
never shift above third gear, but can shift down into
second or first gear automatically, when needed.Switching from ERS to DRIVE can be done at any vehicle
speed. To shift from DRIVE mode to ERS mode, move the
shift lever to the left (-) once. The current gear will be
maintained as the top gear. To disable ERS, simply press
and hold the shift lever to the right (+) until “D” is
displayed in the instrument cluster odometer.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing an accident
or personal injury.
336 STARTING AND OPERATING

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located in the
center of the instrument panel above the radio.Press the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flasher. When the switch is activated, all directional
turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. Press the switch a second time to
turn off the Hazard Warning flasher.
This is an emergency warning system and should not be
used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
Hazard Warning flasher will continue to operate even
though the ignition switch is OFF.
NOTE: With extended use, the Hazard Warning 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.
•On the highways — slow down.
•In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission
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 (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
•You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower 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.
412 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then move the shift lever back and forth
between REVERSE and DRIVE. Using minimal accelera-
tor pedal pressure to maintain the rocking motion, with-
out spinning the wheels, is most effective.
CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving be-
tween 1st and REVERSE, do not spin the wheels
faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage
may result.(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure.
It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the
wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no
transmission shifting occurring).
NOTE: To improve the vehicle’s traction when starting
off in deep snow, sand or gravel, it may be desirable to
switch the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to “Partial
Off” mode. Refer to “Electronic Brake Control System” in
“Starting and Operating” for further information.
430 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
•The catalytic converter requires the use of un-
leaded fuel only. Leaded gasoline will destroy the
effectiveness of the catalyst as an emissions con-
trol device and may seriously reduce engine per-
formance and cause serious damage to the engine.
•Damage to the catalytic converter can result if your
vehicle is not kept in proper operating condition.
In the event of engine malfunction, particularly
involving engine misfire or other apparent loss of
performance, have your vehicle serviced promptly.
Continued operation of your vehicle with a severe
malfunction could cause the converter to overheat,
resulting in possible damage to the converter and
vehicle.Under normal operating conditions, the catalytic con-
verter will not require maintenance. However, it is im-
portant to keep the engine properly tuned to assure
proper catalyst operation and prevent possible catalyst
damage.
NOTE:
Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may suggest severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, stop
the vehicle, turn off the engine and allow it to cool.
Service, including a tune-up to manufacturer’s specifica-
tions, should be obtained immediately.
446 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Engine Oil........................... 444
Domelight ............................. 160
Door Locks ............................. 30
Door Locks, Automatic .................... 33
Door Opener, Garage ..................... 192
Driving On Slippery Surfaces ................... 338
Through Flowing, Rising, or Shallow Standing
Water .............................. 339
DVD Player (Video Entertainment System™) .... 298
E-85 Fuel ............................. 383
Electric Remote Mirrors ................... 114
Electrical Power Outlets ................... 201
Electronic Brake Control System ............. 347
Brake Assist System .................... 349
Electronic Stability Program ............... 350
Electronic Speed Control (Cruise Control) ...... 174
Electronic Stability Program (ESP) ............ 350Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)
............................. 186,250
Emergency, In Case of Hazard Warning Flasher ................. 412
Jacking ........................... 413,416
Jump Starting ......................... 426
Overheating .......................... 412
Emission Control System Maintenance ......438,490
Engine ............................ 435,436
Air Cleaner .......................... 444
Block Heater ......................... 329
Break-In Recommendations ............... 100
Checking Oil Level ..................... 441
Compartment ...................... 435,436
Coolant (Antifreeze) .................... 486
Cooling ............................. 453
Exhaust Gas Caution ...............51,101,383
Flooded, Starting ...................... 328
Fuel Requirements .................. 378,485
Oil ........................... 441,485,486
522 INDEX

Oil Change Interval.................... 442
Oil Disposal .......................... 444
Oil Filler Cap ......................... 443
Oil Filter Disposal ..................... 444
Oil Selection ....................... 442,485
Oil Synthetic ......................... 443
Overheating .......................... 412
Starting ............................. 327
Temperature Gauge .................... 242
Enhanced Accident Response Feature .......... 79
Exhaust Gas Caution ................51,101,383
Exhaust System ...................... 101,445
Express Down Windows ................... 22
Extender, Seat Belt ........................ 67
Exterior Folding Mirrors ................... 114
Exterior Lights .......................... 104
Fabric Care ............................ 467
Filler Location Fuel ...................... 246 Filters
Air Cleaner .......................... 444
Air Conditioning .................... 322,449
Engine Oil ........................ 444,486
Engine Oil Disposal .................... 444
Flashers Hazard Warning ....................... 412
Turn Signal ........................ 104,236
Flash-To-Pass ........................... 166
Flat Tire Stowage ........................ 423
Flexible Fuel Vehicles Cruising Range ....................... 386
Engine Oil ........................... 386
Fuel Requirements .................. 383,385
Maintenance ......................... 387
Replacement Parts ..................... 387
Starting ............................. 386
Flooded Engine Starting ................... 328
Floor Console .......................... 215
10
INDEX 523