DODGE AVENGER 2008 Owners Manual

N Tread Wear Indicators ..................306
N Life Of Tire .........................306
N Replacement Tires .....................307
N Alignment And Balance .................308
m Tire Chains ...........................309
m Snow Tires ...........................309
m Tire Rotation Recommendations ............309
m Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) Ð
If Equipped ...........................310
N Base System Ð If Equipped ..............313
N Premium System Ð If Equipped ..........315
N General Information ...................319
m Fuel Requirements ......................319 N 2.4L And 2.7L Engines ..................319
N 3.5L Engine .........................320
N Reformulated Gasoline .................320
N Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............321
N MMT In Gasoline .....................322
N Materials Added To Fuel ................322
N Fuel System Cautions ..................322
N Carbon Monoxide Warnings ..............323
m Flexible FuelÐ 2.7L Engines Only
(Except California Emission States) ..........324
N E-85 General Information ................324
N Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ....................325
N Fuel Requirements ....................326 STARTING AND OPERATING 259
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N Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles .......326
N Starting ............................327
N Cruising Range .......................327
N Replacement Parts .....................327
N Maintenance .........................327
m Adding Fuel ..........................328
N Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) ...............328
N Loose Filler Cap Message ...............330
m Vehicle Loading ........................331
N Vehicle Certification Label ...............331
N Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) .......332
N Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) .........332 N Overloading .........................332
N Loading ............................333
m Trailer Towing .........................334
N Common Towing Definitions .............334
N Trailer Hitch Classifications ..............336
N Trailer Towing Weights
(Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings) .........337
N Trailer And Trailer Tongue Weight .........338
N Towing Requirements ..................339
N Towing Tips .........................343
m Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 345
N Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground) ............................345260 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belt.
Make sure all occupants have securely fastened their 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 and remove the key
from the ignition switch if you want to rest or sleep
in your car. Accidents can be caused by inadvertently
moving the gear selection lever or by pressing 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 must be in the PARK or NEUTRAL
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting to any driving gear.
NOTE: You must press the brake pedal before shifting
out of Park. STARTING AND OPERATING 261
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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 fails to
start within 15 seconds, turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the
normal starting procedure. 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.
Tip Start Ð Automatic Transaxle Only
Do not press the accelerator. Turn the ignition key briefly
to START position, and release it. The starter motor will
continue to run, but will automatically disengage itself
when the engine is running.262 STARTING AND OPERATING

Extremely Cold Weather (Below 2 20ÉF or 2 29ÉC)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended. If Engine Fails To Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
NORMAL STARTING procedure, it may be flooded.
Push the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and
hold it there. Crank the engine for no more than 15
seconds. This should clear any excess fuel in case the
engine is flooded. Leave the ignition key in the ON
position, release the accelerator pedal and repeat the
NORMAL STARTING procedure.
WARNING!Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.Ignition Key Position STARTING AND OPERATING 263
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CAUTION!To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up. Remote Starting System Ð If Equipped
Remote start conveniently starts the engine from outside
the vehicle by using the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) key
fob while maintaining security. The system has a targeted
range of 328 ft (100 m). The vehicle must be locked, the
deck lid and hood closed and the transmission in PARK
in order to start the engine using the Remote Start button
on the key fob.
NOTE: Remote start requires Automatic Transaxle
equipped vehicles.
How To Use Remote Start
To enter the Remote Start mode, depress the Remote Start
button twice on the key fob. The engine will start and the
vehicle will remain in the remote start mode for a 15
minute cycle.264 STARTING AND OPERATING

To exit the Remote Start mode, allow the en-
gine to run the cycle or depress the unlock
button to disarm the Vehicle Theft Security
Alarm and within one minute insert the key into the ignition and turn the ignition to the RUN
position. The ignition must be in the RUN position in
order to drive the vehicle.
NOTE: The engine can be started two consecutive times
(two 15 minute cycles) by using the key fob. For a third
cycle, the key must be cycled to the ignition RUN
position and then repeat the start sequence.
To shut off the vehicle when it is in Remote Start mode,
press the remote start button once. In order to avoid
inadvertent shut downs, the one-time press to shut down
the vehicle will be disabled for two seconds after receipt
of a valid remote start request.
NOTE: When the vehicle is in the Remote Start mode,
power window and sunroof operation are disabled for
security.Remote Start STARTING AND OPERATING 265
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The following conditions must be met before the engine
will remote start:
² Automatic Transaxle in PARK
² All doors are closed
² Hood is closed
² Hazard Switch is off
² Brake Switch is inactive
² Key is not in the ignition
² Battery is at an acceptable charge level
² PANIC button on key fob is not depressed ENGINE BLOCK HEATER Ð IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord
to a standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater cord is bundled under the hood
between the headlight assembly and the Totally Inte-
grated Power Module (Fuse Box) on the driver's side of
the vehicle.
WARNING!Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 Volt electrical cord could cause
electrocution.266 STARTING AND OPERATING

AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
CAUTION!Damage to the transaxle may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
² Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
² Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
² Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
² Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal. NOTE: You MUST press and hold the brake pedal down
while shifting out of PARK. Gear Selector Lever STARTING AND OPERATING 267
5

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
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal. 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 gear selector lever
is locked in the PARK position, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement. Furthermore, you
should never leave children unattended inside a
vehicle.268 STARTING AND OPERATING