fuel DODGE CARAVAN 2008 5.G User Guide

COMPASS MINI-TRIP COMPUTER (CMTC) Ð IF
EQUIPPED
NOTE:The compass on your vehicle is self-calibrating,
eliminating the need to manually calibrate the compass.
The Compass Mini-Trip Computer features a driver-
interactive display (displays information on outside tem-
perature, compass direction, and trip information). It is
located in the instrument cluster, below the Fuel and
Temperature gauges.
Compass Mini-Trip Computer (CMTC) Odometer
Displays
When the appropriate conditions exist, the following
odometer messages will display:
CHAngE OIL............... OilChange Required
CRUISE......................Cruise Activated
door.............................Door AjarESPOFF...................... ESPDeactivated
gATE..........................Lift Gate Ajar
gASCAP.......................Fuel Cap Fault
hood............................Hood Ajar
noFUSE..........................Fuse Fault
LoCOOL........................ LowCoolant
LoWASH.................... LowWasher Fluid
These messages can be manually turned off by pressing
the right reset button (on the instrument cluster).
Compass Mini-Trip Computer (CMTC) Reset
Buttons
CMTC Reset Button
Press the left reset button located on the instrument
cluster to scroll through the sub menus (i.e., Trip Func-
tions: AVG Fuel Economy, DTE, Elapsed Time, and
Units).
238 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

To reset the display shown, turn the ignition switch to the
ON position, then press and hold the reset button for
approximately two seconds.
When the appropriate conditions exist, the following
odometer messages will display:
NE.......Eight-point compass headings are displayed
(N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW)
14ÉF............ Temperature (Fahrenheit or Celsius)
AV G......... AverageFuel Economy (U.S. or Metric)
DTE.......................Distance to Empty
ET............................Elapsed Time
P.......................... ParkAssist On/Off
Should this wrench symbol display with the
letterPnext to it, your Park Assist System
needs servicing. Contact your authorized
dealer.NOTE:Temperature and Average Fuel Economy can be
changed from U.S. or Metric by pressing and holding the
left CMTC Reset Button located on the instrument cluster
near the temperature gauge.
Compass Mini-Trip Computer (CMTC) Trip
Odometer (ODO)
This display shows the distance traveled since the last
reset. Press and release the right button located on the
instrument cluster to switch from odometer, to trip A or
trip B. Press and hold the right button while the
odometer/trip odometer is displayed to reset.
Trip A
Shows the total distance traveled for Trip A since the last
reset.
Trip B
Shows the total distance traveled for Trip B since the last
reset.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 239
4

²Compass display
²Outside temperature display
²Trip computer functions
²Audio Modes display
EVIC Menu / Step Control Button as it
appears on the left side of the steering
column.
Press and release the MENU button and the
mode displayed will change between
Compass/Temperature, Trip, System Status,
and Personal Settings.Press the STEP button to scroll through sub
menus (i.e. Trip Functions, Avg. Fuel Economy,
DTE, Elapsed Time, and Units.
Steering Wheel EVIC Compass/Temp
Control Button as it appears on the
right side of the steering column
Press and release the C/T button to for instant
access to the Compass/Temperature Screens.
Press this button to RESET Trip Functions and
Change Personal Settings.
242 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

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)
refer to the following procedure.
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 vehicle, the oil change indicator system did not
reset. If necessary repeat this procedure.TRIP FUNCTIONS
Press and release the MENU button until one of the
following Trip Functions displays in the EVIC:
Press the STEP button to scroll through all the Trip
Computer functions.
The Trip Functions mode displays the following informa-
tion:
Average Fuel Economy
Shows the average fuel economy since the last reset.
When the fuel economy is reset, the display will read
ªRESETº or show dashes for two seconds. Then, the
history information will be erased, and the averaging will
continue from the last fuel average reading before the
reset.
244 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Distance To Empty (DTE)
Shows the estimated distance that can be traveled with
the fuel remaining in the tank. This estimated distance is
determined by a weighted average of the instantaneous
and average fuel economy, according to the current fuel
tank level.
NOTE:Significant changes in driving style or vehicle
loading will greatly affect the actual drivable distance of
the vehicle, regardless of the DTE displayed value.
When the DTE value is less than 30 miles (48 km)
estimated driving distance, the DTE display will change
to a text display of9LOW FUEL.9This display will
continue until the vehicle runs out of fuel. Adding a
significant amount of fuel to the vehicle will turn off the
9LOW FUEL9text and a new DTE value will display.
Elapsed Time
Shows the total elapsed time of travel since the last reset
when the ignition switch is in the ACC position. Elapsed
time will increment when the ignition switch is in the ON
or START position.
Display Units of Measure in:
To make your selection, press and release the STEP
button until ªUSº or ªMETRICº appears.
To Reset The Display
Reset will only occur while a resettable function is being
displayed. Press and release the RESET button once to
clear the resettable function being displayed. To reset all
resettable functions, press and release the RESET button
a second time within three seconds of resetting the
currently displayed function (Reset ALL will display
during this three-second window).
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 245
4

PANEL Mode
Air is directed through the outlets in the instrument
panel. These outlets can be adjusted to direct airflow.
BI-LEVEL Mode
Air is directed through the panel and floor outlets.
NOTE:There is a difference in temperature (in any
conditions other than full cold or full hot), between the
upper and lower outlets for added comfort. The warmer
air goes to the floor outlets. This feature gives improved
comfort during sunny but cool conditions.
FLOOR Mode
Air is directed through the floor outlets with a
small amount through the defrost and side window
demist outlets.
MIX Mode
Air is directed through the floor, defrost and side
window demist outlets. This setting works best in
cold or snowy conditions that require extra heat at
the windshield. This setting is good for maintaining
comfort while reducing moisture on the windshield.
DEFROST Mode
Air is directed through the windshield and side
window demist outlets. Use DEFROST mode with
maximum blower and temperature settings for best
windshield and side window defrosting.
NOTE:The air conditioning compressor operates in
MIX and DEFROST, or a blend of these modes even if the
A/C SNOWFLAKE button is not pressed. This dehu-
midifies the air to help dry the windshield. To improve
fuel economy, use these modes only when necessary.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 303
4

NFlowing/Rising Water..................346
mTire Safety Information...................348
NTire Markings........................348
NTire Loading And Tire Pressure...........353
mTires Ð General Information...............357
NTire Pressure.........................357
mTire Chains...........................367
mSnow Tires...........................368
mTire Rotation..........................368
mTire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)........369
NBasic TPMS Without EVIC Ð If Equipped....371
NPremium TPMS With EVIC Ð If Equipped . . . 373
mFuel Requirements......................377N3.3L & 3.8L Gasoline Engine..............377
mAdding Fuel..........................382
NFuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)...............382
NLoose Fuel Filler Cap Message............384
mFlexible Fuel Ð 3.3L Engines Only..........384
NE-85 General Information................384
NEthanol Fuel (E-85)....................385
NFuel Requirements....................386
NSelection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (FFV) E-85 And Gasoline Vehicles . . . 387
NStarting............................387
NCruising Range.......................387
NReplacement Parts.....................387
322 STARTING AND OPERATING

If The Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
²NEVER pour fuel or other flammable liquids into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
²DO NOT attempt to push or tow your vehicle to
get it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission 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.
²If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster
cables may be used to obtain a start from a booster
battery or the battery in another vehicle. This type
of start can be dangerous if done improperly. Refer
to Section 6 of this manual for proper jump-
starting procedures and follow them carefully.If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
ªNormal Startingº procedure, it may be flooded. Push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it
there while cranking the engine. This should clear any
excess fuel in case the engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, DO NOT crank the
engine for more than 15±second intervals at one time.
Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
326 STARTING AND OPERATING

REVERSE
Use REVERSE for moving the vehicle rearward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL
Shift the gear selector lever into this gear only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop. The engine may be
started in this range.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have an accident.
DRIVE Ð Six-Speed Transmission
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts, downshifts,
and best fuel economy. However, use the Electronic
Range Select (ERS) mode by moving the leverÐ/+and
select the ª5º range when frequent transmission shifting
occurs while using the DRIVE range, such as when
operating the vehicle under heavy loading conditions,
(i.e., in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds or
while towing heavy trailers). Under these conditions,
using the ª5º range will improve performance and
extend transmission life by reducing excessive shifting
and heat build-up.
DRIVE Ð Four-Speed Transmission
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts, downshifts,
and best fuel economy. However, select the ª3º range
when frequent transmission shifting occurs while using
the DRIVE range, such as when operating the vehicle
332 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
²Unequal tire pressures can cause steering problems.
You could lose control of your vehicle.
²Unequal tire pressures from one side of the vehicle
to the other can cause the vehicle to drift to the right
or left.
²Always drive with each tire inflated to the recom-
mended cold tire inflation pressure.2. EconomyÐ
Improper inflation pressures can cause uneven wear
patterns to develop across the tire tread. These abnormal
wear patterns will reduce tread life resulting in a need for
earlier tire replacement. Under-inflation, also increases
tire rolling resistance and results in higher fuel consump-
tion.
3. Ride Comfort and Vehicle StabilityÐ
Proper tire inflation contributes to a comfortable ride.
Over-inflation produces a jarring and uncomfortable
ride.
Tire Inflation Pressures
The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed either on
the face of the driver's door or on the driver's side ªBº
pillar.
358 STARTING AND OPERATING