DODGE CARAVAN 2009 Owners Manual

apparent, and/or the system is not functioning as antici-
pated. Coordinate inspection efforts through an autho-
rized dealer.
WARNING!
Fluid level should be checked on a level surface and
with the engine off to prevent injury from moving
parts and to ensure accurate fluid level reading. Do
not overfill. Use only manufacturers recommended
power steering fluid.
If necessary, add fluid to restore to the proper indicated
level. With a clean cloth, wipe any spilled fluid from all
surfaces. For correct fluid type, refer to ”Power Steering
Reservoir” under “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in this section.
PARKING BRAKE
When the parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch ON, the brake light in the instrument cluster will
turn on.
NOTE:This light only shows that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied and place the gear selector lever in
the PARK position. To release the parking brake, depress
the emergency break pedal a second time and let your
foot up as you feel the brake disengage.
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Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked and
the gear selector lever is in the PARK position. When
parking on a hill you should apply the parking brake
before placing the gear selector lever in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transaxle locking mechanism may make it
difficult to move the gear selector lever out of PARK.
WARNING!
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also be certain to leave an automatic
transaxle in PARK. Failure to do so may allow the
vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving. Failure to do so can lead to brake
problems due to excessive heating of the rear
brakes.
Parking Brake
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WARNING!
NEVER leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Do not leave the key in the
ignition. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle
When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade, and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
The parking brake should always be applied whenever
the driver is not in the vehicle.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS)
ABS provides increased vehicle stability and brake per-
formance under most braking conditions. The system
automatically “pumps” the brakes during severe braking
conditions to prevent wheel lock-up.
ABS is activated during braking under certain road or
stopping conditions. ABS-inducing conditions can in-
clude ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose
debris, or panic stops.
You may experience the following when the brake system
goes into Anti-lock:
•The ABS motor running (it may continue to run for a
short time after the stop)
•A clicking sound of solenoid valves
•Brake pedal pulsations
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•A slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the end
of the stop
WARNING!
•The Anti-Lock Brake System contains sophisti-
cated electronic equipment that may be suscep-
tible to interference caused by improperly in-
stalled, or high output radio transmitting
equipment. This interference can cause possible
loss of anti-lock braking capability. Installation of
such equipment should be performed by qualified
professionals.
•Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish
their effectiveness and may lead to an accident.
Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just
press firmly on your brake pedal when you need
to slow down or stop.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•The Anti-Lock Brake System cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive,
and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
•The capabilities of an ABS-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner, which could jeopardize the user ’s safety
or the safety of others.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type, and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
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Anti-Lock Brake Light
The ABS light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake
System. The light will come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position
and may stay on for as long as four seconds.
If the ABS light remains on or comes on while driving, it
indicates that the Anti-Lock portion of the brake system
is not functioning and that service is required. However,
the conventional brake system will continue to operate
normally if the BRAKE warning light is not on.
If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of anti-lock
brakes. If the ABS light does not come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position, have the
bulb repaired as soon as possible.If both the Brake Warning Light and the ABS Light
remain on, the ABS and Electronic Brake Force Distribu-
tion (EBD) systems are not functioning. Immediate repair
to the ABS system is required. Consult with your autho-
rized dealer service center as soon as possible.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with dual hydraulic
brake systems. If either of the two hydraulic
systems loses normal capability, the remaining
system will still function. However, there will
be some loss of overall braking effectiveness. This will be
evident by increased pedal travel during application and
greater pedal force required to slow or stop the vehicle. In
addition, if the malfunction is caused by a leak in the
hydraulic system, the brake warning indicator will turn
on as the brake fluid level drops in the master cylinder
reservoir.
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In the event power assist is lost for any reason (for
example, repeated brake applications with the engine
off), the brakes will still function. The effort required to
brake the vehicle will be much greater than that required
with the power system operating.
WARNING!
•Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly an accident. Driving with your foot rest-
ing or riding on the brake pedal can result in
abnormally high brake temperatures, excessive
lining wear, and possible brake damage. You
would not have your full braking capacity in an
emergency.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Driving a vehicle with the brake light on is dan-
gerous. A significant decrease in braking perfor-
mance or vehicle stability during braking may
occur. It will take you longer to stop the vehicle or
will make your vehicle harder to control. You
could have an accident. Have the vehicle checked
immediately.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced electronic
brake control system that includes TCS (Traction Control
System), BAS (Brake Assist System) and ESP (Electronic
Stability Program). These systems complement the ABS
(Anti-Lock Brake System) by optimizing the vehicle
braking capability during emergency braking maneu-
vers.
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Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, brake
pressure is applied to the slipping wheel(s) and engine
power is reduced, to provide enhanced acceleration and
stability. A feature of the TCS functions similarly to a
limited-slip differential, and controls the wheel spin
across a driven axle. If one wheel on a driven axle is
spinning faster than the other, the system will apply the
brake of the spinning wheel. This will allow more engine
torque to be applied to the wheel that is not spinning.
This feature remains active even if the ESP is in the
“Partial Off” mode.
The TCS Indicator Light, located in the instru-
ment cluster, starts to flash as soon as the tires
lose traction and the wheels begin to spin. This
indicates that the TCS is active. If the indicatorlight flashes during acceleration, ease up on the accelera-
tor and apply as little throttle as possible. Be sure to adapt
your speed and driving to the prevailing road conditions,
and do not switch off the ESP or TCS.
WARNING!
•The TCS cannot prevent the natural laws of phys-
ics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
the traction afforded.
•The TCS cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver
can prevent accidents.
•The capabilities of a TCS-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner, which could jeopardize the user’s safety
or the safety of others.
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Brake Assist System (BAS)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking
capability during emergency braking maneuvers. The
system detects an emergency braking situation by sens-
ing the rate and amount of brake application, and then
applies optimum pressure to the brakes. This can help
reduce braking distances. The BAS complements the
ABS. Applying the brakes very quickly results in the best
BAS assistance. To receive the benefit of the system, you
must apply continuous braking pressure during the
stopping sequence. Do not reduce brake pedal pressure
unless braking is no longer desired. Once the brake pedal
is released, the BAS is deactivated.WARNING!
•The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of phys-
ics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
the traction afforded by prevailing road condi-
tions.
•The BAS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns,
driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydroplan-
ing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents.
•The capabilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s safety
or the safety of others.
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Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESP cor-
rects for over/under steering of the vehicle by applying
the brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in counter-
acting the over/under steer condition. Engine power
may also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the
desired path.
ESP uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle
path intended by the driver and compares it to the actual
path of the vehicle. When the actual path does not match
the intended path, ESP applies the brake of the appropri-
ate wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer or
understeer condition.
•Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
•Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.ESP ON
This is the normal operating mode for ESP on 2WD
vehicles. Whenever the vehicle is started, the ESP system
will be in this mode. This mode should be used for most
driving situations. ESP should only be turned off for
specific reasons as noted below.
ESP Partial OFF
This mode is entered by momentarily depressing the ESP
OFF switch (located in the center switch bank, next to the
hazard flasher switch).
When in Partial OFF mode, the TCS portion of
ESP, except for the “limited slip” feature de-
scribed in the TCS section, has been disabled
and the ESP/TCS Indicator Light will be illu-
minated. All other stability features of the ESP function
normally. This mode is intended to be used if the vehicle
is in deep snow, sand or gravel conditions and more
wheel spin than ESP would normally allow is required to
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gain traction. To turn ESP on again, momentarily depress
the ESP OFF switch. This will restore the normal ESP ON
mode of operation.
NOTE:To improve the vehicle’s traction when driving
with snow chains, or starting off in deep snow, sand or
gravel, it may be desirable to switch to the Partial OFF
mode by pressing the ESP OFF switch. Once the situation
requiring ESP to be switched to the Partial OFF mode is
overcome, turn ESP back on by momentarily depressing
the ESP OFF switch. This may be done while the vehicle
is in motion.
ESP/BAS Warning Light
The malfunction indicator light for the ESP is
combined with BAS. The ESP/BAS Warning
light and the ESP/TCS Indicator Light in the
instrument cluster, both come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON position. They should
go out with the engine running. If the ESP/BAS WarningLight comes on continuously with the engine running, a
malfunction has been detected in either the ESP or the
BAS system. If this light remains on after several ignition
cycles, and the vehicle has been driven several miles/
kilometers at speeds greater than 30 mph (48 km/h), see
your authorized dealer as soon as possible to have the
problem diagnosed and corrected.
NOTE:
•The ESP/TCS Indicator Light and the ESP/BAS Warn-
ing Light come on momentarily, each time the ignition
switch is turned ON.
•Each time the ignition is turned ON, the ESP System
will be ON, even if it was turned off previously.
•The ESP Control System will make buzzing or clicking
sounds when it is active. This is normal. The sounds
will stop when ESP becomes inactive, following the
maneuver that caused the ESP activation.
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