brake light DODGE CHALLENGER 2008 User Guide

WARNING!
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph (8
km/h) when driving through standing water.
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stop-
ping distances. Therefore, after driving through
standing water, drive slowly and lightly press on
the brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
•Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and leave you
stranded.
•Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
PARKING BRAKE
The parking brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.
WARNING!
Never use PARK position on an automatic transmis-
sion as a substitute for the parking brake. Always
apply the parking brake fully when parked to guard
against vehicle movement and possible injury or
damage.
When parking on a flat surface, place the shift lever in the
PARK position first and then apply the parking brake.
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When parking on a hill, it is important to apply the
parking brake before placing the shift lever in PARK,
otherwise the load on the transmission locking mecha-
nism may make it difficult to move the shift lever out of
PARK. As an added precaution, turn the front wheels
toward the curb on a downhill grade and away from the
curb on an uphill grade.
The foot operated parking brake is positioned below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel. To apply the
parking brake, push the parking brake pedal down and
then remove your foot from the pedal. To release the
parking brake, push down on the parking brake pedal
and then release.The brake light in the instrument cluster will turn on
when the parking brake is applied and the ignition
switch is ON.
NOTE:This light only shows that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
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
seriously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the key in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and an accident.
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. There will be some
loss of overall braking effectiveness. This may be evident
by increased pedal travel during application, greater
pedal force required to slow or stop, and potential
activation of the Brake Warning Light.
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.
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Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides increased
vehicle stability and brake performance under most
braking conditions. The system automatically “pumps”
the brakes during severe braking conditions to prevent
wheel lock-up.
The Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) prevents
the rear wheels from over-braking and provides greater
control of available braking forces applied to the rear
axle.
When the vehicle is driven over 7 mph (11 km/h), you
may also hear a slight clicking sound as well as some
related motor noises. These noises are the system per-
forming its self check cycle to ensure that the ABS system
is working properly. This self check occurs each time the
vehicle is started and accelerated past 7 mph (11 km/h).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 also 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),
•The clicking sound of solenoid valves,
•Brake pedal pulsations, and
•A slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the end
of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
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WARNING!
•The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) contains sophisticated elec-
tronic equipment that may be susceptible to interference caused by
improperly installed 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.
•The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) cannot prevent the natural
laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking or steering efficiency beyond that afforded by the condi-
tion of the vehicle brakes and tires or the traction afforded.
•The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) cannot prevent accidents,
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 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner,
that 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.
Anti-Lock Brake Light
The Anti-Lock Brake System (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.
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If both the Brake Warning Light and the ABS Light
remain on, the ABS and EBD systems are not functioning.
Immediate repair to the ABS system is required.
POWER STEERING
The standard power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will provide mechanical
steering capability if power assist is lost.
If for some reason the power assist is interrupted, it will
still be possible to steer your vehicle. Under these condi-
tions, you will observe a substantial increase in steering
effort, especially at very low vehicle speeds and during
parking maneuvers.
NOTE:Increased noise levels at the end of the steering
wheel travel are considered normal and do not indicate
that there is a problem with the power steering system. Upon initial start-up in cold weather, the power steering
pump may make noise for a short amount of time. This is
due to the cold, thick fluid in the steering system. This
noise should be considered normal, and it does not in any
way damage the steering system.
WARNING!
Continued operation with reduced power steering
assist could pose a safety risk to yourself and others.
Service should be obtained as soon as possible.
CAUTION!
Prolonged operation of the steering system at the end of
the steering wheel travel will increase the steering fluid
temperature and it should be avoided when possible.
Damage to the power steering pump may occur.
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ESP (Electronic Stability Program)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. The ESP
corrects for oversteering and understeering the vehicle
by applying the brake of the appropriate wheel. Engine
power may also be reduced to assist in counteracting the
condition of oversteer or understeer and help the vehicle
maintain the desired path.
The ESP uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the path
that the driver intends to steer the vehicle and compares
it to the actual path of the vehicle. When the actual path
does not match the intended path, the ESP applies the
brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting
the condition of oversteer or understeer.
•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.
The ESP/TCS Indicator Light located in the
instrument cluster, starts to flash as soon as the
tires lose traction and the ESP system becomes
active. The ESP/TCS Indicator Light also
flashes when TCS is active. If the ESP/TCS Indicator
Light begins to flash during acceleration, ease up on the
accelerator and apply as little throttle as possible. Be sure
to adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing road
conditions.
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▫Power Steering — Fluid Check ............310
▫ Front And Rear Suspension Ball Joints ......311
▫ Steering Linkage ......................311
▫ Body Lubrication .....................311
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ................312
▫ Windshield Washers ...................312
▫ Exhaust System ......................313
▫ Cooling System .......................314
▫ Hoses And Vacuum/Vapor Harnesses .......319
▫ Fuel System .........................319
▫ Brake System ........................320
▫ Automatic Transmission ................322
▫ Front And Rear Wheel Bearings ...........324▫
Appearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion ...........................324
▫ Cleaning The Center Console Cupholders ....328

Fuses ...............................329
▫ Integrated Power Module (IPM) ...........329
▫ Rear Power Distribution Center ...........331

Vehicle Storage ........................335

Replacement Light Bulbs .................336

Bulb Replacement ......................337
▫ Low Beam Headlight, High Beam Headlight,
And Park/Turn Light — Models With High
Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlights .......337
▫ Front/Rear Side Marker Light ............338
▫ Tail/Turn/Stop Light ..................338
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necessarily an indication of leakage. Actual dripping
of hot fluid when systems are under pressure (during
vehicle operation), should be noted before a hose is
replaced based on leakage.
•Inspect the brake hoses whenever the brake system is
serviced and at every engine oil change. Inspect hy-
draulic brake hoses for surface cracking, scuffing, or
worn spots. If there is any evidence of cracking,
scuffing, or worn spots, the hose should be replaced
immediately. Eventual deterioration of the hose can
take place resulting in a possibility of a burst failure.
WARNING!
Worn brake hoses can burst and cause brake failure.
You could have an accident. If you see any signs of
cracking, scuffing, or worn spots, have the brake
hoses replaced immediately.
Master Cylinder - Brake Fluid Level Check
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder immediately
if the brake system warning light indicates system fail-
ure.
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder when per-
forming underhood services.
Clean the top of the master cylinder area before removing
the cap. Add fluid to bring the level up to the top of the
“FULL” mark on the side of the master cylinder reservoir.
Overfilling of fluid is not recommended because it may
cause leaking in the system.
Add enough fluid to bring the level up to the require-
ments described on the brake fluid reservoir. With disc
brakes, fluid level can be expected to fall as the brake
pads wear. However, low fluid level may be caused by a
leak and a checkup may be needed.
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•Change your engine oil more often if you drive your
vehicle for an extended period of time.
•Under no circumstances should oil change intervals
exceed 6,000 mi (10 000 km) or six months, whichever
comes first.
Your authorized dealer will reset the oil change indicator
message after completing the scheduled oil change. If this
scheduled oil change is performed by someone other
than your authorized dealer, the message can be reset by
referring to the steps described under “Oil Change
Required” under “Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)” in Section 4.
At Each Stop for Fuel
•Check the engine oil level. Refer to “Engine Oil” under
“Maintenance Procedures” in Section 7.
•Check the windshield washer solvent and add if
required. Once a Month
•Check tire pressure and look for unusual wear or
damage.
•Inspect the battery, and clean and tighten the terminals
as required.
•Check the fluid levels of coolant reservoir and brake
master cylinder, and add as needed.
•Check all lights and other electrical items for correct
operation.
At Each Oil Change
•Change the engine oil filter.
•Inspect the brake hoses and lines.
CAUTION!
Failure to perform the required maintenance items
may result in damage to the vehicle.
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