DODGE CHALLENGER 2012 3.G Owners Manual

Clearing A Flooded Engine (Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button) – Automatic Transmission
Only
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weatherproce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel, press
and hold the brake pedal, push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it, then press and release the
ENGINE START/STOP button once. The starter motor
will engage automatically, run for 10 seconds, and then
disengage. Once this occurs, release the accelerator pedal
and the brake pedal, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat
the “Normal Starting” procedure.
Clearing A Flooded Engine (Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button) – Manual Transmission Only
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather proce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel, press
and hold the clutch pedal, push the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it, then press and hold the
ENGINE START/STOP button for no more than 15 sec-
onds. Release the accelerator pedal and the clutch pedal,
wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the “Normal Starting”
procedure.
Clearing A Flooded Engine
(Using Fob With Integrated Key)
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather” proce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel, push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Then, turn the ignition switch to the START position and
release it as soon as the starter engages. The starter motor
will disengage automatically in 10 seconds. Once this
occurs, release the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then
repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure.
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CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, wait 10 to 15 sec-
onds before trying again.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, 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 routed under the hood on
the driver side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap that
is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
Six-Speed Manual Transmission
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.
260 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
•Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch
pedal, or try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the
clutch pedal partially engaged, as this will cause
abnormal wear on the clutch. Refer to “Electronic
Brake Control System/Hill Start Assist” in “Start-
ing and Operating” for further information.
•Failure to press the clutch pedal fully to the floor
may cause increased shift efforts, and may result
in damage to the clutch and transmission.
•Do not rest your hand on the shift lever while
driving, as this may result in transmission syn-
chronizer damage.
•Do not attempt to shift the transmission if the rear
wheels are spinning due to loss of traction. Dam-
age to the transmission may occur.NOTE:
During cold weather, you may experience in-
creased effort in shifting until the transmission fluid
warms up. This is normal.Manual Shifter
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Shifting
Fully press the clutch pedal and lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal before shifting gears. As you release the
clutch pedal, lightly press the accelerator pedal. Damage
to the transmission or clutch may occur if you do not
fully press the clutch pedal and lift off of the accelerator
pedal when shifting.
The six-speed manual transmission has a spring that
centers the shift lever near third and fourth gear. This
spring helps you know which gear you are in when you
are shifting. Be careful when shifting from first to second
or downshifting from sixth to fifth.
The spring will try to pull the shift lever toward third and
fourth gear. Make sure you move the shift lever into
second or fifth gear. If you let the shift lever move in the
direction of the pulling, you may end shifting from first
to fourth or from sixth to third gear.CAUTION!
Always make sure the vehicle comes to a complete
stop before shifting into REVERSE. Failure to do so
may result in transmission damage.
You must always use first gear (or Reverse) when starting
from a standing position.
Recommended Shift Speeds
To utilize your manual transmission efficiently for fuel
economy, it should be upshifted as listed in recom-
mended shift speed chart.
262 STARTING AND OPERATING

MANUAL TRANSMISSION
RECOMMENDED SHIFT SPEEDS
Axle Ratio 1-4 4-5 5-6
3.73 mph 20 25 42
(km/h) (32) (40) (67)
3.91 mph 20 37 48
(km/h) (32) (59) (77)
Earlier upshifts during cruise conditions (relatively
steady speeds) may result in increased fuel economy.
Higher upshift speeds may be used to obtain a desired
acceleration rate.
NOTE:
•Your vehicle is equipped with a transmission reverse
inhibitor system. When vehicle speed is greater than
3 mph (5 km/h), the reverse inhibitor activates to help
prevent shifts into REVERSE. When at a complete
stop, you may notice lighter shift efforts into REVERSE with the ignition switch in the ON position (RUN
position for Keyless Enter-N-Go), as compared to the
ignition LOCK position (OFF position for Keyless
Enter-N-Go). This is normal operation of the transmis-
sion reverse inhibitor system.
•Due to the high performance nature of your drivetrain,
you may hear your transmission. This can be most
noticeable when the vehicle is idling in NEUTRAL
with the clutch engaged (clutch pedal released), but it
may also be heard when driving at low engine RPM.
Also, this may be more noticeable when the transmis-
sion is warm. This is a normal condition and is not an
indication of a problem with your clutch or
transmission.
1–4 Skip Shift
There are times when you must shift the transmission
directly from first gear to fourth gear instead of from first
gear to second gear. This is to help you get the best
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possible fuel economy from your vehicle. This occurs
when the engine coolant (antifreeze) is higher than 106°F
(41°C), vehicle speed is greater than 19 mph (30 km/h)
but less than 21 mph (34 km/h), and the transmission is
in first gear, and the accelerator is at 1/4 throttle or less.
The “1–4 Skip Shift Indicator Message” will be displayed
during these times.
When the “1–4 Skip Shift Indicator Message” is dis-
played, the shift mechanism will only allow shifts from
first gear to fourth gear. After you shift the transmission
to fourth gear, you can press the clutch in and shift to
another forward gear.
Downshifting
To maintain a safe speed and prolong brake life, down-
shift to maintain a safe speed when descending a steep
grade.
WARNING!
Skipping more than one gear while downshifting,
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle. You
could have a collision.
CAUTION!
•If you skip more than one gear while downshift-
ing or downshift at too high an engine speed, you
could damage the engine, transmission, or clutch.
•Do not downshift into first gear when the vehicle
is moving faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), as you
could damage the engine and/or clutch.
264 STARTING AND OPERATING

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
WARNING!
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
and turn the engine OFF. When the ignition is in
the OFF position, the shift lever is locked in
PARK, securing the vehicle against unwanted
movement. Furthermore, you should never leave
unattended children inside a vehicle.
(Continued)
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WARNING! (Continued)
•It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing on
the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or some-
thing. Only shift into gear when the engine is
idling normally and when your foot is firmly
pressing on the brake pedal.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK
before the engine can be turned off. This helps the driver
avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without placing
the transmission in PARK. This system also locks the shift
lever in PARK whenever the ignition switch is in the OFF
position.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock (BTSI) that holds the shift lever in the PARK
position unless the brakes are applied. To move the shift
lever out of the PARK position, the ignition switch must
be turned to the ON/RUN or START position (engine
running or not) and the brake pedal must be pressed.
Five-Speed Automatic Transmission
The shift lever position display (located in the instrument
panel cluster) indicates the transmission gear range. You
must press the brake pedal to move the shift lever out of
the PARK position (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift
Interlock System” in this section). To drive, move the shift
lever from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
266 STARTING AND OPERATING

The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles (kilometers).
Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be
done only after the accelerator pedal is released and the
vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake
pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears.
The transmission shift lever has only PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, and DRIVE shift positions. Manual down-
shifts can be made using the “AutoStick” shift control
(refer to “AutoStick” in this section). Moving the shift
lever to the left or right (-/+) while in the DRIVE position
will manually select the transmission gear, and will
display that gear in the instrument cluster as 4, 3, 2, 1.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
Shift Lever
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PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never attempt to use PARK while vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when leaving vehicle in this
range.
When parking on a level surface, you may place the shift
lever in the PARK position first, and then apply the
parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position 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.
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever rearward (with the brake
pedal released), after you have placed it in PARK.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK before
leaving the vehicle.(Continued)
268 STARTING AND OPERATING