traction control DODGE CHALLENGER 2013 3.G Owners Manual

▫Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . .310
▫ Five-Speed Automatic Transmission ........310
▫ Gear Ranges .........................311
 AUTOSTICK® ........................ .318
▫ Operation .......................... .318
 SPORT MODE — IF EQUIPPED ............319
 DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES .........321
▫ Acceleration ........................ .321
▫ Traction ........................... .322
 DRIVING THROUGH WATER .............322
▫ Flowing/Rising Water ..................322
▫ Shallow Standing Water .................323 
POWER STEERING .....................324
 FUEL SAVER TECHNOLOGY 5.7L ENGINE
ONLY – IF EQUIPPED ...................326
 PARKING BRAKE ..................... .326
▫ Manual Transmission – If Equipped ........327
▫ Automatic Transmission – If Equipped ......327
 BRAKE SYSTEM ...................... .329
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............330
 ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .332
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............333
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ............333
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) ...............334
290 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Hill Start Assist (HSA) – Manual
Transmission Only ....................335
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ..........337
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
And ESC OFF Indicator Light ............341
 TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............342
▫ Tire Markings ....................... .342
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........346
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........348
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........349
 TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION ........354
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... .354
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................356
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .357 ▫
Radial Ply Tires ..................... .358
▫ Tire Types .......................... .358
▫ Run Flat Tires – If Equipped ..............360
▫ Spare Tires – If Equipped ................360
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... .363
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ..................363
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ .364
▫ Replacement Tires .....................364
 TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES) .......366
 TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS .....367
 TIRE
PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) . . .368
▫Base System ........................ .371
▫ Premium System – If Equipped ............373
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STARTING AND OPERATING 291

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.
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 synchro-
nizer 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.
304 STARTING AND OPERATING

•TRACK Mode – This includes SPORT mode and
affects automatic transmission shifting in either Auto
or Manual mode. Refer to “AutoStick” in “Starting
And Operating” for further information. In TRACK
mode, the transmission has a sportier, more aggressive
shift pattern. In Manual mode, the transmission will
hold gear at redline during manual shifting (console
shifter or paddle shifters). A “TRACK” message will
display in the instrument cluster. The system will
return to SPORT mode when the ignition switch is
cycled from RUN to OFF to RUN, if this mode is
selected.
NOTE: For manual transmission vehicles, the available
driving modes are Sport on or Sport Off. Track is not
available.DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under
the rear (driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the rear
wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle and
possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet mud, loose sand, etc.).
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STARTING AND OPERATING 321

Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as hydroplaning and may cause
partial or complete loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the following precau-
tions should be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads areslushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace tires when tread wear indicators first become visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop. Your vehicle is equipped with a Limited Slip Differential
(LSD) that reduces, but does not eliminate, the amount of
wheel slip across a given axle for improved handling.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to ensure
safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
WARNING!
Do not drive on, or cross, a road or a path where
water is flowing and/or rising (as in storm run-off).
Flowing water can wear away the road or path’s
surface and cause your vehicle to sink into deeper
water. Furthermore, flowing and/or rising water can
carry your vehicle away swiftly. Failure to follow this
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322 STARTING AND OPERATING

Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light
The “Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Warning
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 Warning 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 Warning Light” is on, the brake system
should be serviced as soon as possible to restore the
benefits of anti-lock brakes. If the “ABS Warning 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 Warning
Light” remain on, the ABS and EBD systems are not
functioning. Immediate repair to the ABS system is
required.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced electronic
brake control system commonly referred to as ESC. This
system includes the ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System), the
TCS (Traction Control System), the BAS (Brake Assist
System), and the ESC (Electronic Stability Control). These
systems work together to enhance both vehicle stability
and control in various driving conditions.
An additional electronic brake control feature called Hill
Start Assist (HSA) is standard on manual transmission
models.
332 STARTING AND OPERATING

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
This system aids the driver in maintaining vehicle control
under adverse braking conditions by controlling hydrau-
lic brake pressure. This prevents wheel lock-up to help
avoid skidding on slippery surfaces during braking.
Refer to “Anti-Lock Brake System” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.
WARNING!
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road conditions. The
ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, driving on very slippery
surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities of an 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.
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each
driven wheel. 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 system, Brake Lock Differential
(BLD), 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 TCS and ESC are in the “Partial Off” orFull Off
mode. Refer to “Electronic Stability Control (ESC)” in this
section for more information.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 333

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. The ESC
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 ESC 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 ESC 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.
WARNING!
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. ESC cannot prevent all
accidents, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. ESC also cannot prevent accidents
resulting from loss of vehicle control due to inappro-
priate driver input for the conditions. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
The capabilities of an ESC 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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STARTING AND OPERATING 337

NOTE:TheESC OFF message will display and the
audible chime will sound when the shift lever is moved
into the PARK position from any position other than
PARK and then moved out of the PARK position. This
will occur when the message was previously cleared.
WARNING!
In the ESC “Full Off” mode, the engine torque
reduction and stability features are disabled. There-
fore, the enhanced vehicle stability offered by ESC is
unavailable. In an emergency evasive maneuver, the
ESC system will not engage to assist in maintaining
stability. ESC Off mode is intended for off-highway
or off-road use only. NOTE:
When
the ESC is switched OFF, a feature of the
system remains active. This feature controls wheel spin
across an axle quite similarly to a limited slip differential. If
one wheel on an axle is spinning faster than the other, the
system will apply the brake of the spinning wheel and allow
more engine torque to be applied to the wheel that is not
spinning. To improve the vehicle’s traction when driving
with tire chains, or when starting off in deep snow, sand, or
gravel, it may be desirable to switch to the “Partial Off”
mode by momentarily pressing the “ESC Off” switch.
WARNING!
With the ESC switched OFF, the enhanced vehicle
stability offered by ESC is unavailable. In an emer-
gency evasive maneuver, the ESC system will not
engage to assist in maintaining stability. The “Full
Off” ESC mode is intended for off-highway or off-
road only.
340 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:
•The “ESC Off Indicator Light” and the “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” come on mo-
mentarily each time the ignition switch is turned ON.
• Each time the ignition is cycled ON, the ESC system
will be ON even if it was cycled off previously.
• The ESC system will make buzzing or clicking sounds
when it is active. This is normal; the sounds will stop
when ESC becomes inactive following the maneuver
that caused the ESC activation.
The “ESC OFF Indicator Light” indicates the
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is partially
off or fully off.TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION
Tire Markings
1 — U.S. DOT Safety Standards
Code (TIN) 4 — Maximum Load
2 — Size Designation 5 — Maximum Pressure
3 — Service Description 6 — Treadwear, Traction and
Temperature Grades
342 STARTING AND OPERATING