traction control DODGE CHALLENGER 2019 User Guide

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME,
ETC.)
Recreational towing (with all four wheels on the ground, or
using a tow dolly) isNOT ALLOWED. The only accept-
able method for towing this vehicle (behind another ve-
hicle) is on a vehicle trailer with all four wheels OFFthe
ground.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe engine, transmission and/or
transfer case damage. Damage from improper towing
is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited War-
ranty.
DRIVING TIPS
Driving On Slippery Surfaces
Information in this section will aid in safe controlled
launches in adverse conditions.
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slippery
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 care-
fully whenever there is likely to be poor traction (ice,
snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
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 precautions
should be observed:
•
Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads are
slushy.
• Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
276 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!(Continued)
•Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having ad-
equate speed capability can result in sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size
may result in false speedometer and odometer read-
ings.
Tire Types
All Season Tires — If Equipped
All Season tires provide traction for all seasons (Spring,
Summer, Fall, and Winter). Traction levels may vary be-
tween different all season tires. All season tires can be
identified by the M+S, M&S, M/S or MS designation on the
tire sidewall. Use all season tires only in sets of four; failure
to do so may adversely affect the safety and handling of
your vehicle.
Summer Or Three Season Tires — If Equipped
Summer tires provide traction in both wet and dry condi-
tions, and are not intended to be driven in snow or on ice.
If your vehicle is equipped with Summer tires, be aware
these tires are not designed for Winter or cold driving
conditions. Install Winter tires on your vehicle when am-
bient temperatures are less than 40°F (5°C) or if roads are
covered with ice or snow. For more information, contact an
authorized dealer.
Summer tires do not contain the all season designation or
mountain/snowflake symbol on the tire sidewall. Use
Summer tires only in sets of four; failure to do so may
adversely affect the safety and handling of your vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not use Summer tires in snow/ice conditions. You
could lose vehicle control, resulting in severe injury or
death. Driving too fast for conditions also creates the
possibility of loss of vehicle control.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 389

Dark Vapor Chrome, Black Satin Chrome, or Low Gloss
Clear Coat Wheels
CAUTION!
If your vehicle is equipped with these specialty
wheels, DO NOT USE wheel cleaners, abrasives, or
polishing compounds. They will permanently damage
this finish and such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty. HAND WASH ONLY US-
ING MILD SOAP AND WATER WITH A SOFT
CLOTH. Used on a regular basis; this is all that is
required to maintain this finish.
Tire Chains (Traction Devices)
Use of traction devices require sufficient tire-to-body clear-
ance. Follow these recommendations to guard against
damage.
•Traction device must be of proper size for the tire, as
recommended by the traction device manufacturer.
• Install on Rear Tires Only.
• Due to limited clearance, the following traction devices
are recommended:
• Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) Models •
On a 235/55R18 tire use of a Peerless Chain Super Z6 low
profile traction device or equivalent is recommended.
• All Wheel Drive (AWD) Models
• On a 235/55R19 tire use of a S Class traction device or
equivalent is recommended.
WARNING!
Using tires of different size and type (M+S, Snow)
between front and rear axles can cause unpredictable
handling. You could lose control and have a collision.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle or tires, observe the
following precautions:
• Because of restricted traction device clearance be-
tween tires and other suspension components, it is
important that only traction devices in good condi-
tion are used. Broken devices can cause serious
damage. Stop the vehicle immediately if noise occurs
that could indicate device breakage. Remove the
damaged parts of the device before further use.
(Continued)
394 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UNIFORM
TIRE QUALITY GRADES
The following tire grading categories were established
by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The specific grade rating assigned by the tire’s manu-
facturer in each category is shown on the sidewall of the
tires on your vehicle.
All passenger vehicle tires must conform to Federal
safety requirements in addition to these grades.
Treadwear
The Treadwear grade is a comparative rating, based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices, and differences in road charac-
teristics and climate.
Traction Grades
The Traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. These grades represent the tire’s ability to stopon wet pavement, as measured under controlled condi-
tions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics.
Temperature Grades
The Temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat, when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of
the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance, which all pas-
senger vehicle tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
396 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

Launch Mode
WARNING!
Launch Mode is intended for off-highway or off-road
use only and should not be used on any public
roadways. It is recommended that this feature be used
in a controlled environment, and within the limits of
the law. The capabilities of the vehicle as measured by
the performance pages must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner, which can jeopardize
the user ’s safety or the safety of others. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.This vehicle is equipped with a Launch Control system that
is designed to allow the driver to achieve maximum
vehicle acceleration in a straight line. Launch Control is a
form of traction control that manages tire slip while
launching the vehicle. This feature is intended for use
during race events on a closed course where consistent
quarter mile and 0–60 times are desired. The system is not
intended to compensate for lack of driver experience or
Launch Control
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familiarity with the race track. Use of this feature in low
traction (cold, wet, gravel, etc.) conditions may results in
excess wheel slip outside this systems control resulting in
an aborted launch.
NOTE:
•Launch control should not be used on public roads.
Always check track conditions and the surrounding
area.
• Launch Control is not available for the first 500 miles
(805 km) of the vehicle’s life.
• Launch Control should only be used when the engine
and transmission are at operating temperature.
• Launch Control is intended to be used on dry, paved
road surfaces only. Use on slippery or loose surfaces
may cause damage to vehicle components and is not
recommended.Drive Mode Set-Up
Pressing the “Drive Mode Set-Up” button on the touch-
screen within the Performance Control screen indicates the
real-time status of the various systems. Pressing the “Sport
Mode Set-Up” or “Default Mode Set-Up” buttons on the
Drive Mode Set-Up
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touchscreen allows the driver to configure their individual
performance control and see how those configurations
affect the performance of the vehicle.
NOTE:Not all of the options listed in this manual are
available on every vehicle, below is a chart with all
available Performance Control vehicle configurations.
Available Mode Configurations
Engine If Manual Transmission
Engine/Trans If Auto Transmission
Steering X
Paddle Shifters X
Traction Control X
Refer to the Sport and Default modes for their detailed
operation.
NOTE: These settings will remain in effect when using the
Launch Control feature.
Default Mode
The vehicle will always start in Default Mode. This mode is
for typical driving conditions. While in Default Mode, the
Engine, Transmission and Traction will operate in their
Normal settings and cannot be changed. The Steering assist
may be configured to Normal, Sport, or Comfort by
pressing the corresponding buttons on the touchscreen.
Default Mode
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The Paddle Shifters may be enabled or disabled while in
this mode.Sport Mode
Sport Mode is a configuration set-up for typical enthusiast
driving. The Transmission and Steering are both set to their
Sport settings. The steering wheel paddle switches are
enabled. The Traction Control defaults to Normal. Any of
these four settings may be changed to the driver ’s prefer-
ences by pressing the buttons on the touchscreen. Push the
Sport button on the instrument panel switch bank to putDefault Mode Set-UpSport Mode
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Paddle Shifters — If Equipped With Automatic
Transmission
•ON
Press the “ON” button on the touchscreen to enable
steering wheel Paddle Shifters.
• OFF
Press the “OFF” button on the touchscreen to disable
steering wheel Paddle Shifters. Traction
•
SPORT
Press the “Sport” button on the touchscreen to turn off
traction control and reduce stability control.
Paddle – Automatic TransmissionTraction Control
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•NORMAL
Press the “Norm” button on the touchscreen to provide full
traction control and full stability control.
Steering •
SPORT
Press the “Sport” button on the touchscreen to provide an
increased amount of steering feel, requiring a higher
amount of steering effort.
• NORMAL
Press the “Norm” button on the touchscreen to provide a
balanced steering feel and steering effort. This is also your
vehicles pre-set steering setting.
• COMFORT
Press the “Comf” button on the touchscreen to provide a
lower steering effort.
Steering
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