manual transmission DODGE CHALLENGER 2020 Owner's Manual

190STARTING AND OPERATING
LOADING
To load your vehicle properly, first figure out its
empty weight, axle-by-axle and side-by-side.
Store heavier items down low and be sure you
distribute their weight as evenly as possible.
Stow all loose items securely before driving. If
weighing the loaded vehicle shows that you
have exceeded either GAWR, but the total load
is within the specified GVWR, you must
redistribute the weight. Improper weight
distribution can have an adverse effect on the
way your vehicle steers and handles and the
way the brakes operate.
NOTE:
Refer to the “Vehicle Certification Label” affixed
to the rear of the driver's door for your vehicle's
GVWR and GAWRs.
TRAILER TOWING
In this section, you will find safety tips and
information on limits to the type of towing you
can reasonably do with your vehicle. Before
towing a trailer, carefully review this information
to tow your load as efficiently and safely as
possible. To maintain warranty coverage, follow the
requirements and recommendations in this
manual concerning vehicles used for trailer
towing.
Manual Transmission — If Equipped
Trailer towing with this vehicle is not
recommended.
COMMON TOWING DEFINITIONS
The following trailer towing related definitions
will assist you in understanding the following
information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable weight of your
vehicle. This includes driver, passengers, cargo
and tongue weight. The total load must be
limited so that you do not exceed the GVWR.
Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle Certification
Label” in “Starting And Operating” for further
information.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus the
weight of all cargo, consumables, and
equipment (permanent or temporary) loaded in
or on the trailer in its "loaded and ready for
operation" condition.The recommended way to measure GTW is to
put your fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
The entire weight of the trailer must be
supported by the scale.
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)
The GCWR is the total allowable weight of your
vehicle and trailer when weighed in
combination.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum capacity of the front
and rear axles. Distribute the load over the front
and rear axles evenly. Make sure that you do
not exceed either front or rear GAWR. Refer to
“Vehicle Loading/Vehicle Certification Label” in
“Starting And Operating” for further
information.
WARNING!
It is important that you do not exceed the
maximum front or rear GAWR. A dangerous
driving condition can result if either rating is
exceeded. You could lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.

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192STARTING AND OPERATING
TRAILER TOWING WEIGHTS (MAXIMUM TRAILER WEIGHT RATINGS)
Trailer towing with the 5.7L Manual Transmission, 6.4L or 6.2L Supercharged engine is not recommended.
Trailer Hitch Classification Definitions
Class Max. Trailer Hitch Industry Standards
Class I - Light Duty 2,000 lbs (907 kg)
Class II - Medium Duty 3,500 lbs (1,587 kg)
Class III - Heavy Duty 6,000 lbs (2,722 kg)
Class IV - Extra Heavy Duty 10,000 lbs (4,535 kg)
Refer to the “Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings)” chart for the Maximum Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) towable for your given
drivetrain.
All trailer hitches should be professionally installed on your vehicle.
Engine/Transmission Frontal AreaMax. GTW (Gross Trailer Wt.) Max. Tongue Wt.
3.6L Automatic 12 sq ft (1.11 sq m)1,000 lbs (454 kg) 100 lbs (45 kg)
5.7L Automatic 12 sq ft (1.11 sq m)1,000 lbs (454 kg) 100 lbs (45 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.

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196STARTING AND OPERATING

Seven-Pin Connector

TOWING TIPS
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning,
stopping, and backing up the trailer in an area
located away from heavy traffic.
Automatic Transmission — If Equipped
Select the DRIVE range when towing. The
transmission controls include a drive strategy to
avoid frequent shifting when towing. However, if
frequent shifting does occur while in DRIVE, you
can use the AutoStick shift control to manually
select a lower gear.
NOTE:
Using a lower gear while operating the vehicle
under heavy loading conditions will improve
performance and extend transmission life by
reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
This action will also provide better engine
braking.
Speed Control — If Equipped
Do not use on hilly terrain or with heavy
loads.
When using the Speed Control, if you experi -
ence speed drops greater than 10 mph
(16 km/h), disengage until you can get back
to cruising speed.
Use Speed Control in flat terrain and with
light loads to maximize fuel efficiency.
AutoStick
When using the AutoStick shift control, select
the highest gear that allows for adequate
performance and avoids frequent down -
shifts. For example, choose “5” if the desired
speed can be maintained. Choose “4” or “3”
if needed to maintain the desired speed.
To prevent excess heat generation, avoid
continuous driving at high RPM. Reduce
vehicle speed as necessary to avoid
extended driving at high RPM. Return to a
higher gear or vehicle speed when grade and
road conditions allow.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission
overheating, take the following actions:
City Driving
In city traffic — while stopped, place the trans -
mission in NEUTRAL, but do not increase
engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Temporarily turn off air conditioning.
1 — Battery
2 — Backup Lamps
3 — Right Stop/Turn
4 — Electric Brakes
5 — Ground
6 — Left Stop/Turn
7 — Running Lamps

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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY217
(Continued)
PREPARATIONS FOR JACKING

1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface as far from the edge of the roadway as
possible. Avoid icy or slippery areas.

2. Turn on the Hazard Warning Flashers.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Place the gear selector into PARK (automatic transmission) or FIRST gear
(manual transmission).
5. Turn the ignition OFF. 6. Block both the front and rear of the wheel
diagonally opposite the jacking position. For
example, if the driver’s front wheel is being
changed, block the passenger’s rear wheel.

Wheel Blocked

NOTE:
Passengers should not remain in the vehicle
when the vehicle is being lifted or raised.
JACKING AND CHANGING A TIRE
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of
the vehicle close to moving traffic, pull far
enough off the road to avoid being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings
to help prevent personal injury or damage to
your vehicle:
Always park on a firm, level surface as far
from the edge of the roadway as possible
before raising the vehicle.
Turn on the Hazard Warning Flashers.
Apply the parking brake firmly and place an
automatic transmission in PARK; a manual
transmission in REVERSE or FIRST gear.
Block the wheel diagonally opposite the
wheel to be raised.
Never start or run the engine with the
vehicle on a jack.
Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it
is on a jack.
Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a
jack. If you need to get under a raised
vehicle, take it to a service center where it
can be raised on a lift.
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY223
SEALING A TIRE WITH TIRE SERVICE KIT
(A) Whenever You Stop To Use Tire
Service Kit:

1. Pull over to a safe location and turn on the
vehicle’s Hazard Warning flashers.

2. Verify that the valve stem (on the wheel with the deflated tire) is in a position that is near
to the ground. This will allow the Tire Service
Kit Hoses (3) and (5) to reach the valve
stem and keep the Tire Service Kit flat on
the ground. This will provide the best
positioning of the kit when injecting the
sealant into the deflated tire and running
the air pump. Move the vehicle as
necessary to place the valve stem in this
position before proceeding.
3. Place the transmission in PARK (auto transmission) or in Gear (manual
transmission) and place the ignition in the
OFF position.
4. Apply the parking brake.
(B) Setting Up To Use Tire Service Kit:

1. Push in the Mode Select Knob (2) and turn to the Sealant Mode position.

2. Uncoil the Sealant Hose (3) and then remove the cap from the fitting at the end of
the hose.
3. Place the Tire Service Kit flat on the ground next to the deflated tire.
4. Remove the cap from the valve stem and then screw the fitting at the end of the
Sealant Hose (3) onto the valve stem.
5. Uncoil the Power Plug (7) and insert the plug into the vehicle’s 12 Volt power outlet.
NOTE:
Do not remove foreign objects (e.g., screws or
nails) from the tire.
(C) Injecting Tire Service Kit Sealant Into
The Deflated Tire:
Always start the engine before turning ON the
Tire Service Kit.
NOTE:
Manual transmission vehicles must have the
parking brake engaged and the gear selector in
NEUTRAL.
After pushing the Power Button (1), the
sealant (white fluid) will flow from the Sealant
Bottle (4) through the Sealant Hose (3) and
into the tire.
NOTE:
Sealant may leak out through the puncture in
the tire.
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY227
PREPARATIONS FOR JUMP START
The battery is stored under an access cover in
the trunk. Remote battery posts are located on
the right side of the engine compartment for
jump starting.

Jump Starting Locations
1. Apply the parking brake, shift into PARK
(automatic transmission) or FIRST gear
(manual transmission) and cycle the
ignition to OFF.

2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all electrical accessories. 3. If using another vehicle to jump start the
battery, park the vehicle within the jumper
cables reach, set the parking brake and
make sure the ignition is OFF.
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE
Remote Positive (+) Post
Remote Negative (-) Post
WARNING!
Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan
whenever the hood is raised. It can start
anytime the ignition switch is ON. You can
be injured by moving fan blades.
Remove any metal jewelry such as rings,
watch bands and bracelets that could
make an inadvertent electrical contact. You
could be seriously injured.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can
burn your skin or eyes and generate
hydrogen gas which is flammable and
explosive. Keep open flames or sparks
away from the battery.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as
this could establish a ground connection and
personal injury could result.
WARNING!
Failure to follow this jump starting procedure
could result in personal injury or property
damage due to battery explosion.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could
result in damage to the charging system of
the booster vehicle or the discharged vehicle.
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY229
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can
reduce the potential for overheating by taking
the appropriate action.
On the highways — slow down.
In city traffic — while stopped, place the trans -
mission in NEUTRAL, but do not increase the
engine idle speed while preventing vehicle
motion with the brakes.
NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
If your Air Conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off.
The A/C system adds heat to the engine
cooling system and turning the A/C off can
help remove this heat.
You can also turn the temperature control to
maximum heat, the mode control to floor and
the blower control to high. This allows the
heater core to act as a supplement to the
radiator and aids in removing heat from the
engine cooling system.
MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 – SPEED
TRANSMISSION WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming
from under the hood, do not open the hood
until the radiator has had time to cool. Never
try to open a cooling system pressure cap
when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If the temperature
gauge reads HOT (H), pull over and stop the
vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the air
conditioner turned off until the pointer drops
back into the normal range. If the pointer
remains on HOT (H), and you hear continuous
chimes, turn the engine off immediately and
call for service.
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying
the parking brake before activating the
Manual Park Release. In addition, you should
be seated in the driver's seat with your foot
firmly on the brake pedal when activating the
Manual Park Release. Activating the Manual
Park Release will allow your vehicle to roll
away if it is not secured by the parking brake,
or by proper connection to a tow vehicle.
Activating the Manual Park Release on an
unsecured vehicle could lead to serious injury
or death for those in or around the vehicle.
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230IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
To move the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (such as
a depleted battery), a Manual Park Release is
available.
Follow these steps to use the Manual Park
Release:

1. Firmly apply the parking brake.

2. Remove the console storage bin to access
the Manual Park Release lever.

Console Storage Bin

3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, fish the tether strap up through the opening
in the console base.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal. 5. Insert the screwdriver into the slot in the
center of the lever, and disengage the lever
locking tab by pushing it to the right.

Engaging The Lever

6. Pull the tether strap to rotate the lever up and rearward until it locks in place in the
vertical position. The vehicle is now out of
PARK and can be moved. Release the
parking brake only when the vehicle is
securely connected to a tow vehicle. To Reset The Manual Park Release:

1. Push the latch (at the base of the lever, on
the rear side) rearward (away from the
lever) to unlatch the lever.

Disengaging The Lever

2. Rotate the Manual Park Release lever forward and down, to its original position,
until the locking tab snaps into place to
secure the lever.
3. Pull up gently on the tether strap to confirm that the lever is locked in its stowed
position.
4. Tuck the tether strap into the base of the console. Reinstall the console storage bin.

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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY231
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or
snow, it can often be moved using a rocking
motion. Turn the steering wheel right and left to
clear the area around the front wheels. For
vehicles with automatic transmission, push and
hold the lock button on the gear selector. Then
shift back and forth between DRIVE and
REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or
FIRST gear and REVERSE (with manual
transmission), while gently pressing the
accelerator. Use the least amount of
accelerator pedal pressure that will maintain
the rocking motion, without spinning the wheels
or racing the engine.
NOTE:
For vehicles with automatic transmission: Shifts
between DRIVE and REVERSE can only be
achieved at wheel speeds of 5 mph (8 km/h) or
less. Whenever the transmission remains in
NEUTRAL for more than two seconds, you must
press the brake pedal to engage DRIVE or
REVERSE. NOTE:
Push the ESC OFF switch (if necessary), to place
the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system in
“Partial Off” mode, before rocking the vehicle.
Refer to “Electronic Brake Control System” in
“Safety” for further information. Once the
vehicle has been freed, push the ESC OFF
switch again to restore “ESC On” mode.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may
lead to transmission overheating and failure.
Allow the engine to idle with the transmission
in NEUTRAL for at least one minute after
every five rocking-motion cycles. This will
minimize overheating and reduce the risk of
clutch or transmission failure during
prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces
generated by excessive wheel speeds may
cause damage, or even failure, of the axle
and tires. A tire could explode and injure
someone. Do not spin your vehicle's wheels
faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for longer
than 30 seconds continuously without
stopping when you are stuck and do not let
anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter
what the speed.
CAUTION!
When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting
between DRIVE / FIRST gear and REVERSE,
do not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph
(24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
Revving the engine or spinning the wheels
too fast may lead to transmission over -
heating and failure. It can also damage the
tires. Do not spin the wheels above 30 mph
(48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission
shifting occurring).
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232IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled vehicle using a commercial towing service.
Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to
prevent damage to your vehicle. Use only tow
bars and other equipment designed for this
purpose, following equipment manufacturer’s
instructions. Use of safety chains is mandatory.
Attach a tow bar or other towing device to main
structural members of the vehicle, not to
bumpers or associated brackets. State and
local laws regarding vehicles under tow must be
observed. If you must use the accessories (wipers,
defrosters, etc.) while being towed, the ignition
must be in the ON/RUN mode, not the ACC
mode.
If the key fob is unavailable, or the vehicle's
battery is discharged, refer to "Manual Park
Release" in this section for instructions on
shifting the transmission out of PARK for
towing.
Towing Condition
Wheels OFF The Ground RWD MODELS AWD MODELS
Flat Tow NONEIf transmission is operable:

• Transmission in NEUTRAL
• 30 mph (48 km/h) max speed
• 30 miles (48 km) max distance NOT ALLOWED
Wheel Lift Or Dolly Tow Front
NOT RECOMMENDED (but, if used,
same limitations as above)NOT ALLOWED
Rear NOT RECOMMENDEDNOT RECOMMENDED, but, if used:
Ignition in ON/RUN mode
Transmission in
NEUTRAL (NOT
in PARK)
Flatbed ALLBEST METHODBEST METHOD

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