brakes DODGE CHALLENGER SRT 2015 3.G User Guide

•If equipped with a removable lower front fascia grille,
it is recommended to remove it for track use during
warm/hot weather to improve cooling airflow to
critical powertrain and cooling system components.
• All SRT vehicles are track tested for 24 hours of
endurance, however, it is recommended that suspen-
sion system, brake system, prop shaft, and ½ shaft
boots should be checked for wear or damage after
every track event.
• Track usage results in increased operating tempera-
tures of the engine, transmission, clutch – if equipped,
driveline and brake system. This may affect noise
(NVH) countermeasures designed into your vehicle.
New components may need to be installed to return
the system to the original NVH performance.
• Tire pressure:
• 40psi hot, recommend 32psi front, 30psi rear cold NOTE:
It is recommended that you target 40psi Hot Tire
Pressure at the conclusion of each track session. Starting
at 32psi Front & 30psi Rear Cold and adjusting based on
ambient & track conditions is recommended. Tire pres-
sure can be monitored via the Driver Information Display
(DID) and can assist with adjustments.
Track burnishing your brakes:
To avoid “green lining fade” during track use, the brake
pads and rotors must have a thermal burnish for factory
installed components or when new brake friction com-
ponents are installed:
1. Use one track session to burnish brakes by driving at 75% speed. Brake at approximately 0.60-0.80g max
without ABS intervention.
2. Lap the track in this manner until you start smelling the brakes. Continue for another ½ lap at speed, then
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do a two lap cool down with minimal brake applies.
Make sure the brakes are not smoking. If they are, do
another cool down lap.
3. Do not continue for more than 1 full burnishing lap after you start smelling the brakes. Do not get them
smoking heavily. This will get them too hot and affect
their life negatively in future track use.
4. Allow vehicle to sit and cool in the paddock for at least 30 min. If an infrared thermal gun is available, allow
rotors to cool to 200°F before going back out.
5. There should be a thin, ash layer when inspecting the pads installed in the caliper. Having the ash layer go
more than half the thickness of the pad material
indicates too aggressive of a burnish. 6. Sometimes, a second burnish session is required. If the
pads start smelling in the next track session, reduce
speed and braking decel to burnish targets and follow
step 2-4.
7. New pads installed on old rotors still need to be burnished. New rotors installed with old pads should
be burnished at the track or street driven for 300 city
miles to develop an adequate lining transfer layer on
the rotor surface prior to track use.
8. Rotors that pulsate during track use should be re- placed. Resurfacing of the rotors is not recommended,
as it removes mass from the rotor, reducing its thermal
capacity. Resurfacing also thins the rotor cheek, mak-
ing it less robust and increasing the likelihood of
pulsation in further track use.
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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 stopping
distances. Therefore, after driving through stand-
ing water, drive slowly and lightly press on the
brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
• Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your pas-
sengers, and others around you.
CAUTION!
• Always check the depth of the standing water
before driving through it. Never drive through
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CAUTION! (Continued)
standing water that is deeper than the bottom of
the tire rims mounted on the vehicle.
• Determine the condition of the road or the path
that is under water and if there are any obstacles in
the way before driving through the standing water.
• Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
through standing water. This will minimize wave
effects.
• Driving through standing water may cause damage
to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always
inspect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, trans-
mission, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e.,
fluid that is milky or foamy in appearance) after
driving through standing water. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle if any fluid appears contami-
nated, as this may result in further damage. Such
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and a collision.
• Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage or
injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission in
PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to roll
and cause damage or injury.
CAUTION!
If the “Brake Warning Light” remains on with the
parking brake released, a brake system malfunction
is indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an
authorized dealer immediately.
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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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NOTE:Your vehicle is equipped with a high perfor-
mance braking system. The brake pads are a semi-
metallic compound, which offer superior fade resistance
for consistent operation. A compromise to using this type
of brake pad is that the brakes may produce more brake
dust and may squeal slightly under certain weather and
operating conditions (i.e., during light brake applica-
tions) this is considered normal conditions.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced electronic
brake control system commonly referred to as ESC. This
system includes the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), the
Traction Control System (TCS), the Brake Assist System
(BAS), and the Electronic Stability Control (ESC). 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.
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
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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
• A slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the end
of the stop
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.WARNING!
• The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) contains so-
phisticated electronic equipment that may be sus-
ceptible to interference caused by improperly in-
stalled 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 a collision.
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
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WARNING!(Continued)
efficiency beyond that afforded by the condition of
the vehicle brakes and tires or the traction afforded.
• The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) cannot prevent
collisions, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning.
• The capabilities of an Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner, that could jeopar-
dize 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 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”
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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.
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 Limited 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 activeeven if TCS and ESC are in the “Partial Off” or “Full Off”
modes. Refer to “Electronic Stability Control (ESC)” in
this section for more information.
Brake Assist System (BAS)
This system complements the ABS by optimizing the
vehicle braking capability during emergency braking
maneuvers. This system detects an emergency braking
situation by sensing the rate and amount of brake appli-
cation and then applies optimum pressure to the brakes.
This can help reduce braking distances.
Applying the brakes very quickly results in the best BAS
assistance. To receive the benefits of this system, you
must apply continuous brake pedal pressure during the
stopping sequence. Do not reduce brake pedal pressure
unless braking is no longer desired. Once the brake pedal
is released, the BAS is deactivated.
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Figure out the weight on the front and rear of the vehicle
separately. It is important that you distribute the load
evenly over the front and rear axles.
Overloading can cause potential safety hazards and
shorten useful service life. Heavier axles or suspension
components do not necessarily increase the vehicle’s
GVWR.
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
Trailer towing with this vehicle is not recommended.
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•If frequent engine coolant (antifreeze) additions are
required, the cooling system should be pressure tested
for leaks.
• Maintain engine coolant (antifreeze) concentration at a
minimum of 50% OAT coolant (conforming to
MS.90032) and distilled water for proper corrosion
protection of your engine which contains aluminum
components.
• Make sure that the coolant expansion bottle overflow
hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
• Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is
equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean.
• Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs may result in unsatisfactory engine coolant (antifreeze)
performance, poor gas mileage, and increased emis-
sions.
Brake System
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly a collision. Driving with your foot resting or
riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You would not have your full
braking capacity in an emergency.
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