ECO mode DODGE CHALLENGER SRT 2018 Owner's Guide

make a clicking noise while the webbing is pulled back into
the retractor. Refer to the “Automatic Locking Mode”
description in “Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR)” under “Occupant Restraint Systems” for additional
information on ALR.
Please see the table below and the following sections for
more information.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
NOTE:If your vehicle is not equipped with a rear seat,
FCA recommends that you do not allow children 12 years
old and under to ride in your vehicle. If the rear seats are
not present in your vehicle, NEVER attempt to install a
child restraint in these positions.
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking RetractorTop Tether Anchorage Symbol
194 SAFETY

Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision.
Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision
if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor, torn web-
bing, etc.). If there is any question regarding seat belt or
retractor condition, replace the seat belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The Air Bag warning lightwill turn on for four to
eight seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch
is first turned to ON/RUN. If the light is either not on
during starting, stays on, or turns on while driving,
have the system inspected at your authorized dealer as
soon as possible. After the bulb check, this light will
illuminate with a single chime when a fault with the Air
Bag System has been detected. It will stay on until the
fault is removed. If the light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving, have your authorized dealer
service the vehicle immediately.
Refer to “Occupant Restraint Systems” in “Safety” for
further information.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is inoper-
able.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit your vehicle. Only
use a floor mat that does not interfere with the operation of
the accelerator, brake or clutch pedals. Only use a floor mat
that is securely attached using the floor mat fasteners so it
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the accelera-
tor, brake or clutch pedals or impair safe operation of your
vehicle in other ways.
WARNING!
An improperly attached, damaged, folded, or stacked
floor mat, or damaged floor mat fasteners may cause
your floor mat to interfere with the accelerator, brake,
(Continued)
5
SAFETY 201

WARNING!(Continued)
or clutch pedals and cause a loss of vehicle control. To
prevent SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:
•ALWAYS securely attach
your floor mat using the
floor mat fasteners. DO NOT install your floor mat
upside down or turn your floor mat over. Lightly pull
to confirm mat is secured using the floor mat fasten-
ers on a regular basis.
• ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING FLOOR MAT
FROM THE VEHICLE
before installing any other
floor mat. NEVER install or stack an additional floor
mat on top of an existing floor mat.
• ONLY install floor mats designed to fit your vehicle.
NEVER install a floor mat that cannot be properly
attached and secured to your vehicle. If a floor mat
needs to be replaced, only use a FCA approved floor
mat for the specific make, model, and year of your
vehicle.
• ONLY use the driver ’s side floor mat on the driver ’s
side floor area. To check for interference, with the
vehicle properly parked with the engine off, fully
depress the accelerator, the brake, and the clutch
pedal (if present) to check for interference. If your
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
floor mat interferes with the operation of any pedal,
or is not secure to the floor, remove the floor mat
from the vehicle and place the floor mat in your
trunk.
• ONLY use the passenger ’s side floor mat on the
passenger ’s side floor area.
• ALWAYS make sure objects cannot fall or slide into
the driver ’s side floor area when the vehicle is
moving. Objects can become trapped under accelera-
tor, brake, or clutch pedals and could cause a loss of
vehicle control.
• NEVER place any objects under the floor mat (e.g.,
towels, keys, etc.). These objects could change the
position of the floor mat and may cause interference
with the accelerator, brake, or clutch pedals.
• If the vehicle carpet has been removed and re-
installed, always properly attach carpet to the floor
and check the floor mat fasteners are secure to the
vehicle carpet. Fully depress each pedal to check for
interference with the accelerator, brake, or clutch
pedals then re-install the floor mats.
(Continued)
202 SAFETY

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING THE ENGINE ..................208
▫ Manual Transmission — If Equipped .........208
▫ Automatic Transmission — If Equipped ......208
▫ Normal Starting ...................... .209
▫ Cold Weather Operation
(Below –22°F Or 30°C) ..................211
▫ If Engine Fails To Start ...................211
▫ After Starting ..........................211
 ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED . . . .211
 ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS . . . .212
 PARKING BRAKE ...................... .213
 MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED . . .215
▫ Six-Speed Manual Transmission .............215
▫ Shifting ............................. .216▫
Recommended Shift Speeds ................218
▫ 1–4 Skip Shift ........................ .219
▫ Downshifting ......................... .219
 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ..............219
▫ Ignition Park Interlock ...................221
▫ Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . . .221
▫ Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission .........221
 DRIVE MODES ........................ .229
▫ Launch Mode ........................ .230
▫ Guidelines For Track Use .................233
 FUEL SAVER TECHNOLOGY 6.4L ONLY — IF
EQUIPPED ............................ .235
 HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING — IF
EQUIPPED ............................ .235
▫ Power Steering Fluid Check ...............236
6

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL,
or DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
Tip Start Feature — Automatic Transmission
Place the ignition in the START mode and release it as the
starter engages. The starter motor will automatically dis-
engage itself once engine is running. If the engine fails to
start, the starter will disengage automatically in 10 sec-
onds. If this occurs:
1. Place the ignition in the OFF mode.
2. Wait 10 to 15 seconds.
3. Repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure.
Normal Starting
To Turn On The Engine Using The ENGINE
START/STOP Button — Manual Transmission Only
1. Press and hold the clutch pedal while pushing and holding the ENGINE START/STOP button. 2. Release the button when the engine starts. If the vehicle
fails to start within 15 seconds, release the button, wait
10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the “Normal Starting”
procedure.
3. If you wish to stop the cranking of the engine prior to the engine starting, release the button.
NOTE: Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine
is obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator
pedal.
To Turn On The Engine Using The ENGINE
START/STOP Button — Automatic Transmission
Only
1. The transmission must be in PARK.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal while pushing the ENGINE START/STOP button once.
3. The system takes over and attempts to start the vehicle. If the vehicle fails to start, the starter will disengage
automatically after 10 seconds.
4. If you wish to stop the cranking of the engine prior to the engine starting, push the button again.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 209

NOTE:Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine
is obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator
pedal.
To Turn Off The Engine Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button — Manual Transmission Only
1. With the vehicle stopped, place the gear selector in NEUTRAL, then push and release the ENGINE START/
STOP button.
2. The ignition will return to the OFF mode.
3. Place the gear selector in first gear or REVERSE and then apply the parking brake.
NOTE:
•
If the ignition switch is left in the ACC position, the
system will automatically time out after 30 minutes of
inactivity and the ignition will switch to the OFF position.
• If the ignition switch is left in the RUN position, the
system will automatically time out after 30 minutes of
inactivity if the vehicle speed is 0 mph (0 km/h) and the
engine is not running. •
If the vehicle speed is above 5 mph (8 km/h), the
ENGINE START/STOP button must be held for two
seconds or three short pushes in a row before the engine
will shut off. The ignition switch position will remain in
the ACC position until the vehicle is stopped, placed in
park and the button is pushed twice to the OFF position.
To Turn Off The Engine Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button — Automatic Transmission
Only
1. Place the gear selector in PARK, then push and release the ENGINE START/STOP button.
2. The ignition will return to the OFF mode.
3. If the gear selector is not in PARK, the ENGINE START/ STOP button must be held for two seconds or three short
pushes in a row with the vehicle speed above 5 mph
(8 km/h) before the engine will shut off. The ignition
will remain in the ACC mode until the gear selector is in
PARK and the button is pushed twice to the OFF mode.
If the gear selector is not in PARK and the ENGINE
START/STOP button is pushed once, the instrument
cluster will display a “Vehicle Not In Park” message and
the engine will remain running. Never leave a vehicle
out of the PARK position, or it could roll.
210 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater cord
before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt electrical
cord could cause electrocution.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
The following tips will be helpful in obtaining optimum
performance and maximum durability for your new SRT
vehicle.
Despite modern technology and World Class manufactur-
ing methods, the moving parts of the vehicle must still
wear in with each other. This wearing in occurs mainly
during the first 500 miles (805 km) and continues through
the first oil change interval.
It is recommended for the operator to observe the follow-
ing driving behaviors during the new vehicle break-in
period:
0 to 100 miles (0 to 161 km):
•Do not allow the engine to operate at idle for an
extended period of time.
• Depress the accelerator pedal slowly and not more than
halfway to avoid rapid acceleration. •
Avoid aggressive braking.
• Drive with the engine speed less than 3,500 RPM.
• Maintain vehicle speed below 55 mph (88 km/h) and
observe local speed limits.
100 to 300 miles (161 to 483 km):
• Depress the accelerator pedal slowly and not more than
halfway to avoid rapid acceleration in lower gears (1st to
3rd gears).
• Avoid aggressive braking.
• Drive with the engine speed less than 5,000 RPM.
• Maintain vehicle speed below 70 mph (112 km/h) and
observe local speed limits.
300 to 500 miles (483 to 805 km):
• Exercise the full engine rpm range, shifting manually at
higher rpms when possible.
• Do not perform sustained operation with the accelerator
pedal at wide open throttle.
• Maintain vehicle speed below 85 mph (136 km/h) and
observe local speed limits.
212 STARTING AND OPERATING

warm. This is a normal condition and is not an indica-
tion of a problem with your clutch or transmission.
1–4 Skip Shift
In Auto Drive Mode, Default, or Street Drive Modes, 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 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 ¼ throttle or less.
NOTE:The1-4Skip Shift feature is disabled when
selecting Track, Sport, or Custom Drive Modes. Refer to
“SRT Drive Modes” in the “Multimedia” section for further
descriptions of these modes.
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, downshift
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 downshifting
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.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
(Continued)
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 219

DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and downshifts,
and the best fuel economy. The transmission automatically
upshifts through all forward gears. The DRIVE position
provides optimum driving characteristics under all normal
operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as when
operating the vehicle under heavy loading conditions, in
hilly terrain, or traveling into strong head winds), use the
AutoStick shift control (refer to “AutoStick” in this section
for further information) to select a lower gear. Under these
conditions, using a lower gear will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shifting
and heat buildup.
During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or be-
low), transmission operation may be modified depending
on engine and transmission temperature as well as vehicle
speed. Normal operation will resume once the transmis-
sion temperature has risen to a suitable level.
MANUAL (M)
The MANUAL (M, +/-) position (beside the DRIVE posi-
tion) enables full manual control of transmission shifting(also known as AutoStick mode; refer to “AutoStick” in this
section for further information). Toggling the gear selector
forward (-) or rearward (+) while in the MANUAL
(AutoStick) position will manually select the transmission
gear, and will display the current gear in the instrument
cluster as M1, M2, M3, etc.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for ab-
normal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission may
operate only in certain gears, or may not shift at all. Vehicle
performance may be severely degraded and the engine
may stall. In some situations, the transmission may not
re-engage if the engine is turned off and restarted. The
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be illuminated. A
message in the instrument cluster will inform the driver of
the more serious conditions, and indicate what actions may
be necessary.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission can
be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
226 STARTING AND OPERATING

•The transmission will automatically downshift as the
vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging) and will
display the current gear.
• The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver
should manually upshift (+) the transmission as the
vehicle is accelerated.
• You can start out, from a stop, in first or second gear.
Tapping (+) (at a stop) will allow starting in second gear.
Starting out in second gear can be helpful in snowy or
icy conditions.
NOTE: Except in Demon vehicles when in DragTrans-
mission mode. In Dragtransmission mode the vehicle can
only be launched in 1st gear.
• If a requested downshift would cause the engine to
over-speed, that shift will not occur.
• The system will ignore attempts to upshift at too low of
a vehicle speed.
• Holding the (-) paddle depressed, or holding the gear
selector in the (-) position, will downshift the transmis-
sion to the lowest gear possible at the current speed. •
Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
AutoStick is engaged.
• The system may revert to automatic shift mode if a fault
or overheat condition is detected.
To disengage AutoStick mode, return the gear selector to
the DRIVE position, or press and hold the (+) shift paddle
(if the gear selector is already in DRIVE) until “D” is once
again indicated in the instrument cluster. You can shift in or
out of the AutoStick mode at any time without taking your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their grip
and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
DRIVE MODES
Your SRT vehicle is equipped with a SRT Drive Mode
feature. This feature gives the driver control over the
systems in the vehicle which affect its performance, en-
abling the driver to tune it for desired driving scenarios.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 229