engine DODGE CHARGER 2006 6.G Owner's Manual

23. Anti-Lock Brake Light—If Equipped
This light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake System.
The light will turn on when the ignition switch
is turned to the ON position and may stay on for as
long as four seconds.
If the ABS light remains on or turns 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 light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of Anti-Lock
brakes. If the ABS light does not turn on when the
Ignition switch is turned to the ON position, have the
light inspected by an authorized dealer.
24. Low Fuel Indicator Light
When the fuel level drops to 1/8 tank, the fuel
symbol will light and a single chime will sound.25. Malfunction Indicator Light
This light is part of an onboard diagnostic
system called OBD that monitors engine and
automatic transmission control systems. The
light will illuminate when the key is in the ON
position before engine start. If the bulb does not come
on when turning the key from OFF to ON, have the
condition checked promptly. (See page 282 for more
information.)
Certain conditions such as a loose or missing gas cap,
poor fuel quality, etc. may illuminate the light after
engine start. The vehicle should be serviced if the light
stays on through several of your typical driving cycles. In
most situations the vehicle will drive normally and will
not require towing.
The Malfunction Indicator Light flashes to alert you to
serious conditions that could lead to immediate loss of
power or severe catalytic converter damage. The vehicle
should be serviced as soon as possible if this occurs.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 141
4

Floor
Air flows through the floor outlets located under
the instrument panel and into the rear seating
area through vents under the front seats.
Bi-Level
Air flows both through the outlets located in the
instrument panel and those located on the floor.
Air flows through the registers in the back of the
center console to the rear seat passengers. These
registers can be closed to partially block airflow.
Panel
Air flows through the outlets located in the instru-
ment panel. Air flows through the registers in the
back of the center console to the rear seat passengers.
These registers can be closed to block airflow.
Recirculation
The recirculation feature can be selected with
the mode control knob. You may choose be-
tween Bi-Level Recirculation and Panel Recir-
culation air outlets while in this mode. Nor-
mally, air enters from outside the vehicle. However,
when in Recirculation mode air inside the vehicle isre-used. Use this mode to rapidly cool the inside of the
vehicle. The Recirculation mode can also be used to
temporarily block out outside odors, smoke, and dust.
Window Fogging
Interior fogging on the windshield can be quickly re-
moved by turning the mode selector to Defrost. The
Defrost/Floor mode can be used to maintain a clear
windshield and provide sufficient heating. If side win-
dow fogging becomes a problem increase blower speed.
Vehicle windows tend to fog on the inside in mild but
rainy or humid weather.
NOTE:Recirculate without A/C should not be used for
long periods as fogging may occur.
Automatic Temperature Control—If Equipped
The Infrared Dual-Zone Climate Control System auto-
matically maintains the interior comfort level desired by
the driver and passenger. This is accomplished by a dual
sun-sensor in the top of the instrument panel, and an
infrared sensor located in the face of the control unit.
There are also various sensors monitored by this system
which take account for vehicle speed, A/C pressure,
outside temperature, and engine cooling temperature.
184 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

the rear window defroster is ON. The defroster automati-
cally turns off after approximately 10 minutes of opera-
tion for the first push of the button, and will turn off after
approximately 5 minutes for the second push of the
button.
CAUTION!
To avoid damaging the electrical conductors of the
rear window defroster, do not use scrapers, sharp
instruments, or abrasive window cleaners on the
interior surface of the window.
Labels can be peeled off after soaking with warm
water.
This button can be used to block out smoke,
odors, dust, high humidity, or if rapid cooling
is desired. The recirculation mode should only
be used temporarily. The button includes an
LED that illuminates when the recirculation mode is
active. You may use this feature separately.
NOTE:Extended use of recirculation may cause the
windows to fog. If the interior of the windows begins to
fog, press the“Recirculate”icon button to return to
outside air. Some temp./humidity conditions will cause
captured interior air to condense on windows and ham-
per visibility. For this reason, the system will not allow
“Recirculate”to be selected while in the defrost or
defrost/floor modes. Attempting to use the recirculation
while in these modes will cause the LED in the button to
blink and then turn off.
Summer Operation
The engine cooling system in air conditioned vehicles
must be protected with a high-quality antifreeze coolant
to provide proper corrosion protection and to protect
against engine overheating. A 50% solution of ethylene
glycol antifreeze coolant in water is recommended. Refer
to section 7, Maintenance Procedures, of this manual for
proper coolant selection.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 189
4

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS

Starting Procedures....................196
▫Normal Starting......................196

Engine Block Heater—If Equipped........198

Transmission Shifting...................198
▫4 Speed Automatic Transmission..........198
▫5 Speed Automatic Transmission..........203
▫Automatic Transmission—
General Information...................208

AutoStick—If Equipped................210
▫AutoStick—3.5L Engines...............210
▫AutoStick—5.7L Engines...............211

Parking Brake.........................212

Brake System.........................214
▫Anti-Lock Brake System................214

Power Steering........................217

Multi Displacement System (MDS) -
5.7L Engine Only
......................218

Tire Safety Information..................218
▫Tire Markings........................218
▫Tire Identification Number (TIN)..........221
▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure...........222

Ti re s—General Information...............226
▫Tire Pressure.........................226
▫Tire Inflation Pressures.................227
5

▫Radial-Ply Tires......................229
▫Compact Spare Tire—If Equipped.........229
▫Limited Use Spare—If Equipped.........230
▫Tire Spinning........................230
▫Tread Wear Indicators..................231
▫Life Of Tire.........................232
▫Replacement Tires.....................232
▫Alignment And Balance.................233

Self–Sealing Tires—If Equipped..........234

Tire Pressure Monitor System—If Equipped. . 234
▫Tire Pressure Monitoring—Base System.....234
▫
Tire Pressure Monitoring—Premium System. . 235
▫General Information...................238

Tire Chains...........................238

Snow Tires...........................239

Tire Rotation Recommendations...........240

Fuel Requirements.....................241
▫2.7L Engines.........................241
▫3.5L And 5.7L Engines..................241
▫Spark Knock.........................241
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................241
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............242
▫MMT In Gasoline.....................242
▫Materials Added To Fuel................243
▫Fuel System Cautions..................243
▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings..............244

Adding Fuel..........................244
▫Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)...............244

Vehicle Loading.......................247
▫Vehicle Certification Label...............247
▫Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).......247
▫Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).........247
194 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
CAUTION!
Long periods of engine idling, especially at high
engine speeds, can cause excessive exhaust tempera-
tures which can damage your vehicle. Do not leave
your vehicle unattended with the engine running.
WARNING!
Do not leave animals or children inside parked
vehicles in hot weather; interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
The gear selector must be in the NEUTRAL or PARK
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting into any driving gear.
Normal Starting
Normal Startingof either a cold or a warm engine is
obtained without pumping or depressing the accelerator
pedal. Turn the key to the“START”position and release
when the engine starts. If the engine has not started
within 3 seconds, slightly depress the accelerator pedal
while continuing to crank. If the engine fails to start
within 15 seconds, turn the key to the“OFF”position,
wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the normal starting
procedure.
Extremely Cold Weather(below
20°For
29°C) To
insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your dealer) is recommended.
196 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get
it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission cannot be started this way. Un-
burned fuel could enter the catalytic converter and
once the engine has started, ignite and damage the
converter and vehicle. If the vehicle has a dis-
charged battery, booster cables may be used to
obtain a start from a booster battery or the battery
in another vehicle. This type of start can be
dangerous if done improperly. See section 6 of
this manual for the proper jump starting proce-
dures and follow them carefully.
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
If Engine Fails to Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“NORMAL STARTING”procedure, it may be flooded.Push the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and
hold it there while cranking the engine. This should clear
any excess fuel in case the engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking up to 15
seconds with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to
the floor. Release the accelerator pedal and the key once
the engine is running smoothly. Do not overspeed en-
gine.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the“NORMAL STARTING”procedure
should be repeated.
STARTING AND OPERATING 197
5

After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER—IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord
to a standard 110-115 volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap that
is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 volt electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
TRANSMISSION SHIFTING
4 Speed Automatic Transmission
Shifting from D (Drive) to P (Park) or R (Reverse) (or
from P or R to D) should be done only after the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake when moving the
shift lever between these gears.
Gear Selector
198 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of“P”or
“N”if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
the engine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Gear Ranges
P (Park)
P (Park) supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never use P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in
this range.
When parking on a flat surface, place the gear selector in
the P (Park) position first, and then apply the parking
brake.When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the gear selector in P (Park), other-
wise the load on the transmission locking mechanism
may make it difficult to move the selector out of park. As
an added precaution, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
WARNING!
Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, you should always
shift the vehicle into P (Park), remove the key from
the ignition, and apply the parking brake. Once the
key is removed from the ignition, the transmission
shift lever is locked in the P (Park) position, securing
the vehicle against unwanted movement. Further-
more, you should never leave children unattended
inside a vehicle.
STARTING AND OPERATING 199
5

The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the transmission shift lever into the P
(Park) position:
•When shifting into P (Park) move the lever all the way
forward until it stops, and is fully seated.
•Look at the shift indicator display on the instrument
panel to ensure it is in the P (Park) position.
CAUTION!
Before moving the shift lever out of P (Park), you
must turn the ignition from LOCK to ON so the shift
lever is released. Otherwise, damage to the shifter
could result.
R (Reverse)
For moving the vehicle rearward. Always stop before
moving the lever to R (Reverse), except when rocking
the vehicle.N (Neutral)
Engine may be started in this range.
WARNING!
Do not coast in N (Neutral) and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle.
D (Overdrive)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides smoothest up shifts and down
shifts and best fuel economy. Select the“3”range
when frequent transmission shifting occurs when us-
ing the Overdrive range, such as when operating the
vehicle under heavy loading conditions (in hilly ter-
rain, traveling into strong head winds, or while tow-
ing heavy trailers.
200 STARTING AND OPERATING