DODGE CHARGER 2015 7.G Owners Manual

NOTE:
•When the parking brake is applied and the transmis-
sion is placed in gear, the “Brake Warning Light” will
flash. If vehicle speed is detected, a chime will sound
to alert the driver. Fully release the parking brake
before attempting to move the vehicle.
•This light only shows that the parking brake is ap-
plied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. Apply the parking
brake before placing the shift lever/gear selector in
PARK, otherwise the load on the transmission locking
mechanism may make it difficult to move the shift
lever/gear selector out of PARK. The parking brake
should always be applied whenever the driver is not in
the vehicle.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake
fully when parked to guard against vehicle move-
ment and possible injury or damage.
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the Key
Fob from the ignition and lock your vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal
or the shift lever/gear selector.
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition of a vehicle equipped with
Keyless Enter-N-Go™ in the ACC or ON/RUN
mode. A child could operate power windows, other
controls, or move the vehicle.
•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.
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.”
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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.
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 that include Anti-Lock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), Brake Assist
System (BAS), and the Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
All four of these systems work together to enhance
vehicle stability and control in various driving condi-
tions.
Also, your vehicle may be equipped with Hill Start Assist
(HSA), Ready Alert Braking, and Rain Brake Support.
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
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related motor noises. These noises are the system per-
forming its self check cycle to ensure that the ABS 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 ABS contains sophisticated electronic equip-
ment that may be susceptible to interference
caused by improperly installed or high output
radio transmitting equipment. This interference
can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking capa-
bility. 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.
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
•The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of phys-
ics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking or steering efficiency beyond that afforded
by the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or
the traction afforded.
•The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, following
another vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
•The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner that could jeopardize 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.
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 active
even if TCS and ESC are in the “Sport Mode (Partial Off)”
or#Track Mode (Full Off)#mode. Refer to “Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)” in this section for more informa-
tion.
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Brake Assist System (BAS)
This system complements the ABS by optimizing the
vehicle braking capability during emergency brake ma-
neuvers. This system detects an emergency braking situ-
ation by sensing the rate and amount of brake application
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.
WARNING!
The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road conditions. The
BAS cannot prevent collisions, including those re-
sulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on
very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capa-
bilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner that
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.
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Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. The ESC
corrects for oversteering and understeering the vehicle
by applying the brake of the appropriate wheel. Engine
power may also be reduced to assist in counteracting the
condition of oversteer or understeer and help the vehicle
maintain the desired path.
The ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the path
that the driver intends to steer the vehicle and compares
it to the actual path of the vehicle. When the actual path
does not match the intended path, the ESC applies the
brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting
the condition of oversteer or understeer.
•Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
•Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
WARNING!
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. ESC cannot prevent all
accidents, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. ESC also cannot prevent collisions
resulting from loss of vehicle control due to inappro-
priate driver input for the conditions. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
The capabilities of an ESC equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
which could jeopardize the user ’s safety or the safety
of others.
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ESC Operating Modes
The ESC system has two or three available operating
modes:
ESC On
This is the normal operating mode for the ESC. When-
ever the vehicle is started, the ESC system will be in this
mode. This mode should be used for most driving
conditions. The ESC should only be turned OFF for
specific reasons as noted in the following paragraphs.
Partial Off
The “Partial Off” mode is intended for times when a
more spirited driving experience is desired. It is also
intended for driving in deep snow, sand, or gravel. This
mode disables the TCS portion of the ESC and raises the
threshold for ESC activation, which allows for more
wheel spin than what ESC normally allows.
The “ESC Off” switch is located on the switch bank in the
center of the instrument panel. To enter the “Partial Off”
mode, momentarily press the “ESC Off” switch and the
#ESC off indicator light#will illuminate. To turn the ESC
on again, momentarily press the “ESC Off” switch and
the#ESC off indicator light#will turn off.
WARNING!
•When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS functionality
of ESC, (except for the limited slip feature de-
scribed in the TCS section), has been disabled and
the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will be illuminated.
When in “Partial Off” mode, the engine power
reduction feature of TCS is disabled, and the
enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC sys-
tem is reduced.
•Trailer Sway control (TSC) is disabled when the
ESC system is in the “Partial Off” mode.
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NOTE:
•To improve the vehicle’s traction when driving with
snow chains, or when starting off in deep snow, sand,
or gravel, it may be desirable to switch to the “Partial
Off” mode by momentarily pressing the “ESC Off”
switch. Once the situation requiring “Partial Off”
mode is overcome, turn the ESC on again by momen-
tarily pressing the “ESC Off” switch. This may be done
while the vehicle is in motion.
•When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS functionality of
ESC, (except for the limited slip feature described in
the TCS section), has been disabled and the “ESC Off
Indicator Light” will be illuminated. All other stability
features of ESC function normally. When in “Partial
Off” mode, the engine power reduction feature of TCS
is disabled, and the enhanced vehicle stability offered
by the ESC system is reduced.
Full Off — If Equipped
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use
only and should not be used on any public roadways. In
this mode, all TCS and ESC stability features are turned
OFF. To enter the “Full Off” mode, press and hold the
“ESC Off” switch for five seconds while the vehicle is
stopped with the engine running. After five seconds, a
chime will sound, the#ESC Off Indicator Lamp#will
illuminate, and the “ESC off” message may appear in the
Driver Information Display (DID). Refer to “Driver In-
formation Display (DID)” in “Understanding Your In-
strument Panel” for further information. To turn ESC ON
again, momentarily press the “ESC Off” switch.
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WARNING!
In the ESC “Full Off” mode, the engine torque
reduction and stability features are disabled. There-
fore, the enhanced vehicle stability offered by ESC is
unavailable. In an emergency evasive maneuver, the
ESC system will not engage to assist in maintaining
stability.%ESC Off%mode is intended for off-highway
or off-road use only.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The HSA system is designed to assist the driver when
starting a vehicle from a stop on a hill. HSA will maintain
the level of brake pressure the driver applied for a short
period of time after the driver takes their foot off of the
brake pedal. If the driver does not apply the throttle
during this short period of time, the system will release
brake pressure and the vehicle will roll down the hill. The
system will release brake pressure in proportion to the
amount of throttle applied as the vehicle starts to move in
the intended direction of travel.
HSA Activation Criteria
The following criteria must be met in order for HSA to
activate:
•Vehicle must be stopped.
•Vehicle must be on a 6% (approximate) grade or
greater hill.
•Gear selection matches vehicle uphill direction (i.e.,
vehicle facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle back-
ing uphill is in REVERSE gear).
HSA will work in REVERSE and all forward gears when
the activation criteria have been met. The system will not
activate if the vehicle is placed in NEUTRAL or PARK.
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