tow DODGE CHARGER 2018 Service Manual

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
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 experience 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.
Seven-Pin Connector
1 — Battery 5 — Ground
2 — Backup Lamps 6 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Right Stop/Turn 7 — Running Lamps
4 — Electric Brakes 294 STARTING AND OPERATING

AutoStick
•When using the AutoStick shift control, select the high-
est gear that allows for adequate performance and
avoids frequent downshifts. 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 overheat-
ing, take the following actions:
City Driving
•In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission in
NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
• Reduce speed.
• Temporarily turn off air conditioning.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME,
ETC.)
Recreational towing (with all four wheels on the ground, or
using a tow dolly) is NOT ALLOWED. The only accept-
able method for towing this vehicle (behind another ve-
hicle) is on a vehicle trailer with all four wheels OFFthe
ground.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage. Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
DRIVING TIPS
Driving On Slippery Surfaces
Information in this section will aid in safe controlled
launches in adverse conditions.
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slippery
surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull erratically to
the right or left. This phenomenon occurs when there is a
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 295

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
CONTENTS
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS ............301
 ASSIST AND SOS MIRROR — IF EQUIPPED . . . .301
 BULB REPLACEMENT ....................307
▫ Replacement Bulbs .....................307
▫ Replacing Exterior Bulbs ..................309
 FUSES ................................311
▫ General Information .....................312
▫ Underhood Fuses ..................... .312
▫ Rear Interior Fuses .....................317
 JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING ...........323
▫ Jack Location/Spare Tire Stowage ...........324
▫ Preparations For Jacking .................325
▫ Jacking And Changing A Tire ..............326
▫ Road Tire Installation ...................330 
TIRE SERVICE KIT — IF EQUIPPED ..........330
▫ Tire Service Kit Storage ...................331
▫ Tire Service Kit Components And Operation . . .331
▫ Tire Service Kit Usage Precautions ..........332
▫ Sealing A Tire With Tire Service Kit .........334
 JUMP STARTING ........................338
▫ Preparations For Jump Start ...............339
▫ Jump Starting Procedure .................340
 IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS .............342
 MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 SPEED
TRANSMISSION ........................343
 FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE ..............345
7

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE ............346
▫ All Wheel Drive (AWD) Models ............348
▫ Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) Models ...........349
 ENHANCED ACCIDENT RESPONSE SYSTEM
(EARS) ...............................349 
EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) ............350
300 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

WARNING!(Continued)
SiriusXM Guardian features and applications in this
vehicle. Only use Uconnect features and SiriusXM
Guardian services when it is safe to do so. Failure to do
so may result in an accident involving serious injury or
death.
NOTE:
• Your vehicle may be transmitting data as authorized by
the subscriber.
• The SOS and ASSIST buttons will only function if you
are connected to an operable LTE (voice/data) or 4G
(data) network. Other Uconnect services will only be
operable if your SiriusXM Guardian service is active and
you are connected to an operable LTE (voice/data) or 4G
(data) network.
ASSIST Call
The ASSIST Button is used to automatically connect you to
any one of the following support centers:
• Roadside Assistance – If you get a flat tire, or need a tow,
just push the ASSIST button and you’ll be connected to someone who can help. Roadside Assistance will know
what vehicle you’re driving and its location. Additional
fees may apply for roadside Assistance.
• SiriusXM Guardian Customer Care – In-vehicle support
for SiriusXM Guardian.
• Vehicle Customer Care – Total support for all other
vehicle issues.
SOS Call
1. Push the SOS Call button on the Rearview Mirror.
NOTE: In case the SOS Call button is pushed in error, there
will be a ten second delay before the SOS Call system
initiates a call to a SOS operator. To cancel the SOS Call
connection, push the SOS call button on the Rearview
Mirror or press the cancellation button on the Device
Screen. Termination of the SOS Call will turn off the green
LED light on the Rearview Mirror.
2. The LED light located between the ASSIST and SOS buttons on the Rearview Mirror will turn green once a
connection to a SOS operator has been made.
302 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

Jack Location/Spare Tire Stowage
The jack and spare tire are both stowed under an access
cover in the trunk. Follow these steps to access the jack and
spare tire.
NOTE:The spare tire must be removed in order to access
the jack.
1. Open the trunk.
2. Lift the access cover using the pull strap. 3. Rotate the fastener securing the spare tire counterclock-
wise to remove it.
4. Remove the spare tire.
5. Rotate the fastener securing the jack counterclockwise to remove it.
Opening The Access Panel
Spare Tire Fastener
324 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

6. Remove the wheel chocks, jack and lug wrench assem-bly from under the spare tire. Turn the jack screw to the
left to loosen the lug wrench, and remove the wrench
from the jack assembly.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could endanger the occupants of the vehicle.
Always stow the jack parts and the spare tire in the
places provided. Have the deflated (flat) tire repaired
or replaced immediately.
Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface as far from theedge of the roadway as possible. Avoid icy or slippery
areas.
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.
2. Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Place the gear selector into PARK.
5. Turn off the ignition.
Jack Fastener
7
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 325

6. Block both the front and rear of the wheel diagonallyopposite of the jacking position using the provided
wheel chocks. For example, if changing the right front
tire, chock the left rear wheel. Place both chocks under
the tire.
NOTE:Passengers should not remain in
the vehicle when the vehicle is being
jacked.
Jacking And Changing A Tire
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 flasher.
• Chock the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to be
raised.
• Apply the parking brake firmly and set an automatic
transmission in PARK.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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.
• Only use the jack in the positions indicated and for
lifting this vehicle during a tire change.
• If working on or near a roadway, be extremely
careful of motor traffic.
• To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are securely
stowed, spares must be stowed with the valve stem
facing the ground.
326 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

6. Remove the lug nuts and tire.
7. Mount the spare tire.
CAUTION!
Be sure to mount the spare tire with the valve stem
facing outward. The vehicle could be damaged if the
spare tire is mounted incorrectly.NOTE:
•For vehicles so equipped, do not attempt to install a
center cap or wheel cover on the compact spare.
• Refer to “Tires—General Information” in “Servicing
And Maintenance” for additional warnings, cautions,
and information about the spare tire, its use, and
operation.
8. Install the lug nuts with the cone shaped end of the lug nut toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the lug nuts.
WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do
not tighten the wheel nuts fully until the vehicle has
been lowered. Failure to follow this warning may
result in serious injury.
9. Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
10. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the wrench while at the end of the handle for increased
leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until
Mounting Spare Tire
7
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 329

each nut has been tightened twice. Refer to “Torque
Specifications” in “Technical Specifications” for proper
lug nut torque.
11. Stow the wheel chocks, jack, tools and flat tire. Make sure the base of the jack faces the front of the vehicle
before tightening down the fastener.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could endanger the occupants of the vehicle.
Always stow the jack parts and the spare tire in the
places provided. Have the deflated (flat) tire repaired
or replaced immediately.
Road Tire Installation
1. Mount the road tire on the axle.
2. Install the remaining lug nuts with the cone shaped endof the nut toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the lug
nuts.
WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do
not tighten the wheel nuts fully until the vehicle has
been lowered. Failure to follow this warning may
result in serious injury.
3. Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
4. Refer to “Torque Specifications” in “Technical Specifica- tions” for proper lug nut torque.
5. After 25 miles (40 km), check the lug nut torque with a torque wrench to ensure that all lug nuts are properly
seated against the wheel.
TIRE SERVICE KIT — IF EQUIPPED
Small punctures up to 1/4 inch (6 mm) in the tire tread can
be sealed with Tire Service Kit. Foreign objects (e.g., screws
or nails) should not be removed from the tire. Tire Service
Kit can be used in outside temperatures down to approxi-
mately -4°F (-20°C).
This kit will provide a temporary tire seal, allowing you to
drive your vehicle up to 100 miles (160 km) with a
maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
330 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY