wheel DODGE DAKOTA 2010 3.G Owner's Manual

CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage your vehicle. If the temperature gauge
reads HOT (H), pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the air conditioner
turned off until the pointer drops back into the normal range. If the pointer remains on
HOT (H), and you hear continuous chimes, t urn the engine off immediately and call for
service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming from under the hood, do not open the
hood until the radiator has had time to co ol. Never try to open a cooling system
pressure cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
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 the danger of being hit when operating the jack
or changing the wheel.
• Getting under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous. The vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you. You could be crushed. Never get any part of your body under a
vehicle that 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.
• The jack is designed to use as a tool for changing tires only. The jack should not be used to lift the vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle should be jacked on a firm,
level surface only. Avoid ice or slippery areas.
• If it is necessary to retrieve the spare tire from under the vehicle on the side of the vehicle close to moving traffic, pull far enough off the road to avoid the danger of
being hit.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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Jack Location
Extended Cab
• The scissor jack and tire changing tools arestowed in a compartment under the rear
passenger seat.
Crew Cab®
• The scissor jack and tire changing tools areaccessed by lifting up the rear passenger
seat.
• The jack is secured in place by turning the jack screw until the jack is secured into
place.
• A finger-operated helper tool is provided to assist removal and stowage of the jack. This
tool must be removed to operate the jack for
changing the spare tire.
Spare Tire Stowage
• To remove the spare tire, remove the jack-handle components from the storage
compartment and assemble them.
• Attach the wheel wrench to the jack extension tube and insert the tube through the access hole in the rear bumper and into the winch mechanism tube.
• Rotate the wheel wrench handle countercloc kwise until the spare tire is on the ground
with enough cable slack to allow you to pull it out from under the vehicle.
• When the spare is clear, tilt the retainer at the end of the cable and pull it through the center of the wheel.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Preparations For Jacking
• Park on a firm, level surface. Avoid ice 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.
• Set the parking brake and shift the autom atic transmission into PARK. On Four-Wheel
Drive vehicles, shift the transfer case to the 4L position.
• Turn the ignition to LOCK and turn on the Hazard Warning flasher. • Block both the front and rear of the wheeldiagonally opposite of the jacking position.
For example, if changing the right front tire,
block the left rear wheel.
NOTE: Passengers should not remain in the
vehicle when the vehicle is being jacked.
Jacking And Tire Changing Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing p rocedures 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.
• Remove the spare tire, jack and tools from their stored location.
• Loosen (but do not remove) the wheel lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise one
turn while the wheel is still on the ground.
• Assemble the jack and jacking tools. Connect the jack handle driver to the extension, then to the lug wrench.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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• Place the jack:• For front wheels, place the jack under the frame rail behind the wheel. Locate thejack as far forward as possible on the straight part of the frame prior to inboard
transition.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

• For rear wheels, place the jack under the axle between the u-bolts attaching thespring to the axle.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
46

• Turn the jack screw clockwise to firmly engage the jack saddle with the lift area.
• Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw clockwise. Raise the vehicle only until the tire just clears the surface and enough clearance is obtained to install the spare tire.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make the vehicle less stable and cause
an accident. It could slip off the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle only
enough to remove the tire.
• Remove the lug nuts and wheel.
• Position the spare wheel/tire on the vehicle and install the lug nuts with the cone-shaped end toward the wheel. Lightly tight en the lug nuts clockwise. To avoid
the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not tighten the nuts fully until the vehicle
has been lowered.
• Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw counterclockwise, and remove the jack and wheel blocks.
• Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push do wn on the wrench while tightening for
increased leverage. Alternate nuts until each one has been tightened twice. The
correct wheel nut tightness is 120 to 160 ft lbs (163 to 217 N·m). If in doubt about the
correct tightness, have them checked w ith a torque wrench by your authorized dealer
or at a service station.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack, thrown forward in an accident or hard stop, could endanger the
occupants of the vehicle. Always stow the jack parts and the spare tire in the places
provided.
• Secure the jack and tools in their proper locations.
• For convenience in checking the spare tire inflation, stow with the valve stem toward the rear of the vehicle. Continue winching up the tire until you hear the winch click
three times.
NOTE: To Stow the Flat or Spare: The wheel retainer does not fit through the center of
the aluminum wheel. The tire must be stored in a safe manner in the bed of the truck.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLEModelFlat Towing (all four
wheels on the ground)Flatbed Towing (all four
wheels suspended OFF
the ground)Front Wheels Raised,
Rear Wheels on the
GroundRear Wheels Raised,
Front Wheels on the
Ground
Two-Wheel Drive NOT Permitted
Recommended Method Shift lever must be In
NEUTRAL, the speed
less then 30 mph
(48 km/h) and the
distance traveled less
than 15 mi (24 km).May be used
Four-Wheel Drive NOT Permitted
Recommended Method NOT Permitted without a
towing dolly NOT Permitted without a
towing dolly
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
• If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it can often be moved by arocking motion. Turn your steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then move the shift lever back and forth between REVERSE and 1st gear.
Using minimal accelerator pedal pressure to maintain the rocking motion, without
spinning the wheels, is most effective.
• Allow the engine to idle with the shift lever in NEUTRAL for at least one minute after every five rocking-motion cycles. This wil l minimize overheating and reduce the risk of
transmission failure during prolonge d efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces generated by excessive wheel speeds
may cause tire damage or failure. Atire could explode and injure someone. Do not
spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) when you are stuck. Do not
let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
WARNING!
• Chains are not recommended for freeing a stuck vehicle. Chains may break, causing serious injury or death.
• Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow hooks. Tow straps and chains may break, causing serious injury.
CAUTION!
• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving between 1st and REVERSE, do not spinthe wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may result.
• Revving the engine or s pinning the wheels too fast ma y lead to transmission
overheating and failure. It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels above
30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission shifting occurring).
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

OPENING THE HOOD
• Pull the hood release lever locatedbelow the steering wheel at the base of the
instrument panel.
• Reach into the opening beneath the center of the hood and move the safety latch lever
while lifting the hood at the same time.
WARNING!
Be sure the hood is fully latched before driving your vehicle. If the hood is not fully
latched, it could open when the vehicle is in motion and block your vision. Failure to
follow this warning could result in serious injury or death.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

TIRE PRESSURES
• Check the inflation pressure of each tire, including the spare tire, at least monthly andinflate to the recommended pressure for your vehicle.
• The tire pressures recommended for your vehicle are found on the “Tire and Loading Information” label located on the driver’s side door opening.
NOTE: Refer to the Owner's Manual on the DVD for more information on the life of tires.
WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is dangerous. Ov erloading can causetire failure, affect
vehicle handling, and increase your stopping distance. Use tires of the recommended
load capacity for your vehicle. Never overload them.
WARNING!
Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can cause accidents. Under-inflation is
the leading cause of tire failure and may result in severe cracking, component
separation, or “blow out”. Over-inflation r educes a tire’s ability to cushion shock.
Objects on the road and chuck holes can cause damage that results in tire failure.
Unequal tire pressures can cause steering problems. You could lose control of your
vehicle. Over-inflated or under-inflated ti res can affect vehicle handling and can fail
suddenly, resulting in loss of vehicle control.
WHEEL AND WHEEL TRIM CARE
• All wheels and wheel trim, especially aluminum and chrome plated wheels, should be cleaned regularly with a mild soap and water to prevent corrosion.
• To remove heavy soil and/or excessive brake dust, use MOPAR
®Wheel Cleaner or
equivalent or select a non-ab rasive,non-acidic cleaner.
CAUTION!
Do not use scouring pads, steel wool, a bristle brush, or metal polishes. Do not use
oven cleaner. These products may damage the wheel's protective finish. Avoid
automatic car washes that use acidic solution s or harsh brushes that may damage the
wheel's protective finish. Only MOPAR
®Wheel Cleaner or equivalent is recommended.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE