battery DODGE DART 2013 PF / 1.G Owner's Guide

WARNING!
•Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan when-
ever the hood is raised. It can start anytime the
ignition switch is on. You can be injured by
moving fan blades.
•Remove any metal jewelry such as watch bands or
bracelets that might make an inadvertent electrical
contact. You could be seriously injured.
•Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your
skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas which is
flammable and explosive. Keep open flames or
sparks away from the battery.
1. Set the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission
into PARK (manual transmission in NEUTRAL) and turn
the ignition to LOCK.
2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal accessories. 3. If using another vehicle to jump-start the battery, park
the vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
Jump-Starting Procedure
WARNING!
Failure to follow this procedure could result in per-
sonal injury or property damage due to battery ex-
plosion.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 507

CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
1. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable to the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable to the
negative (-)post of the booster battery.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-)jumper
cable to a good engine ground (exposed metal part of the
discharged vehicle’s engine) away from the battery and
the fuel injection system.
WARNING!
Do not connect the cable to the negative post (-) of the
discharged battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode and could result in
personal injury.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster
battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then start
the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in
the reverse sequence:
6. Disconnect the negative (-)jumper cable from the
engine ground of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
7. Disconnect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable
from the negative (-)post of the booster battery.
508 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

8. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive(+)jumper
cable from the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
9. Disconnect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable
from the positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle
power outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.).
Eventually, if plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s
battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery
life and/or prevent the engine from starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your manual transmission vehicle becomes stuck in
mud, sand, or snow, it can often be moved by a rocking
motion. Turn your steering wheel right and left to clear
the area around the front wheels. Then shift back and
forth between DRIVE (automatic transmission) or 1st
Gear (manual transmission) and REVERSE. Using mini-
mal accelerator pedal pressure to maintain the rocking
motion, without spinning the wheels, is most effective.
NOTE: Automatic transmission vehicles cannot be
rocked in this manner, because the transmission will not
allow shifts between DRIVE and REVERSE while the
wheels are turning.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 509

Manual Transmission
•
Manual transmission vehicles can be flat towed (all
four wheels on the ground) with the transmission in
NEUTRAL.
•Manual transmission vehicles can also be towed with
the front wheels elevated, or on a flatbed truck (all
four wheelsOFFthe ground).
CAUTION!
DO NOT flat tow any disabled vehicle if condition is
related to a clutch, transmission or driveline compo-
nent. Damage to the drivetrain could result.
All Transmissions
If you must use the accessories (wipers, defroster, etc.)
while being towed, the key must be in the ON/RUN
position, not the ACC position. If the key fob is unavailable, or the battery is discharged,
see “Shift Lever Override” in “What To Do In Emergen-
cies” for instructions on shifting the automatic transmis-
sion out of PARK for towing.
CAUTION!
Do not use sling-type equipment when towing.
When securing the vehicle to a flatbed truck, do not
attach to front or rear suspension components. Dam-
age to your vehicle may result from improper towing.
514 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Engine Compartment — 1.4L Turbo ........ 517
 Engine Compartment — 2.0L ............. 518
 Engine Compartment — 2.4L ............. 519
 Onboard Diagnostic System — OBD II ...... 520
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ........... 520
 Emissions Inspection And Maintenance
Programs ............................ 521
 Replacement Parts ..................... 522
 Dealer Service ........................ 523 
Maintenance Procedures ................. 523
▫ Engine Oil ......................... 524
▫ Engine Oil Filter ..................... 527
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ............... 527
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery .............. 528
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance ............ 529
▫ Body Lubrication .................... 532
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ............... 533
▫ Adding Washer Fluid ................. 534
7

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 1.4L TURBO
1 — Engine Coolant Reservoir5 — Power Distribution Center
2 — Engine Oil Level Indicator 6 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
3 — Engine Oil Fill 7 — Battery
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Air Cleaner Filter
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 517

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 2.0L
1 — Engine Coolant Reservoir5 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Engine Oil Fill 6 — Battery
3 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 7 — Engine Oil Level Indicator
4 — Integrated Power Module (Fuses) 8 — Air Cleaner Filter
518 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 2.4L
1 — Engine Coolant Reservoir5 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Engine Oil Fill 6 — Battery
3 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 7 — Engine Oil Level Indicator
4 — Integrated Power Module (Fuses) 8 — Air Cleaner Filter
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 519

persists, the message will appear the next time the
vehicle is started. This might indicate a damaged cap. If
the problem is detected twice in a row, the system will
turn on the MIL. Resolving the problem will turn the MIL
light off.
EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass
an inspection of your vehicle’s emissions control system.
Failure to pass could prevent vehicle registration.For states that require an Inspection and Mainte-
nance (I/M), this check verifies the “Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL)” is functioning and is not
on when the engine is running, and that the OBD II
system is ready for testing. Normally, the OBD II system will be ready. The OBD II
system may
notbe ready if your vehicle was recently
serviced, recently had a dead battery or a battery replace-
ment. If the OBD II system should be determined not
ready for the I/M test, your vehicle may fail the test.
Your vehicle has a simple ignition key-actuated test,
which you can use prior to going to the test station. To
check if your vehicle’s OBD II system is ready, you must
do the following:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position, but do not
crank or start the engine.
2. If you crank or start the engine, you will have to start
this test over.
3. As soon as you turn the ignition switch to the ON
position, you will see the MIL symbol come on as part of
a normal bulb check.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 521

4. Approximately 15 seconds later, one of two things will
happen:a. The MIL will flash for about 10 seconds and then
return to being fully illuminated until you turn OFF
the ignition or start the engine. This means that your
vehicle’s OBD II system is not readyand you should
not proceed to the I/M station.
b. The MIL will not flash at all and will remain fully
illuminated until you turn OFF the ignition or start the
engine. This means that your vehicle’s OBD II system
is ready and you can proceed to the I/M station.
If your OBD II system is not ready,you should see your
authorized dealer or repair facility. If your vehicle was
recently serviced or had a battery failure or replacement,
you may need to do nothing more than drive your
vehicle as you normally would in order for your OBD II
system to update. A recheck with the above test routine
may then indicate that the system is now ready. Regardless of whether your vehicle’s OBD II system is
ready or not, if the MIL is illuminated during normal
vehicle operation you should have your vehicle serviced
before going to the I/M station. The I/M station can fail
your vehicle because the MIL is on with the engine
running.
REPLACEMENT PARTS
Use of genuine MOPAR
parts for normal/scheduled
maintenance and repairs is highly recommended to en-
sure the designed performance. Damage or failures
caused by the use of non-MOPAR parts for maintenance
and repairs will not be covered by the manufacturer’s
warranty.
522 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE