transmission DODGE DART 2013 PF / 1.G Service Manual

Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when
shifting between these gears.
The transmission shift lever has PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, DRIVE, and AutoStickshift positions. Manual
shifts can be made using the AutoStick shift control
(refer to “AutoStick” in this section for further informa-
tion). Moving the shift lever rearward (+) or forward (-)
while in the AutoStick position (beside the Drive posi-
tion) will manually select the transmission gear, and will
display the current gear in the instrument cluster as 6, 5,
4, 3, 2, 1.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range. NOTE:
After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerating.
This is especially important when the engine is cold.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may place the shift
lever in PARK first, and then apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
400 STARTING AND OPERATING

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
movement and possible injury or damage.
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever rearward (with the brake
pedal released) after you have placed it in PARK.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK before
leaving the vehicle.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing on
the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or some-
thing. Only shift into gear when the engine is
idling normally and your foot is firmly pressing
the brake pedal.(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 401

WARNING! (Continued)
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
turn the engine OFF, and remove the key fob.
When the ignition is in the OFF position, the shift
lever is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob and lock your vehicle.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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.
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, and
do not leave 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.
402 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
•Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you
must turn the ignition switch from the OFF posi-
tion to the ON/RUN position, press the brake
pedal, and press the button on the front of the shift
knob. Otherwise, damage to the shift lever could
result.
•DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as
this can damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the shift lever into the PARK position:
•When shifting into PARK, firmly move the shift lever
all the way forward until it stops and is fully seated.
•Look at the shift lever position display and verify that
it indicates the PARK position.
•With brake pedal released, verify that the shift lever
will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Apply the parking brake and shift
the transmission into PARK if you must leave the vehicle.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 403

WARNING!
Do not coast in 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 and have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.
DRIVE
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through underdrive first, second,
third, and fourth gears, direct fifth gear and overdrive
sixth gear. The DRIVE position provides optimum driv-
ing characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or
while towing heavy trailers), use the AutoStickshift
control (refer to “AutoStick” in this section for further
information) to select a lower gear. Under these condi-
tions, using a lower gear will improve performance and
extend transmission life by reducing excessive shifting
and heat buildup.
404 STARTING AND OPERATING

If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operating
limits, the transmission controller will modify the trans-
mission shift schedule and expand the range of torque
converter clutch engagement. This is done to prevent
transmission damage due to overheating. If the transmis-
sion becomes extremely hot, the “Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Light” may illuminate and the transmission
may operate differently until the transmission cools down.
During very cold temperatures (-4°F [-20°C] or below),
transmission operation may be modified depending on
engine and transmission temperature as well as vehicle
speed. Normal operation will resume once the transmis-
sion temperature has risen to a suitable level.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission remainsin fourth gear regardless of which forward gear is
selected. PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL will continue
to operate. Limp Home Mode allows the vehicle to be
driven to an authorized dealer for service without dam-
aging the transmission.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission
can be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Turn the engine OFF.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no
longer detected, the transmission will return to normal
operation.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 405

NOTE:Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit your authorized dealer at your
earliest possible convenience. Your authorized dealer has
diagnostic equipment to determine if the problem could
recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (sixth gear). The transmission will
automatically shift into Overdrive if the following con-
ditions are present:
•the shift lever is in the DRIVE position,
•the transmission fluid has reached an adequate tem-
perature,
•the engine coolant has reached an adequate tempera-
ture,
•vehicle speed is sufficiently high, and
•the driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been
included in the automatic transmission on your vehicle.
A clutch within the torque converter engages automati-
cally at calibrated speeds. This may result in a slightly
different feeling or response during normal operation in
the upper gears. When the vehicle speed drops or during
some accelerations, the clutch automatically disengages.
NOTE: Engagement of the torque converter clutch is
inhibited at very cold temperatures. Because the engine
speed is higher when the torque converter clutch is not
engaged, it may seem as if the transmission is not shifting
into Overdrive when cold. This is normal. The torque
converter clutch will function normally once the trans-
mission is sufficiently warm.
406 STARTING AND OPERATING

AUTOSTICK
AutoStickis a driver-interactive transmission feature
providing manual shift control, giving you more control
of the vehicle. AutoStick allows you to maximize engine
braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
and improve overall vehicle performance.
This system can also provide you with more control
during passing, city driving, cold slippery conditions,
mountain driving, and many other situations.
Operation
When the shift lever is in the AutoStick position (beside
the DRIVE position), it can be moved forward and
rearward. This allows the driver to manually select the
transmission gear being used. Moving the shift lever
forward (-) triggers a downshift and rearward (+) an
upshift. The current gear is displayed in the instrument
cluster. In AutoStick mode, the transmission will shift
up or down when the driver moves the shift lever rearward (+) or forward (-), unless an engine lugging or
overspeed condition would result. It will remain in the
selected gear until another upshift or downshift is cho-
sen, except as described below.
•The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver
should manually upshift (+) the transmission as the
vehicle is accelerated.
•You can start out, from a stop, in first or second gear.
Tapping (+) (at a stop) will allow starting in second
gear. Starting out in second gear is helpful in snowy or
icy conditions.
•The transmission will automatically upshift when nec-
essary to prevent engine over-speed.
•If a requested downshift would cause the engine to
over-speed, that shift will not occur.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 407

•Avoid using speed control when AutoStickis en-
gaged.
•Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
AutoStick is engaged.
•If the system detects powertrain overheating, the
transmission will revert to automatic shift mode and
remain in that mode until the powertrain cools off.
•If the system detects a problem, it will disable
AutoStick mode and the transmission will return to
the automatic mode until the problem is corrected.
To disengage AutoStick mode, return the shift lever to
the DRIVE position. You can shift in or out of the
AutoStick position at any time without taking your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under
the front (driving) wheels.
408 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION! (Continued)
•Driving through standing water may cause dam-
age to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Al-
ways inspect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil,
transmission, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination
(i.e., fluid that is milky or foamy in appearance)
after driving through standing water. Do not con-
tinue to operate the vehicle if any fluid appears
contaminated, as this may result in further dam-
age. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
•Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and cause serious
internal damage to the engine. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
WARNING!
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph
(8 km/h) when driving through standing water.
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stop-
ping distances. Therefore, after driving through
standing water, drive slowly and lightly press on
the brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
•Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and leave you
stranded.
•Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 411