tow DODGE DART 2015 PF / 1.G Owner's Guide

▫MMT In Gasoline.....................503
▫Materials Added To Fuel................503
▫Fuel System Cautions...................503
▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings.............504
!ADDING FUEL........................505
▫Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)...............505
!VEHICLE LOADING....................508
▫Vehicle Certification Label...............508
!TRAILER TOWING.....................510
▫Common Towing Definitions.............510
▫Trailer Hitch Classification...............513
▫Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings)......................514
▫Trailer And Tongue Weight..............515
▫Towing Requirements..................516
▫Towing Tips.........................521
!RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)...................523
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another
Vehicle.............................523
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3. Pull the cord to the front of the vehicle and plug it into
a grounded, three-wire extension cord.
4. After the vehicle is running, reattach the cord to the
Velcro strap and properly stow away behind the
driver ’s side headlamp.
NOTE:
•The engine block heater cord is a factory installed
option. If your vehicle is not equipped, heater cords
are available from your authorized MOPAR® dealer.
•The engine block heater will require 110 Volts AC and
6.5 Amps to activate the heater element.
•The engine block heater must be plugged in at least
one hour to have an adequate warming effect on the
engine.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.
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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 (P)
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 shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
shifting the transmission to PARK, otherwise the load on
the transmission locking mechanism may make it diffi-
cult to move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill
grade.
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.
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever out of PARK with the brake
pedal released. Make sure the transmission is in
PARK before leaving the vehicle.
(Continued)
426 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Look at the transmission gear 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 (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
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.
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.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 429

the transmission locking mechanism may make it diffi-
cult to move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill
grade.
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.
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever out of PARK with the brake
pedal released. Make sure the transmission is in
PARK before leaving the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
the engine is idling normally and your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
(Continued)
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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 (D)
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 AutoStick® shift
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.
440 STARTING AND OPERATING

wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. For vehicles
equipped with an automatic transmission, apply the
parking brake before placing the shift lever in PARK,
otherwise the load on the transmission locking mecha-
nism may make it difficult to move the shift lever 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.
(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 (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.
(Continued)
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WARNING!
•TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying. Always
use caution when towing a trailer and follow the
tongue weight recommendations. Refer to ”Vehicle
Loading” and “Trailer Towing” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.
•If TSC activates while towing a trailer, stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe location and adjust the
trailer load to eliminate the trailer sway.
•Failure to follow these warnings can result in an
accident or serious personal injury.
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.
Hill Start Assist Disable Procedure
NOTE:Vehicle roll back mitigation will not be present
with this feature disabled.
Hill Start assist can be disabled if desired. This procedure
applies to vehicles equipped with a manual or Powertech
transmission.
1. Wheels must be pointed straight ahead, on a level
surface.
2. Automatic transmission should be in PARK.
3. Place manual transmission in NEUTRAL if equipped.
4. Begin with the ignition OFF.
458 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
There may be situations on minor hills with a loaded
vehicle, or while pulling a trailer, when the system
will not activate and slight rolling may occur. This
could cause a collision with another vehicle or object.
Always remember the driver is responsible for brak-
ing the vehicle.
Towing With HSA
HSA will provide assistance when starting on a grade
when pulling a trailer.
WARNING!
•If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, your trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated with the brake switch. If so, when the
brake pedal is released there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold the vehicle and trailer on a
hill and this could cause a collision with another
vehicle or object behind you. In order to avoid
rolling down the hill while resuming acceleration,
manually activate the trailer brake prior to releas-
ing the brake pedal. Always remember the driver is
responsible for braking the vehicle.
•HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when leaving your vehicle.
Also, be certain to leave the transmission in PARK.
(Continued)
460 STARTING AND OPERATING

3. Tire size designed for your vehicle.
4. Cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear, and
spare tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed
the load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You
will not exceed the tire’s load carrying capacity if you
adhere to the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the Tire and Loading
Information placard and in the “Vehicle Loading” section
of this manual.
NOTE:Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition,
gross axle weight ratings (GAWRs) for the front and rear
axles must not be exceeded. For further information on
GAWRs, vehicle loading, and trailer towing, refer to
“Vehicle Loading” in this section.
To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or
XXX kg” on the Tire and Loading Information placard.
The combined weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight (if applicable) should never exceed
the weight referenced here.
Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or
XXX kg” on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and pas-
sengers from XXX lbs or XXX kg.
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