automatic transmission DODGE DURANGO 2012 3.G User Guide

The engine block heater cord is located:
•3.6L Engine – coiled and strapped to the engine oil
dipstick tube.
•5.7L Engine – bundled and fastened to the injector
harness.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the coolant.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt AC
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
430 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly
forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the
vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK
before the ignition switch can be turned to the LOCK/
OFF position. The key fob can only be removed from the
ignition when the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position
and once removed the shift lever is locked in PARK.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock (BTSI) that holds the shift lever in the PARK
position unless the brakes are applied. To move the shift
lever out of the PARK position, the ignition switch must
be turned to the ON/RUN or START position (engine
running or not) and the brake pedal must be pressed.
Five-Speed Automatic Transmission (3.6L Engine)
— If Equipped
The shift lever position display (located in the instrument
panel cluster) indicates the transmission gear range. You
must press the brake pedal to move the shift lever out of
the PARK position (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift
Interlock System” in this section). To drive, move the shift
lever from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
432 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 result
in severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recre-
ational 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,
and third gears, direct fourth gear and overdrive fifth
gear. The DRIVE position provides optimum driving
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 Electronic Range
Select (ERS) feature (refer to “Electronic Range Select
(ERS)” in this section) to select a lower gear range. Under
these conditions, using a lower gear range will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat buildup.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 437

Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control allows the
driver to limit the highest available gear when the shift
lever is in the DRIVE position. For example, if you shift
the transmission into 3 (third gear), the transmission will
never shift above third gear, but will shift down into
second and first gear normally.
You can switch between DRIVE and ERS mode at any
vehicle speed. When the shift lever is in the DRIVE
position, the transmission will operate automatically,
shifting between all available gears. Tapping the shift
lever to the left (-) will downshift the transmission,
activate ERS mode, display the current gear in the
instrument cluster, and maintain that gear as the top
available gear. Once in ERS mode, tapping the shift lever
to the left (-) or right (+) will change the top available
gear.To exit ERS mode, simply press and hold the shift lever to
the right (+) until “D” is once again displayed in the shift
lever position indicator in the instrument cluster.
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 an accident
or personal injury.
Screen Display
1234D
Actual Gear(s) Allowed 1 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5
NOTE: To select the proper gear position for maximum
deceleration (engine braking), simply press and hold the
shift lever to the left (-). The transmission will shift to the
range from which the vehicle can best be slowed down.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 439

Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (fifth gear). The transmission will
automatically shift into the Overdrive gear if the follow-
ing conditions are present:
•the shift lever is in the DRIVE position,
•vehicle speed is sufficiently high, and
•the driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
Six-Speed Automatic Transmission (5.7L Engine)
— If Equipped
The shift lever position display (located in the instrument
panel cluster) indicates the transmission gear range. You
must press the brake pedal to move the shift lever out of
the PARK position (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift
Interlock System” in this section). To drive, move the shift
lever from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles (kilometers).
Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be
done only after the accelerator pedal is released and the
vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake
pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears.
The transmission shift lever has only PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, and DRIVE shift positions. Manual down-
shifts can be made using the Electronic Range Select
(ERS) shift control (refer to “Electronic Range Select
(ERS)” in this section). Moving the shift lever to the left or
right (-/+) while in the DRIVE position will select the
highest available transmission gear, and will display that
gear in the instrument cluster as 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
440 STARTING AND OPERATING

•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 engine running. The engine may be started
in this range. Set the parking brake and shift the trans-
mission 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 result
in severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recre-
ational 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 and sec-
ond gears, direct third gear and overdrive fourth and
fifth gears. The DRIVE position provides optimum driv-
ing characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
444 STARTING AND OPERATING

If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control allows the
driver to limit the highest available gear when the shift
lever is in the DRIVE position. For example, if you shift
the transmission into 3 (third gear), the transmission will
never shift above third gear, but will shift down into
second and first gear normally.
Use of ERS (or TOW/HAUL mode) also enables an
additional underdrive gear which is not normally used
during through-gear accelerations. This additional gear
can improve vehicle performance and cooling capability
when towing a trailer on certain grades. In ERS mode,
gears 1 though 3 are underdrive gears, and ERS 4 is direct
drive. ERS 5 and 6 (Overdrive gears ) are the same as the
normal fourth and fifth gears.You can switch between DRIVE and ERS mode at any
vehicle speed. When the shift lever is in the DRIVE
position, the transmission will operate automatically,
shifting between all available gears. Tapping the shift
lever to the left (-) will activate ERS mode, display the
current gear in the instrument cluster, and maintain that
gear as the top available gear. Once in ERS mode, tapping
the shift lever to the left (-) or right (+) will change the top
available gear.
To exit ERS mode, simply press and hold the shift lever to
the right (+) until “D” is once again displayed in the shift
lever position indicator in the instrument cluster.
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 an accident
or personal injury.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 447

Screen Display12 3456D
Actual Gear(s)
Allowed 1 1-2 1-3 1,2,
41,2,
4,5 1,2,
4-6 1-5
NOTE: To select the proper gear position for maximum
deceleration (engine braking), simply press and hold the
shift lever to the left (-). The transmission will shift to the
range from which the vehicle can best be slowed down.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (fourth and fifth gears). The trans-
mission will automatically shift into the Overdrive gear if
the following conditions 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,
•the driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator, and
•the TOW/HAUL switch has not been activated.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting oc-
curs, press the TOW/HAUL switch to select TOW/
HAUL mode. This will improve performance and reduce
the potential for transmission overheating or failure due
to excessive shifting. When operating in TOW/HAUL
mode, transmission upshifts are delayed, and the trans-
mission will automatically downshift (for engine brak-
ing) during steady braking maneuvers.
448 STARTING AND OPERATING

The “TOW/HAUL Indicator Light” will illuminate in the
instrument cluster to indicate that TOW/HAUL mode
has been activated. Pressing the switch a second time
restores normal operation. If the TOW/HAUL mode is
desired, the switch must be pressed each time the engine
is started.
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:
•The torque converter clutch will not engage, and the
transmission will not shift into the top overdrive gear,
until the transmission fluid and engine coolant are
warm [usually after 1 to 3 miles (1.6 to 4.8 km) of
driving]. Because top gear is disabled, and engine
speed is higher when the torque converter clutch is not
engaged, it may seem as if the transmission is not
shifting properly when cold. This is normal. Using the
TOW/HAUL Switch
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 449

Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.
Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, the
TOW/HAUL mode (if equipped), or a lower gear range,
should be selected.
NOTE:Using the TOW/HAUL mode (if equipped) or
selecting a lower gear range (using the Electronic Range
Select (ERS) feature) while operating the vehicle under
heavy operating conditions, will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shift-
ing and heat buildup. This action will also provide better
engine braking. The transmission fluid and filter should be changed if
you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than 45 minutes
of continuous operation. Refer to “Maintenance Sched-
ule” for the proper maintenance intervals.
NOTE:
Check the transmission fluid level before towing
(5.7L engine).
Electronic Speed Control – If Equipped

Do not use in 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.
538 STARTING AND OPERATING