engine overheat DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2016 5.G Owners Manual

Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) — If
Equipped
The Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) fea-
tures a driver-interactive display that is located in the
instrument cluster. Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC)” in this section for further informa-
tion.
5. Temperature Gauge•The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading within the normal range indi-
cates that the engine cooling system is operating
satisfactorily.
• The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tem-
perature when driving in hot weather or up moun-
tain grades. It should not be allowed to exceed the
upper limits of the normal operating range.CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads “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 the “H” and
you hear continuous chimes, turn the engine off imme-
diately and call an authorized dealer for service.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call an authorized dealer
for service if your vehicle overheats. If you decide to
look under the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your
Vehicle”. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
308 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call an authorized dealer
for service if your vehicle overheats. If you decide to
look under the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your
Vehicle”. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS
IMPORTANT:The warning light switches on in the
instrument panel together with a dedicated message
and/or acoustic signal when applicable. These indica-
tions are indicative and precautionary and as such must
not be considered as exhaustive and/or alternative to the
information contained in the Owner Manual, which you
are advised to read carefully in all cases. Always refer to
the information in this chapter in the event of a failure
indication.
314 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Coolant Temperature Warning Light
Red TelltaleLight What It Means
Coolant Temperature Warning Light
This light warns of an overheated engine condition. If the light turns on while driving,
safely pull over and stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is on, turn it off. Also, shift the
transmission into NEUTRAL and idle the vehicle. If the temperature reading does not return
to normal, turn the engine off immediately and call for service.
NOTE:
As the coolant temperature gauge approaches
H,this indicator will illuminate and a single
chime will sound. Further overheating will cause the temperature gauge to pass H.In this
case, a continuous chime will sound until the engine is allowed to cool or the 4 minutes du-
ration is expired, whichever come first.
320 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Engine Temperature Warning Light
Red WarningLight What It Means
Engine Temperature Warning Light
This light warns of an overheated engine condition. As engine coolant temperatures rise and
the gauge approaches
H,this indicator will illuminate and a single chime will sound after
reaching a set threshold. Further overheating will cause the temperature gauge to pass H,a
continuous chime will occur until the engine is allowed to cool or the 4 minutes duration is
expired, whichever come first.
If the light turns on while driving, safely pull over and stop the vehicle. If the A/C system
is on, turn it off. Also, shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and idle the vehicle. If the tem-
perature reading does not return to normal, turn the engine off immediately and call for ser-
vice. Refer to “If Your Engine Overheats” in “What To Do In Emergencies” for further infor-
mation.
322 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

When rear controls are locked by the front system, the
Rear Temperature Lock symbol on the temperature knob
is illuminated and any rear overhead adjustments are
ignored.
Rear Mode Control
•Headliner Mode
Air comes from the outlets in the headliner. Each
of these outlets can be individually adjusted to
direct the flow of air. Moving the air vanes of the outlets
to one side will shut off the airflow.
• Bi-Level Mode
Air comes from both the headliner outlets and the
floor outlets.
NOTE: In many temperature positions, the Bi-Level
mode is designed to provide cooler air out of the head-
liner outlets and warmer air from the floor outlets. •
Floor Mode
Air comes from the floor outlets.
Operating Tips
NOTE: Refer to the chart at the end of this section for
suggested control settings for various weather condi-
tions.
Summer Operation
The engine cooling system must be protected with a
high-quality antifreeze coolant to provide proper corro-
sion protection and to protect against engine overheating.
OAT coolant (conforming to MS.90032) is recommended.
Refer to “Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your
Vehicle” for proper coolant selection.
458 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Fuel System Cautions
CAUTION!
Follow these guidelines to maintain your vehicle’s
performance:
•The use of leaded gasoline is prohibited by Federal
law. Using leaded gasoline can impair engine per-
formance and damage the emissions control sys-
tem.
• An out-of-tune engine or certain fuel or ignition
malfunctions can cause the catalytic converter to
overheat. If you notice a pungent burning odor or
some light smoke, your engine may be out of tune
or malfunctioning and may require immediate ser-
vice. Contact your authorized dealer for service
assistance.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•The use of fuel additives, which are now being
sold as octane enhancers, is not recommended.
Most of these products contain high concentrations
of methanol. Fuel system damage or vehicle perfor-
mance problems resulting from the use of such
fuels or additives is not the responsibility of the
manufacturer and may void or not be covered
under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
NOTE: Intentional tampering with the emissions control
system can result in civil penalties being assessed against
you.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 539

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS ...........567
 IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS ............567
 TIRE SERVICE KIT — IF EQUIPPED .........568
▫ Tire Service Kit Storage .................569
▫ Tire Service Kit Components And Operation . .570
▫ Tire Service Kit Usage Precautions ..........571
▫ Sealing A Tire With Tire Service Kit .........573
 WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS ..................... .580
▫ Torque Specifications ...................580 
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING — IF
EQUIPPED .......................... .581
▫ Jack Location ....................... .582
▫ Spare Tire Removal ....................583
▫ To Access Spare Tire Winch Drive Nut .......583
▫ Spare Tire Tools ...................... .585
▫ Spare Tire Removal Instructions ...........587
▫ Preparations For Jacking ................589
▫ Jacking Instructions ...................589
▫ Securing The Compact Spare Tire ..........596
6

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located in the
lower center area of the instrument panel.Push the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flasher. When the switch is activated, all direc-
tional turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. Push the switch a second time to
turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it should not
be used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
Hazard Warning flashers will continue to operate even
though the ignition is placed in the OFF position.
NOTE: With extended use, the Hazard Warning flashers
may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission
in NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
• If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
• You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control
to high. This allows the heater core to act as a
supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 567

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE while gently pressing the accelerator. Use
the least amount of accelerator pedal pressure that will
maintain the rocking motion, without spinning the
wheels or racing the engine.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL for at
least one minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce
the risk of transmission failure during prolonged
efforts to free a stuck vehicle.NOTE:
Push the ESC Off switch, to place the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system in Partial Offmode
before rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake
Control System” in “Starting and Operating” for further
information. Once the vehicle has been freed, push the
ESC Off switch again to restore ESC Onmode.
CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting be-
tween DRIVE and REVERSE, do not spin the
wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain
damage may result.
• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may 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 trans-
mission shifting occurring).6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 605

CAUTION!
•The catalytic converter requires the use of un-
leaded fuel only. Leaded gasoline will destroy the
effectiveness of the catalyst as an emissions control
device and may seriously reduce engine perfor-
mance and cause serious damage to the engine.
• Damage to the catalytic converter can result if your
vehicle is not kept in proper operating condition.
In the event of engine malfunction, particularly
involving engine misfire or other apparent loss of
performance, have your vehicle serviced promptly.
Continued operation of your vehicle with a severe
malfunction could cause the converter to overheat,
resulting in possible damage to the converter and
vehicle. Under normal operating conditions, the catalytic con-
verter will not require maintenance. However, it is im-
portant to keep the engine properly tuned to assure
proper catalyst operation and prevent possible catalyst
damage.
NOTE:
Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may suggest severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, stop
the vehicle, turn off the engine and allow it to cool.
Service, including a tune-up to manufacturer’s specifica-
tions, should be obtained immediately.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 623