wheel DODGE NEON SRT 2005 2.G Owner's Manual

7. Finish tightening the nuts. Push down on the wrench
while tightening the wheel nuts. Alternate nuts until each
nut has been tightened twice. Correct wheel nut torque is
100 ft. lbs. (135 N·m.). If you are not sure about the
tightness, have them checked with a torgue wrench by
your dealer or at a service station.
8. Remove the wheel blocks and lower the jack until it is
free. Stow the lug wrench, replaced tire, and jack. Secure
all parts using the means provided.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could endanger the occupants of the ve-
hicle. Always stow the jack parts and the spare tire in
the places provided.
9. Adjust the tire pressure as soon as possible.
NOTE:The spare tire well is designed to hold the
compact spare tire or a deflated (flat) tire. A fully inflated
tire will not fit in the spare tire well.
JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURES DUE TO A LOW
BATTERY
WARNING!
Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan whenever
the hood is raised. It can start anytime the ignition
switch is on. You can be hurt by the fan.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Unburned fuel could enter the catalytic
converter and once the engine has started, ignite and
damage the converter and vehicle. If the vehicle has
a discharged battery, booster cables may be used to
obtain a start from another vehicle. This type of start
can be dangerous if done improperly, so follow this
procedure carefully.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 133
6

WARNING!
Any procedure other than above could result in:
1. Personal injury caused by electrolyte squirting
out the battery vent;
2. Personal injury or property damage due to battery
explosion;
3. Damage to charging system of booster vehicle or
of immobilized vehicle.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the front wheels to pull errati-
cally to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs when
there is a difference in the surface traction under the front
(driving) wheels, particularly with high output engines.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is danger-
ous. Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of
the front wheels. You could lose control of the
vehicle and possibly have an accident. Accelerate
slowly and carefully whenever there is likely to be
poor traction (ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when roads are
slushy.
2. Slow down if road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace tires when tread wear indicators first become
visible.
136 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain enough distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a sudden
stop.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your 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 Reverse
and First gear. Usually the least accelerator pedal pres-
sure to maintain the rocking motion without spinning the
wheels is most effective.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire dam-
age or failure. A tire could explode and injure
someone. Do not spin your vehicle’s wheels faster
than 35 mph (55km/h) when you are stuck. And don’t
let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the
speed.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transaxle overheating and failure. It can
also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55km/h).
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 137
6

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
With Ignition Key
Your vehicle may be towed if the gearshift lever is in
NEUTRAL. If the transaxle is not operative, the vehicle
must be towed with the front wheels off the ground.
CAUTION!
If the vehicle being towed requires steering, the
ignition switch must be in the OFF position, not in
the LOCK or ACCESSORY positions.
If it is necessary to use the accessories while being towed
(wipers, defrosters, etc.), the key must be in the ON
position, not the ACCESSORY position. Make certain the
transaxle remains in NEUTRAL.
Without The Ignition Key
Special care must be taken when the vehicle is towed
with the ignition in the LOCK position. A dolly should be
used under the front wheels if the rear wheels are raised.
Proper towing equipment is necessary to prevent dam-
age to the vehicle.
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle (Flat
Towing With All Four Wheels On The Ground)
Your vehicle may be towed at any legal highway speed,
for any distance, if the transaxle is in neutral.
138 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Do not use abrasive or strong cleaning materials
such as steel wool or scouring powder, which will
scratch metal and painted surfaces. Many wheel
cleaners contain acids that may harm the wheel
surface.
Special Care
•
If you drive on salted or dusty roads or if you drive
near the ocean, hose off the undercarriage at least once
a month.
•It is important that the drain holes in the lower edges
of the doors, rocker panels and rear deck lid be kept
clear and open.
•If you detect any stone chips or scratches in the paint,
touch them up immediately. The cost of such repairs is
considered the responsibility of the owner.
•Use Mopar touch up paint on scratches or chips as
soon as possible. Your dealer has touch up paint to
match the color of your vehicle.
•If your vehicle is damaged due to an accident or
similar cause which destroys the paint and protective
coating, have your vehicle repaired as soon as pos-
sible. The cost of such repairs is considered the respon-
sibility of the owner.
•If you carry special cargo such as chemicals, fertilizers,
deicer salt, etc., be sure that such materials are well
packaged and sealed.
•If a lot of driving is done on gravel roads, consider
mud or stone shields behind each wheel.
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care
All wheels and wheel trim, especially Aluminum and
Chrome plated, should be cleaned regularly, using mild
soap and water to maintain their luster and to prevent
corrosion. Wash them with the same soap solution as the
body of your vehicle. Rinse wheels thoroughly.
When cleaning extremely dirty wheels, care must be
taken in the selection of tire and wheel cleaning chemi-
cals and equipment to prevent damage to the wheels.
166 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Only Mopar Wheel Cleaners are recommended. Any of
the“DO NOT USE”items listed below can damage
wheels and wheel trim.
DO NOT USE:
•Any abrasive cleaner
•Any abrasive cleaning pad (such as steel wool) or
abrasive brush
•Any cleaner that contains an acid which can react with
and discolor the chrome surface.
CAUTION!
Many wheel cleaners contain acids that may harm
the wheel surface.
•Oven cleaner
•A car wash that uses carbide-tipped wheel cleaning
brushes or acidic solutions.
Interior Care
Use Mopar Fabric Cleaner to clean fabric upholstery and
carpeting.
Use Mopar Vinyl Cleaner to clean vinyl upholstery.
Mopar Vinyl Cleaner is specifically recommended for
vinyl trim.
Your leather upholstery can be best preserved by regular
cleaning with a damp soft cloth. Small particles of dirt
can act as an abrasive and damage the leather upholstery
and should be removed promptly with a damp cloth.
Stubborn soils can be removed easily with a soft cloth
and Mopar Total Clean. Care should be taken to avoid
soaking your leather upholstery with any liquid. Please
do not use polishes, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents, deter-
gents, or ammonia based cleaners to clean your leather
upholstery. Application of a leather conditioner is not
required to maintain the original condition.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 167
7

Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled con-
ditions on a specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half (1
1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction Grades
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
WARNING!
The traction grade is based on braking (straight-
ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering
(turning) performance.
Temperature Grades
The temperature grades are A (highest), B, and C, repre-
senting the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the
tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance which all passen-
ger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
202 IF YOU NEED CONSUMER ASSISTANCE

Brake Warning........................ 69
Center Mounted Stop.................. 176
Daytime Running...................... 57
Dimmer Switch, Headlight.............56,57
Dome............................... 55
Exterior Check........................ 46
Fog ................................ 57
Headlights On Reminder................ 57
High Beam Indicator................... 70
Instrument Cluster..................... 56
Interior.............................. 55
Lights On Reminder.................... 57
Malfunction Indicator................... 72
Map Reading......................... 54
Oil Pressure.......................... 70
Park................................ 56
Passing............................. 57
Rear Servicing....................... 176
Rear Tail............................ 176
Seat Belt Reminder..................... 71
Security Alarm........................ 21
Side Marker......................... 175
Theft Alarm.......................... 71Turn Signal.....................57,70,175
Voltage.............................. 71
Warning (Instrument Cluster Description).... 69
Loading Vehicle........................ 125
Tires ............................... 108
Locks................................ 13
Child Protection....................... 16
Door............................... 13
Ignition............................ 143
Power Door.......................... 14
Steering Wheel........................ 13
Lubrication, Body....................... 155
Maintenance.......................... 145
Maintenance, Airbag..................... 37
Maintenance Free Battery................. 152
Maintenance Procedures.................. 145
Maintenance Schedule
ScheduleA......................... 190
ScheduleB......................... 183
Maintenance Schedules.................. 180
Maintenance, Sunroof.................... 61
Malfunction Indicator Light.............72,143
INDEX 209
10

Adjustment.......................... 50
Rear Folding......................... 52
Reclining............................ 51
Security Alarm (Theft Alarm).............21,71
Sentry Key..........................10,21
Sentry Key Programming.................. 12
Service Assistance...................... 196
Service Contract........................ 198
Service Manuals........................ 200
Setting the Clock........................ 74
Shift Speeds............................ 99
Shift Speeds, Manual Transaxle............. 99
Shoulder Belt Upper Anchorage............. 27
Side Airbag............................ 36
Side Window Demisters................... 89
Slippery Surfaces, Driving On............. 136
Snow Chains (Tire Chains)................ 119
Snow Tires............................ 119
Spark Plugs........................... 149
Speedometer........................... 70
Speedometer and Odometer................ 68
Starting............................... 95
Engine Fails to Start.................... 96Starting Procedures...................... 95
Steering
Power............................. 103
Tilt Column.......................... 59
Wheel Lock.......................... 13
Storage, Vehicle........................ 173
Sun Roof.............................. 60
Sunroof Maintenance..................... 61
Supplemental Restraint System - Airbag....... 30
Synthetic Engine Oil..................... 148
Tachometer............................ 70
Temperature Gauge, Engine Coolant.......73,129
Theft Alarm............................ 21
Theft System........................... 21
Theft System Arming..................... 21
Theft System Disarming................... 22
Tilt Steering Column..................... 59
Tire and Loading Information Placard....... 108
Tire Identification Number (TIN)........... 107
Tire Markings......................... 104
Tire Safety Information................... 104
Tires ...........................46,112,201
212 INDEX

Washer, Adding Fluid................... 156
Washers, Windshield..................... 58
Washing Vehicle........................ 165
Wheel Alignment and Balance............. 118
Wheel and Wheel Trim Care............... 166
Wind Buffeting......................... 62
Window Fogging........................ 89
Windows
Power.............................. 22
Windshield Washer Aiming............... 156
Windshield Washers..................... 58
Fluid.............................. 156
Windshield Wiper Blades................. 155
Windshield Wipers...................... 58
Wiper Blade Replacement................. 156
Wipers, Intermittent...................... 59
Wiring, Ignition........................ 151
214 INDEX