manual transmission DODGE NITRO 2007 1.G User Guide

•Do not operate at sustained high engine or road
speeds in lower gears. Engine damage may result.
•Do not downshift into a low gear while traveling at too
high a speed for that gear. Engine, clutch, or transmis-
sion damage may result.
•Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal. This causes
heat buildup and damages the clutch.
•When you slow down or go up a grade, downshift as
speed requires or the engine may overheat.
•Never hold the vehicle stopped on a hill by using the
clutch pedal. The clutch may be damaged.
•During cold weather, you may experience increased
effort in shifting until the transmission fluid warms
up. This is normal.
•Push in the clutch pedal completely when shifting.
Otherwise, transmission or clutch damage may result.
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting between a
forward gear and reverse, do not spin wheels faster
than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
Recommended Manual Transmission Shifting
Speeds
The manufacturer recommends that you use the shift
speeds listed in the chart below.
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
En-
gineSpeeds 1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 6
3.7L Accel. 15 (24) 24
(39)34
(55)47
(76)56
(90)
Cruise 10 (16) 19
(31)27
(43)37
(60)41
(66)
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5

Recommended Manual Transmission Downshifting
Speeds
To prevent clutch and transmission damage, your vehicle
should be downshifted at speeds no greater than those
listed in the chart below:
Manual Transmission Downshift Speeds in MPH
(KM/H)
Gear
Selec-
tion6th to
5th5th to
4th4th to
3rd3rd to
2nd2nd to
1st
Maxi-
mum
Speed100
mph
(160
km/h)80 mph
(128
km/h)60 mph
(96
km/h)40 mph
(64
km/h)20 mph
(32
km/h)
CAUTION!
Failure to follow the recommended downshifting
speeds may cause the engine to over speed and/or
damage the clutch disc even if the clutch pedal is
depressed.
246 STARTING AND OPERATING

R (Reverse)
Use this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
N (Neutral)
Shift into N (Neutral) when the vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with the engine running. The engine
may be started in this range. Set the parking brake if you
must leave the vehicle.
NOTE:Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever in N (Neutral) can result
in severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in Section 5 and “Towing a Disabled Vehicle” in
Section 6 of this manual.
D (Drive)
For most city and highway driving.2 (Second)
For moderate grades and to assist braking on dry pave-
ment or in mud and snow. Begins at a stop in low gear
with automatic upshift to 2nd gear. Will not shift to 3rd.
1 (First)
For hard pulling at low speeds in mud, sand, snow, or on
steep grades. Begins and stays in low gear with no
upshift. Provides engine compression braking at low
speeds.
Overdrive Operation
The overdrive automatic transmission contains an elec-
tronically controlled fourth and fifth speed (Overdrive).
The transmission will automatically shift from 3rd gear to
Overdrive if the following conditions are present:
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5

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of P
(Park) or N (Neutral) if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on 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 right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
R (Reverse)
Use this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
N (Neutral)
Shift into N (Neutral) when the vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with the engine running. The engine
may be started in this range. Set the parking brake if you
must leave the vehicle.
NOTE:Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever in N (Neutral) can result
in severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in Section 5 and “Towing a Disabled Vehicle” in
Section 6 of this manual.
D (Drive)
The transmission automatically upshifts through fifth
gear. The D (Drive) position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control allows
you to move the shifter left (-) or right (+) when the
shifter is in the D (Drive) position, allowing the selection
256 STARTING AND OPERATING

A clutch within the torque converter engages automati-
cally at a calibrated speed at light throttle. It engages at
higher speeds under heavier acceleration. This may re-
sult in a slightly different feeling or response during
normal operation in high gear. When the vehicle speed
drops below a calibrated speed, or during acceleration,
the clutch automatically and smoothly disengages. The
feature is operational in Overdrive and in Drive.
NOTE:The torque converter clutch will not engage
until the transmission fluid and engine coolant are warm
[usually after 1-3 miles (1.6 - 4.8 km) of driving]. 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.
Manually shifting between 3 (third gear) and 4 (fourth
gear) positions (using the ERS shift control) will demon-
strate that the transmission is able to shift into and out of
Overdrive.NOTE:If the vehicle has not been driven in several
days, the first few seconds of operation after shifting the
transmission into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to
the fluid partially draining from the torque converter into
the transmission. This condition is normal and will not
cause damage to the transmission. The torque converter
will refill within five seconds of shifting from Park into
any other gear position.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
MP 143 Single-Speed Part-Time Transfer Case —
If Equipped
Operating Information/Precautions
This is an electric shift transfer case and is operated by
the 4WD Control Switch (Transfer Case Switch), which is
located on the center console.
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5

Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked, and
the gear shift lever is in the P (Park) position (automatic
transmission) or R (Reverse) or 1st gear (manual trans-
mission). When parking on a hill, you should apply the
parking brake before placing the gear shift lever in P
(Park), otherwise the load on the transmission locking
mechanism may make it difficult to move the selector out
of P (Park).WARNING!
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also, be certain to leave an automatic
transmission in P (Park), a manual transmission in
R (Reverse) or 1st gear. Failure to do so may allow
the vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.
•Leaving children in a vehicle unattended is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be injured. Don’t leave the keys in the
ignition. 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
problems due to excessive heating of the rear
brakes.
264 STARTING AND OPERATING

Engine/
TransmissionModel GCWR (Gross Com-
bined Wt. Rating)Frontal Area Max. GTW (Gross
Trailer Wt.)Tongue Wt. (See
Note)
3.7L/6-Speed
Manual4x2 8,500 lbs (3 855 kg) 40 Sq. Ft. (3.72
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
3.7L/6-Speed
Manual4x4 8,750 lbs (3 969 kg) 40 Sq. Ft. (3.72
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
3.7L/
Automatic4x2 7,150 lbs (3 243 kg) 32 Sq. Ft. (2.97
square meters)2,000 lbs (907 kg) 200 lbs (91 kg)
3.7L/
Automatic4x4 7,400 lbs ( 3 356 kg) 32 Sq. Ft. (2.97
square meters)2,000 lbs (907 kg) 200 lbs (91 kg)
3.7L/
Automatic w/
Cooler4x2 9,850 lbs (4 468 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
3.7L/
Automatic
w/Cooler4x4 10,100 lbs (4 581 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
4.0L/
Automatic4x2 7,150 lbs (3 243 kg) 32 Sq. Ft. (2.97
square meters)2,000 lbs (907 kg) 200 lbs (91 kg)
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5

4.0L/
Automatic4x4 7,400 lbs ( 3 356 kg) 32 Sq. Ft. (2.97
square meters)2,000 lbs (907 kg) 200 lbs (91 kg)
4.0L/
Automatic w/
Cooler4x2 9,850 lbs (4 468 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
4.0L/
Automatic w/
Cooler4x4 10,100 lbs (4 581 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.
NOTE:The trailer tongue weight must be considered as
part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo, and
should never exceed the weight referenced on the Tire
and Loading Information placard. Refer to the Tire–
Safety Information section in this manual.When Towing Trailers with Gross Trailer Weight
(GTW) between 3,500 lbs (1 588 kg) and 5,000 lbs (2 268
kg)
The following chart provides maximum trailer weight
ratings towable for the following engine/transmission
combinations,ONLYif using a weight distributing hitch.
312 STARTING AND OPERATING

Engine/
TransmissionModel GCWR (Gross Com-
bined Wt. Rating)Frontal Area Max. GTW (Gross
Trailer Wt.)Tongue Wt. (See
Note)
3.7L/
Automatic w/
Cooler4x2 9,850 lbs (4 468 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)5,000 lbs (2 268 kg) 500 lbs (227 kg)
3.7L/
Automatic
w/Cooler4x4 10,100 lbs (4 581 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)5,000 lbs (2 268 kg) 500 lbs (227 kg)
4.0L/
Automatic w/
Cooler4x2 9,850 lbs (4 468 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)5,000 lbs (2 268 kg) 500 lbs (227 kg)
4.0L/
Automatic w/
Cooler4x4 10,100 lbs (4 581 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)5,000 lbs (2 268 kg) 500 lbs (227 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.
NOTE:The trailer tongue weight must be considered as
part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo, andshould never exceed the weight referenced on the Tire
and Loading Information placard. Refer to the Tire–
Safety Information section in this manual.
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WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.
•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a
loss of control, poor performance or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transmission, steering, suspension, chas-
sis structure or tires.
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the
frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade.
When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow
vehicle. Put the tow vehicle automatic transmission in
P (Park). With a manual transmission, shift the trans-
mission into R (Reverse). Always, block orchockthe
trailer wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
316 STARTING AND OPERATING