stop start DODGE NITRO 2008 1.G User Guide

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DESCRIPTION
1. Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge shows level of fuel in tank when
ignition switch is in the ON position.
2. Fuel Cap Indicator
This symbol indicates the side of the vehicle
where the fuel cap is located.
3. Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge indicates engine coolant
temperature. Any reading within the normal
range indicates that the cooling system is operat-
ing satisfactorily. The gauge needle will likely indicate a
high temperature when driving in hot weather, up moun-
tain grades, in heavy traffic, or when towing a trailer. If
the needle rises to the ªHº mark, stop the vehicle, shiftinto N (Neutral) increase engine speed for 2-3 minutes. If
the temperature reading does not return to normal, seek
authorized service immediately.
CAUTION!
Do not leave your vehicle unattended with the en-
gine running as you would not be able to react to the
temperature indicator if the engine overheats.
The gauge pointer will remain near its last reading when
the engine is turned off. It will return to a true reading
when the engine is restarted.
4. Low Fuel Warning Light
This indicator lights when the fuel gauge reads 1/8
of a tank or less.
168 INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONTROLS

WARNING!
When parking your vehicle, always leave a manual
transmission in first gear and apply the parking
brake fully to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage. Never use any gear as a
substitute for the parking brake.
CAUTION!
To drive as safely as possible and to prolong the life
of your manual transmission, follow these tips:
²Before shifting from a forward gear into reverse, or
from reverse to a forward gear, stop vehicle com-
pletely. Otherwise, accelerated transmission wear may
result.
²Do not operate at sustained high engine or road
speeds in lower gears. Engine damage may result.
²Do not downshift into a low gear while traveling at too
high a speed for that gear. Engine, clutch, or transmis-
sion damage may result.
²Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal. This causes
heat buildup and damages the clutch.
²When you slow down or go up a grade, downshift as
speed requires or the engine may overheat.
²Never hold the vehicle stopped on a hill by using the
clutch pedal. The clutch may be damaged.
²During cold weather, you may experience increased
effort in shifting until the transmission fluid warms
up. This is normal.
²Push in the clutch pedal completely when shifting.
Otherwise, transmission or clutch damage may result.
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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.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
²Shift into P (Park) only after the vehicle has come
to a complete stop.
²Shift into or out of R (Reverse) only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
²Do not shift from R (Reverse), P (Park), or N
(Neutral) into any forward gear when the engine is
above idle speed.
²Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
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4±Speed Automatic Transmission (3.7L Engine)
Shifting from D (Drive) to P (Park) or R (Reverse) (or
from P or R to D) should be done only after the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake when moving the
shift lever between these gears.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from P (Park) or
N (Neutral) position into another gear range.
P (Park)
This gear position supplements the parking brake by
locking the transmission. The engine can be started in
this range. Never use P (Park) while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range. Always apply parking brake first,
then place the selector in P (Park) position.
WARNING!
Never use P (Park) position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
Automatic Shift Controls
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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 ªRecreational
Towingº in Section 5 and ªTowing a Disabled Vehicleº 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.
256 STARTING AND OPERATING

Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored for abnormal condi-
tions. If a condition is detected that could result in
transmission damage, the transmission limp home mode
will be engaged. In this mode, the transmission will
remain in the current gear until the vehicle is brought to
a stop.
To reset the transmission, use the following procedure:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
3. Turn off the engine, be sure to turn the key to the
LOCK position.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds, then restart the en-
gine.
5. Move the shift lever to the desired gear range.If the problem is no longer detected, the transmission will
return to normal operation. If the problem persists, P
(Park), R (Reverse), and N (Neutral) will continue to
operate. Only Second gear range will operate in the D
(Drive) shifter position. Have the transmission checked at
your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been
added to the automatic transmission of this vehicle. A
clutch within the torque converter engages automatically
at calibrated speeds. This may result in a slightly differ-
ent feeling or response during normal operation in high
gear. When the vehicle speed drops or during accelera-
tion, the clutch automatically and smoothly disengages.
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5

gear engagement may be delayed after restarting the
engine if the key is not cycled to the LOCK position first.
P (Park)
This gear position supplements the parking brake by
locking the transmission. The engine can be started in
this range. Never use P (Park) while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range. Always apply parking brake first,
then place the selector in P (Park) position.
WARNING!
Never use P (Park) position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
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.
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5

Overdrive Operation
The overdrive automatic transmission contains an elec-
tronically controlled 5th speed (Overdrive). The trans-
mission will automatically shift from 4th gear to Over-
drive if the following conditions are present:
²the transmission selector is in D (Drive);
²the engine coolant has reached normal operating tem-
perature;
²vehicle speed is above approximately 30 mph (48
km/h);
²transmission has reached normal operating tempera-
ture.
NOTE:If the vehicle is started in extremely cold tem-
peratures, the transmission may not shift into Overdrive
and will automatically select the most desirable gear for
operation at this temperature. Normal operation will
resume when the transmission fluid temperature hasrisen to a suitable level. Refer also to the Note under
torque converter clutch, later in this section.
During cold temperature operation, you may notice
delayed upshifts depending on engine and transmission
temperature. This feature improves the warm up time of
the engine and transmission.
During cold temperature operation, the transmission
may not downshift from 2nd (2) gear to 1st (1) gear after
the initial 1st (1) to 2nd (2) gear upshift.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored for abnormal condi-
tions. If a condition is detected that could result in
transmission damage, the transmission limp home mode
will be engaged. In this mode, the transmission will
remain in the current gear until the vehicle is brought to
a stop.
To reset the transmission, use the following procedure:
STARTING AND OPERATING 263
5

1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
3. Turn off the engine, be sure to turn the key to the
LOCK position.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds, then restart the en-
gine.
5. Move the shift lever to the desired gear range.
If the problem is no longer detected, the transmission will
return to normal operation. If the problem persists, P
(Park), R (Reverse), and N (Neutral) will continue to
operate. Only Second gear range will operate in the D
(Drive) shifter position. Have the transmission checked at
your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
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 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.
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
264 STARTING AND OPERATING

wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is accomplished
by rotating the 4WD Control Switch to the desired
position - refer to ªShifting Procedureº for specific shift-
ing instructions. The 4WD LOCK position is designed for
loose, slippery road surfaces only. Driving in the 4WD
LOCK position on dry hard surfaced roads may cause
increased tire wear and damage to the driveline compo-
nents.
NOTE:Do not attempt to make a shift while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning. Shifting while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning can cause damage to the
transfer case.
Proper operation of 4 wheel drive vehicles depends on
tires of equal size, type and circumference on each wheel.
Any difference in tire size can cause damage to the
transfer case.Since 4 wheel drive provides improved traction, there is
a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping speeds.
Do not go faster than road conditions permit.
Shifting Procedure - Electronically Shifted
Transfer Case
NOTE:If any of the requirements to select a new
transfer case position have not been met, the transfer case
will not shift. The ª4WDº Indicator Light (located in the
display under the tachometer) will flash until all the
requirements for the selected position have been met. To
retry a shift: return the control knob back to the original
position, make certain all shift requirements have been
met, wait five (5) seconds and try the shift again.
2WD,4WD LOCK
Rotate the 4WD Control Switch to the desired position.
Shifts between 2WD and 4WD LOCK can be done with
the vehicle stopped or in motion. With the vehicle in
motion, the transfer case will engage/disengage faster if
266 STARTING AND OPERATING