brake DODGE NITRO 2008 1.G Owner's Manual

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.
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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

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)
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 selectionof the desired top gear. For example, if the driver shifts
the transmission into 3 (third gear), the transmission will
never shift above third gear, but can shift down to 2
(second) or 1 (first), when needed.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid.
Screen Display12 34D
Actual Gear(s) Al-
lowed1 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5
NOTE:To select the proper gear position for maximum
deceleration (engine braking), move the shift lever to the
left ªD(-)º and hold it there. The transmission will shift to
the range from which the vehicle can best be slowed
down.
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you momentarily release the accelerator pedal after turn-
ing the control switch. If the vehicle is stopped, the
ignition key must be in the ON position with the engine
either RUNNING or OFF. This shift cannot be completed
if the key is in the ACC (Accessory) position.
NOTE:The 4 wheel drive system will not allow shifts
between 2WD/4WD LOCK if the front and/or rear
wheels are spinning (no traction). In this situation, the
ª4WDº Indicator Light (located in the display under the
tachometer) will flash. At this time, reduce speed and
stop spinning the wheels to complete the shift.
NOTE:Delayed shifting out of 4WD LOCK may be
experienced due to uneven tire wear, low tire pressure, or
excessive loading.MP 140 Single-Speed Full-Time Transfer Case Ð
If Equipped
Operating Information/Precautions
The MP 140 is a single speed (HI range only) transfer case
which provides convenient full-time all-wheel drive. No
driver interaction is required. This transfer case employs
an inter-axle differential that divides engine torque al-
most evenly with 48 percent torque to the front axle and
52 percent torque to the rear axle, this allows the front
and rear wheels to rotate at different speeds, on all road
surfaces. The Brake Traction Control System (BTC),
which combines standard ABS and Traction Control,
provides resistance to any wheel that is slipping to allow
additional torque transfer to wheels with traction.
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Driving In Snow, Mud and Sand
In heavy snow, when pulling a load, or for additional
control at slower speeds, shift the transmission to a low
gear and shift the transfer case to 4L or 4LO if necessary.
Refer to ªFour-Wheel Drive Operationº in this section.
Do not shift to a lower gear than necessary to maintain
headway. Over-revving the engine can spin the wheels
and traction will be lost.
Avoid abrupt downshifts on icy or slippery roads, be-
cause engine braking may cause skidding and loss of
control.
Hill Climbing
NOTE:Before attempting to climb a hill, determine the
conditions at the crest and/or on the other side.
Before climbing a steep hill,shift the transmission to a
lower gear and shift the transfer case to 4L or 4LO. Use
first gear and 4L or 4LO for very steep hills.If you stall or begin to lose headwaywhile climbing a
steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and
immediately apply the brakes. Restart the engine and
shift to R (Reverse). Back slowly down the hill allowing
the compression braking of the engine to help regulate
your speed. If the brakes are required to control vehicle
speed, apply them lightly and avoid locking or skidding
the tires.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never
attempt to turn around. To do so may result in
tipping and rolling the vehicle. Always back straight
down a hill in R (Reverse) gear carefull. Never back
down a hill in N (Neutral) using only the brake.
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Remember, never drive diagonally across a hill-always
drive straight up or down.
If the wheels start to slip as you approach the crest of a
hill, ease off the accelerator and maintain headway by
turning the front wheels slowly left and right. This may
provide a fresh ªbiteº into the surface and will usually
provide traction to complete the climb.
Traction Downhill
Shift the transmission into a low gear and the transfer
case to 4L or 4LO range. Let the vehicle go slowly down
the hill with all four wheels turning against engine
compression drag. This will permit you to control the
vehicle speed and direction.
When descending mountains or hills, repeated braking
can cause brake fade with loss of braking control. Avoid
repeated heavy braking by downshifting the transmis-
sion whenever possible.
After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than
does most on-road driving. After going off-road, it is
always a good idea to check for damage. That way you
can get any problems taken care of right away and have
your vehicle ready when you need it.
²Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle.
Check tires, body structure, steering, suspension, and
exhaust system for damage.
²Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on
the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and sus-
pension. Retighten them, if required, and torque to the
values specified in the Service Manual.
²Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These
things could be a fire hazard. They might hide damage
to fuel lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and
propeller shafts.
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²After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or
similar dirty conditions, have brake rotors, wheels,
brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and cleaned as
soon as possible.
WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may cause
excessive wear or unpredictable braking. You might
not have full braking power when you need it to
prevent an accident. If you have been operating your
vehicle in dirty conditions, get your brakes checked
and cleaned as necessary.
²If you experience unusual vibration after driving in
mud, slush, or similar conditions, check the wheels for
impacted material. Impacted material can cause a
wheel imbalance and freeing the wheels of it will
correct the situation.
PARKING BRAKE
To set the parking brake, pull the lever up as firmly as
possible. When the parking brake is applied with the
ignition ON, the ªBrake Warning Lightº in the instru-
ment cluster will light. To release the parking brake, pull
up slightly, press the center button, then lower the lever
completely.
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NOTE:The instrument cluster ªBrake Warning Lightº
indicates only that the parking brake is applied. You must
be sure the parking brake is fully applied before leaving
the vehicle.Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked, and
the gear selector lever is in the ªPº (Park) position
(automatic transmission) or ªRº (Reverse) or 1st gear
(manual transmission). When parking on a hill, you
should apply the parking brake before placing the gear
selector lever in ªPº (Park); otherwise, the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the selector out of ªPº (Park).
Parking Brake
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WARNING!
²Always apply the parking brake fully when leav-
ing your vehicle or it may roll and cause damage or
injury. Also, be certain to leave an automatic
transmission in ªPº (Park) or a manual transmis-
sion in ªRº (Reverse) or 1st gear. Failure to do so
may allow the vehicle to roll and cause damage or
injury.
²Leaving 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.
²Be 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.When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
The parking brake should always be applied whenever
the driver is not in the vehicle.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is designed to aid the
driver in maintaining vehicle control under adverse
braking conditions. The system operates with a separate
computer to modulate hydraulic pressure to prevent
wheel lock-up and help avoid skidding on slippery
surfaces.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
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