warning DODGE NITRO 2009 1.G Owners Manual

WARNING! (Continued)
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 transmission in PARK.
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
3. GAWR
4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch utilized.
(This requirement may limit the ability to always
achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue weight as a
percentage of total trailer weight).
346 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (454 kg)
loaded, it should have its own brakes and they
should be of adequate capacity. Failure to do this
could lead to accelerated brake lining wear, higher
brake pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle’s hy-
draulic brake lines. It can overload your brake sys-
tem and cause it to fail. You might not have brakes
when you need them and could have an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stopping dis-
tance. When towing you should allow for additional
space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights & Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stop lights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The trailer tow package may include a 4-pin and 7-pin
wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer harness
and connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicles
wiring harness.
348 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flasher................. 354
If Your Engine Overheats................ 355
Jacking And Tire Changing............... 356
▫Jack Location....................... 356
▫Spare Tire Stowage................... 356
▫Spare Tire Removal................... 357▫Preparations For Jacking................ 358
▫Jacking Instructions................... 358
Jump-Starting........................ 362
Towing A Disabled Vehicle............... 364
▫2-Wheel Drive Vehicles................ 364
▫4-Wheel Drive Vehicles................ 364
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HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The Hazard Warning Flasher switch is located on the
lower switch bank below the climate controls.To operate the Hazard Warning flasher, press the switch
and all front and rear directional signals will flash
intermittently. Press the switch a second time to turn off
the flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and should not be
used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
If it is necessary to leave the vehicle to go for service, the
Hazard Warning flasher will continue to operate with the
ignition key removed and the vehicle locked.
NOTE:With extended use, the Hazard Warning flasher
may wear down your battery.
Hazard Warning Switch
354 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
WARNING!
•Getting under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous.
The vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you.
You could be crushed. Never get any part of your
body under a vehicle that is on a jack. If you need
to get under a raised vehicle, take it to a service
center where it can be raised on a lift.
•The jack is designed to use as a tool for changing
tires only. The jack should not be used to lift the
vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle should
be jacked on a firm level surface only. Avoid ice or
slippery areas.
Jack Location
The scissor-type jack and tire changing tools are located
in the left rear trim panel behind the second row seat.
Spare Tire Stowage
The spare tire is stowed underneath the rear of the
vehicle and is held in place by a cable winch mechanism.
Jack Storage Location
356 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm level surface. Avoid icy or
slippery areas.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off
the road to avoid being hit when operating the jack
or changing the wheel.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Place the shift lever into PARK (automatic transmis-
sion) or REVERSE (manual transmission).
4. Turn the ignition to the LOCK position.
5. Turn on the Hazard Warning Flasher.6. Block both the front and rear of the
wheel diagonally opposite of the jack-
ing position. For example, if changing
the right front tire, block the left rear
wheel.
Jacking Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to help
prevent personal injury or damage to your vehicle:
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far from
the edge of the roadway as possible before raising
the vehicle.
•Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to
be raised.
(Continued)
358 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING! (Continued)
•Set the parking brake firmly and set an automatic
transmission in PARK; a manual transmission in
REVERSE.
•Never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a
jack.
•Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it is on a
jack.
•Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a jack.
•Only use the jack in the positions indicated and
for lifting this vehicle during a tire change.
•If working on or near a roadway, be extremely
careful of motor traffic.
•To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated are
securely stowed, spares must be stowed with the
valve stem facing the ground.
•Turn on the Hazard Warning Flasher.1. Remove spare tire.
2. Remove jack and tools from mounting bracket. As-
semble the tools by connecting the driver to the exten-
sion, and then to the lug wrench.
3. Loosen (but do not remove) the wheel lug nuts by
turning them to the left one turn while the wheel is still
on the ground.
Jack Warning Label
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 359
6

WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make
the vehicle less stable and cause an accident. It could
slip off the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the
vehicle only enough to remove the tire.
6. Remove the lug nuts and wheel.
7. Position the spare wheel/tire on the vehicle and install
the lug nuts with the cone-shaped end toward the wheel.
Lightly tighten the nuts. To avoid the risk of forcing the
vehicle off the jack, do not tighten the nuts fully until the
vehicle has been lowered.
8. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the left,
and remove the jack and wheel blocks.9. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the
wrench while tightening for increased leverage. Alternate
nuts until each nut has been tightened twice. Correct
wheel nut tightness is 95 ft lbs (130 N·m). If in doubt
about the correct tightness, have them checked with a
torque wrench by your authorized dealer or at a service
station.
10. Lower the jack to its fully closed position.
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.
11. Secure the tire, jack, and tools in their proper
locations.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 361
6

JUMP-STARTING
WARNING!
•Battery fluid is a corrosive acid solution; do not
allow battery fluid to contact eyes, skin or cloth-
ing. Don’t lean over battery when attaching
clamps or allow the clamps to touch each other. If
acid splashes in eyes or on skin, flush the contami-
nated area immediately with large quantities of
water.
•A battery generates hydrogen gas which is flam-
mable and explosive. Keep flame or spark away
from the vent holes. Do not use a booster battery
or any other booster source with an output that
exceeds 12-Volts.
1. Wear eye protection and remove all metal jewelry such
as watch bands or bracelets which might make an
unintended electrical contact.2. Park the booster vehicle within cable reach but with-
out letting the vehicles touch. Set the parking brake, place
the automatic transmission in PARK, and turn the igni-
tion OFF on both vehicles.
3. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal loads.
4. Connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive
terminal of the booster battery. Connect the other end of
the same cable to the positive terminal of the discharged
battery.
WARNING!
Do not permit vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
362 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

5. Connect the other cable, first to the negative terminal
of the booster battery and then to the engine of the
vehicle with the discharged battery. Make sure you have
a good contact on the engine.
WARNING!
•Do not connect the cable to the negative post of the
discharge battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode.
•During cold weather when temperatures are be-
low the freezing point, electrolyte in a discharged
battery may freeze. Do not attempt jump starting
because the battery could rupture or explode. The
battery temperature must be brought up above the
freezing point before attempting a jump start.6. Start the engine in the vehicle which has the booster
battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, then start the
engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
7. When removing the jumper cables, reverse the above
sequence exactly. Be careful of the moving belts and fan.
WARNING!
Any procedure other than above could result in:
•Personal injury caused by electrolyte squirting out
the battery vent.
•Personal injury or property damage due to battery
explosion.
•Damage to charging system of booster vehicle or
of immobilized vehicle.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 363
6