lock DODGE NITRO 2010 1.G Owners Manual

The ABS pump motor runs during the self-test at 12 mph
(20 km/h) and during an ABS stop. The pump motor
makes a low humming noise during operation, which is
normal.
WARNING!
•Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish
their effectiveness and may lead to an accident.
Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just
press firmly on your brake pedal when you need
to slow down or stop.
•The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of phys-
ics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking or steering efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes and
tires or the traction afforded.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•The ABS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns,
following another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver
can prevent accidents.
•The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner, which could jeopardize the user’s safety
or the safety of others.
CAUTION!
The ABS is subject to possible detrimental effects of
electronic interference caused by improperly in-
stalled aftermarket radios or telephones.
320 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:During severe braking conditions, a pulsing
sensation may occur and a clicking noise will be heard.
This is normal, indicating that the ABS is functioning.
•Do not “ride” the brakes by resting your foot on the
pedal. This could overheat the brakes and result in
unpredictable braking action, longer stopping dis-
tances, or brake damage.
•When descending mountains or hills, repeated brak-
ing can cause brake fade with loss of braking control.
Avoid repeated heavy braking by downshifting the
transmission or locking out overdrive whenever pos-
sible.
•Engines may idle at higher speeds during warm-up,
which could cause rear wheels to spin and result in
loss of vehicle control. Be especially careful while
driving on slippery roads, in close-quarter maneuver-
ing, parking, or stopping.
•Do not drive too fast for road conditions, especially
when roads are wet or slushy. A wedge of water can
build up between the tire tread and the road. This
hydroplaning action can cause loss of traction, braking
ability, and control.
•After going through deep water or a car wash, brakes
may become wet, resulting in decreased performance
and unpredictable braking action. Dry the brakes by
gentle, intermittent pedal action while driving at very
slow speeds.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced electronic
brake control system that includes an Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), Brake Assist
System (BAS), Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) and Elec-
tronic Stability Program (ESP). All five systems work
together to enhance vehicle stability and control in various
driving conditions and are commonly referred to as ESP.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 321

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
This system aids the driver in maintaining vehicle control
under adverse braking conditions. The system controls
hydraulic brake pressure to prevent wheel lockup and
help avoid skidding on slippery surfaces during braking.
Refer to “Anti-Lock Brake System” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.
WARNING!
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) cannot prevent the
natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor
can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. ABS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on
very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents. The
capabilities of an ABS-equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of others.
322 STARTING AND OPERATING

Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, brake
pressure is applied to the slipping wheel(s) and engine
power is reduced to provide enhanced acceleration and
stability. A feature of the TCS system functions similar to
a limited slip differential and controls the wheel spin
across a driven axle. If one wheel on a driven axle is
spinning faster than the other, the system will apply the
brake of the spinning wheel. This will allow more engine
torque to be applied to the wheel that is not spinning.
This feature remains active even if TCS and ESP are in the
“Partial Off” mode. Refer to “ESP (Electronic Stability
Program)” in this section.
Brake Assist System (BAS)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking
capability during emergency braking maneuvers. The
system detects an emergency braking situation by sens-
ing the rate and amount of brake application and then
applies optimum pressure to the brakes. This can help
reduce braking distances. The BAS complements the
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS). Applying the brakes very
quickly results in the best BAS assistance. To receive the
benefit of the system, you must apply continuous brak-
ing pressure during the stopping sequence. Do not
reduce brake pedal pressure unless braking is no longer
desired. Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is
deactivated.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 323

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
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance or dam-
age to brakes, axle, engine, transmission, steering,
suspension, chassis 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.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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 or\bchock\bthe 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 uti-
lized. (This requirement may limit the ability to
always achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue
weight as a percentage of total trailer weight).
378 STARTING AND OPERATING

vehicle, or the driveshaft is completely reinstalled. See
your authorized dealer for proper driveshaft removal
and reinstallation procedures, including flange
orientation/alignment, use of thread-locking compound,
proper bolt torque specifications, etc.
NOTE:This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or
vehicle trailer provided all four wheels are OFFthe
ground.
Four-Wheel Drive or All-Wheel Drive Models
CAUTION!
Front or rear wheel lifts should not be used. Internal
damage to the transmission or transfer case will occur
if a front or rear wheel lift is used when recreational
towing.
All Four Wheels On The Ground
Recreational towing is NOTallowed. These models do
not have a NEUTRAL position in the transfer case.
NOTE: This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or
vehicle trailer provided all four wheels are OFFthe
ground.
384 STARTING AND OPERATING

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The Hazard Warning Flasher switch is located on the
lower switch bank below the climate controls.Press the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flasher. When the switch is activated, all directional
turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. Press the switch a second time to
turn off the Hazard Warning flasher.
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.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating your engine by taking the
appropriate action.
•On the highways — slow down.
•In city traffic — while stopped, put transmission in
NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads “H,”
pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with
the air conditioner turned off until the pointer drops
back into the normal range. If the pointer remains on
the “H” and you hear continuous chimes, turn the
engine off immediately and call for service.
386 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Spare Tire Removal
Fit the jack handle extension over the drive nut. Use the
lug wrench to rotate the nut counterclockwise until the
spare is on the ground with enough slack in the cable to
allow you to pull the tire out from under the vehicle.CAUTION!
The winch mechanism is designed for use with the
jack extension tube only. Use of an air wrench or
other power tools is not recommended and they can
damage the winch.
When the spare is clear, tilt the retainer at the end of the
cable and pull it through the center of the wheel.
Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface. Avoid icy or
slippery areas.
Lowering/Raising Spare Tire
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 389

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.
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.
•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. (Continued)
390 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

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. The 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.
JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURES
If your vehicle has a discharged battery it can be jump-
started using a set of jumper cables and a battery in
another vehicle or by using a portable battery booster
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 393