ignition DODGE VIPER 2004 ZB / 2.G Owner's Guide

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The flasher switch is on the top of the steering
column, just behind the steering wheel. Depress
the flasher button and all front and rear directional
signals will flash. Depress the flasher button again to turn
the flashers off.Do not use this emergency warning system 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
flasher system will continue to operate with the ignition
key removed.
NOTE:With extended use, the flasher may run down
your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
²On the highways ÐSlow down and use the highest
gear possible.
²In city traffic ÐWhile stopped, put the transmission
in neutral, but do not increase engine idle speed.
132 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

without letting the vehicles touch. Set the parking brake,
place the transmission in neutral and turn the ignition
OFF for both vehicles.
3. Turn off the heater, radio and all unnecessary electrical
loads.
4. If you are jump starting your Viper, 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
remote battery positive terminal after removing the plas-
tic cover.
5. If you are jump starting another vehicle, connect one
end of a jumper cable to the remote battery positive
terminal post on the Power Distribution Center. Connect
the other end of the same cable to the positive terminal of
the discharged battery after removing the plastic cover.6. Connect the other cable, first to the negative terminal
of the booster battery and then to the ground (on the ear
of the Thermostat Housing) of your Viper as shown.
Make sure you have a good contact.
7. If you are jump starting another vehicle, connect one
end of a jumper cable to the ground (on the ear of the
Thermostat Housing shown in illustration) of your Viper
136 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
m8.3L Engine Compartment................144
mOnboard Diagnostic System (OBD II).........145
mEmissions Inspection And Maintenance
Programs............................146
mReplacement Parts......................147
mDealer Service.........................147
mMaintenance Procedures..................148
NEngine Oil..........................148
NDrive Belts Ð Check Condition And Tension . . 152NSpark Plugs.........................152
NCatalytic Converter....................153
NIgnition Wiring System And Ignition Timing . . 154
NCrankcase Emission Control System........155
NAir Cleaner Filter.....................155
NMaintenance-Free Battery................156
NBattery Save Feature...................158
NAir Conditioner......................160
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EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass
an inspection of your vehicle's emissions control system.
Failure to pass could prevent vehicle registration.
For states which have an I/M (Inspection and
Maintenance) requirement, this check verifies the
following: the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp)
is functioning and is not on when the engine is running,
and that the OBD (On Board Diagnostic) system is ready
for testing.
Normally, the OBD system will be ready. The OBD
system maynotbe ready if your vehicle was recently
serviced, if you recently had a dead battery, or a battery
replacement. If the OBD system should be determined
not ready for the I/M test, your vehicle may fail the test.Your vehicle has a simple ignition key actuated test
which you can use prior to going to the test station. To
check if your vehicle's OBD system is ready, you must do
the following:
1. Insert your ignition key into the ignition switch.
2. Turn the ignition to the ON position, but do not crank
or start the engine.
3. If you crank or start the engine, you will have to start
this test over.
4. As soon as you turn your key to the ON position, you
will see your MIL symbol come on as part of a normal
bulb check.
5. Approximately 15 seconds later, one of two things will
happen:
a. The MIL will flash for about 10 seconds and then
return to being fully illuminated until you turn off the
146 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ignition key or start the engine. This means that your
vehicle's OBD system isnot readyand you shouldnot
proceed to the I/M station.
b. The MIL will not flash at all and will remain fully
illuminated until you turn off the ignition key or start
the engine. This means that your vehicle's OBD system
isreadyand you can proceed to the I/M station.
If your OBD system isnot ready,you should see your
authorized dealer or repair facility. If your vehicle was
recently serviced or had a battery failure or replacement,
you may need to do nothing more than drive your
vehicle as you normally would in order for your OBD
system to update. A recheck with the above test routine
may then indicate that the system is now ready.
Regardless of whether your vehicle's OBD system is
ready or not ready, if the MIL symbol is illuminated
during normal vehicle operation, you should have yourvehicle serviced before going to the I/M station. The I/M
station can fail your vehicle because the MIL symbol is on
with the engine running.
REPLACEMENT PARTS
Use of genuine Mopartparts for normal/scheduled
maintenance and repairs is highly recommended to in-
sure the designed performance. Damage or failures
caused by the use of non-Mopartparts for maintenance
and repairs will not be covered by the manufacturer's
warranty.
DEALER SERVICE
Your dealer has the qualified service personnel, special
tools and equipment to perform all service operations in
an expert manner. Service Manuals are available which
include detailed service information for your vehicle.
Refer to these manuals before attempting any procedure
yourself.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 147
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WARNING!
A hot exhaust system can start a fire if you park over
materials that can burn. Such materials might be
grass or leaves coming into contact with your ex-
haust system. Do not park or operate your vehicle in
areas where your exhaust system can contact any-
thing that can burn.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may suggest severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, stop
the vehicle, turn off the engine and allow it to cool.
Service, including a tune up to manufacturers specifica-
tions, should be obtained immediately.To minimize the possibility of catalytic converter dam-
age:
²Do not shut off the engine or interrupt the ignition
when the transmission is in gear and the vehicle is in
motion.
²Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing the
vehicle.
²Do not idle the engine with any spark plug wires
disconnected for prolonged period.
Ignition Wiring System and Ignition Timing
The ignition cables should be kept clean and properly
connected. Terminals should be fully seated. Do not
remove the nipple assemblies from the coil towers unless
the nipples are damaged or cable testing shows high
resistance or broken insulation. Refer to the Service
154 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Manual for the proper procedure to be followed for
checking ignition cable resistance. Cracked, damaged, or
faulty cables should be replaced.
Because of the plastic body shell on your Viper, ignition
cables should be replaced with the specially designed RFI
cables available at your dealer.
Ignition timing cannot be set on this vehicle.
Crankcase Emission Control System
Proper operation of this system depends on freedom
from plugging due to deposits. As vehicle mileage builds
up, the Crankcase Ventilation Valve orifice may accumu-
late deposits. If a valve is not working properly, replace it
with a new orifice. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CLEAN THE
OLD ORIFICE!
Check the ventilation hose for indication of damage or
plugging deposits. Replace if necessary.
Air Cleaner Filter
Under normal driving conditions, replace the air filter at
the intervals shown on ªMaintenance Schedule Aº. If,
however, you drive the vehicle frequently under dusty or
severe conditions, the filter element should be inspected
periodically and replaced if necessary at the intervals
shown in ªMaintenance Schedule Bº.
WARNING!
The air cleaner can provide protection if the engine
backfires. Do not remove the air cleaner unless such
removal is necessary for repair or maintenance.
Make sure that no one is near the engine compart-
ment before starting the vehicle with the air cleaner
removed. Failure to do so can result in serious
personal injury.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 155
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CAUTION!
It is essential when replacing the cables on the
battery that you attach the positive cable to the
positive post and the negative cable to the negative
post. Battery posts are marked positive (+) and
negative (-) and identified on the battery case. Cable
clamps should be tight on the terminal posts and
free of corrosion. Apply grease to post and clamps
after tightening. If using a ªfast chargerº while the
battery is in the vehicle, disconnect both vehicle
battery cables before connecting the charger to bat-
tery. Do not use a ªfast chargerº to provide starting
voltage.
Battery Save Feature
The Battery Save feature conserves battery power when
storing the vehicle up to 3 months without losing radio
and engine controller memory. This is an alternative to
disconnecting the battery.
NOTE:This vehicle is designed to sit in storage for up
to 30 days on a fully charged battery. If this vehicle is to
be stored for longer than 30 days the following is
recommended:
1. Disconnect the battery
2. Use the battery charger
3. Put the vehicle into Battery Save mode (3 month
charge).
Start the battery save feature by doing the following:
1. Insert the key into the ignition.
158 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

2. Cycle the ignition from OFF to ACC four times with-
out going into ON. Leave the switch in the OFF position
after the fourth cycle.
3. Depress the driver's side Power Door Lock switch in
the UP direction. A single chime and a horn chirp indicate
that the process has begun.
4. Remove the key from the ignition and exit the vehicle.5. The feature is cancelled when the ignition is cycled to
ON/RUN.
6. The vehicle will enter Battery Save Mode 45 seconds
after all doors are closed.
NOTE:The remote keyless entry and passenger exterior
door handle will not work when the Battery Save feature
is enabled. Enter the vehicle either by using the key to
open the door manually or by using the outside door
handle.
NOTE:The Vehicle Theft Alarm is disabled when the
vehicle is in Battery Save mode. Therefore, the vehicle is
not protected when the Battery Save feature is enabled.
NOTE:The exterior and interior lighting functions will
not work when the vehicle is in Battery Save Mode.
Exit Battery Save Mode by doing the following:
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 159
7

1. Press the driver's door exterior handle to wake up the
vehicle.
2. If the door does not open (vehicle is armed) press the
remote keyless entry unlock button to unlock the vehicle.
3. Press the driver's door exterior handle again to open
the door.
4. Cycle the Ignition to ON/RUN. If the ignition is NOT
cycled to ON/RUN, then the vehicle will re-enter Battery
Save Mode 45 seconds after the driver's door is closed.
Air Conditioner
Check the air conditioning system operation at the start
of the warm weather season.
NOTE:If air conditioning operation seems to be lower
than expected, check the front of the A/C condenser,
located in front of the radiator for dirt or insect accumu-
lation. Clean with a gentle water spray as required. Frontend fascia protectors may reduce air flow to the con-
denser and radiator, reducing A/C and engine cooling
performance.
WARNING!
The air conditioning system contains refrigerant
under high pressure. To avoid risk of personal injury
or damage to the system, adding refrigerant or any
repair requiring lines to be disconnected should be
done by an experienced repairman.
Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling
The air conditioning system of your vehicle contains
R-134a, a refrigerant that does not deplete the ozone layer
in the upper atmosphere. The manufacturer recommends
that air conditioning service be done by facilities using
refrigerant recycling and recovery equipment that meets
SAE standard J1991.
160 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE