Chrysler Town & Country (2016 year). Instruction — part 32

Power Steering Fluid Check

Checking the power steering fluid level at a defined
service interval is not required. The fluid should only be
checked if a leak is suspected, abnormal noises are
apparent, and/or the system is not functioning as antici-
pated. Coordinate inspection efforts through an autho-
rized dealer.

CAUTION!

Do not use chemical flushes in your power steering
system as the chemicals can damage your power
steering components. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

WARNING!

Fluid level should be checked on a level surface and
with the engine off to prevent injury from moving
parts and to ensure accurate fluid level reading. Do
not overfill. Use only manufacturer’s recommended
power steering fluid.

If necessary, add fluid to restore to the proper indicated
level. With a clean cloth, wipe any spilled fluid from all
surfaces. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further informa-
tion.

PARKING BRAKE

Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied and place the shift lever in the
PARK position.

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The foot operated parking brake is positioned below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel. To apply the
parking brake, firmly press the parking brake pedal fully.
To release the parking brake, press the parking brake
pedal a second time and let your foot up as you feel the
brake disengage.

When the parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch in the ON position, the “Brake Warning Light” in
the instrument cluster will illuminate.

NOTE:

• When the parking brake is applied and the automatic

transmission is placed in gear, the “Brake Warning
Light” will flash. If vehicle speed is detected, a chime
will sound to alert the driver. Fully release the parking
brake before attempting to move the vehicle.

• This light only shows that the parking brake is ap-

plied. It does not show the degree of brake application.

When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. For vehicles equipped
with an automatic transmission, apply the parking brake
before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load
on the transmission locking mechanism may make it

Parking Brake

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difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK. The parking
brake should always be applied whenever the driver is
not in the vehicle.

WARNING!

• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the Key

Fob from the ignition and lock your vehicle.

• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the

parking brake. Always apply the parking brake
fully when parked to guard against vehicle move-
ment and possible injury or damage.

• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the Key

Fob from the ignition and lock your vehicle. If
equipped with Keyless Enter-N-Go, always make
sure the keyless ignition node is in “OFF” mode,
remove the Key Fob from the vehicle and lock the
vehicle.

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

• Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is

dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the gear selector.

• Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle (or

in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition of a vehicle equipped with
Keyless Enter-N-Go in the ACC or ON/RUN mode.
A child could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.

• Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged

before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and a collision.

• Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-

ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage or

(Continued)

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WARNING! (Continued)

injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission in
PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to roll
and cause damage or injury.

CAUTION!

If the Brake System Warning Light remains on with
the parking brake released, a brake system malfunc-
tion is indicated. Have the brake system serviced by
an authorized dealer immediately.

BRAKE SYSTEM

Your vehicle is equipped with dual hydraulic brake
systems. If either of the two hydraulic systems loses
normal capability, the remaining system will still func-
tion. However, there will be some loss of overall braking
effectiveness. You may notice increased pedal travel

during application, greater pedal force required to slow
or stop, and potential activation of the “Brake System
Warning Light”.

In the event power assist is lost for any reason (i.e.,
repeated brake applications with the engine off) the
brakes will still function. However, the effort required to
brake the vehicle will be much greater than that required
with the power system operating.

ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM

Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced Electronic
Brake Control system (EBC). This system includes Elec-
tronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), Brake Assist System (BAS), Hill Start
Assist (HSA), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), and Electronic Roll Mitigation
(ERM). These systems work together to enhance both
vehicle stability and control in various driving condi-
tions.

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Your vehicle may also be equipped with Trailer Sway
Control (TSC).

Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)

This function manages the distribution of the braking
torque between the front and rear axles by limiting
braking pressure to the rear axle. This is done to prevent
overslip of the rear wheels to avoid vehicle instability,
and to prevent the rear axle from entering ABS before the
front axle.

Brake System Warning Light

The red “Brake System Warning Light” will turn on when
the ignition switch is turned to the ON position and may
stay on for as long as four seconds.

If the “Brake System Warning Light” remains on or
comes on while driving, it indicates that the brake system
is not functioning properly and that immediate service is
required. If the “Brake System Warning Light” does not

come on when the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position, have the light repaired as soon as possible.

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)

The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides increased
vehicle stability and brake performance under most
braking conditions. The system automatically prevents
wheel lock, and enhances vehicle control during braking.

The ABS performs a self-check cycle to ensure that the
ABS is working properly each time the vehicle is started
and driven. During this self-check you may hear a slight
clicking sound as well as some related motor noises.

ABS is activated during braking when the system detects
one or more wheels begins to lock. Road conditions such
as ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose debris,
or panic stops may increase the likelihood of ABS activa-
tion(s).

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You also may experience the following when ABS acti-
vates:

• The ABS motor noise (it may continue to run for a

short time after the stop).

• The clicking sound of solenoid valves.
• Brake pedal pulsations.
• A slight drop of the brake pedal at the end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.

WARNING!

• The ABS contains sophisticated electronic equip-

ment that may be susceptible to interference
caused by improperly installed or high output
radio transmitting equipment. This interference

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking capa-
bility. Installation of such equipment should be
performed by qualified professionals.

• Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish

their effectiveness and may lead to a collision.
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 afforded
by the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or
the traction afforded.

• The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those

resulting from excessive speed in turns, following
another vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.

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WARNING! (Continued)

• The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must

never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner that could jeopardize the user’s safety or
the safety of others.

ABS is designed to function with the OEM tires. Modifi-
cation may result in degraded ABS performance.

Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light

The amber “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” will turn on
when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position
and may stay on for as long as four seconds.

If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” remains on or
comes on while driving, it indicates that the anti-lock
portion of the brake system is not functioning and that
service is required. However, the conventional brake
system will continue to operate normally if the “Brake
System Warning Light” is not on.

If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on, the brake
system should be serviced as soon as possible to restore
the benefits of anti-lock brakes. If the “Anti-Lock Brake
Warning Light” does not come on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position, have the light
repaired as soon as possible.

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
“pump” the brakes). Do not reduce brake pedal pressure

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unless braking is no longer desired. Once the brake pedal
is released, the BAS is deactivated.

WARNING!

The Brake Assist System (BAS) cannot prevent the
natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. BAS cannot prevent collisions, in-
cluding those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro-
planing. The capabilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner, which could jeopardize the user’s safety or
the safety of others.

Hill Start Assist (HSA)

The HSA system is designed to mitigate roll back from a
complete stop while on an incline. If the driver releases

the brake while stopped on an incline, HSA will continue
to hold the brake pressure for a short period. If the driver
does not apply the throttle before this time expires, the
system will release brake pressure and the vehicle will
roll down the hill as normal.

The following conditions must be met in order for HSA to
activate:

• The feature must be enabled.
• The vehicle must be stopped.
• Park brake must be off.
• Driver door must be closed.
• The vehicle must be on a sufficient grade.
• The gear selection must match vehicle uphill direction

(i.e., vehicle facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle
backing uphill is in REVERSE gear).

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• HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all forward

gears. The system will not activate if the transmission
is in PARK or NEUTRAL. For vehicles equipped with
a instruction transmission if the clutch is pressed HSA will
remain active.

WARNING!

There may be situations where the Hill Start Assist
(HSA) will not activate and slight rolling may occur,
such as on minor hills or with a loaded vehicle, or
while pulling a trailer. HSA is not a substitute for
active driving involvement. It is always the driver’s
responsibility to be attentive to distance to other
vehicles, people, and objects, and most importantly
brake operation to ensure safe operation of the ve-
hicle under all road conditions. Your complete atten-
tion is always required while driving to maintain

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

safe control of your vehicle. Failure to follow these
warnings can result in a collision or serious personal
injury.

Towing With HSA

HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll back
while towing a trailer.

WARNING!

• If you use a trailer brake controller with your

trailer, the trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated with the brake switch. If so, there may
not be enough brake pressure to hold both the
vehicle and the trailer on a hill when the brake
pedal is released. In order to avoid rolling down an

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WARNING! (Continued)

incline while resuming acceleration, instructionly ac-
tivate the trailer brake or apply more vehicle brake
pressure prior to releasing the brake pedal.

• HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the

parking brake fully when leaving your vehicle.
Also, be certain to leave the transmission in PARK.

• Failure to follow these warnings can result in a

collision or serious personal injury.

Disabling And Enabling HSA

This feature can be turned on or turned off. To change the
current setting, proceed as follows:

• For vehicles equipped with the Electronic Vehicle

Information Center (EVIC), refer to “Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.

• If disabling HSA using Uconnect Settings, refer to

“Uconnect Settings” in “Understanding Your Instru-
ment Panel” for further information.

For vehicles not equipped with the EVIC, perform the
following steps:

1. Center the steering wheel (front wheels pointing

straight forward).

2. Shift the transmission into PARK.

3. Apply the parking brake.

4. Start the engine.

5. Rotate the steering wheel slightly more than one-half

turn to the left.

6. Push the “ESC Off” button located in the lower switch

bank below the climate control four times within
twenty seconds. The “ESC Off Indicator Light” should
turn on and turn off two times.

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7. Rotate the steering wheel back to center and then an

additional slighty more than one-half turn to the right.

8. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and then

back to the ON position. If the sequence was com-
pleted properly, the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will
blink several times to confirm HSA is disabled.

9. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to

its previous setting.

Traction Control System (TCS)

This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, the TCS may
apply brake pressure to the spinning wheel(s) and/or
reduce engine power to provide enhanced acceleration
and stability. A feature of the TCS, Brake Limited Differ-
ential (BLD), functions similar to a limited slip differen-
tial 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. BLD may remain
enabled even if TCS and ESC are in a reduced mode.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESC cor-
rects for oversteering or understeering of the vehicle by
applying the brake of the appropriate wheel(s) to assist in
counteracting the oversteer or understeer condition. En-
gine power may also be reduced to help the vehicle
maintain the desired path.

ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle
path intended by the driver and compares it to the actual
path of the vehicle. When the actual path does not match
the intended path, ESC applies the brake of the appro-
priate wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer or
understeer condition.

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• Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than

appropriate for the steering wheel position.

• Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than

appropriate for the steering wheel position.

The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” lo-
cated in the instrument cluster will start to flash as soon
as the ESC system becomes active. The “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” also flashes when the TCS
is active. If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” begins to flash during acceleration, ease up on the
accelerator and apply as little throttle as possible. Be sure
to adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing road
conditions.

WARNING!

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot prevent the
natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. ESC cannot prevent accidents, in-
cluding those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro-
planing. ESC also cannot prevent accidents resulting
from loss of vehicle control due to inappropriate
driver input for the conditions. Only a safe, attentive,
and skillful driver can prevent accidents. The capa-
bilities of an ESC equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.

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ESC Operating Modes

NOTE:

Depending upon model and mode of operation,

the ESC system may have multiple operating modes.

ESC On

This is the normal operating mode for the ESC. When-
ever the vehicle is started, the ESC system will be in this
mode. This mode should be used for most driving
conditions. Alternate ESC modes should only be used for
specific reasons as noted in the following paragraphs.

Partial Off

The “Partial Off” mode is intended for times when a
more spirited driving experience is desired. This mode
may modify TCS and ESC thresholds for activation,
which allows for more wheel spin than normally al-
lowed. This mode may be useful if the vehicle becomes
stuck.

To enter the “Partial Off” mode, momentarily push the
“ESC Off” switch and the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will
illuminate. To turn the ESC on again, momentarily push
the “ESC Off” switch and the “ESC Off Indicator Light”
will turn off.

WARNING!

• When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS functionality

of ESC, (except for the limited slip feature de-
scribed in the TCS section), has been disabled and
the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will be illuminated.
When in “Partial Off” mode, the engine power
reduction feature of TCS is disabled, and the
enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC sys-
tem is reduced.

• Trailer Sway control (TSC) is disabled when the

ESC system is in the “Partial Off” mode.

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NOTE:

The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot

prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. ESC cannot prevent all acci-
dents, including those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydroplan-
ing. ESC also cannot prevent collisions.

ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light and
ESC OFF Indicator Light

The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” in the instrument cluster will come on
when the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position. It should go out with the engine

running. If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” comes on continuously with the engine running, a
malfunction has been detected in the ESC system. If this
light remains on after several ignition cycles, and the

vehicle has been driven several miles (kilometers) at
speeds greater than 30 mph (48 km/h), see your autho-
rized dealer as soon as possible to have the problem
diagnosed and corrected.

The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” (lo-
cated in the instrument cluster) starts to flash as soon as
the tires lose traction and the ESC system becomes active.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” also
flashes when TCS is active. If the “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” begins to flash during ac-
celeration, ease up on the accelerator and apply as little
throttle as possible. Be sure to adapt your speed and
driving to the prevailing road conditions.

NOTE:

• The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light”

and the “ESC OFF Indicator Light” come on momen-
tarily each time the ignition switch is turned ON.

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• Each time the ignition is turned ON, the ESC system

will be ON even if it was turned off previously.

• The ESC system will make buzzing or clicking sounds

when it is active. This is normal; the sounds will stop
when ESC becomes inactive following the maneuver
that caused the ESC activation.

The “ESC OFF Indicator Light” indicates the
customer has elected to have the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) in a reduced mode.

Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)

This system anticipates the potential for wheel lift by
monitoring the driver’s steering wheel input and the
speed of the vehicle. When ERM determines that the rate
of change of the steering wheel angle and vehicle’s speed
are sufficient to potentially cause wheel lift, it then
applies the appropriate brake and may also reduce

engine power to lessen the chance that wheel lift will
occur. ERM can only reduce the chance of wheel lift
occurring during severe or evasive driving maneuvers; it
cannot prevent wheel lift due to other factors, such as
road conditions, leaving the roadway, or striking objects
or other vehicles.

WARNING!

Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road condi-
tions and driving conditions, influence the chance
that wheel lift or rollover may occur. ERM cannot
prevent all wheel lift or roll overs, especially those
that involve leaving the roadway or striking objects
or other vehicles. The capabilities of an ERM-
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.

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Trailer Sway Control (TSC)

TSC uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize an exces-
sively swaying trailer and will take the appropriate
actions to attempt to stop the sway. TSC will become
active automatically once an excessively swaying trailer
is recognized. Note that TSC cannot stop all trailers from
swaying. Always use caution when towing a trailer and
follow the trailer tongue weight recommendations. Refer
to “Trailer Towing” in this section for further informa-
tion. When TSC is functioning, the “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” will flash, the engine power
may be reduced and you may feel the brakes being
applied to individual wheels to attempt to stop the trailer
from swaying. TSC is disabled when the ESC system is in
the “Partial Off” modes.

WARNING!

If TSC activates while driving, slow the vehicle
down, stop at the nearest safe location, and adjust the
trailer load to eliminate trailer sway.

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