Dodge Magnum (2008 year). Instruction — part 18

the selector lever in the “D -” direction and the transmis-
sion will shift from the current gear to the next lower
gear.

Press and hold the selector lever in the “D-” direction and
the transmission will shift from the current gear directly
to the next lowest gear for best acceleration.

NOTE:

To avoid overrevving the engine when the

selector lever is moved in “D -” direction, the transmis-
sion will not shift to a lower gear if the engine’s revolu-
tions per minute (RPM) limit would be exceeded.

Briefly, press the selector lever in the “D +” direction and
the transmission will shift from the current gear to the
next higher gear.

Press and hold the selector lever in the “D +” direction
and the transmission will shift from the current gear
directly to gear “D.”

WARNING!

On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in order
to obtain braking action. This could result in drive
wheel slip and reduced vehicle control. Your vehi-
cle’s ABS will not prevent this type of loss of control.
You could lose control of your vehicle and have an
accident.

Delayed Shifts in Cold Temperatures
During cold temperature operation, you may notice
delayed upshifts depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature im-
proves warm up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency.

Temporary Transmission Limp Home Mode
The transmission is monitored for abnormal conditions.
If a condition is detected that could result in transmission

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damage, the transmission will engage Limp Home Mode.
If vehicle acceleration worsens, or the transmission no
longer shifts, the transmission is most likely operating in
the Limp Home Mode. In this mode, the transmission
will remain in the current gear until the vehicle is
brought to a stop. After the vehicle has stopped, “P”
(Park), “R” (Reverse), and “N” (Neutral) will continue to
operate. Second gear will operate in the “D” (Drive)
shifter position. The Malfunction Indicator Light may be
illuminated.

A reset feature is available to allow the vehicle to be
driven to a dealer for service. To reset the transmission,
use the following procedure:

1. Stop the vehicle.

2. Move the selector lever to the “P” (Park) position.

3. Turn off the engine.

4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.

5. Restart the engine.

6. Move the selector lever to the desired range. If the
problem is no longer detected, the transmission will
return to normal operation.

NOTE:

Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-

mend that you visit a dealer at your earliest possible
convenience. Your dealer has diagnostic equipment to
determine if the problem could recur.

Have the transmission checked at your authorized dealer
as soon as possible.

If the problem has been momentary, the transmission can
be reset to regain all forward gears.

Permanent Transmission Limp Home Mode
Permanent Limp Home Mode will be activated if the
transmission enters temporary Limp Home Mode three
times. Follow the reset procedure described under “Tem-
porary Transmission Limp Home Mode” in this section.

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In Permanent Limp Home Mode, “P” (Park), “R” (Re-
verse), and “N” (Neutral) will continue to operate. Sec-
ond gear will operate in the “D” (Drive) shifter position.
The malfunction indicator light may illuminate.

AUTOSTICK

T

— IF EQUIPPED

Autostick

t is a driver-interactive transmission that offers

instruction gear shifting to provide you with more control of
the vehicle. Autostick

t allows you to maximize engine

braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
and improve overall vehicle performance. This system
can also provide you with more control during passing,
city driving, cold slippery conditions, mountain driving,
trailer towing, and many other situations.

Autostick

T

Operation

By placing the selector lever in the “D” (Drive) position,
it can be moved from side to side. This allows the driver
to select a higher or lower range of gears. Moving the
selector lever to the Left (-) triggers a downshift and to
the Right (+) an upshift. The gear position will display in
the instrument cluster on the transmission range indica-
tor.

You can shift in or out of the Autostick

t mode at any time

without taking your foot off the accelerator pedal. If you
choose the Overdrive mode, the transmission will oper-
ate automatically, shifting between the five available
gears. When you wish to engage Autostick

t, simply

move the selector lever to the Right or Left (D+/D-) while
in the “D” (Drive) position. The transmission will remain
in the current gear until an upshift or downshift is
chosen.

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ALL WHEEL DRIVE — IF EQUIPPED

This feature provides full time All Wheel Drive (AWD)
with Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)/Traction Control.
The front wheels provide 38% of the torque, and the rear
wheels provide 62% of the torque. The system is auto-
matic with no driver inputs or additional driving skills
required.

CAUTION!

All wheels must have the same size and type tires.
Unequal tire sizes must not be used. Unequal tire
size may cause failure of the front differential and/or
the transfer case.

DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES

Acceleration

Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the rear wheels to pull errati-
cally to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs when
there is a difference in the surface traction under the rear
(driving) wheels.

WARNING!

Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the rear
wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle and
possibly have an accident. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet mud, loose sand, etc.).

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Traction

When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as hydroplaning and may cause
partial or complete loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the following precau-
tions should be observed:

1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads are
slushy.

2. Slow down if road has standing water or puddles.

3. Replace tires when tread wear indicators first become
visible.

4. Keep tires properly inflated.

5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front to avoid a collision in a sudden stop.

DRIVING THROUGH WATER

Driving through water more than a few inches deep will
require extra caution to ensure safety and prevent dam-
age to your vehicle.

Flowing/Rising Water

WARNING!

Do not drive on or cross a road or a path where water
is flowing and/or rising (as in storm run-off). Flow-
ing water can wear away the road or path’s surface
and cause your vehicle to sink into deeper water.
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising water can carry
your vehicle away swiftly. Failure to follow this
warning may result in injuries that are serious or
fatal to you, your passengers, and others around you.

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Shallow Standing Water

Although your vehicle is capable of driving through
shallow standing water, consider the following before
doing so:

CAUTION!

• Always check the depth of the standing water before driving

through it. Never drive through standing water that is deeper
than the bottom of the tire rims mounted on the vehicle.

• Determine the condition of the road or the path that is under

water and if there are any obstacles in the way before driving
through the standing water.

• Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through

standing water. This will minimize wave effects.

• Driving through standing water may cause damage to your

vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always inspect your vehi-
cle’s fluids (i.e. engine oil, transmission, axle, etc.) for signs
of contamination (i.e. fluid that is milky or foamy in appear-
ance) after driving through standing water. Do not continue
to operate the vehicle if any fluid appears contaminated, as
this may result in further damage. Such damage is not
covered by the new vehicle limited warranty.

• Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can cause it to

lockup and stall out and cause serious internal damage to the
engine. Such damage is not covered by the new vehicle
limited warranty.

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WARNING!

• Driving through standing water limits your vehi-

cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph (8
km/h) when driving through standing water.

• Driving through standing water limits your vehi-

cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stop-
ping distances. Therefore, after driving through
standing water, drive slowly and lightly press on
the brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.

• Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can

cause it to lockup and stall out and leave you
stranded.

• Failure to follow these warnings may result in

injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.

PARKING BRAKE

The parking brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.

WARNING!

Never use “P” (Park) position on an automatic trans-
mission as a substitute for the parking brake. Always
apply parking brake fully when parked to guard
against vehicle movement and possible injury or
damage.

When parking on a flat surface, place the gear selector in
the “P” (Park) position first, and then apply the parking
brake.

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When parking on a hill, it is important to apply the
parking brake before placing the gear selector in P (Park),
otherwise the load on the transmission locking mecha-
nism may make it difficult to move the selector out of
park. As an added precaution, turn the front wheels
toward the curb on a downhill grade and away from the
curb on an uphill grade.

The foot operated parking brake is positioned below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel. To apply the
parking brake, push the parking brake pedal down and
then remove your foot from the pedal. To release the
parking brake, push down on the parking brake pedal
and then release.

The brake light in the instrument cluster will turn on
when the parking brake is applied and the ignition
switch is on.

NOTE:

This light only shows that the parking brake is

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

Parking Brake

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WARNING!

• Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving

children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the keys in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.

• Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged

before driving: failure to do so can lead to brake
failure, and an accident.

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 function. There will be some

loss of overall braking effectiveness. This may be evident
by increased pedal travel during application, greater
pedal force required to slow or stop, and potential
activation of the Brake Warning Light.

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

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Anti-Lock Brake System — If Equipped

The Anti-Lock Brake System provides increased vehicle
stability and brake performance under most braking
conditions. The system automatically “pumps” the
brakes during severe braking conditions to prevent
wheel lock-up.

The electronic brake force distribution (EBD) prevents the
rear wheels from over-braking and provides greater
control of available braking forces applied to the rear
axle.

When the vehicle is driven over 7 mph (11 km/h), you
may also hear a slight clicking sound as well as some
related motor noises. These noises are the system per-
forming its self check cycle to ensure that the ABS system
is working properly. This self check occurs each time the
vehicle is started and accelerated past 7 mph (11 km/h).

ABS is activated during braking under certain road or
stopping conditions. ABS-inducing conditions can in-
clude ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose
debris, or panic stops.

You also may experience the following when the brake
system goes into Anti-lock:

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

short time after the stop),

• the clicking sound of solenoid valves,
• brake pedal pulsations,
• and a slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the

end of the stop.

These are all normal characteristics of ABS.

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WARNING!

• The Anti-Lock Brake System contains sophisticated elec-

tronic equipment that may be susceptible to interference
caused by improperly installed or high output radio trans-
mitting equipment. This interference can cause possible loss
of anti-lock braking capability. Installation of such equip-
ment should be performed by qualified professionals.

• Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish their effec-

tiveness 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.

• Anti-lock system (ABS) cannot prevent the natural laws of

physics 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 accidents, including those resulting

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

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.

Anti-Lock Brake Light

The ABS light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake Sys-
tem. The light will come on when the ignition

switch is turned to the ON position and may stay on for
as long as four seconds.

If the ABS 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 warning light is not on.

If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of Anti-Lock
brakes. If the ABS light does not come on when the
Ignition switch is turned to the ON position, have the
bulb repaired as soon as possible.

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If both the Brake Warning Light and the ABS Light
remain on, the Anti-Lock brakes (ABS) and Electronic
Brake Force Distribution (EBD) systems are not function-
ing. Immediate repair to the ABS system is required.

POWER STEERING

The standard power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will provide mechanical
steering capability if power assist is lost.

If for some reason the power assist is interrupted, it will
still be possible to steer your vehicle. Under these condi-
tions, you will observe a substantial increase in steering
effort, especially at very low vehicle speeds and during
parking maneuvers.

NOTE:

Increased noise levels at the end of the steering

wheel travel are considered normal and do not indicate
that there is a problem with the power steering system.

Upon initial start-up in cold weather, the power steering
pump may make noise for a short amount of time. This is
due to the cold, thick fluid in the steering system. This
noise should be considered normal, and it does not in any
way damage the steering system.

WARNING!

Continued operation with reduced power steering
assist could pose a safety risk to yourself and others.
Service should be obtained as soon as possible.

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CAUTION!

Prolonged operation of the steering system at the end
of the steering wheel travel will increase the steering
fluid temperature and it should be avoided when
possible. Damage to the power steering pump may
occur.

MULTI DISPLACEMENT SYSTEM (MDS) — 5.7L
Engine Only

This feature offers improved fuel economy by shutting
off four of the engine’s eight cylinders during light load
and cruise conditions. The system is automatic with no
driver inputs or additional driving skills required.

NOTE:

The MDS system may take some time to return

to full functionality after a battery disconnect.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) — IF
EQUIPPED

WARNING!

The Traction Control System (TCS) cannot prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on the ve-
hicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded. The
TCS cannot prevent accidents, including those result-
ing from excessive speed in turns, or hydroplaning.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can prevent
accidents. The capabilities of a TCS-equipped ve-
hicle must never be exploited in a reckless or dan-
gerous manner, which could jeopardize the user’s
safety or the safety of others.

The Traction Control System (TCS) is standard on ve-
hicles equipped with Electronic Stability Program (ESP).

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The TCS monitors the amount of wheel spin of each
driven wheel. 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.

The ESP/TCS indicator light, located in the
instrument cluster, starts to flash as soon as the
tires lose traction and the ESP system becomes
active. The indicator light also flashes when the

TCS is active. If the 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.

When the TCS is switched off, the torque reduction
feature is cancelled. However, a feature of the system
remains active. This feature controls wheel spin across an
axle quite similarly to a limited slip differential. If one
wheel on an axle is spinning faster than the other, the
system will apply the brake of the spinning wheel and

allow more engine torque to be applied to the wheel that
is not spinning. This wheel slip control is active up to 50
mph (80 km/h).

CAUTION!

When the ESP/TCS indicator light is illuminated
continuously, the ESP is switched off. Avoid spin-
ning one drive wheel. This may cause serious dam-
age to the drive train.

NOTE:

• The Traction Control System comes on each time the

ignition switch is turned ON. This will occur even if
you used the ESP OFF button to turn OFF the system.

• The Traction Control System will make buzzing or

clicking sounds when in operation.

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Refer to “Electronic Stability Program (ESP)” in this
section for additional system information and operating
instructions.

BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM (BAS) — IF EQUIPPED

WARNING!

The BAS (Brake Assist System) cannot prevent the
natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. The BAS cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents. The capabilities of a BAS-
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.

The Brake Assist System (BAS) is standard on vehicles
equipped with Electronic Stability Program (ESP). The
BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking capa-
bility during emergency braking maneuvers. The system
applies optimum pressure to the brakes in emergency
braking conditions than might otherwise be afforded
solely by the driver’s braking style. 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 braking power
during the stopping sequence. Do not reduce brake pedal
pressure. Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is
deactivated.

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ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP) — IF
EQUIPPED

WARNING!

The ESP (Electronic Stability Program) cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. The ESP 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
ESP-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner, which could jeopar-
dize the user’s safety or the safety of others.

This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. The ESP
corrects for oversteering and understeering the vehicle
by applying the brake of the appropriate wheel. Engine
power may also be reduced to assist in counteracting the
condition of oversteer or understeer and help the vehicle
maintain the desired path.

The ESP uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the path
that the driver intends to steer the vehicle and compares
it to the actual path of the vehicle. When the actual path
does not match the intended path, the ESP applies the
brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting
the condition of oversteer or understeer.

• 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.

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