Dodge Caliber (2012 year). Manual

positioned, turn the jack screw to the right until the jack
head is properly engaged with the lift area closest to the
wheel to be changed.

WARNING!

Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make
the vehicle less stable. It could slip off the jack and
hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle only enough
to remove the tire.

4. Using the swivel wrench raise the vehicle by turning
the jack screw to the right. Raise the vehicle only until the
tire just clears the surface and enough clearance is
obtained to install the spare tire. Minimum tire lift
provides maximum stability.

5. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel and wheel
covers, where applicable, off the hub. Install the spare

wheel and wheel nuts with the cone shaped end of the
nuts toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the nuts.

WARNING!

To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not tighten the wheel nuts fully until the vehicle
has been lowered. Failure to follow this warning may
result in personal injury.

CAUTION!

Be sure to mount the spare tire with the valve stem
facing outward. The vehicle could be damaged if the
spare tire is mounted incorrectly.

396

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!

To avoid possible personal injury, handle the wheel
covers with care to avoid contact with any sharp
edges.

NOTE:

The wheel cover is held on the wheel by the

wheel nuts. When reinstalling the original wheel, prop-
erly align the wheel cover to the valve stem, place the
wheel cover onto the wheel, then install the wheel nuts.

6. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the left.

7. Finish tightening the nuts. Push down on the wrench
while at the end of the handle for increased leverage.
Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until each nut has
been tightened twice. The correct wheel nut torque is
100 ft lbs (135 N·m). If you doubt that you have tightened
the nuts correctly, have them checked with a torque
wrench by your authorized dealer or service station.

8. Remove the wheel blocks and lower the jack until it is
free. Reassemble the lug wrench to the jack assembly and
stow it in the spare tire area. Secure the assembly using
the means provided.

Mounting Spare Tire

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

397

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.

9. Place the deflated (flat) tire in the cargo area, have the
tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

WARNING!

A loose tire thrown forward in a collision or hard
stop could injure the occupants in the vehicle. Have
the deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced immedi-
ately.

10. Check the spare tire pressure as soon as possible.
Correct the tire pressure as required.

Road Tire Installation

Vehicles Equipped With Wheel Covers

1. Mount the road tire on the axle.

2. To ease the installation process for steel wheels with
wheel covers, install two lug nuts on the mounting studs
which are on each side of the valve stem. Install the lug
nuts with the cone shaped end of the nut toward the
wheel. Lightly tighten the lug nuts.

WARNING!

To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not tighten the lug nuts fully until the vehicle is
lowered to the ground. Failure to follow this warning
may result in personal injury.

398

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

3. Align the valve notch in the wheel cover with the
valve stem on the wheel. Install the cover by hand,

snapping the cover over the two lug nuts. Do not use a
hammer or excessive force to install the cover.

4. Install the remaining lug nuts with the cone shaped
end of the nut toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the lug
nuts.

WARNING!

To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not tighten the lug nuts fully until the vehicle is
lowered to the ground. Failure to follow this warning
may result in personal injury.

5. Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the jack
handle counterclockwise.

6. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the
wrench while at the end of the handle for increased
leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until each
nut has been tightened twice. The correct tightness of

Tire And Wheel Cover Or Center Cap

1 — Valve Stem

4 — Wheel Cover

2 — Valve Notch

5 — Mounting Stud

3 — Wheel Lug Nut

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

399

each lug nut is 100 ft/lbs (135 N·m). If in doubt about the
correct tightness, have them checked with a torque
wrench by your authorized dealer or service station.

7. After 25 miles (40 km) check the lug nut torque with a
torque wrench to ensure that all lug nuts are properly
seated against the wheel.

Vehicles Without Wheel Covers

1. Mount the road tire on the axle.

2. Install the remaining lug nuts with the cone shaped
end of the nut toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the lug
nuts.

WARNING!

To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not tighten the lug nuts fully until the vehicle is
lowered to the ground. Failure to follow this warning
may result in personal injury.

3. Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the jack
handle counterclockwise.

4. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the
wrench while at the end of the handle for increased
leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until each
nut has been tightened twice. The correct tightness of
each lug nut is 100 ft/lbs (135 N·m). If in doubt about the
correct tightness, have them checked with a torque
wrench by your authorized dealer or service station.

400

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

5. After 25 miles (40 km) check the lug nut torque with a
torque wrench to ensure that all lug nuts are properly
seated against the wheel.

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
pack. Jump-starting can be dangerous if done improperly
so please follow the procedures in this section carefully.

NOTE:

When using a portable battery booster pack

follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions and
precautions.

CAUTION!

Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any
other booster source with a system voltage greater
than 12 Volts or damage to the battery, starter motor,
alternator or electrical system may occur.

WARNING!

Do not attempt jump-starting if the battery is frozen.
It could rupture or explode and cause personal injury.

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

401

Preparations For Jump-Start

The battery in your vehicle is located in the front of the
engine compartment below the air intake duct. To access
the battery remove the air intake duct by turning the two
finger screws, located on the radiator support.

Air Intake Finger Screws

Positive Battery Post

402

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!

• Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan when-

ever the hood is raised. It can start anytime the
ignition switch is on. You can be injured by
moving fan blades.

• Remove any metal jewelry such as watch bands or

bracelets that might make an inadvertent electrical
contact. You could be seriously injured.

• Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your

skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas which is
flammable and explosive. Keep open flames or
sparks away from the battery.

1. Set the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission
into PARK and turn the ignition to LOCK.

2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal accessories.

3. If using another vehicle to jump-start the battery, park
the vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.

WARNING!

Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.

Jump-Starting Procedure

WARNING!

Failure to follow this procedure could result in per-
sonal injury or property damage due to battery ex-
plosion.

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

403

CAUTION!

Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.

NOTE:

Remove Air Intake before proceeding with this

Jump-Starting procedure.

1. Connect the positive (+) end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+) post of the discharged vehicle.

2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+) jumper
cable to the positive (+) post of the booster battery.

3. Connect the negative end (-) of the jumper cable to the
negative (-) post of the booster battery.

4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-) jumper
cable to a good engine ground (exposed metal part of the
discharged vehicle’s engine) away from the battery and
the fuel injection system.

WARNING!

Do not connect the cable to the negative post (-) of the
discharged battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode and could result in
personal injury.

5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster
battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then start
the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.

Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in
the reverse sequence:

6. Disconnect the negative (-) jumper cable from the
engine ground of the vehicle with the discharged battery.

404

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

7. Disconnect the negative end (-) of the jumper cable
from the negative (-) post of the booster battery.

8. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive (+) jumper
cable from the positive (+) post of the booster battery.

9. Disconnect the positive (+) end of the jumper cable
from the positive (+) post of the discharged vehicle.

10. Reinstall the air intake duct.

If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.

CAUTION!

Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle
power outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.).
Eventually, if plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s
battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery
life and/or prevent the engine from starting.

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE

If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or 1st gear
and Reverse (with manual transmission). Using minimal
accelerator pedal pressure to maintain the rocking mo-
tion, without spinning the wheels, is most effective.

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

405

CAUTION!

Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the shift lever in NEUTRAL for at
least one minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce
the risk of transmission failure during prolonged
efforts to free a stuck vehicle.

NOTE:

If your vehicle is equipped with Traction Con-

trol or Electronic Stability Control (ESC), turn the system
OFF before attempting to “rock” the vehicle.

CAUTION!

• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving be-

tween DRIVE and REVERSE (with automatic
transmission) or 1st gear and Reverse (with
manual transmission), do not spin the wheels
faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage
may result.

• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast

may lead to transmission overheating and failure.
It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the
wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no
transmission shifting occurring).

406

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!

Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.

SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE

If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the
following procedure to temporarily move the shift lever:

1. Firmly apply the parking brake.

2. Remove the shift lever override access cover located
on the right side of the shift lever housing.

3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position
without starting the engine (engine OFF).

4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.

5. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, push and
hold the override release lever forward.

Shift Lever Override Access Cover

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

407

6. Move the shift lever to the NEUTRAL position.

7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.

8. Reinstall the shift lever override access cover.

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE

Towing Condition

WheelsOFFThe Ground

AUTOMATIC

TRANSMISSION

MANUAL

TRANSMISSION

Flat Tow

NONE

NOT ALLOWED

Trans in NEUTRAL

Wheel Lift or Dolly Tow

Rear

NOT ALLOWED

Front

Flatbed

ALL

BEST METHOD

408

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

With Ignition Key

Automatic Transmission
Automatic transmission vehicles can be towed with the
front wheels elevated or on a flatbed truck (all four
wheels OFF the ground).

CAUTION!

DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with an
automatic transmission. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.

Manual Transmission

• Manual transmission vehicles can be flat towed (all

four wheels on the ground) with the transmission in
NEUTRAL.

• Manual transmission vehicles can also be towed with

the front wheels elevated, or on a flatbed truck (all
wheels OFF the ground).

CAUTION!

DO NOT flat tow disabled vehicle if condition is
related to a clutch, transmission or other driveline
components. Damage to the drivetrain could result.

All Transmissions
If you must use the accessories (wipers, defroster, etc.)
while being towed (wipers, defrosters, etc.), the key must
be in the ON/RUN position, not the ACC position. Make
certain the transmission remains in NEUTRAL.

If the vehicle’s battery is discharged, see “Shift Lever
Override” in “What To Do In Emergencies” for instruc-
tions on shifting the automatic transmission out of the
PARK position for towing.

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

409

CAUTION!

Do not attempt to use sling-type equipment when
towing. When securing the vehicle to a flatbed truck,
do not attach to front or rear suspension components.
Damage to your vehicle may result from improper
towing.

Without The Ignition Key

Special care must be taken when the vehicle is towed
with the ignition in the LOCK position. The only ap-
proved method of towing without the ignition key is
with a flatbed truck. Proper towing equipment is neces-
sary to prevent damage to the vehicle.

410

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CONTENTS

䡵 Engine Compartment — 2.0L . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
䡵 Engine Compartment — 2.4L . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
䡵 Onboard Diagnostic System — OBD II . . . . . . 415

▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message . . . . . . . . . . . 415

䡵 Emissions Inspection And Maintenance

Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416

䡵 Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
䡵 Dealer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
䡵 Maintenance Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418

▫ Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
▫ Engine Oil Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
▫ Body Lubrication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
▫ Adding Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
▫ Exhaust System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427

Dodge Caliber (2012 year). Manual - part 25