Dodge Charger: VEHICLE MAINTENANCE / Cooling System

WARNING!

• You or others can be badly burned by hot engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming from under the hood, do not open the hood until the radiator has had time to cool. Never open a cooling system pressure cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
• Keep hands, tools, clothing, and jewelry away from the radiator cooling fan when the hood is raised. The fan starts automati- cally and may start at any time, whether the engine is running or not.
• When working near the radiator cooling fan, disconnect the fan motor lead or turn the ignition to the OFF mode. The fan is temperature controlled and can start at any time the ignition is in the ON mode.

Coolant Checks

Check engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every 12 months (before the onset of freezing weather, where applicable). If the engine coolant is dirty, the system should be drained, flushed, and refilled with fresh Organic Additive Technology (OAT) coolant (conforming to MS.90032) by an authorized dealer. Check the front of the radiator for any accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean by gently spraying water from a garden hose vertically down the face of the condenser.

Check the coolant recovery bottle tubing for brittle rubber, cracking, tears, cuts, and tightness of the connection at the bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire system for leaks. DO NOT REMOVE THE COOLANT PRESSURE CAP WHEN THE COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT.

Cooling System — Drain, Flush And Refill

NOTE:

Some vehicles require special tools to add coolant properly. Failure to fill these systems properly could lead to severe internal engine damage. If any coolant is needed to be added to the system please contact an authorized dealer.

If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty or contains visible sediment, have an authorized dealer clean and flush with Organic Additive Technology (OAT) coolant (conforming to MS.90032).

For the proper maintenance intervals.

Selection Of Coolant

NOTE:

• Mixing of engine coolant (antifreeze) other than specified Organic Additive Technology (OAT) engine coolant, may result in engine damage and may decrease corrosion protec- tion. OAT engine coolant is different and should not be mixed with Hybrid Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) engine coolant or any “globally compatible” coolant. If a non-OAT engine coolant is introduced into the cooling system in an emergency, the cooling system will need to be drained, flushed, and refilled with fresh OAT coolant (conforming to MS.90032), by an authorized dealer as soon as possible.
• Do not use water alone or alcohol-based engine coolant products. Do not use addi- tional rust inhibitors or anti-rust products, as they may not be compatible with the radiator engine coolant and may plug the radiator.
• This vehicle has not been designed for use with propylene glycol-based engine coolant. Use of propylene glycol-based engine coolant is not recommended.
• Some vehicles require special tools to add coolant properly. Failure to fill these systems properly could lead to severe internal engine damage. If any coolant is needed to be added to the system please contact an authorized dealer.

Adding Coolant

Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine coolant (OAT coolant conforming to MS.90032) that allows extended maintenance intervals. This engine coolant (antifreeze) can be used up to 10 years or 150,000 miles (240,000 km) before replacement. To prevent reducing this extended maintenance period, it is important that you use the same engine coolant (OAT coolant conforming to MS.90032) throughout the life of your vehicle.

Please review these recommendations for using Organic Additive Technology (OAT) engine coolant that meets the requirements of the manufacturer Material Standard MS.90032. When adding engine coolant:

• We recommend using Mopar® Antifreeze/ Coolant 10 Year/150,000 Mile (240,000 km) Formula OAT that meets the requirements of the manufacturer Material Standard MS.90032.
• Mix a minimum solution of 50% OAT engine coolant that meets the requirements of the manufacturer Material Standard MS.90032 and distilled water. Use higher concentra- tions (not to exceed 70%) if temperatures below −34°F (−37°C) are anticipated. Please contact an authorized dealer for assistance.
• Use only high purity water such as distilled or deionized water when mixing the water/ engine coolant solution. The use of lower quality water will reduce the amount of corro- sion protection in the engine cooling system.

NOTE:

• It is the owner's responsibility to maintain the proper level of protection against freezing according to the temperatures occurring in the area where the vehicle is operated.
• Some vehicles require special tools to add coolant properly. Failure to fill these systems properly could lead to severe internal engine damage. If any coolant is needed to be added to the system, please contact an authorized dealer.
• Mixing engine coolant types is not recom- mended and can result in cooling system damage. If HOAT and OAT coolant are mixed in an emergency, have an authorized dealer drain, flush, and refill with OAT coolant (conforming to MS.90032) as soon as possible.

Cooling System Pressure Cap

The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of engine coolant (antifreeze), and to ensure that engine coolant will return to the radiator from the coolant expansion bottle/recovery tank (if equipped).

The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any accumulation of foreign material on the sealing surfaces.

WARNING!

• Do not open hot engine cooling system. Never add engine coolant (antifreeze) when the engine is overheated. Do not loosen or remove the cap to cool an overheated engine. Heat causes pressure to build up in the cooling system. To prevent scalding or injury, do not remove the pressure cap while the system is hot or under pressure.
• Do not use a pressure cap other than the one specified for your vehicle. Personal injury or engine damage may result.

Disposal Of Used Coolant

Used ethylene glycol-based coolant (antifreeze) is a regulated substance requiring proper disposal. Check with your local authorities to determine the disposal rules for your community. To prevent ingestion by animals or children, do not store ethylene glycol-based coolant in open containers or allow it to remain in puddles on the ground, clean up any ground spills immediately. If ingested, seek emergency assistance immediately.

Coolant Level

The coolant bottle provides a quick visual method for determining that the coolant level is adequate. With the engine off and cold, the level of the engine coolant (antifreeze) in the bottle should be between the ranges indicated on the bottle.

The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is no need to remove the radiator/ coolant pressure cap unless checking for engine coolant freeze point or replacing coolant. Advise your service attendant of this. As long as the engine operating temperature is satisfactory, the coolant bottle need only be checked once a month.

When additional engine coolant is needed to maintain the proper level, only OAT coolant that meets the requirements of manufacturer Material Standard MS.90032 should be added to the coolant bottle. Do not overfill.

Cooling System Notes

NOTE:

When the vehicle is stopped after a few miles/ kilometers of operation, you may observe vapor coming from the front of the engine compart- ment. This is normally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or high humidity accumulating on the radiator and being vaporized when the ther- mostat opens, allowing hot engine coolant (anti- freeze) to enter the radiator.

If an examination of your engine compartment shows no evidence of radiator or hose leaks, the vehicle may be safely driven. The vapor will soon dissipate.

• Do not overfill the coolant expansion bottle.
• Check the coolant freeze point in the radiator and in the coolant expansion bottle. If engine coolant needs to be added, the contents of the coolant expansion bottle must also be protected against freezing.
• If frequent engine coolant additions are required, the cooling system should be pres- sure tested for leaks.
• Maintain engine coolant concentration at a minimum of 50% OAT coolant (conforming to MS.90032) and distilled water for proper corrosion protection of your engine which contains aluminum components.
• Make sure that the coolant expansion bottle overflow hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
• Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the condenser clean.
• Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install ONLY the correct type ther- mostat. Other designs may result in unsatis- factory engine cooling performance, poor gas mileage, and increased emissions.