Dodge Charger: SAFETY FEATURES / Electronic Brake Control (EBC) System

Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced Electronic Brake Control (EBC) system. This system includes Electronic 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 conditions.

Your vehicle may also be equipped with Ready Alert Braking (RAB), and Rain Brake Support (RBS).

Brake System Warning Light

The red Brake System Warning Light will turn on when the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN mode 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 is placed in the ON/RUN mode, 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 sensing 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 braking pressure during the stopping sequence (do not “pump” the brakes). Do not reduce brake pedal pressure 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, including those resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. 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.

Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)

EBD 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.

Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)

ERM 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, striking objects or other vehicles.

NOTE:

ERM is disabled any time the ESC is in “Full Off” mode (if equipped). See Ú page 203 for a complete explanation of the available ESC modes.

WARNING!

Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road conditions 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 reckless or dangerous manner which could jeopardize the user's safety or the safety of others.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC enhances directional control and stability of the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESC corrects for oversteering or understeering of the vehicle by applying the brake of the appropriate wheel(s) to counteract the above conditions. Engine power may also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the desired path.

• Oversteer — when the vehicle is turning more than appropriate for the steering wheel posi- tion.
• Understeer — when the vehicle is turning less than appropriate for the steering wheel posi- tion.

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 appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting the above conditions.

The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light located 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, including those resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. ESC also cannot prevent accidents resulting from loss of vehicle control due to inappropriate driver input for the conditions. Only a safe, atten- tive, and skillful driver can prevent acci- dents. The capabilities of an ESC 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.

Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly maintain your vehicle, may change the handling characteristics of your vehicle, and may negatively affect the performance of the ESC system. Changes to the steering system, suspension, braking system, tire type and size or wheel size may adversely affect ESC performance. Improperly inflated and unevenly worn tires may also degrade ESC performance. Any vehicle modification or poor vehicle maintenance that reduces the effectiveness of the ESC system can increase the risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.

ESC Operating Modes

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. Whenever 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"

This mode may be useful if the vehicle becomes stuck. This mode may modify TCS and ESC thresholds for activation, which allows for more wheel spin than normally allowed.

To enter the “Partial Off” mode, momentarily push the ESC OFF button and the ESC OFF Indicator Light will illuminate. To turn the ESC on again, momentarily push the ESC OFF button 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 described 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 Traction Control System (TCS) is disabled, and the enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC system is reduced.

NOTE:

• For vehicles with multiple partial ESC modes, the push and release of the button will toggle the ESC modes. Multiple attempts may be required to return to "ESC On" mode.
• Trailer Sway Control (TSC) is disabled when the ESC system is in the “Partial Off” mode.
• If Equipped — "ESC Sport" and "ESC Track" are ESC “Partial Off” mode(s).

“Full Off “– If Equipped

This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use only and should not be used on any public roadways. In this mode, TCS and ESC features are turned off. To enter the “Full Off” mode, push and hold the ESC OFF button for five seconds while the vehicle is stopped with the engine running. After five seconds, a chime will sound, the ESC OFF Indicator Light will illuminate, and the ESC OFF message will display in the instrument cluster. To turn ESC on again, momentarily push the ESC OFF button.

WARNING!

In the ESC “Full Off” mode, the engine torque reduction and stability features are disabled. Therefore, enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC system is unavailable. In an emergency evasive maneuver, the ESC system will not engage to assist in maintaining stability. ESC “Full Off” mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use only.

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 accidents, including those resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. 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 is placed in the ON/RUN mode. 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 an authorized dealer as soon as possible to have the problem diagnosed and corrected.

The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light (located 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 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.

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

NOTE:

• The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light and the ESC OFF Indicator Light come on momentarily each time the ignition is placed in the ON mode.
• Each time the ignition is placed in the ON mode, 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.

Hill Start Assist (HSA)

HSA 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.
• The parking brake must be off.
• The 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).
• 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 manual transmis- sion, 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 vehicle under all road conditions. Your complete attention is always required while driving to maintain safe control of your vehicle. 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:

• To disable HSA, see Ú page 138 for further information.

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 incline while resuming acceleration, manually activate 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 exiting your vehicle. Also, be certain to place the trans- mission in PARK.

Failure to follow these warnings can result in a collision or serious personal injury.

Rain Brake Support (RBS)

RBS may improve braking performance in wet conditions. It will periodically apply a small amount of brake pressure to remove any water buildup on the front brake rotors. It functions when the windshield wipers are in LO or HI speed. When RBS is active, there is no notification to the driver and no driver interaction is required.

Ready Alert Braking (RAB)

RAB may reduce the time required to reach full braking during emergency braking situations. It anticipates when an emergency braking situation may occur by monitoring how fast the throttle is released by the driver. The Electronic Brake Controller (EBC) will prepare the brake system for a panic stop.

Traction Control System (TCS)

The TCS 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 Differential (BLD), functions similarly to a limited slip differential 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 power to be applied to the wheel that is not spinning. BLD may remain enabled even if TCS and ESC are in reduced modes.