Dodge Charger: DRIVING TIPS / Driving On Slippery Surfaces
Information in this section will aid in safe controlled launches in adverse conditions.
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slippery surfaces may cause
the driving wheels to pull erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under the front (driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous. Unequal traction
can cause sudden pulling of the front wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle
and possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and carefully whenever there is
likely to be poor traction (ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
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 precautions should be observed:
- Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads are slushy.
- Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
- Replace tires when tread wear indicators first become visible.
- Keep tires properly inflated.
- Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you to avoid a collision in a sudden stop.
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Limited Slip Differential (LSD) that reduces,
but does not eliminate, the amount of wheel slip across a given axle for improved
handling.
Driving through water more than a few inches/ centimeters deep will require extra
caution to ensure safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or path where water is flowing and/or
rising (as in storm run-off)...
Other information:
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt comfortably, and whose
legs are long enough to bend over the front of the seat when their back is against
the seatback, should use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple 5-step test
to decide whether the child can use the vehicle’s seat belt alone:
Can the child sit all the way back against the back of the vehicle seat?
Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat
– while the child is still sitting all the way back?
Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm?
Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs
and not the stomach?
Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” then the child still needs
to use a booster seat in this vehicle...
Hoods equipped with gas props are closed from the point where the props no longer
hold the hood open.
WARNING!
Be sure the hood is fully latched before driving your vehicle. If the hood
is not fully latched, it could open when the vehicle is in motion and block your
vision...