2009 Dodge Charger Owner Manual - Page 282
2009 Dodge Charger Manual
Page 282 highlights
280 STARTING AND OPERATING CAUTION! Never race the engine with the brakes on and the vehicle in gear, and never hold the vehicle on an incline without applying the brakes. These practices can cause overheating and damage to the transmission. Torque Converter Clutch A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been added to the automatic transmission in this vehicle. A clutch within the torque converter engages automatically at calibrated speeds. This may result in a slightly different feeling or response during normal operation in high gear. When the vehicle speed drops or during acceleration, the clutch automatically and smoothly disengages. NOTE: • The torque converter clutch will not engage until the transmission fluid and engine coolant is warm (usually after 1-3 miles [1.6-4.8 km] of driving). Because engine speed is higher when the torque converter clutch is not engaged, it may seem as if the transmission is not shifting into Overdrive when cold. This is considered a normal condition. Pulling the shift lever into the "3" position will show that the transmission is able to shift into and out of Overdrive. • If the vehicle has not been driven for several days, the first few seconds of operation after shifting the transmission into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to the transmission fluid partially draining from the torque converter into the transmission. This is considered a normal condition and it will not cause damage to the transmission. The torque converter will refill within five seconds of shifting from PARK into any other gear position.