2012 Dodge Caliber Owner Manual - Page 305

STARTING AND OPERATING 303 For most city driving, you will find it easier to use only the lower gears. For steady highway driving with light accelerations, fifth gear is recommended. Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, and never try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal partially engaged. This will cause abnormal wear on the clutch. Never shift into REVERSE until the vehicle has come to a complete stop. NOTE: During cold weather, until the transmission lubricant is warm, you may experience slightly higher shift efforts. This is normal and not harmful to the transmission. 5 Shift Pattern Use each gear in numerical order, do not skip a gear. Be sure the transmission is in first gear, (not third), when starting from a standing position. Damage to the clutch Recommended Shift Speeds can result from starting in third gear. To use your manual transmission for optimal fuel economy, it should be upshifted as listed in the following table.