2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser Owner Manual - Page 228

226 STARTING AND OPERATING For most city driving you will find it easier to use only the lower gears. For steady highway driving with light accelerations, 5th gear is recommended. Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, or try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal partially engaged. This will cause abnormal wear on the clutch. Never move the shift lever into REVERSE until the vehicle has come to a complete stop. NOTE: During cold weather, until the transaxle lubricant is warm, you may experience slightly higher shift efforts. This is normal and not harmful to the transaxle. Recommended Shift Speeds To use your manual transaxle for optimal fuel economy, it should be upshifted as listed in Table 1. Table 1 - Manual Transaxle Normal Acceleration and Cruise Shift Speeds in MPH (km/h) Engine Mode Accel2.4L Non- eration Turbo Cruise 1 to 2 15 (24) 15 (24) 2 to 3 25 (40) 25 (40) 3 to 4 40 (65) 42 (68) 4 to 5 45 (72) 45 (72) For improved performance, your manual transaxle may be upshifted up to the maximum speeds listed in Table 2 (within legal speed limits). Table 2 - Manual Transaxle Maximum Performance Shift Speeds in MPH (km/h) Engine 2.4L NonTurbo 1 to 2 30 (48) 2 to 3 60 (97) 3 to 4 85 (136) 4 to 5 115 (185)