2018 Chrysler 300 Owner’s Manual

The 2018 Chrysler 300 was a full-size luxury car that had a mix of classic American style and modern sophistication. The 2018 300 was a luxurious and comfortable car to drive because of its bold and iconic style, large and high-quality interior, and choice of powerful V6 and V8 engines. It had high-tech features inside, like an easy-to-use infotainment system with a big touchscreen, smartphone integration, and premium music systems that could be added. The 2018 Chrysler 300 came with rear-wheel drive as standard and all-wheel drive as an option. It had a smooth, controlled ride and the power and presence of a flagship sedan, making it a good choice for people who want both luxury and speed in their daily car.

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)

The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides increased vehicle stability and brake performance under most brak-ing conditions. The system automatically prevents wheel lock, and enhances vehicle control during braking. The ABS performs a self-check cycle to ensure that the ABS is working properly each time the vehicle is started and driven. During this self-check, you may hear a slight clicking sound as well as some related motor noises. ABS is activated during braking when the system detects one or more wheels begin to lock. Road conditions such as ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose debris, or panic stops may increase the likelihood of ABS activa-tion(s). You also may experience the following when ABS activates:

The ABS motor noise (it may continue to run for a short time after the stop).
The clicking sound of solenoid valves.
Brake pedal pulsations.
A slight drop of the brake pedal at the end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.

WARNING

• The ABS contains sophisticated electronic equip-ment that may be susceptible to interference caused by improperly installed or high output radio trans-mitting equipment. This interference can cause pos-sible loss of anti-lock braking capability. Installation of such equipment should be performed by qualified professionals.
• Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish their effectiveness and may lead to a collision. Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just press firmly on your brake pedal when you need to slow down or stop.
• The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase brak-ing or steering efficiency beyond that afforded by the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or the traction afforded.
• The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those resulting from excessive speed in turns, following another vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
• The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner that could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of others.

ABS is designed to function with the OEM tires. Modifica-tion may result in degraded ABS performance.

Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light
The yellow “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” will turn on when the ignition is turned to the ON/RUN mode and may stay on for as long as four seconds. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” remains on or comes on while driving, it indicates that the anti-lock portion of the brake system is not functioning and that service is required. However, the conventional brake sys-tem will continue to operate normally if the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on, the brake system should be serviced as soon as possible to restore the benefits of anti-lock brakes. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” does not come on when the ignition is turned to the ON/RUN mode, have the light repaired as soon as possible.

Electronic Brake Control System (EBC)
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced Electronic Brake Control system (EBC). This system includes Elec-tronic 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 Assist System (BAS)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking capability during emergency braking maneuvers. The sys-tem 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 capa-bilities 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.

Brake System Warning Light
The red “Brake System Warning Light” will turn on when the ignition is turned to 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 re-quired. If the “Brake System Warning Light” does not come on when the ignition is turned to the ON/RUN mode, have the light repaired as soon as possible.

Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
This function 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)
This system 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, or striking objects or other vehicles.
NOTE: ERM is disabled anytime the ESC is in “Full Off” mode (if equipped). Refer to “Electronic Stability Control (ESC)” in this section 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 ve-hicles. 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)
This system enhances directional control and stability of the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESC corrects for oversteering or understeering of the vehicle by apply-ing the brake of the appropriate wheel(s) to assist in counteracting the oversteer or understeer condition. En-gine power may also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the desired path. 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 oversteer or understeer condition.

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

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, in-cluding those resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro-planing. ESC also cannot prevent accidents resulting from loss of vehicle control due to inappropriate driver input for the conditions. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents. The capa-bilities of an ESC equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner which could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of others.
• Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly main-tain your vehicle, may change the handling charac-teristics 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
NOTE: 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
The “Partial Off” mode is intended for times when a more spirited driving experience is desired. This mode may modify TCS and ESC thresholds for activation, which allows for more wheel spin than normally allowed. This mode may be useful if the vehicle becomes stuck. To enter the “Partial Off” mode, momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch and the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will illuminate. To turn the ESC on again, momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch 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 TCS is disabled, and the enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC system is reduced.

NOTE

• For vehicles with multiple partial ESC modes, a momen-tary button push will toggle the ESC mode. Multiple momentary button pushes may be required to return to ESC On.
• 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” switch 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” switch.

FAQ’s