Dodge 2000 DURANGO Service Manual page 313

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DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION (Continued)
housing to the receptacle shell. If the cigar lighter
knob is pushed inward, the heat shield slides up
toward the knob exposing the heating element, and
the heating element extends from the housing toward
the insulated contact in the bottom of the receptacle
shell.
Two small spring-clip retainers are located on
either side of the insulated contact inside the bottom
of the receptacle shell. These clips engage and hold
the heating element against the insulated contact
long enough for the resistor coil to heat up. When the
heating element is engaged with the contact, battery
current can flow through the resistor coil to ground,
causing the resistor coil to heat.
When the resistor coil becomes sufficiently heated,
excess heat radiates from the heating element caus-
ing the spring-clips to expand. Once the spring-clips
expand far enough to release the heating element,
the spring-loaded housing forces the knob and heat-
ing element to pop back outward to their relaxed
position. When the cigar lighter knob and element
are pulled out of the receptacle shell, the protective
heat shield slides downward on the housing so that
the heating element is recessed and shielded around
its circumference for safety.
GEAR SELECTOR INDICATOR
DESCRIPTION
An automatic transmission gear selector indicator
is standard factory-installed equipment in this
model, when it is also equipped with an optional
automatic transmission. Two types of gear selector
indicators are used, mechanical or electronic. Either
gear selector indicator gives an indication of the
transmission gear that has been selected with the
automatic transmission gear selector lever. If the
vehicle is equipped with the optional 45RFE auto-
matic transmission, the instrument cluster contains
an integral electronic gear selector indicator. All
other automatic transmission types use the mechan-
ical gear selector indicator.
Diagnosis of the electronic gear selector indicator
should be performed using a DRBIII scan tool and
the proper Diagnostic Procedures manual. The elec-
tronic gear selector indicator cannot be adjusted or
repaired. If faulty or damaged, the instrument clus-
ter unit must be replaced.
The mechanical gear selector indicator housing is
mounted to the rear of the instrument cluster hous-
ing. The mechanical gear selector indicator pointer is
easily visible through an opening provided in the
front of the instrument cluster mask, and is also
lighted by the cluster illumination lamps for visibility
at night. This group covers only the removal and
installation of the mechanical gear selector indicator
INSTRUMENT PANEL SYSTEMS
from the instrument cluster. Refer to Steering Col-
umn in the Removal and Installation section of
Group 19 - Steering for the mechanical gear selector
indicator cable adjustment procedures.
OPERATION
The electronic gear selector indicator uses a digital
Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) to indicate the
gear selector position. The electronic gear selector
indicator is controlled by messages received by the
instrument cluster circuitry from the electronic
Transmission Control Module (TCM) over the CCD
data bus network.
The mechanical gear selector indicator has a
spring-loaded pointer that is mechanically actuated
by a cable connected to the gear selector indicator
driver lever of the gear selector lever mechanism on
the steering column. When the gear selector lever is
moved the indicator driver lever moves, which actu-
ates the spring-loaded pointer through the mechani-
cal actuator cable. An adjuster mounted on the
steering column housing provides a mechanical
means of calibrating the gear selector indicator
mechanism.
INSTRUMENT PANEL POWER OUTLET
DESCRIPTION
An accessory power outlet is optional equipment on
this model. The power outlet is installed in the
instrument panel lower bezel, which is located near
the center of the instrument panel, below the radio.
The power outlet base is secured by a snap fit within
the instrument panel lower bezel. A plastic protective
cap snaps into the power outlet base when the power
outlet is not being used, and hangs from the power
outlet base mount by an integral bail strap while the
power outlet is in use.
The power outlet receptacle unit and the accessory
power outlet protective cap are available for service.
The power outlet receptacle cannot be repaired and,
if faulty or damaged, it must be replaced.
OPERATION
The power outlet base or receptacle shell is con-
nected to ground, and an insulated contact in the
bottom of the shell is connected to battery current.
The power outlet receives battery voltage from a fuse
in the Power Distribution Center (PDC) at all times.
While the power outlet is very similar to a cigar
lighter base unit, it does not include the two small
spring-clip retainers inside the bottom of the recepta-
cle shell that are used to secure the cigar lighter
heating element to the insulated contact.
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