Are you bringing your Dodge Challenger Hellcat to a car wash or the dealership, and do you want to know how to put it on Valet Mode when you get there? You’ve come to the right place, for we have researched this question and have the answer for you.
Here is a summary of the steps that will activate Valet Mode on your Dodge Challenger Hellcat.
- Double-tap the “Drive Modes” button on the center console.
- Select the “Valet” button on the screen.
- Enter a 4-digit PIN.
Let’s talk more about the Valet Mode in Dodge Challenger Hellcat in the succeeding sections.
Read on!
Valet Mode As A Security System
The Valet Mode in Dodge cars—including the Dodge Challenger Hellcat—is a form of security and safety system.
If you plan to bring your Hellcat to the dealer, it will be a good idea to put it in Valet Mode before you leave. Additionally, if you’re letting a valet park your Hellcat at a restaurant, placing it in Valet Mode first is a wise decision. If you have a kid who is just starting to learn how to drive, then using the Valet Mode is a great way to teach him how to drive.
The regular 2022 Hellcat can produce 717 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 656 pound-foot of torque at 4,800 RPM. This much engine power can make a car difficult to handle unless you know what you’re doing. This is where Valet Mode as a safety feature comes in.
The full power of a Hellcat’s engine can easily become too much for an overeager teenager who just had his driver’s license to control. Similarly, not everyone in a dealership is an expert in handling a car that can produce this much power.
Using the Valet Mode makes the Hellcat safer to use for those that are inexperienced in handling supercars.
Additionally, if your Hellcat gets stolen while it is in Valet Mode, law enforcement agents will be able to easily catch up with your Hellcat because of the limit on its engine power. This is where the Valet Mode becomes a security system.
What happens in Valet Mode?
Once active, the valet system reduces the power output of your Hellcat.
The mode blocks the usage of the Launch Control, Traction Control, and changing suspension or transmission settings.
Valet Mode limits the horsepower output to 300 horsepower. Additionally, it also limits the RPM to 4,000. The first gear is also not available in the automatic transmission V8. However, the manual transmission V6 version has access to all the gears.
Battery Power
Your Hellcat saves the Valet Mode setting in a part of the computer’s memory that behaves like RAM. What this means is that the Hellcat will "forget" that it should be in Valet Mode if it somehow loses battery power. Even the PIN will be forgotten by the Hellcat once it loses its supply of energy.
However, when you think about it, Dodge engineers may want the Valet Mode storage to behave this way. Resetting Valet Mode might be critical in certain situations where the owner of a Hellcat forgets the PIN to disable Valet Mode.
Without a way to reset or disable Valet Mode without the PIN, the owner of a Hellcat will have to drive his car to a dealer to reset Valet Mode. This is highly inconvenient, especially in an emergency.
What is Hellcat’s black key?
The Hellcat has plenty of power under the hood. Dodge recognizes that not everyone will be able to handle that much power from a supercar.
Thus, Dodge devised a way to slowly ease a new Hellcat owner into its power without risking the safety and enjoyment of their new Hellcat. Modern Hellcats come with two key fobs of different colors and functions. These keys bring with them a safety feature that is part of the Hellcat.
The Black Key
There will be situations where there is no need to access all the power of the Hellcat. The examples above are just some of the situations where you might want to reduce the power output of your Hellcat.
Using the black key of your Hellcat limits the power output of the engine to only 500 horsepower. This is still very powerful for normal daily driving.
Thus, the black key is useful for providing a way to drive the Hellcat without letting all its power out.
It can be an alternative to the Valet Mode. However, the Valet Mode imposes greater limits on the Hellcat than the black key.
The Red Key
The red key, on the other hand, allows you to push your Hellcat to its limit—which is probably the reason why they chose red for its color.
The navigation screen of your Hellcat shows a clear distinction between using the black key and the red key. You’d know right away which key you’re using when the navigation screen loads up.
How to set Valet Mode on a Hellcat?
Here are the complete steps to enable Valet Mode in your Dodge Challenger Hellcat.
- Turn on your Hellcat.
- Double-tap the “Drive Modes” button on the central control panel. The navigation screen will display the traction option and the steering option.
- There is a button at the bottom right corner of the screen that has the label “Valet.” Tap this button.
-
- You will receive a notification screen that will inform you that the Valet Mode will limit the performance of your Hellcat.
- The notification screen will also tell you about the custom PIN code to activate and deactivate the Valet Mode.
- Press the “Yes” button on the notification screen.
- A screen will appear with a numeric keypad. You need to enter a 4-digit PIN to activate Valet Mode. Enter your chosen 4-digit PIN using the on-screen numeric keypad.
-
- Do not forget your 4-digit PIN. You will not be able to deactivate the Valet Mode without this PIN.
- Valet Mode will not activate without assigning a 4-digit PIN first.
- Pressing the “X” symbol on the upper right corner of the screen will cancel the process, and you will have to start all over.
- Press the “GO” button after you enter your chosen PIN.
- An activation screen will appear that reminds you of the various limitations on your Hellcat that the Valet Mode will bring. You can press the “OK” button at the lower right corner of the screen once you’re done reading the information about Valet Mode.
- After pressing “OK,” the screen will bring up the deactivation panel where you can enter your PIN to deactivate Valet Mode. Once you see this screen, it means that Valet Mode is already active. There is a message at the very top of the screen that notifies you that Valet Mode is active. Tap that message to exit that screen.
How to deactivate Valet Mode on Hellcat?
Follow the same steps above to get into the “Driving Modes” window. A window will pop open that will ask for the deactivation PIN.
Type in your PIN to deactivate valet mode.
In some models, you get a message at the top edge of the screen that tells you Valet Mode is currently active. Tap the message to get the window where you can enter your PIN to deactivate Valet Mode.
What is Enhanced Valet Mode?
FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) recently launched the Enhanced Valet Mode or the Enhanced Security Valet Mode. This is an upgrade to the existing Valet Mode that further limits the engine power and maximum RPM. This upgrade will allow the Enhanced Valet Mode to further restrict the mobility of your vehicle and increase security.
Remember the section above about how the valet mode serves as a security feature too? The Enhanced Valet Mode takes that one step further.
This is a free upgrade that FCA US offers to owners of its vehicles that has the standard valet mode. Thus, you will not pay anything for the software upgrade and labor to get the Enhanced Valet Mode.
The process of upgrading involves a 30-minute update time where an FCA mechanic will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module or the PCM.
There may be additional checks on your vehicle during the upgrade that can take up time beyond the 30 minutes for reprogramming.
How to activate Enhanced Valet Mode?
Activating Enhanced Valet Mode is the same as the regular Valet Mode. You can follow the same steps above to activate it.
There will be an additional button at the bottom where you normally find the “Valet” button, but it will still be there. There will also be slight changes to the information on the screen. The PIN code screen will also look slightly different.
What happens when entering Enhanced Valet Mode?
The following are the limitations that Enhanced Security Valet Mode will impose on your Hellcat once active.
- The engine will remain at idle speed even when the throttle is applied. This is less than 3 horsepower.
- Automatic transmission versions of Hellcat will upshift earlier than normal. This reduces the power availability after shifting.
- Traction, Suspension, and Steering Will stay at “Street” settings.
- Paddle shifters on the steering wheel will not work.
- The “Drive Modes” screen will no longer be available. Trying to get into this screen will bring up the unlock keypad.
- The “ESC Off” button will be unavailable.
- The “Launch Control” button is not available.
Conclusion
Activating the Valet Mode of your Hellcat can be done from the Driving Mode screen.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you might find the articles below equally enjoyable to read: