Line Lock Guide: How to Do a Proper Burnout on Your Challenger

What Is Line Lock?

Line Lock is a factory feature on automatic 2022 Challengers that locks only the front brakes hydraulically, allowing the rear wheels to spin freely. This lets you do a stationary burnout to heat the rear tires before a drag strip pass — without pushing the car forward against the staging beam.

At a drag strip, hot tires grip better than cold ones. A proper burnout lays a fresh contact patch of heated rubber on the starting line, improving your 60-foot times significantly.

Line Lock is only available on automatic transmission models and only activates in Track Mode.

How to Activate Line Lock

1. Come to a complete stop on the burnout pad (the wet concrete area before the staging beams)
2. Enter Track Mode
3. With your foot on the brake, press and hold the OK button on the steering wheel for 3–5 seconds until the Line Lock icon appears on the dash
4. Release the brake pedal — the front brakes are now hydraulically locked
5. Apply throttle gradually — the rear tires will begin to spin
6. Modulate throttle to maintain a steady spin (typically 25–50% throttle is enough once tires are rolling)
7. Hold for 3–5 seconds for street tires, 6–10 seconds for drag radials
8. Release throttle, then drive forward to the staging beam

Throttle Technique

Don't mash the throttle. Once the rear tires break loose, they spin on relatively little power — stabbing it too hard sends the RPMs to the limiter and creates an inconsistent burnout.

Target 3,000–4,000 RPM with the rear tires spinning. Listen and watch for the smoke to become consistent before releasing.

How Long to Burn Out

• Street tires: 3–5 seconds. Street tires have softer compounds that heat quickly.
• Drag radials: 6–10 seconds. The stiffer compound needs more time to come to temperature.
• Slicks: 10–15 seconds. Full race prep requires sustained tire prep.

Over-burning street tires round off the shoulders and flat-spot the tread — you'll actually lose grip. Under-burning gives you a cold launch with no benefit.

What Line Lock Does NOT Do

Line Lock does not lock the parking brake mechanism — it's a hydraulic front brake hold. This means:

• The car will still roll backward on a slope if you release the throttle
• It times out automatically after about 15 seconds for brake protection
• It does not engage when standing still with no hydraulic pressure built

Safety Notes

• Only use Line Lock on a designated burnout pad or private property — not on public roads
• Keep bystanders clear of the rear of the car
• Do not hold Line Lock for extended periods — the front brake pads and rotors absorb heat even while not spinning, and prolonged use can cause brake fade
• Check tire condition before every burnout — a weakened sidewall can fail under sustained spin

After the Burnout

Drive slowly through the burnout box residue and stage normally. Don't do aggressive driving immediately after the burnout — let the tires settle at temperature for one or two tire rotations as you stage.