2004 JEEP WRANGLER Owners Manual

2 (Second)
For moderate grades and to assist braking on dry
pavement or in mud and snow. Begins at a stop in low
gear with automatic upshift to 2nd gear. Will not shift
to 3rd.
1 (First)
For hard pulling at low speeds in mud, sand, snow, or
on steep grades. Begins and stays in low gear with no
upshift. Provides engine compression braking at low
speeds.
WARNING!
Never use P (Park) position with an automatic trans-
mission as a substitute for the parking brake. Al-
ways apply parking brake fully when parked to
guard against vehicle movement and possible injury
or damage.
CAUTION!
²Before moving the shift lever out of P (Park), you
must turn the ignition from LOCK so the steering
wheel and shift lever are released. Otherwise,
damage to steering column or shifter could result.
²Never race the engine with the brakes on and the
vehicle in gear, and never hold the vehicle on an
incline without applying the brakes. These prac-
tices can overheat and damage the transmission.
²When ªrockingº a stuck vehicle by moving be-
tween D (Drive) and R (Reverse), do not spin the
wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain
damage may result.
STARTING AND OPERATING 169
5

Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been
added to the automatic transmission of this vehicle. A
clutch within the torque converter engages automatically
at calibrated speeds. This may result in a slightly differ-
ent feeling or response during normal operation in high
gear. When the vehicle speed drops or during accelera-
tion, the clutch automatically and smoothly disengages.
FOUR±WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
(COMMAND-TRACŸ OR ROCK-TRACŸ) Ð IF
EQUIPPEDOperating Instructions/Precautions
The transfer case provides four mode positions Ð two
(rear) wheel drive high range, four wheel drive high
range, neutral, and four wheel drive low range.
This transfer case is intended to be driven in the two
wheel drive (2H) position for normal street and highway
conditions such as dry hard surfaced roads.
In the events when additional traction is required, the
transfer case 4H and 4L positions can be used to lock the
front and rear driveshafts together and force the front
and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is
accomplished by simply moving the shift lever to these
positions. The 4H and 4L positions are intended for loose,
slippery road surfaces only. Driving in the 4H and 4L
positions on dry hard surfaced roads may cause in-
creased tire wear and damage to the driveline compo-
nents.
The 4WD indicator light, located in the instrument panel,
alerts the driver that the vehicle is in four wheel drive
and that the front and rear driveshafts are locked to-
gether. This light illuminates when the transfer case is
shifted to either the 4H or 4L positions.
170 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:Do not attempt to make a shift while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning. The transfer case is not
equipped with a synchronizer and therefore the front and
rear driveshafts speeds must be equal for the shift to take
place. Shifting while only the front or rear wheels are
spinning can cause damage to the transfer case.
When operating your vehicle in 4L, the engine speed is
approximately three times that of the 2H or 4H positions
at a given road speed. Take care not to overspeed the
engine and do not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
Proper operation of four wheel drive vehicles depends on
tires of equal size, type, and circumference on each
wheel. Any difference will adversely affect shifting and
cause damage to the transfer case.
Because four wheel drive provides improved traction,
there is a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping
speeds. Do not go faster than road conditions permit.WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the N
(Neutral) position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case N (Neutral) position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from
the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to move
regardless of the transmission position. The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
Shift Positions
For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position, see the information below:
2H Position
Rear Wheel Drive High Range Ð Normal street and
highway driving. Dry hard surfaced roads.
STARTING AND OPERATING 171
5

4H Position
Four Wheel Drive High Range Ð Locks the front and rear
driveshafts together. Forces the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed. Additional traction for loose,
slippery road surfaces.
N (Neutral) Position
Neutral Ð Disengages both the front and rear driveshafts
from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing behind
another vehicle. Refer to ªRecreational Towingº in Sec-
tion 5 of this manual.
4L Position
Four Wheel Drive Low Range Ð Locks the front and rear
driveshafts together. Forces the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed. Additional traction and maxi-
mum pulling power for loose, slippery road surfaces
only. Do not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
Shifting Procedure
2H to 4H or 4H to 2H
Shifting between 2H and 4H can be made with the
vehicle stopped or in motion. If the vehicle is in motion,
shifts can be made up to 55 mph (88 km/h). With the
vehicle in motion, the transfer case will engage/
disengage faster if you momentarily release the accelera-
tor pedal after completing the shift. Apply a constant
force when shifting the transfer case lever.
4H to 4L or 4L to 4H
With the vehicle rolling at 2 to 3 mph (3 to 5 km/h), shift
an automatic transmission to N (Neutral) or depress the
clutch pedal on a manual transmission. While the vehicle
is coasting at 2 to 3 mph (3 to 5 km/h), shift the transfer
case lever firmly to the desired position. Do not pause in
transfer case N (Neutral).
NOTE:Pausing in transfer case N (Neutral) in vehicles
equipped with an automatic transmission may require
shutting the engine OFF to avoid gear clash while
completing the shift. If difficulty occurs, shift the auto-
matic transmission to N (Neutral), hold foot on brake,
and turn the engine OFF. Make shift to desired mode.
172 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:Shifting into or out of 4L is possible with the
vehicle completely stopped, however, difficulty may oc-
cur due to the mating teeth not being properly aligned.
Several attempts may be required for clutch teeth align-
ment and shift completion to occur. The preferred
method is with the vehicle rolling at 2 to 3 mph (3 to 5
km/h). Avoid attempting to engage or disengage 4L with
the vehicle moving faster than 2 to 3 mph (3 to 5 km/h).
WARNING!
Failure to engage a position completely can cause
transfer case damage or loss of power and vehicle
control. You could have an injury accident. Do not
drive the vehicle unless the transfer case is fully
engaged.
TRAC-LOKŸ REAR AXLE
The Trac-LokŸ rear axle provides a constant driving
force to both rear wheels and reduces wheel spin caused
by the loss of traction at one driving wheel. If traction
differs between the two rear wheels, the differential
automatically proportions the usable torque by providing
more torque to the wheel that has traction.
Trac-LokŸ is especially helpful during slippery driving
conditions. With both rear wheels on a slippery surface, a
slight application of the accelerator will supply maxi-
mum traction. When starting with only one rear wheel on
an excessively slippery surface, slight application of the
parking brake may be necessary to gain maximum trac-
tion.
STARTING AND OPERATING 173
5

WARNING!
On vehicles equipped with a limited-slip differen-
tial, never run the engine with one rear wheel off the
ground. The vehicle may drive through the rear
wheel remaining on the ground and cause you to
lose control of your vehicle.
AXLE LOCK (TRU±LOKŸ) Ð IF EQUIPPED
The Axle Locker switch is located on the lower center of
the instrument panel. This feature will only activate
when the following conditions are met:
²Key in ignition, vehicle in 4L (Low) range.
²The vehicle must be traveling at 10 mph (16 km/h) or
less.
To activate the system, press the switch once to lock the
rear axle only (the REAR LOCK indicator light will
illuminate), press the switch again to lock the front axle
(the FRONT LOCK indicator light will illuminate). Once
the rear axle is locked, pressing the switch again will lock
or unlock the front axle.
NOTE:The indicator lights will flash until the axles are
fully locked or unlocked. A chime will sound three times
and the indicator lights will continue to flash at a
different rate if the key is removed while the axles are still
in the locked position.
To unlock the axles, pull up on the switch.
174 STARTING AND OPERATING

PARKING BRAKE
To set the parking brake, pull the lever up as firmly as
possible. When the parking brake is applied with the
ignition ON, the BRAKE warning light in the instrument
cluster will light.
NOTE:The BRAKE warning light indicates only that
the parking brake is applied. It does not indicate the
degree of brake application.
NOTE:If the parking brake is applied and the vehicle is
in motion, the BRAKE warning light will flash and a
chime will sound.
Before leaving the vehicle parked on a hill, you must
make sure the parking brake is fully applied and place
the gear selector in the P (Park) position (automatic
transmission) or first gear (manual transmission). Make
certain the transfer case is in gear. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.
STARTING AND OPERATING 175
5

WARNING!
²Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or vehicle may roll and cause
damage or injury. Also be certain to leave a
automatic transmission in P (Park), or a manual
transmission in 1st gear. Make certain the transfer
case is in gear. Failure to do so may cause the
vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.
²If the parking brake is released, and the BRAKE
warning light glows while the ignition switch is
ON or the engine is running, there may be a brake
system problem. Brake pedal travel, effort and
stopping distances may increase, and you should
obtain corrective service immediately.
When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the gear selector in P (Park), other-
wise the load on the transmission locking mechanism
may make it difficult to move the selector out of P (Park).
The parking brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.
WARNING!
²Leaving children unattended in a vehicle is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be injured. Children should be warned not
to touch the parking brake or the gear selector
lever. Don't leave the keys in the ignition. A child
could operate controls or move the vehicle.
To release the parking brake, pull up slightly, press center
button, then lower lever completely.
176 STARTING AND OPERATING