2005 JEEP LIBERTY trailer

11. Temperature Gage
Indicates engine coolant temperature. Any read-
ing within the normal range indicates that the
cooling system is operating satisfactorily.
The gage pointer will likely indicate a higher temperature
(above center scale) when driving in hot weather, up
mountain grades, in heavy stop and go traffic, or when
towing a trailer. It should not be allowed to exceed the
upper limits of the normal operating range.
If the pointer rises to the red zone (five chimes will
occur), pull over and stop the vehicle. Do not turn the
engine off. Idle the vehicle with the air conditioning
turned off, until the pointer drops back into the normal
range. If the engine remains in the high range, turn the
engine off and call for service.12. Reset Button
Press this button to toggle between the odometer and trip
odometer display. When in the trip odometer mode,
holding the button in resets the trip odometer. Also,
pressing the “Reset” button will clear out any warning
messages in the odometer display.
13. Odometer/Trip Odometer
A vacuum fluorescent display indicates the total distance
the vehicle has been driven. Also, the cluster will display,
replacing the odometer/trip odometer, vehicle warning
messages such as: door/gate/glass ajar and low washer
fluid. See appropriate sections for more information.
NOTE:If vehicle is equipped with the optional Elec-
tronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) in the overhead
console, all warnings including “door”, “GATE”,
“GLASS”, and “LOWASH” will only be displayed in the
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 171
4

EVIC display (not in the instrument cluster). For addi-
tional information, refer to “Overhead Console — If
Equipped” in Section 3.
U.S. federal regulations require that upon transfer of
vehicle ownership, the seller certify to the purchaser the
correct mileage that the vehicle has been driven. There-
fore, if the odometer reading is changed during repair or
replacement, be sure to keep a record of the reading
before and after the service so that the correct mileage can
be determined.
14. Cruise Indicator Light
This indicator lights when the speed control
system is turned ON.
15. Oil Pressure Warning Light
Shows low engine oil pressure. The light will come
on and remain on when the ignition switch is
turned from the OFF to the ON position, and the lightwill turn off after the engine is started. If the bulb does
not come on, have the system checked by your autho-
rized dealer.
If the warning light comes on and remains on while
driving, stop the vehicle and shut off the engine. DO
NOT OPERATE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE CAUSE IS
CORRECTED. Also, a single chime will sound.
16. Transmission Temperature Warning Light
This light indicates that there is excessive trans-
mission fluid temperature that might occur with
severe usage such as trailer towing or snow plowing. If
this light comes on, stop the vehicle and run the engine at
idle or faster, with the transmission in N (Neutral) until
the light goes off.
172 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

▫Tire Pressure Monitoring — Base System.....268
▫Tire Pressure Monitoring — Premium System . 270
▫General Information...................273

Tire Chains...........................274

Tire Rotation Recommendations............275

Fuel Requirements (Gasoline Engines)........276
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................277
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............278
▫MMT In Gasoline.....................278
▫Materials Added To Fuel................279
▫Fuel System Cautions..................279▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings..............280

Fuel Requirements (Diesel Engines)..........280

Fuel Tank Filler Cap (Gas Cap).............281
▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message............283

Trailer Towing.........................283
▫Warranty Requirements.................284

Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 287
▫Towing – 2WD Models.................287
▫Towing — 4WD Models................287

Snow Plow...........................289
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5

Overdrive (O/D)
For most city and highway driving. The transmission
contains an electronically controlled Overdrive, and will
automatically shift from D (Drive) to O/D (Overdrive) if
the following conditions are present:
•The transmission selector is in D (Drive).
•The O/D OFF button has not been activated.
•Vehicle speed is above approximately 30 mph (48
km/h).
•Transmission has reached normal operating tempera-
ture.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs while using
Overdrive, such as when operating the vehicle under
heavy load conditions (for example, in hilly terrain,
strong head winds, or trailer towing), turning off over-
drive will improve performance and extend transmission
life by reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.Overdrive can be locked out by pressing the O/D OFF
button located on side of the gearshift lever. The O/D
OFF indicator light will illuminate to show that the
switch has been activated. When the indicator light is on,
Overdrive is locked out. Pressing the switch a second
time restores the Overdrive function. The lockout feature
is useful when towing a trailer or carrying a heavy load.O/D Off Button
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5

Tire and Loading Information Placard
This placard tells you important information about the:
1) number of people that can be carried in the vehicle
2) the total weight your vehicle can carry
3) the tire size designed for your vehicle
4) the cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear
and spare tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed
the load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You
will not exceed the tire’s load carrying capacity if you
adhere to the loading conditions, tire size and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the Tire and Loading
Information placard and the Vehicle Loading section of
this manual.
NOTE:Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition,
gross axle weight ratings (GAWR’s) for the front and rear
axles must not be exceeded. For further information on
GAWR’s, vehicle loading and trailer towing, see the
Vehicle Loading section of this manual.
To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX
lbs.” on the Tire and Loading Information placard. The
Tire and Loading Information
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5

combined weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight (if applicable) should never exceed
the weight referenced here.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never exceed XXX pounds” on
your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and pas-
sengers from XXX kilograms or XXX pounds.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of
cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lb.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lb. (since 5 x 150 = 750,
and 1400 – 750 = 650 lb.)5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
NOTE:The following table shows examples on how to
calculate total load, cargo/luggage and towing capacities
of your vehicle with varying seating configurations and
number and size of occupants. This table is for illustra-
tion purposes only and may not be accurate for the
seating and load carry capacity of your vehicle.
NOTE:For the following example the combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed 865 lbs. (392
Kg).
260 STARTING AND OPERATING

Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message
If the vehicle diagnostic system determines that the fuel
filler cap is loose, improperly installed, or damaged, a
“CHECK GAS CAP” message will be displayed in the
EVIC (Electronic Vehicle Information Center). Refer to
“Overhead Console” in Section 3 of this manual. Tighten
the fuel filler cap properly and press the odometer reset
button to turn the message off. If the problem continues,
the message will appear the next time the vehicle is
started. Refer to “Onboard Diagnostic System — OBDII”
in Section 7 of this manual for more information.
CAUTION!
Damage to the fuel system or emission control
system could result from using an improper fuel
tank filler cap (gas cap). A poorly fitting cap could let
impurities into the fuel system.
WARNING!
•Never add fuel when the engine is running.
•Never have any smoking materials lit in or near
the vehicle when the fuel cap is removed or the
tank filled.
TRAILER TOWING
In this section you will find information on limits to the
type of towing you can reasonably do with your vehicle.
Before towing a trailer, carefully review this information
to tow your load as efficiently and safely as possible.
To maintain warranty coverage, follow the requirements
and recommendations in this manual concerning ve-
hicles used for trailer towing.
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5

Perform maintenance services as prescribed in the
“Maintenance Schedules” section. When your vehicle is
used for trailer towing, never exceed the gross axle
weight rating (GAWR) by the addition of:
•The tongue weight of the trailer.
•The weight of any other type of cargo or equipment
put in or on your vehicle.
Remember that everything put in or on the trailer adds to
the load on your vehicle.
Warranty Requirements
The manufacturer’s warranty will apply to vehicles used
to tow trailers for noncommercial use, however the
following conditions must be met:
•The “D” Overdrive range can be selected when tow-
ing. However, if frequent shifting occurs select the
“O/D Off” function or move the shift lever to the next
lower position to eliminate excessive automatic trans-
mission shifting. This action will also reduce the
possibility of transmission overheating and provide
better engine braking. Refer to “Transmission Shift-
ing” in this section for additional information.
•A load equalizing hitch is recommended for loaded
trailer weights above 1,000 lbs (454 kg).
284 STARTING AND OPERATING