2006 JEEP COMMANDER Owners Manual

Rain Sensing Wipers—If Equipped
This feature senses moisture on the windshield and
automatically activates the wipers for the driver. The
feature is especially useful for road splash or overspray
from the windshield washers of the vehicle ahead. Rotate
the end of the multi-function lever to one of five settings
to activate this feature.
The sensitivity of the system can be adjusted with the
multi-function lever. Wiper delay position 1 is the least
sensitive, and wiper delay position 5 is the most sensi-
tive. Setting 3 should be used for normal rain conditions.
Settings 1 and 2 can be used if the driver desires less
wiper sensitivity. Settings 4 and 5 can be used if the
Rain Sensitive Wiper Switch
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driver desires more sensitivity. Place the wiper switch in
the OFF position when not using the system.
NOTE:
•The rain sensing feature will not operate when the
wiper switch is in the LOW or HIGH speed position.
•The rain sensing feature may not function properly
when ice, or dried salt water is present on the wind-
shield.
•Use of Rain-Xor products containing wax or silicone
may reduce rain sensor performance.
•A customer programmable feature in the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) allows the Rain
Sense feature to be turned off. Refer to “Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) — Customer Pro-
grammable Features” in Section 4 of this manual.The rain sensing system has protection features for the
wiper blades and arms, and will not operate under the
following conditions:
•Low Ambient Temperature— When the ignition is
first turned ON, the rain sensing system will not
operate until the wiper switch is moved, vehicle speed
is greater than 0 mph (0 km/h), or the outside tem-
perature is greater than 32°F (0°C).
•Transmission in N (Neutral) Position— When the
ignition is ON, and the transmission is in the N
(Neutral) position, the rain sensing system will not
operate until the wiper switch is moved, vehicle speed
is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h), or the shift lever is
moved out of the N (Neutral) position.
130 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

TILT STEERING COLUMN
To tilt the column, push down on the lever below the turn
signal control and move the wheel up or down, as
desired. Pull the lever back towards you and firmly push
the lever until it is above the lower surface of the shroud
to lock the column in place.WARNING!
Tilting the steering wheel column while the vehicle
is moving is dangerous. Without a stable steering
column, you could lose control of the vehicle and
have an accident. Adjust the tilting mechanism only
while the vehicle is stopped. Be sure it is locked
before driving.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced electronic
brake control system that includes ABS (Anti-Lock Brake
System), TCS (Traction Control System), BAS (Brake
Assist System), ERM (Electronic Rollover Mitigation),
and ESP (Electronic Stability Program). All five systems
work together to enhance vehicle stability and control in
various driving conditions, and are commonly referred to
as ESP.
Tilt Steering Column
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ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System)
This system aids the driver in maintaining vehicle control
under adverse braking conditions. The system controls
hydraulic brake pressure to prevent wheel lock-up and
help avoid skidding on slippery surfaces during braking.
Refer to “Anti-Lock Brake System” in Section 5 of this
manual for more information about ABS. (See page 271
for more information.)
WARNING!
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) cannot prevent the
natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase the traction afforded by prevail-
ing road conditions. ABS cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver
can prevent accidents. The capabilities of an ABS-
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner which could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
132 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

TCS (Traction Control System)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, brake
pressure is applied to the slipping wheel(s) and engine
power is reduced to provide enhanced acceleration and
stability. A feature of the TCS system functions similar to
a limited slip differential and controls the wheel spin
across a driven axle. If one wheel on a driven axle is
spinning faster than the other, the system will apply the
brake of the spinning wheel. This will allow more engine
torque to be applied to the wheel that is not spinning.
This feature remains active even if TCS and ESP are in
either the “Partial Off” or “Full Off” modes. Refer to “ESP
(Electronic Stability Program)” in this section.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking
capability during emergency braking maneuvers. The
system detects an emergency braking situation by sens-
ing the rate and amount of brake application and then
applies optimum pressure to the brakes. This can help
reduce braking distances. The BAS complements the
anti-lock brake system (ABS). Applying the brakes very
quickly results in the best BAS assistance. To receive the
benefit of the system, you must apply continuous brak-
ing pressure during the stopping sequence. Do not
reduce brake pedal pressure unless braking is no longer
desired. Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is
deactivated.
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WARNING!
BAS (Brake Assist System) cannot prevent the natu-
ral laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor
can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. BAS cannot prevent accidents, in-
cluding those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver
can prevent accidents. The capabilities of a BAS-
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner which could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
ERM (Electronic Rollover Mitigation)
This system anticipates the potential for wheel lift by
monitoring the driver ’s steering wheel input and the
speed of the vehicle. When ERM determines that the rate
of change of the steering wheel angle and vehicles speed
are sufficient to potentially cause wheel lift, it applies the
appropriate brake and may reduce engine power to
lessen the chance that wheel lift will occur. ERM will only
intervene during very severe or evasive driving maneu-
vers.
ERM can only reduce the chance of wheel lift occurring
during severe or evasive driving maneuvers. It cannot
prevent wheel lift due to other factors such as road
conditions, leaving the roadway or striking objects or
other vehicles.
134 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:Anytime the ESP system is in the “Full Off”
mode, ERM is disabled. Refer to ESP (Electronic Stability
Program) for a complete explanation of the available ESP
modes.
WARNING!
Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road condi-
tions and driving conditions, influence the chance
that wheel lift or rollover may occur. ERM cannot
prevent all wheel lift or rollovers, especially those
that involve leaving the roadway or striking objects
or other vehicles. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabilities of an
ERM-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner which could jeopar-
dize the user’s safety or the safety of others.
ESP (Electronic Stability Program)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESP cor-
rects for over/under steering of the vehicle by applying
the brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in counter-
acting the over/under steer condition. Engine power
may also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the
desired path.
ESP uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle
path intended by the driver and compares it to the actual
path of the vehicle. When the actual path does not match
the intended path, ESP applies the brake of the appropri-
ate wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer or
understeer condition.
•Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
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•Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
TheESP/TCS Indicator Lightlocated in the instrument
cluster, starts to flash as soon as the tires lose traction and
the ESP system becomes active. TheESP/TCS Indicator
Lightalso flashes when TCS is active. If theESP/TCS
Indicator Lightbegins to flash during acceleration, ease
up on the accelerator and apply as little throttle as
possible. Be sure to adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road conditions.WARNING!
ESP (Electronic Stability Program) cannot prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. ESP cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabilities of an
ESP-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner which could jeopar-
dize the user’s safety or the safety of others.
The ESP system has 3 available operating modes in 4WD
High Range and in 2WD vehicles. The system has 2
operating modes in 4WD Low Range.
136 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE