2006 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SRT Owners Manual

Trailer Towing.........................274
▫Common Towing Definitions.............275
▫Trailer Hitch Classification...............277
▫Trailer Towing Weights
(Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings).........278▫Trailer And Tongue Weight..............278
▫Towing Requirements..................280
▫Towing Tips.........................284

Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 285
STARTING AND OPERATING 233
5

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
The gear selector must be in the N (Neutral) or P (Park)
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting to any driving gear.
Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine is
obtained without pumping or depressing the accelerator
pedal. Turn the key to the START position and release
when the engine starts. If the engine fails to start within10 seconds, turn the key to the OFF position, wait 5
seconds, then repeat the normal starting procedure.
Ignition Key Positions
234 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
Extreme Cold Weather (below –20°F (–29°C)
To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails to Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather” proce-
dures, it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it there while cranking the
engine. This should clear any excess fuel in case the
engine is flooded.NOTE:To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank
the engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15–
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold
Weather” procedures should be repeated.
STARTING AND OPERATING 235
5

After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
CAUTION!
Long periods of engine idling, especially at high
engine speeds can cause excessive exhaust tempera-
tures which can damage your vehicle. Do not leave
your vehicle unattended with the engine running.
TRANSMISSION SHIFTING
5–Speed Automatic Transmission
The electronically controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a newvehicle, may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles.Automatic Shift Controls
236 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of P
(Park) or N (Neutral) if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly
forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the
vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Brake Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a brake transmission shift
interlock system (BTSI) that holds the gearshift lever in
the P (Park) position when the ignition switch is in the
LOCK position. To move the gear selector lever out of the
P (Park) position, the ignition switch must be turned to
the ON position, and the brake pedal must be depressed.
Gear Ranges
NOTE:After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerating.
This is especially important when the engine is cold. If
there is a need to restart the engine be sure to cycle the
key to the LOCK position before restarting. Transmission
gear engagement may be delayed after restarting the
engine if the key is not cycled to the LOCK position first.
P (Park)
Supplements the parking brake by locking the transmis-
sion. The engine can be started in this range. Never use P
(Park) while the vehicle is in motion. Apply the parking
brake when leaving the vehicle in this range.
STARTING AND OPERATING 237
5

WARNING!
Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, you should apply
the park brake, shift the transmission into P (Park),
and remove the key from the ignition. Once the key
is removed from the ignition the transmission shift
lever is locked in the P (Park) position, securing the
vehicle against unwanted movement. Furthermore,
you should never leave children unattended inside a
vehicle.
R (Reverse)
Shift into this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
N (Neutral)
No power is transmitted from the engine to the drive
axle. When the brakes are released, the vehicle can roll
freely. Do not engage in N (Neutral) position while
driving except to coast when the vehicle is in danger of
skidding (e.g., on icy roads).
D (Drive)
The transmission automatically upshifts through fifth
gear. The D (Drive) position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions. For
additional shifting information, refer to “Autostick” later
in this section.
Rocking the Vehicle
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, sand, or mud, it can
often be moved by a rocking motion. Move the gear
selector rhythmically between D (Drive) and R (Reverse),
while applying slight pressure to the accelerator.
238 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and
Traction Control (if equipped) should be turned OFF
before attempting to rock the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic
Brake Control System” in Section 3 of this manual.
The least amount of accelerator pedal pressure to main-
tain the rocking motion without spinning the wheels or
racing the engine is most effective. Racing the engine or
spinning the wheels, due to the frustration of not freeing
the vehicle, may lead to transmission overheating and
failure. Allow the engine to idle with the transmission
selector in N (Neutral) for at least one minute after every
five rocking-motion cycles. This will minimize overheat-
ing and reduce the risk of transmission failure during
prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.CAUTION!
When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving between
“First” and R (Reverse), do not spin the wheels faster
than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
AUTOSTICK
Autostick is a driver-interactive transmission that offers
manual gear shifting capability to provide the driver
with more control. Autostick allows the driver to increase
engine braking ability, control upshift and downshift
points, and enhance the driving experience. This system
can also provide the driver with more control during
passing, city driving, mountain driving, trailer towing,
and many other situations.
STARTING AND OPERATING 239
5

Autostick Operation
By placing the shift lever in the D (Drive) position the lever
can be moved from side to side. This allows the driver to
engage the AutoStick mode. Moving the shift lever to the
right (+) or the left (-) will engage the Autostick mode. In
normal driving mode (Boxed “D” displayed in the
PRNDL), moving the shift lever to the right (+) will engage
the Autostick mode putting the transmission in the cur-
rently engaged gear. Moving the shift lever to the Left (-)
will engage the Autostick mode and downshift the trans-
mission 1 gear. For example, the transmission is in Normal
Mode and is currently operating in 3rd gear, a boxed D is
displayed in the PRNDL, a push to the right will engage
the Autostick mode in 3rd and a Boxed 3 will be displayed
in the PRNDL. A push to the left (-) will engage Autostick
mode and downshift to 2nd gear and a Boxed 2 will be
displayed in the PRNDL. Once Autostick mode is engaged
a move to the Right (+) or left (-) will trigger a upshift (+)
or trigger a downshift (-).
NOTE:In the Autostick mode, the transmission will
only shift up and down when Left or Right (D-/D+) is
manually selected by the driver.
The transmission will not honor a downshift command if
the downshift would result in a engine overspeed condi-
tion. The transmission will always honor a upshift com-
mand from 1st to 2nd gear, however 2nd - 3rd, 3rd - 4th,
and 4th – 5th upshift commands will not be honored if
the vehicle speed is to low to maintain operation in the
commanded gear. The transmission will automatically
downshift as the vehicle slows to a stop.
When in the Autostick mode, as the engine RPM nears
the engine maximum speed, an “UPSHIFT” message will
appear in the Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC) portion of your instrument cluster. This message
appears in order to alert the driver that the engine speed
is approaching it’s maximum value and a upshift to the
next gear is required. In the event that the driver does not
240 STARTING AND OPERATING