2006 JEEP WRANGLER Owners Manual

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!
•Before 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.
•Never 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.
•When “rocking” 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 193
5

NOTE:The transmission electronics constantly monitor
the transmission oil temperature. If the transmission gets
too hot, the transmission will change the way it shifts to
help control the condition. This may result in a slightly
different feeling or response during normal operation in
D (Drive) position. If the transmission becomes hot
enough, the TRANS TEMP warning light in the instru-
ment cluster will come on. After the transmission cools
down, it will return to normal operation.
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-TRAC™ OR ROCK-TRAC™) — IF
EQUIPPED
4WD Shift Controls
194 STARTING AND OPERATING

Operating Instructions/Precautions
The transfer case provides four mode positions — 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.
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).
STARTING AND OPERATING 195
5

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 — Normal street and
highway driving. Dry hard surfaced roads.
196 STARTING AND OPERATING

4H Position
Four Wheel Drive High Range — 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.
NOTE: This range should not be used during dry
pavement operation.
N (Neutral) Position
Neutral — Disengages both the front and rear driveshafts
from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing behind
another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in Sec-
tion 5 of this manual. (See page 248 for more
information.)
4L Position
Four Wheel Drive Low Range — 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
STARTING AND OPERATING 197
5

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.
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-LOK™ REAR AXLE
The Trac-Lok™ 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-Lok™ is especially helpful during slippery driving
conditions. With both rear wheels on a slippery surface, a
198 STARTING AND OPERATING

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.
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–LOK™) — IF EQUIPPED
The Axle Lock switch is located on the lower center of the
instrument panel.
This feature will only activate when the following con-
ditions are met:
•Key in ignition, vehicle in 4L (Low) range.
Axle Lock Switch
STARTING AND OPERATING 199
5

•Vehicle speed should be 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.
Axle lock will disengage if vehicle is taken out of 4L
(Low) range.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.
To release the parking brake, pull up slightly, press center
button, then lower lever completely.
200 STARTING AND OPERATING