2007 JEEP PATRIOT stop start

CAUTION!
On icy or slippery roads, do not downshift at high
engine rpm's or vehicle speeds because engine brak-
ing may cause skidding and loss of control.
²Mud± Deep mud creates a great deal of suction
around the tires and is very difficult to get through.
You should use low (L Off-Road) with the 4WD Lock
engaged and maintain your momentum. If you start to
slow to a stop, try turning your steering wheel no
more than a 1/4; turn quickly back and forth for
additional traction. Mud holes pose an increased
threat of vehicle damage and getting stuck. They are
normally full of debris from previous vehicles getting
stuck. As a good practice before entering any mudhole, get out and determine how deep it is, if there are
any hidden obstacles and if the vehicle can be safely
recovered if stuck.
²Sand± Soft sand is very difficult to travel through
with full tire pressure. When crossing soft sandy spots
in a trail maintain your vehicle's momentum and do
not stop. The key to driving in soft sand is to use the
appropriate tire pressure, accelerating slowly, avoid-
ing abrupt maneuvers and maintaining the vehicle's
momentum. If you are going to be driving on large soft
sandy areas or dunes, reduce your tire pressure to a
minimum of 15 psi (103 kPa) to allow for a greater tire
surface area. You should use low (L Off-Road) with the
4WD Lock engaged and ESP turned off. Reduced tire
pressure will drastically improve your traction and
handling, while driving on the soft sand, but you must
return the tires to normal air pressure before driving
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on pavement or other hard surfaces. Be sure you have
a way to air the tires back up prior to reducing the
pressure.
CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressures may cause tire unseating and
total loss of air pressure. To reduce the risk of tire
unseating, while at a reduced tire pressure, reduce
your speed and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Crossing Obstacles (Rocks And Other High
Points)
While driving off road, you will encounter many types of
terrain. These varying types of terrain bring different
types of obstacles. Before proceeding review the path
ahead to determine the correct approach and your ability
to safely recover the vehicle if something goes wrong.Keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel, bring the
vehicle to a complete stop and then inch the vehicle
forward until it makes contact with the object. Apply the
throttle lightly while holding a light brake pressure and
ease the vehicle up and over the object.
WARNING!
Crossing obstacles can cause abrupt steering system
loading which could cause you to loose control of
your vehicle.
Using A Spotter
There are many times where it is hard to see the obstacle
or determine the correct path. Determining the correct
path can be extremely difficult when you are confronting
many obstacles. In these cases have someone guide you
over, through, or around the obstacle. Have the person
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the possibilities of a down hill slide or roll over. Make
sure the surface has good traction with firm and stable
soils. If possible transverse the incline at an angle
heading slightly up or down.
WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of a roll
over, which may result in severe injury.
²If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway± If you stall
or begin to lose headway while climbing a steep hill,
allow your vehicle to come to a stop and immediately
apply the brake. Restart the engine and shift to R
(Reverse). Back slowly down the hill allowing engine
and hill descent braking to control the descent and
apply your brakes if necessary, but do not allow the
tires to lock
WARNING!
If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never
attempt to turn around. To do so may result in
tipping and rolling the vehicle, which may result in
severe injury. Always back carefully straight down a
hill in R (Reverse) gear. Never back down a hill in N
(Neutral) using only the vehicle brakes. Never drive
diagonally across a hill, always drive straight up or
down
Driving Through Water
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type of water.
Water crossings should be avoided if possible and only
be attempted when necessary, in a safe responsible
manner. You should only drive through areas which are
designated and approved. You should tread lightly and
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avoid damage to the environment. You should know
your vehicles abilities and be able to recover it if some-
thing goes wrong. You should never stop or shut a
vehicle off when crossing deep water unless you ingested
water into the engine air intake. If the engine stalls do not
attempt to restart it. Determine if it has ingested water
first. The key to any crossing is low and slow. You want
to use low (L Off-Road) with the 4WD Lock engaged and
proceed very slowly with a constant slow speed {3-5 mph
(5±8 km/h) maximum} and light throttle. Keep the ve-
hicle moving; do not try to accelerate through the cross-
ing. After crossing any water higher than the bottom of
the axle differentials, you should inspect all of the vehicle
fluids for signs of water ingestion.CAUTION!
Water ingestion into the axles, transmission, transfer
case, engine or vehicle interior can occur if you drive
too fast or through too deep of water. Water can cause
permanent damage to engine, driveline or other
vehicle components and your brakes will be less
effective once wet and/or muddy.
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surroundings, then using a tow strap to the vehicle tow
hooks would be fast and easy. If the vehicle is severely
hung up or in a situation where great care needs to be
taken during the recovery, then nothing can do the job
better than a winch. If you are severely hung up on
something you should jack the vehicle up and stack
something under the wheels to allow the vehicle to roll
off the object without causing further damage. This
should be tried before attempting any recovery method.
CAUTION!
Pulling the vehicle off an obstacle, without first
clearing the object, may result in additional under-
body damage.
²Rock Cycling Your Vehicle± Rock cycling your ve-
hicle is one of the easiest, fastest and most commonly
used methods. This simply involves shifting yourvehicle from drive to reverse, while applying throttle
after each shift. During this process, for additional
traction, try turning your steering wheel quickly back
and forth no more than a 1/4 turn. If you are stuck in
mud, sand, or snow try spinning your tires during this
process to clean the debris from the tread and improve
the traction. You want to create a rocking motion with
the vehicle. This helps build vehicle momentum,
which hopefully gets you out. Remember to ease off
and on the accelerator before and after the shift. If after
a few rock cycles your vehicle is not free, stop and try
another method of recovery. Continuous rock cycling
will only cause unnecessary damage to your vehicle
and the environment.
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CAUTION!
Damage can occur when spinning your tires at an
excessive high speed. Do not spin your tires faster
than an indicated 30 mph (48 km/h)
²Using The Tow Hooks With A Tow Strap±Tow
straps are a quick and easy way to recover your
vehicle from minor situations if you have a secondary
vehicle which is not stuck. The tow hooks on your
vehicle are designed to take the abusive force gener-
ated during vehicle recovery. Do not use the bumper
or any other vehicle component as an attachment
point. Using tow straps requires coordination between
the two drivers. Good communication and line of sight
are required for a safe recovery. First connect the tow
strap to the correct attachment points on both vehicles.
There should be a least 20 to 30 ft. (6 to 9 m) betweenthe vehicles to allow for a safe recovery. If necessary
join two tow straps together using a 1 1/2 in. (4 cm)
hard wood dowel. This will keep the straps from
becoming knotted and is safer than using a clevis pin
if the strap breaks. Next have the tow vehicle backup,
leaving 2 to 3 ft. (61 to 91 cm) worth of slack in the
strap. Then the tow vehicle, using light throttle, should
accelerate tightening the strap providing the pulling
force needed to free the vehicle. The vehicle being
recovered should assist in the recovery, at the time of
the snap, by slowly spinning the tires in the same
direction as the pulling vehicle. After the vehicle
becomes free, the driver of the previously stuck ve-
hicle should signal they are free and should hit their
brakes stopping both vehicles. The driver of the pull-
ing vehicle should let off the throttle without using the
brakes, once signaled by the other driver. This se-
quence is important to avoid having the recovered
vehicle hit the pulling vehicle.
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WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may cause
excessive wear or unpredictable braking. You might
not have full braking power when you need it to
prevent an accident. If you have been operating your
vehicle in dirty conditions, get your brakes checked
and cleaned as necessary. Failure to do so may result
is serious injury.
PARKING BRAKE
When the parking brake is applied with the
ignition on, the Brake Light in the instrument
cluster will come on.
NOTE:This light only shows that the parking brake is
on. It does not show the degree of brake application.If the parking brake is applied while the vehicle is
moving, a chime will sound to alert the driver. The chime
will sound up to 10 times or until the vehicle has
returned to a stop.
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is set. To set the parking brake, pull up firmly on
the lever. Also place the gear selector in the Park position
(automatic transaxle) or Reverse (manual transaxle). To
release the parking brake, apply the brake pedal, pull up
slightly on the lever, then depress the button on the end
of the lever and push the lever fully down toward the
floor.
NOTE:The parking brake lever will not release unless
the lever is pulled up slightly past its applied position.
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BRAKE SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with power assisted brakes as
standard equipment. In the event power assist is lost for
any reason (for example, repeated brake applications
with the engine off), the brakes will still function. How-
ever, the effort required to brake the vehicle will be much
greater than that required with the power system oper-
ating.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly an accident. Driving with your foot resting
or riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You wouldn't have your full
braking capacity in an emergency.If either of the two hydraulic systems lose normal capa-
bility, the remaining system will still function with some
loss of overall braking effectiveness. This will be evident
by increased pedal travel during application and greater
pedal force required to slow or stop. In addition, if the
malfunction is caused by an internal leak, as the brake
fluid in the master cylinder drops, the brake warning
indicator will light.
WARNING!
Driving a vehicle with the brake light on is danger-
ous. A significant decrease in braking performance or
vehicle stability during braking may occur. It will
take you longer to stop the vehicle or will make your
vehicle harder to control. You could have an accident.
Have the vehicle checked immediately.
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