2008 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SRT Owners Manual

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.
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.
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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)
Shift into D (Drive) only when the vehicle is at a complete
stop and the brakes are firmly applied. 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 ªAutostickº 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.
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NOTE:The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and
Traction Control (if equipped) should be turned OFF
before attempting to rock the vehicle. Refer to ªElectronic
Brake Control Systemº 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 ªrockingº a stuck vehicle by moving between
ªFirstº 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.
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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 ªDº
displayed in the PRNDL), moving the shift lever to the
right (+) will engage the Autostick mode putting the
transmission in the currently engaged gear. Moving the
shift lever to the Left (-) will engage the Autostick mode
and downshift the transmission 1 gear. For example, the
transmission is in Normal Mode and is currently operat-
ing 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 allow a downshift if the
downshift would result in a engine overspeed condition.
The transmission will always allow a upshift from 1st to
2nd gear, however 2nd - 3rd, 3rd - 4th, and 4th ± 5th
upshifts will not be allowed if the vehicle speed is to low
to maintain operation in the selected gear. The transmis-
sion will automatically downshift as the vehicle slows to
a stop.
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When in the Autostick mode, as the engine RPM nears
the engine maximum speed, an ªUPSHIFTº 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
upshift, the engine control system will automatically do it
for the driver. Refer to ªElectronic Vehicle Information
Centerº in Section 4 of this manual.
Shifting into or out of the Autostick mode can be done at
any time without taking your foot off the accelerator
pedal. When the driver wishes to engage Autostick,
simply move the shift lever to the Left or Right (D-/D+)
position while in D (Drive).
Hold the shift lever to the right for at least one second to
disengage Autostick. The transmission will now operate
automatically; shifting between the five available gears.Autostick General Information
²
You can start out in first or second gear. The system
will ignore attempts to upshift at too low of a vehicle
speed.
²The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop.
²Starting out in second gear is helpful in snowy or icy
conditions.
²Avoid using speed control when Autostick is engaged.
²The transmission will automatically shift up when
maximum engine speed is reached while Autostick is
engaged.
²Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
Autostick is engaged.
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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 ªBrake Warning Lightº in the instru-
ment cluster will light. To release the parking brake, pull
up slightly, press the center button, then lower the lever
completely.
NOTE:The instrument cluster ªBrake Warning Lightº
indicates only that the parking brake is applied. It does
not indicate the degree of brake application.
Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked and
the gear shift lever is in the P (Park) position. When
parking on a hill, you should apply the parking brake
before placing the gear shift lever in P (Park), otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the selector out of P (Park).
Parking Brake
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WARNING!
²Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also, be certain to leave the transmis-
sion in P (Park). Failure to do so may allow the
vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.
²Leaving children in a vehicle unattended is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be injured. Children should be warned not
to touch the parking brake or the gear selector
lever. Don't leave the keys in the ignition. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
²Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving, failure to do so can lead to brake
problems due to excessive heating of the rear
brakes.
When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
The parking brake should always be applied whenever
the driver is not in the vehicle.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is designed to aid the
driver in maintaining vehicle control under adverse
braking conditions. The system operates with a separate
computer to modulate hydraulic pressure to prevent
wheel lock-up and help avoid skidding on slippery
surfaces.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
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WARNING!
Significant over or under inflation of tires can lead to
loss of braking effectiveness.
The Anti-Lock Brake System conducts a low-speed self-
test at about 12 mph (20 km/h). If you have your foot
lightly on the brake while this test is occurring you may
feel slight pedal movement. The movement can be more
apparent on ice and snow. This is normal.
The Anti-Lock Brake System pump motor runs during
the self-test at 12 mph (20 km/h) and during an ABS stop.
The pump motor makes a low humming noise during
operation, which is normal.
WARNING!
Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish their
effectiveness and may lead to an accident. Pumping
makes the stopping distance longer. Just press firmly
on your brake pedal when you need to slow down or
stop.
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