2008 JEEP LIBERTY transmission

Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked, and
the gear selector lever is in the ªPº (Park) position
(automatic transmission) or ªRº (Reverse) or 1st gear
(manual transmission). When parking on a hill, you
should apply the parking brake before placing the gear
selector lever in ªPº (Park); otherwise, the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the selector out of ªPº (Park).
Parking Brake
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5

WARNING!
²Always apply the parking brake fully when leav-
ing your vehicle or it may roll and cause damage or
injury. Also, be certain to leave an automatic
transmission in ªPº (Park) or a manual transmis-
sion in ªRº (Reverse) or 1st gear. 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. 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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²Do not ªrideº the brakes by resting your foot on the
pedal. This could overheat the brakes and result in
unpredictable braking action, longer stopping dis-
tances, or brake damage.
²When descending mountains or hills, repeated brak-
ing can cause brake fade with loss of braking control.
Avoid repeated heavy braking by downshifting the
transmission or locking out overdrive whenever pos-
sible.
²Engines may idle at higher speeds during warm-up,
which could cause rear wheels to spin and result in
loss of vehicle control. Be especially careful while
driving on slippery roads, in close quarter maneuver-
ing, parking, or stopping.
²Do not drive too fast for road conditions, especially
when roads are wet or slushy. A wedge of water canbuild up between the tire tread and the road. This
hydroplaning action can cause loss of traction, braking
ability, and control.
²After going through deep water or a car wash, brakes
may become wet, resulting in decreased performance
and unpredictable braking action. Dry the brakes by
gentle, intermittent pedal action while driving at very
slow speeds.
POWER STEERING
The standard power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will provide mechanical
steering capability if power assist is lost.
If for some reason the power assist is interrupted, it will
still be possible to steer your vehicle. Under these condi-
tions, you will observe a substantial increase in steering
effort, especially at very low vehicle speeds and during
parking maneuvers.
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5

²For vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission,
the HSA will work in reverse gear and all forward
gears. The system will not activate if the transmission
is in ªPº (Park).
²For vehicles equipped with a manual transmission, the
HSA will work in reverse gear, neutral, and all forward
gears.
WARNING!
There may be situations where the HSA (Hill Start
Assist) will not activate and slight rolling may occur,
such as on minor hills (i.e., less than 7%), or with a
loaded vehicle, or while pulling a trailer. HSA is not
a substitute for active driving involvement. It is
always the driver 's responsibility to be attentive to
distance to other vehicles, people, and objects, and
most importantly brake operation to ensure safe
operation of the vehicle under all road conditions.
Your complete attention is always required while
driving to maintain safe control of your vehicle.
Failure to follow these warnings can result in an
accident or serious personal injury.
Towing with HSA
HSA will provide assistance during acceleration on an
incline while towing a trailer.
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WARNING!
²If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, the trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated with the brake switch. If so, there may
not be enough brake pressure to hold both the
vehicle and the trailer on a hill when the brake
pedal is released. In order to avoid rolling down
an incline while resuming acceleration, manually
activate the trailer brake or apply more vehicle
brake pressure prior to releasing the brake pedal.
²HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when leaving your vehicle.
Also, be certain to leave an automatic transmission
in ªPº (Park) or a manual transmission in ªRº
(Reverse) or 1st gear.
²Failure to follow these warnings can result in an
accident or serious personal injury.
Disabling & Enabling HSA
This feature can be turned on or turned off. To change the
current setting, proceed as follows:
²For vehicles equipped with the Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC), refer to ªHill Start Assist,º
under9Personal Settings (Customer Programmable
Features),º under ªElectronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC)º in Section 4 of this manual.
²For vehicles not equipped with the EVIC, perform the
following steps:
NOTE:You must complete Steps 1 through 8 within 90
seconds.
1. Center the steering wheel (front wheels pointing
straight forward).
2. Shift the transmission into ªPº (Park) (automatic
transmission) or ªNº (Neutral) (manual transmission).
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3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Start the engine.
5. Release the clutch pedal (manual transmission).
6. Rotate the steering wheel
1¤2turn to the left.
7. Press the ªESP OFFº button located in the lower
switch bank below the climate control four times within
twenty seconds. The ªESP/TCS Indicatorº light should
turn on and turn off two times.
8. Rotate the steering wheel back to center and then an
additional
1¤2turn to the right.
9. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and then
back to the ON position. If the sequence was completed
properly, the ªESP/TCS Indicatorº light will blink sev-
eral times to confirm HSA is disabled.
10. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature
to its previous setting.
HDC (Hill Descent Control) ± If Equipped
HDC is only intended for low speed off-road driving.
HDC maintains vehicle speed while descending hills in
off-road driving conditions by applying the brakes when
necessary.
When enabled, HDC senses the terrain and activates
when the vehicle is descending a hill. HDC speed may be
adjusted by the driver to suit the driving conditions. The
speed corresponds to the transmission gear selected.
Gear Approximate HDC Set Speed
1st 1 mph (1.5 km/h)
2nd 3 mph (4.5 km/h)
D (Drive) 7.5 mph (12 km/h)
R (Reverse) 1 mph (1.5 km/h)
N (Neutral) 3 mph (4.5 km/h)
However, the driver can override HDC operation by
applying the brake to slow the vehicle down below the
322 STARTING AND OPERATING

Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings)
The following chart provides the maximum trailer weight ratings towable for your given drivetrain.
Engine/Transmission ModelGCWR (Gross Com-
bined Wt. Rating)Frontal AreaMax. GTW
(Gross Trailer Wt.)Tongue Wt.
(See Note)
3.7L/6-Speed Manual 4x2 8,500 lbs (3 855 kg) 40 Sq. Ft. (3.72
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
3.7L/6-Speed Manual 4x4 8,750 lbs (3 969 kg) 40 Sq. Ft. (3.72
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
3.7L/Automatic 4x2 7,150 lbs (3 243 kg) 32 Sq. Ft. (2.97
square meters)2,000 lbs (907 kg) 200 lbs (91 kg)
3.7L/Automatic 4x4 7,400 lbs ( 3 356 kg) 32 Sq. Ft. (2.97
square meters)2,000 lbs (907 kg) 200 lbs (91 kg)
3.7L/Automatic w/
Cooler4x2 9,850 lbs (4 468 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
3.7L/Automatic
w/Cooler4x4 10,100 lbs (4 581 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)3,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.
NOTE:The trailer tongue weight must be considered as part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo, and it
should never exceed the weight referenced on the ªTire and Loading Informationº placard. Refer to ªTire±Safety
Informationº in this section.
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When Towing Trailers with Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) between 3,500 Lbs (1 588 kg) and 5,000 Lbs (2 268 kg)
The following chart provides maximum trailer weight ratings towable for the following engine/transmission
combinations,ONLYif using a weight distributing hitch.
Engine/
TransmissionModel GCWR (Gross Com-
bined Wt. Rating)Frontal Area Max. GTW
(Gross Trailer Wt.)Tongue Wt.
(See Note)
3.7L/
Automatic w/
Cooler4x2 9,850 lbs (4 468 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)5,000 lbs (2 268 kg) 500 lbs (227 kg)
3.7L/
Automatic
w/Cooler4x4 10,100 lbs (4 581 kg) 64 Sq. Ft. (5.94
square meters)5,000 lbs (2 268 kg) 500 lbs (227 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.
NOTE:The trailer tongue weight must be considered as part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo, and it
should never exceed the weight referenced on the ªTire and Loading Informationº placard. Refer to ªTire±Safety
Informationº in this section.
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