2009 JEEP COMMANDER Owners Manual

WARNING!
The limited-use spare tires are for emergency use
only. Installation of this limited-use spare tire affects
vehicle handling. With this tire, do not drive more
than 50 mph (80 km/h). Keep inflated to the cold tire
inflation pressure listed on either your tire placard or
limited-use spare tire and wheel assembly. Replace
(or repair) the original tire at the first opportunity
and reinstall it on your vehicle. Failure to do so could
result in loss of vehicle control.
Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, do not
spin your vehicle’s wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire dam-
age or failure. A tire could explode and injure some-
one. Do not spin your vehicle’s wheels faster than
35 mph (55 km/h) when you are stuck, and do not let
anyone near a spinning wheel no matter what the
speed.
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Tread Wear Indicators
Tread wear indicators are in the original equipment tires
to help you in determining when your tires should be
replaced.These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread
grooves. They will appear as bands when the tread depth
becomes 1/16 in (2 mm). When the indicators appear in
two or more adjacent grooves, the tire should be re-
placed.
Many states have laws requiring tire replacement at this
point.
Life Of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon various
factors including but not limited to:
•Driving style
•Tire pressure
•Distance driven
1—WornTire
2—NewTire 352 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Tires and the spare tire should be replaced after six
years, regardless of the remaining tread. Failure to
follow this warning can result in sudden tire failure.
You could lose control and have an accident resulting
in serious injury or death.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed. (Refer to the paragraph on
“Tread Wear Indicators”). Refer to the “Tire and Loading
Information” placard for the size designation of your
tires. The service description and load identification will
be found on the original equipment tire. Failure to use
equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect the
safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend
that you contact your original equipment or an autho-
rized tire dealer with any questions you may have on tire
specifications or capability.
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WARNING!
•Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combinations
of unapproved tires and wheels may change sus-
pension dimensions and performance characteris-
tics, resulting in changes to steering, handling, and
braking of your vehicle. This can cause unpredict-
able handling and stress to steering and suspen-
sion components. You could lose control and have
an accident resulting in serious injury or death.
Use only the tire and wheel sizes with load ratings
approved for your vehicle.
•Never use a tire with a smaller load index or
capacity than what was originally equipped on
your vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load index
could result in tire overloading and failure. You
could lose control and have an accident.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size
may result in false speedometer and odometer read-
ings.
TIRE CHAINS
Only models fitted with 235/65R17XL (extra load) tires
have sufficient tire-to-body clearance to allow use of tire
chains.Install chains on rear tires only.Follow these
recommendations to guard against damage and exces-
sive tire and chain wear:
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•Do not install tire chains or traction devices on ve-
hicles with larger than 235/65R17XL size tires. Tires
larger than this may not provide sufficient body
clearance with chains or other traction devices.
•Manufacturer recommends a cold inflation pressure of
38 psi (262 kPa) when using 235/65R17XL size tires for
this vehicle.
•Use SAE class “S” tire chains or traction devices only.
•Follow tire chain manufacturer’s instructions for
mounting chains.
•Install chains snugly and tighten after 1/2 mi (1 km) of
driving.
•Do notexceed 30 mph (48 km/h), unless otherwise
specified by the chain manufacturer.
•Drive cautiously, avoiding large bumps, potholes and
extreme driving maneuvers.
TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, handling,
and braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at
unequal rates and develop irregular wear patterns.
The suggested rotation method is the “forward-cross”
shown in the following diagram.
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These effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires.
The benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with
aggressive tread designs such as those on On/Off-Road
type tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help to main-
tain mud, snow, and wet traction levels, and contribute to
a smooth, quiet ride.
Follow the recommended tire rotation frequency for your
type of driving. Refer to “Maintenance Schedules” in
Section 8 of this manual. More frequent rotation is
permissible if desired. The reasons for any rapid or
unusual wear should be corrected prior to rotation being
performed.
NOTE:The premium Tire Pressure Monitor System will
automatically locate the pressure values displayed in the
correct vehicle position following a tire rotation.TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS)
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) will warn
the driver of a low tire pressure based on the vehicle
recommended cold tire pressure.
The tire pressure will vary with temperature by about
1 psi (7 kPa) for every 12°F (–11°C). This means that when
the outside temperature decreases, the tire pressure will
decrease. Tire pressure should always be set based on
cold inflation tire pressure. This is defined as the tire
pressure after the vehicle has not been driven for at least
three hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1 km) after a
three-hour period.Refer to the “Tires – General Infor-
mation” in this section for information on how to
properly inflate the vehicle’s tires.The tire pressure will
also increase as the vehicle is driven - this is normal and
there should be no adjustment for this increased pres-
sure.
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The TPMS will warn the driver of a low tire pressure if
the tire pressure falls below the low pressure warning
threshold for any reason, including low temperature
effects, or natural pressure loss through the tire.
The TPMS will continue to warn the driver of low tire
pressure as long as the condition exists, and will not turn
off until the tire pressure is at or above recommended
cold tire pressure. Once the low tire pressure warning has
been illuminated, the tire pressure must be increased to
the recommended cold tire pressure in order for the Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light to be turned off. The
system will automatically update and the Tire Pressure
Monitoring Telltale Light will extinguish once the up-
dated tire pressures have been received. The vehicle may
need to be driven for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph
(24 km/h) to receive this information.For example, your vehicle has a recommended cold
(parked for more than three hours) tire pressure of 33 psi
(227 kPa). If the ambient temperature is 68°F (20°C) and
the measured tire pressure is 28 psi (193 kPa), a tempera-
ture drop to 20°F (-7°C) will decrease the tire pressure to
approximately 24 psi (165 kPa). This tire pressure is
sufficiently low enough to turn ON the Tire Pressure
Monitoring Telltale Light. Driving the vehicle may cause
the tire pressure to rise to approximately 28 psi (193 kPa),
but the Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will still
be ON. In this situation, the Tire Pressure Monitoring
Telltale Light will turn OFF only after the tires have been
inflated to the vehicle’s recommended cold tire pressure
value.
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CAUTION!
•The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures have
been established for the tire size equipped on your
vehicle. Undesirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using replacement
equipment that is not of the same size, type, and/or
style. Aftermarket wheels can cause sensor dam-
age. Do not use aftermarket tire sealants or balance
beads if your vehicle is equipped with a TPMS, as
damage to the sensors may result.
•After inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure
always reinstall the valve stem cap. This will
prevent moisture and dirt from entering the valve
stem, which could damage the Tire Pressure Moni-
toring Sensor.NOTE:
•The TPMS is not intended to replace normal tire care
and maintenance, or to provide warning of a tire
failure or condition.
•The TPMS should not be used as a tire pressure gauge
while adjusting your tire pressure.
•Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
•The TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver ’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure using an accurate tire gauge, even if under-
inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination
of the Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light.
•Seasonal temperature changes will affect tire pressure,
and the TPMS will monitor the actual tire pressure in
the tire.
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