2010 JEEP COMMANDER steering wheel

•After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or
similar dirty conditions, have brake rotors, wheels,
brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and cleaned as
soon as possible.
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.
•If you experience unusual vibration after driving in
mud, slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for
impacted material. Impacted material can cause a
wheel imbalance and freeing the wheels of it will
correct the situation.
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.
NOTE:Increased noise levels at the end of the steering
wheel travel are considered normal and do not indicate
that there is a problem with the power steering system.
Upon initial start-up in cold weather, the power steering
pump may make noise for a short amount of time. This is
due to the cold, thick fluid in the steering system. This
noise should be considered normal, and it does not in any
way damage the steering system.
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WARNING!
Continued operation with reduced power steering
assist could pose a safety risk to yourself and others.
Service should be obtained as soon as possible.
CAUTION!
Prolonged operation of the steering system at the end
of the steering wheel travel will increase the steering
fluid temperature and it should be avoided when
possible. Damage to the power steering pump may
occur.
Power Steering Fluid Check
The power steering system requires the use of MOPAR
Hydraulic System Power Steering Fluid or equivalent,
which meets Chrysler Material Standard MS-10838.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your power steering
system as the chemicals can damage your power
steering components. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
WARNING!
Do not use Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF), or
other types of power steering fluids, when servicing
the power steering system of this vehicle. Damage to
the power steering system can result from the use of
the wrong power steering fluid.
Checking the power steering fluid level at a defined
service interval is not required. The fluid should only be
checked if a leak is suspected, abnormal noises are
266 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road conditions. The
BAS cannot prevent accidents, including those re-
sulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on
very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
The capabilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
which could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety
of others.
Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
This system anticipates the potential for wheel lift by
monitoring the driver ’s steering wheel input and the
speed of the vehicle. When ERM determines that the rate
of change of the steering wheel angle and vehicle speedare sufficient to potentially cause wheel lift, it then
applies the brake of the appropriate wheel and may also
reduce engine power to lessen the chance that wheel lift
will occur. ERM will only intervene during very severe or
evasive driving maneuvers.
ERM can only reduce the chance of wheel lift occurring
during severe or evasive driving maneuvers. It cannot
prevent wheel lift due to other factors such as road
conditions, leaving the roadway or striking objects or
other vehicles.
NOTE:
Anytime the ESP system is in the “Full Off”
mode, ERM is disabled. Refer to “Electronic Stability
Program (ESP)” for a complete explanation of the avail-
able ESP modes.
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WARNING!
Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road condi-
tions and driving conditions, influence the chance
that wheel lift or rollover may occur. ERM cannot
prevent all wheel lift or rollovers, especially those
that involve leaving the roadway or striking objects
or other vehicles. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabilities of an
ERM-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner which could jeopar-
dize the user’s safety or the safety of others.
Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESP cor-
rects for oversteering or understeering of the vehicle by
applying the brake of the appropriate wheel to assist incounteracting the oversteer or understeer condition. En-
gine power may also be reduced to help the vehicle
maintain the desired path.
ESP uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle
path intended by the driver and compares it to the actual
path of the vehicle. When the actual path does not match
the intended path, ESP applies the brake of the appropri-
ate wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer or
understeer condition.
•Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
•Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
The “ESP/TCS Indicator Light” located in the instrument
cluster will start to flash as soon as the tires lose traction
and the ESP system becomes active. The “ESP/TCS
Indicator Light” also flashes when the TCS is active. If the
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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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•For vehicles equipped with 18 inch wheels, do not
install tire chains or traction devices on tires larger
than 235/60R18XL. 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.
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.
Refer to “Maintenance Schedule” in Section 8 of this
manual for the proper maintenance intervals. More fre-
quent rotation is permissible if desired. The reasons for
any rapid or unusual wear should be corrected prior to
rotation being performed.
302 STARTING AND OPERATING

•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a
loss of control, poor performance or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transmission, steering, suspension, chas-
sis structure or tires.
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the
hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the chains
under the trailer tongue and allow enough slack for
turning corners.
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade.
When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow
vehicle. Put the tow vehicle transmission in PARK. For
four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure the transfer case
is not in NEUTRAL. Always, block orchockthe
trailer wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Trailer tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch
utilized (This requirement may limit the ability to
always achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue weight
as a percentage of total trailer weight).
Towing Requirements — Tires

Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact
spare tire.
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe
and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to
“Tires–General Information” in this section.
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CAUTION!
Do not touch the new bulb with your fingers. Oil
contamination will severely shorten bulb life. If the
bulb comes in contact with any oily surface, clean the
bulb with rubbing alcohol.
Front Turn Signal
1. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the left or right.
2. Reach into the front wheel house ahead of the front
wheel to unsnap and lift the cover over the access hole in
the front of the wheel house splash shield. Access to the
bulb can be gained through the wheel liner hole.3. Reach through the access hole to access the park/turn
signal bulb socket on the bottom of the front lamp unit
housing.
402 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE