STARTING PROCEDURESBefore starting your vehicle, adjust your seat,
adjust the inside and outside mirrors, fasten
your seat belt, and if present, instruct all other
occupants to buckle their seat belts.
WARNING!
Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leav-
ing unattended children in a vehicle is danger-
ous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be seriously or fatally injured. Do not
leave the key fob in the ignition switch. A child
could operate power windows, other controls,
or move the vehicle.
Automatic TransmissionThe shift lever must be in the NEUTRAL or
PARK position before you can start the engine.
Apply the brakes before shifting into any driv-
ing gear.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the
following precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has
come to a complete stop.
• Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and
the engine is at idle speed.
• Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or
NEUTRAL into any forward gear when the
engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure
your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Using Fob With Integrated Key (Tip Start)
NOTE:
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or
pressing the accelerator pedal.
Do not press the accelerator. Use the Fob with
Integrated Key to briefly turn the ignition switch
to the START position and release it as soon as
the starter engages. The starter motor will con-
tinue to run, and it will disengage automatically when the engine is running. If the engine fails to
start, the starter will disengage automatically in
10 seconds. If this occurs, turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position, wait 10 to 15 sec-
onds, then repeat the “Normal Starting” proce-
dure.
Keyless Enter-N-Go
This feature allows the
driver to operate the ig-
nition switch with the
push of a button, as long
as the ENGINE START/
STOP button is installed
and the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter
is in the passenger com-
partment.
Installing and Removing the ENGINE
START/STOP Button
Installing the Button
1. Remove the key fob from the ignition switch.
2. Insert the ENGINE START/STOP button into
the ignition switch with the lettering facing up
and readable.
200
Five-Speed Automatic TransmissionThe electronically-controlled transmission pro-
vides a precise shift schedule. The transmis-
sion electronics are self-calibrating; therefore,
the first few shifts on a new vehicle may be
somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condition,
and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles/kilometers.
Gear Ranges
NOTE:
After selecting any gear range, wait a mo-
ment to allow the selected gear to engage
before accelerating. This is especially im-
portant when the engine is cold. If there is a
need to restart the engine, be sure to turn
the ignition switch to the LOCK position
before restarting. Transmission gear en-
gagement may be delayed after restarting
the engine if the ignition switch is not turned
to the LOCK position first.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by
locking the transmission. The engine can be
started in this range. Never use PARK while the
vehicle is in motion. Apply the parking brakewhen leaving the vehicle in this range. Always
apply the parking brake first, then place the
shift lever into the PARK position.
WARNING!
•
Never use the PARK position as a substi-
tute for the parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when parked to guard
against vehicle movement and possible
injury or damage.
• It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of
PARK or 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 right foot is firmly on the brake
pedal.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle backward.
Use only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop. NEUTRAL
This range is used when vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with engine running. Engine
may be started in this range. Set the parking
brake if you must leave the vehicle.
NOTE:
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for
any other reason with the shift lever in
NEUTRAL can result in severe transmission
damage. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting and Operating” and “Towing a Dis-
abled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergen-
cies” for further information.
DRIVE
This range should be selected only when the
vehicle is at a complete stop and the brakes
are firmly applied. The transmission automati-
cally upshifts through fifth gear. The DRIVE
position provides optimum driving characteris-
tics under all normal operating conditions.
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control
allows you to move the shift lever left (-) or right
(+) when the shift lever is in the DRIVE position,
allowing you to limit the highest available gear.
206
sink into deeper water. Determine exit point(s)
that are downstream of your entry point to allow
for drifting.
Standing Water
Avoid driving in standing water deeper than
20 in (51 cm), and reduce speed appropriately
to minimize wave effects. Maximum speed in
20 in (51 cm) of water is less than 5 mph
(8 km/h).
Maintenance
After driving through deep water, inspect your
vehicle fluids and lubricants (engine oil, trans-
mission oil, axle, transfer case) to assure the
fluids have not been contaminated. Contami-
nated fluid (milky, foamy in appearance) should
be flushed/changed as soon as possible to
prevent component damage.
Driving in Snow, Mud and SandIn heavy snow, when pulling a load, or for
additional control at slower speeds, shift the
transmission to a low gear and shift the transfer
case to 4WD LOW if necessary. Refer to “Four-
Wheel Drive Operation” in “Starting and Oper-
ating” for further information. Do not shift to a
lower gear than necessary to maintain forwardmotion. Over-revving the engine can spin the
wheels and traction will be lost.
Avoid abrupt downshifts on icy or slippery
roads, because engine braking may cause
skidding and loss of control.
Hill Climbing
NOTE:
Before attempting to climb a hill, determine
the conditions at the crest and/or on the
other side.
Before climbing a steep hill,
shift the trans-
mission to a lower gear and shift the transfer
case to 4WD LOW. Use first gear and 4WD
LOW for very steep hills.
If you stall or begin to lose forward motion
while climbing a steep hill, allow your vehicle to
come to a stop and immediately apply the
brakes. Restart the engine, and shift into RE-
VERSE. Back slowly down the hill, allowing the
compression braking of the engine to help
regulate your speed. If the brakes are required
to control vehicle speed, apply them lightly and
avoid locking or skidding the tires.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls, you lose forward motion,
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.
Always back carefully straight down a hill in
REVERSE gear. Never back down a hill in
NEUTRAL using only the brake.
Remember, never drive diagonally across a
hill always drive straight up or down.
If the wheels start to slip as you approach the
crest of a hill, ease off the accelerator and
maintain forward motion by turning the front
wheels slowly. This may provide a fresh “bite”
into the surface and will usually provide traction
to complete the climb.
Traction DownhillShift the transmission into a low gear, and the
transfer case into 4WD LOW range. Let the
vehicle go slowly down the hill with all four
wheels turning against engine compression
drag. This will permit you to control the vehicle
speed and direction. 219
When descending mountains or hills, repeated
braking can cause brake fade with loss of
braking control. Avoid repeated heavy braking
by downshifting the transmission whenever
possible.
After Driving Off-RoadOff-road operation puts more stress on your
vehicle than does most on-road driving. After
going off-road, it is always a good idea to
check for damage. That way you can get any
problems taken care of right away and have
your vehicle ready when you need it.
•Completely inspect the underbody of your
vehicle. Check tires, body structure, steer-
ing, suspension, and exhaust system for
damage.
• Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and
clean as required.
• Check threaded fasteners for looseness,
particularly on the chassis, drivetrain com-
ponents, steering, and suspension. Re-
tighten them, if required, and torque to the
values specified in the Service Manual. •
Check for accumulations of plants or brush.
These things could be a fire hazard. They
might hide damage to fuel lines, brake hoses,
axle pinion seals, and propeller shafts.
• After extended operation in mud, sand, wa-
ter, or similar dirty conditions, have the ra-
diator, fan, brake rotors, wheels, brake lin-
ings, 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 a collision. 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. Im-
pacted material can cause a wheel imbal-
ance and freeing the wheels of it will correct
the situation.
POWER STEERING
3.6L Engine and 3.0L Diesel Engine
Your vehicle is equipped with an electro-
hydraulic power steering system that will give
you good vehicle response and increased ease
of maneuverability in tight spaces. The system
will vary its assist to provide light efforts while
parking and good feel while driving. If the
electro-hydraulic power steering system expe-
riences a fault that prevents it from providing
power steering assist, then the system will
provide mechanical steering capability.
CAUTION!
Extreme steering maneuvers may cause the
electrically driven pump to reduce or stop
power steering assistance in order to prevent
damage to the system. Normal operation will
resume once the system is allowed to cool.
If the “SERVICE POWER STEER-
ING SYSTEM” message and a
flashing icon are displayed on the
EVIC screen, it indicates that the
vehicle needs to be taken to the
220
WARNING!
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it
increase the traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. The ABS cannot prevent ac-
cidents, including those resulting from exces-
sive speed in turns, driving on very slippery
surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities of
an ABS-equipped vehicle must never be ex-
ploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
which could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin
of each of the driven wheels. If wheel spin is
detected, brake pressure is applied to the
slipping wheel(s) and engine power is reduced
to provide enhanced acceleration and stability.
A feature of the TCS system, Brake Limited
Differential (BLD), functions similar to a limited-
slip differential and controls the wheel spin
across a driven axle. If one wheel on a driven
axle is spinning faster than the other, the sys-tem will apply the brake of the spinning wheel.
This will allow more engine torque to be applied
to the wheel that is not spinning. This feature
remains active even if ESC system is in the
“Partial Off” mode. Refer to “Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)” in this section for further infor-
mation.
Brake Assist System (BAS)The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s
braking capability during emergency braking
maneuvers. The system detects an emergency
braking situation by sensing the rate and
amount of brake application and then applies
optimum pressure to the brakes. This can help
reduce braking distances. The BAS comple-
ments the anti-lock brake system (ABS). Apply-
ing the brakes very quickly results in the best
BAS assistance. To receive the benefit of the
system, you must apply
continuousbraking
pressure during the stopping sequence (do not
“pump” the brakes). Do not reduce brake pedal
pressure unless braking is no longer desired.
Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is
deactivated.
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 resulting from ex-
cessive speed in turns, driving on very slip-
pery surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabili-
ties 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 steer-
ing wheel angle and vehicle speed are suffi-
cient 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.
224
High Range (Four-Wheel Drive Models)
On
This is the normal operating mode for ESC in
4WD HIGH range. Whenever the vehicle is
started or the transfer case (if equipped) is
shifted from 4WD LOW range or NEUTRAL
back to 4WD HIGH range, the ESC system will
be in this “On” mode. This mode should be
used for most driving situations. ESC should
only be turned to “Partial Off” mode for specific
reasons as noted below.
Partial Off
This mode is entered by momentarily pressing
the “ESC OFF” switch. When in “Partial Off”
mode, the TCS portion of ESC, except for the
BLD feature described in the TCS section, has
been disabled and the “ESC Off Indicator
Light” will be illuminated. All other stability
features of ESC function normally. This mode is
intended to be used if the vehicle is in deep
snow, sand, or gravel conditions and more
wheel spin than ESC would normally allow is
required to gain traction. To turn ESC on again,
momentarily press the “ESC OFF” switch. This
will restore the normal “ESC On” mode of
operation.NOTE:
To improve the vehicle’s traction when driv-
ing with snow chains, or starting off in deep
snow, sand, or gravel, it may be desirable to
switch to the “Partial Off” mode by pressing
the “ESC OFF” switch. Once the situation
requiring ESC to be switched to the “Partial
Off” mode is overcome, turn ESC back on by
momentarily pressing the “ESC OFF”
switch. This may be done while the vehicle
is in motion.4WD Low Range
Partial Off
This is the normal operating mode for ESC in
4WD LOW range. Whenever the vehicle is
started in 4WD LOW range, or the transfer case
(if equipped) is shifted from 4WD HIGH range
or NEUTRAL to 4WD LOW range, the ESC
system will be in the “Partial Off” mode.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)TSC uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize
an excessively swaying trailer and will take the
appropriate actions to attempt to stop the sway.
The system may reduce engine power and
apply the brake of the appropriate wheel(s) to
counteract the sway of the trailer. TSC will
become active automatically once an exces-
sively swaying trailer is recognized. No driver
action is required. Note that TSC cannot stop all
trailers from swaying. Always use caution when
towing a trailer and follow the trailer tongue
weight recommendations. Refer to “Trailer Tow-
ing” in “Starting and Operating” for further
information. When TSC is functioning, the “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” will
flash, the engine power may be reduced and
you may feel the brakes being applied toESC OFF Switch
226
individual wheels to attempt to stop the trailer
from swaying. TSC is disabled when the ESC
system is in the “Partial Off” mode.
WARNING!
If TSC activates while driving, slow the vehicle
down, stop at the nearest safe location, and
adjust the trailer load to eliminate trailer sway.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)The HSA system is designed to assist the driver
when starting a vehicle from a stop on a hill.
HSA will maintain the level of brake pressure
the driver applied for a short period of time after
the driver takes their foot off of the brake pedal.
If the driver does not apply the throttle during
this short period of time, the system will release
brake pressure and the vehicle will roll down
the hill. The system will release brake pressure
in proportion to the amount of throttle applied
as the vehicle starts to move in the intended
direction of travel.HSA Activation Criteria
The following criteria must be met in order for
HSA to activate:
•
Vehicle must be stopped.
• Vehicle must be on a 6% (approximate)
grade or greater hill.
• Gear selection matches vehicle uphill direc-
tion (i.e., vehicle facing uphill is in forward
gear; vehicle backing uphill is in REVERSE
gear).
HSA will work in REVERSE and all forward
gears when the activation criteria have been
met. The system will not activate if the vehicle is
placed in NEUTRAL or PARK.
WARNING!
There may be situations on minor hills (i.e.,
less than 8%), with a loaded vehicle, or while
pulling a trailer, when the system will not
activate and slight rolling may occur. This
could cause a collision with another vehicle or
object. Always remember the driver is respon-
sible for braking the vehicle. Towing with HSA
HSA will provide assistance when starting on a
grade when pulling a trailer.
WARNING!
•
If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, your trailer brakes may be activated
and deactivated with the brake switch. If so,
when the brake pedal is released, there
may not be enough brake pressure to hold
the vehicle and trailer on a hill and this
could cause a collision with another vehicle
or object behind you. In order to avoid
rolling down the hill while resuming accel-
eration, manually activate the trailer brake
prior to releasing the brake pedal. Always
remember the driver is responsible for
braking the vehicle.
(Continued)
227
WARNING!(Continued)
• HSA is not a parking brake. If you stop the
vehicle on a hill without putting the trans-
mission in PARK and using the parking
brake, it will roll down the hill and could
cause a collision with another vehicle or
object. Always remember to use the park-
ing brake while parking on a hill, and that
the driver is responsible for braking the
vehicle.
HSA Off
If you wish to turn off the HSA system, it can be
done using the Customer Programmable Fea-
tures in the Electronic Vehicle Information Cen-
ter (EVIC). Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.
Ready Alert BrakingReady Alert Braking may reduce the time re-
quired to reach full braking during emergency
braking situations. It anticipates when an emer-
gency braking situation may occur by monitor-
ing how fast the throttle is released by the driver. When the throttle is released very
quickly, Ready Alert Braking applies a small
amount of brake pressure. This brake pressure
will not be noticed by the driver. The brake
system uses this brake pressure to allow a fast
brake response if the driver applies the brakes.
Rain Brake SupportRain Brake Support may improve braking per-
formance in wet conditions. It will periodically
apply a small amount of brake pressure to
remove any water buildup on the front brake
rotors. It only functions when the windshield
wipers are in the LO or HI mode, it does not
function in the intermittent mode. When Rain
Brake Support is active, there is no notification
to the driver and no driver interaction is re-
quired.
Hill Descent Control (HDC) —
Four-Wheel Drive Models With
MP3023 Two-Speed Transfer Case
Only
HDC maintains vehicle speed while descend-
ing hills during off-road driving situations and is
available in 4WD LOW range only. To enable
HDC, press the HDC switch or put the Selec-Terrain™ system in “ROCK” mode (“ROCK”
mode is only available in 4WD LOW range).
When HDC is enabled, the HDC icon will be
illuminated in the instrument cluster. HDC will
automatically apply the brakes to control down-
hill speed to the selected level when necessary
on grades greater than approximately 8%. It
will usually not activate on level ground.
The HDC speed may be adjusted by the driver
to suit the driving conditions. The speed corre-
sponds to the transmission gear selected.
HDC operation can be overridden with brake
application to slow the vehicle down below the
Hill Descent Switch
228