2010 JEEP PATRIOT Owners Manual

Removable Load Floor
The cargo area load floor is removable and can be
washed with mild soap and water.
Cargo Tie-Down Loops
There are four D-rings installed in the cargo area for
securing cargo.
Cargo Load FloorD-Rings
176 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•Cargo tie-down loops are not safe anchors for a
child seat tether strap. In a sudden stop or collision
a loop could pull loose and allow the child seat to
come loose. A child could be badly injured. Use
only the anchors provided for child seat tethers.
•The weight and position of cargo and passengers
can change the vehicle center of gravity and ve-
hicle handling. To avoid loss of control resulting
in personal injury, follow these guidelines for
loading your vehicle:
•Always place cargo evenly on the cargo floor. Put
heavier objects as low and as far forward as
possible.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Place as much cargo as possible in front of the rear
axle. Too much weight or improperly placed
weight over or behind the rear axle can cause the
rear of the vehicle to sway.
•Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the top of
the seatback. This could impair visibility or be-
come a dangerous projectile in a sudden stop or
collision.
•To help protect against personal injury, passengers
should not be seated in the rear cargo area. The
rear cargo space is intended for load carrying
purposes only, not for passengers, who should sit
in seats and use seat belts.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 177

Fold Down Speakers — If Equipped
When the liftgate is open, the speakers can swing down
off the trim panel to face rearward, for tailgating and
other activities.
REAR WINDOW FEATURES
Rear Window Wiper/Washer
The rear wiper/washer is controlled by a rotary switch
located on the center portion of the control lever. The
control lever is located on the right side of the steering
column.
Fold-Down Speakers
Rear Wiper/Washer Control
178 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Rotate the center portion of the lever upward to the
first detent position for rear wiper operationa.
NOTE: The rear wiper operates in an intermittent mode
only.
Rotate the center portion of the lever past the first
detent to activate the rear washer. The washer
pump will continue to operate as long as the switch
is held. Upon release, the wipers will cycle two times
before returning to the set position.
If the rear wiper is operating when the ignition is turned
OFF, the wiper will automatically return to the “park”
position if power accessory delay is active. Power acces-
sory delay can be cancelled by opening the door, if this
happens the rear wiper will stop at its current position
and will not go to “park”.Rear Window Defroster
The rear window defroster button is located on the
bottom right-side of the blower control knob.
Press this button to turn on the rear window defroster
and the heated outside mirrors (if equipped). An indica-
tor in the button will illuminate when the rear window
defroster is on. The rear window defroster automatically
turns off after approximately 10 minutes. For an addi-
tional five minutes of operation, press the button a
second time.
NOTE: To prevent excessive battery drain, use the rear
window defroster only when the engine is operating.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 179

CAUTION!
Failure to follow these cautions can cause damage to
the heating elements:
•Use care when washing the inside of the rear
window. Do not use abrasive window cleaners on
the interior surface of the window. Use a soft cloth
and a mild washing solution, wiping parallel to
the heating elements. Labels can be peeled off
after soaking with warm water.
•Do not use scrapers, sharp instruments, or abra-
sive window cleaners on the interior surface of the
window.
•Keep all objects a safe distance from the window.
ROOF LUGGAGE RACK — IF EQUIPPED
The crossbars and siderails are designed to carry the
weight on vehicles equipped with a luggage rack. The
load must not exceed 150 lbs (68 kg), and should beuniformly distributed over the luggage rack crossbars.
NOTE:
If not equipped with crossbars, your authorized
dealer can order and install MOPAR crossbars built
specifically for this roof rack system.
Distribute cargo weight evenly on the roof rack crossbars.
The roof rack does not increase the total load carrying
capacity of the vehicle. Be sure the total load of cargo
inside the vehicle plus that on the external rack does not
exceed the maximum vehicle load capacity.
The optional crossbars must also be secured in one of the
seven detent positions marked with an arrow on the
siderails to prevent movement. To move the crossbars,
loosen the thumb screws located at the upper edge of
each crossbar approximately eight turns, then move the
crossbar to the desired position, keeping the crossbars
parallel to the rack frame. Once the crossbar is in one of
the seven detent positions, retighten the thumb screws to
lock the crossbar into position.
180 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:
•To help control wind noise when the crossbars are not
in use, place the front crossbar in the first detent from
the front of the vehicle and the rear crossbar in the
second detent from the rear of the vehicle.
•If the rear crossbar (or any metallic object) is placed
over the satellite radio antenna (if equipped), you may
experience interruption of satellite radio reception. For
improved satellite radio reception, place the rear cross-
bar in the second detent from the rear of the vehicle
when not in use.
•The grab handles on the back of the vehicle (if
equipped) are not to be used as a towing feature.
CAUTION!
•To prevent damage to the roof of your vehicle, DO
NOT carry any loads on the roof rack without
crossbars installed. The load should be secured
and placed on top of the crossbars, not directly on
the roof. If it is necessary to place the load on the
roof, place a blanket or some other protection
between the load and the roof surface.
•To avoid damage to the roof rack and vehicle, do
not exceed the maximum roof rack load capacity of
150 lbs (68 kg). Always distribute heavy loads as
evenly as possible and secure the load appropri-
ately.
•Long loads which extend over the windshield,
such as wood panels or surfboards, or loads with
large frontal area should be secured to both the
front and rear of the vehicle.(Continued)
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 181

CAUTION! (Continued)
•Travel at reduced speeds and turn corners care-
fully when carrying large or heavy loads on the
roof rack. Wind forces, due to natural causes or
nearby truck traffic, can add sudden upward lift to
a load. This is especially true on large flat loads
and may result in damage to the cargo or your
vehicle.
WARNING!
Cargo must be securely tied before driving your
vehicle. Improperly secured loads can fly off the
vehicle, particularly at high speeds, resulting in per-
sonal injury or property damage. Follow the roof rack
cautions when carrying cargo on your roof rack.
182 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
CONTENTS
Instrument Panel Features ............... 187
 Instrument Cluster .................... 188
 Instrument Cluster Descriptions ........... 189
 Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) —
If Equipped .......................... 202
▫ Engine Oil Change Indicator System —
If Equipped ........................ 204
▫ EVIC Functions ..................... 205
▫ Compass/Temperature/Audio ........... 206
▫ Average Fuel Economy ................ 206 ▫
Distance To Empty (DTE) .............. 206
▫ Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) ............ 207
▫ Elapsed Time ....................... 207
▫ Personal Settings
(Customer-Programmable Features) ....... 207
 Media Center 230 (REQ) — AM/FM Stereo
Radio And 6–Disc CD/DVD Changer
(MP3/WMA AUX Jack) .................. 212
▫ Operating Instructions - Radio Mode ...... 213
4