2010 JEEP PATRIOT tires

WARNING! (Continued)
•Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Al-
ways properly reinstall and secure floor mats that
have been removed for cleaning.
•Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the
driver foot well while the vehicle is moving.
Objects can become trapped under the brake pedal
and accelerator pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
•If required, mounting posts must be properly
installed, if not equipped from the factory.
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or
mounting can cause interference with the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal operation causing loss
of control of the vehicle.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
the Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread. Inspect the tread and sidewall for
cuts and cracks. Check the wheel nuts for tightness.
Check the tires (including spare) for proper pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 85

20. Shift Lever Indicator
The Shift Lever Indicator is self-contained within the
instrument cluster. It displays the gear position of the
automatic transmission.
NOTE:You must apply the brakes before shifting from
PARK.
21. Odometer/Trip Odometer Reset Button
Press this button to change the display from odometer to
either of the two trip odometer settings. Trip A or Trip B
will appear when in the trip odometer mode. Push in and
hold the button for two seconds to reset the trip odometer
to 0 miles (0 km). The odometer must be in Trip mode to
reset.
22. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly, when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper 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.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
196 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or moretires or wheels on your vehicle, to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result when using re-
placement equipment that is not of the same size,
type, and/or style. Aftermarket wheels can cause
sensor damage. Do not use tire sealant from a can, or
balance beads if your vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors may result.
23. Odometer/Trip Odometer
This display indicates the total distance the vehicle has
been driven.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 197

▫Brake Assist System (BAS) .............. 322
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ........... 323
▫ Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) ......... 323
▫ Hill Descent Control (HDC) – If Equipped . . 324
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) – Manual
Transmission Or Off-Road Package Only .... 326
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......... 327
 Tire Safety Information ................. 332
▫ Tire Markings ....................... 332
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ......... 336
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ......... 337
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure .......... 338
 Tires — General Information ............. 342▫
Tire Pressure ....................... 342
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures ................ 343
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . 345
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... 345
▫ Compact Spare Tire – If Equipped ........ 345
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... 346
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ................. 347
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ 348
▫ Replacement Tires .................... 348
 Tire Chains .......................... 349
 Snow Tires .......................... 350
 Tire Rotation Recommendations ........... 350
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WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the
front wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle
and possibly have an accident. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when roads are
slushy.2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first
become visible.
4. Keep the tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain enough distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a sudden
stop.DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to ensure
safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
302 STARTING AND OPERATING

Snow
In heavy snow or for additional control and traction at
slower speeds, activate the 4WD LOCK and shift the
transaxle to low (L Off-Road) if necessary. Do not shift to
a lower gear than necessary to maintain headway. Over-
revving the engine can spin the wheels and traction will
be lost. If you start to slow to a stop, try turning your
steering wheel no more than a 1/4 turn quickly back and
forth, while still applying throttle. This will allow the
tires to get a freshbiteand help maintain your momen-
tum.
CAUTION!
On icy or slippery roads, do not downshift at high
engine RPM’s or vehicle speeds because engine brak-
ing may cause skidding and loss of control.
Mud
Deep mud creates a great deal of suction around the tires
and is very difficult to get through. You should use low (L
Off-Road) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and maintain
your momentum. If you start to slow to a stop, try
turning your steering wheel no more than a 1/4 turn
quickly back and forth for additional traction. Mud holes
pose an increased threat of vehicle damage and getting
stuck. They are normally full of debris from previous
vehicles getting stuck. As a good practice before entering
any mud hole, get out and determine how deep it is, if
there are any hidden obstacles and if the vehicle can be
safely recovered if stuck.
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Sand
Soft sand is very difficult to travel through with full tire
pressure. When crossing soft sandy spots in a trail
maintain your vehicle’s momentum and do not stop. The
key to driving in soft sand is using the appropriate tire
pressure, accelerating slowly, avoiding abrupt maneu-
vers and maintaining the vehicle’s momentum. If you are
going to be driving on large soft sandy areas or dunes,
reduce your tire pressure to a minimum of 15 psi
(103 kPa) to allow for a greater tire surface area. You
should use low (L Off-Road) with the 4WD LOCK
engaged and ESC turned off. Reduced tire pressure will
drastically improve your traction and handling, while
driving on the soft sand, but you must return the tires to
normal air pressure before driving on pavement or other
hard surfaces. Be sure you have a way to reinflate the
tires prior to reducing the pressure.CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressures may cause tire unseating and
total loss of air pressure. To reduce the risk of tire
unseating, while at a reduced tire pressure, reduce
your speed and avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers.
Hill Climbing
Hill climbing requires good judgment and a good under-
standing of your abilities and your vehicle’s limitations.
Hills can cause serious problems. Some are just too steep
to climb and should not be attempted. You should always
feel confident with the vehicle and your abilities. You
should always climb hills straight up and down. Never
attempt to climb a hill on an angle.
Before Climbing A Steep Hill
As you approach a hill consider its grade or steepness.
Determine if it is too steep. Look to see what the traction
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is on the hill side trail. Is the trail straight up and down?
What is on top and the other side? Are there ruts, rocks,
branches or other obstacles on the path? Can you safely
recover the vehicle if something goes wrong? If every-
thing looks good and you feel confident, then you should
use low (L Off-Road) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and
proceed with caution maintaining your momentum as
you climb the hill.
Driving Up Hill
Once you have determined your ability to proceed and
have shifted into the appropriate gear, line your vehicle
up for the straightest possible run. Accelerate with an
easy constant throttle and apply more power as you start
up the hill. Do not race forward into a steep grade, the
abrupt change of grade could cause you to lose control. If
the front end begins to bounce, ease off the throttle
slightly to bring all four tires back on the ground. As you
approach the crest of the hill ease off the throttle and
slowly proceed over the top. If the wheels start to slip asyou approach the crest of a hill, ease off the accelerator
and maintain headway by turning the steering wheel no
more than a 1/4 turn quickly back and forth. This will
provide a fresh
biteinto the surface and will usually
provide enough traction to complete the climb. If you do
not make it to the top, place the vehicle in REVERSE and
back straight down the grade using engine resistance
along with the vehicle brakes.WARNING!
Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn
around on a steep grade. Driving across an incline
increases the risk of a rollover, which may result in
severe injury.
Driving Down Hill
Before driving down a steep hill you need to determine if
it is too steep for a safe descent. What is the surface
traction? Is the grade too steep to maintain a slow
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