2010 JEEP WRANGLER Owners Manual

enough to put the vehicle at risk of a rollover. If you get
caught in a rut, dig a small trench to the right or left at a
45-degree angle ahead of the front tires. Use the removed
dirt to fill the rut ahead of the turnout you just created.
You should now be able to drive out following the trench
you just created at a 45-degree angle.
WARNING!
There is an increased risk of rollover when crossing
an obstacle, at any angle, with steep sides.
Crossing Logs
To cross a log, approach it at a slight angle (approxi-
mately 10 to 15 degrees). This allows one front tire to be
on top of the log while the other just starts to climb the
log. While climbing the log, modulate your brake and
accelerator to avoid spinning the log out from under your
tires. Then ease the vehicle off the log using your brakes.
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to cross a log with a greater diameter
than the running ground clearance or the vehicle will
become high-centered.
Getting High-Centered
If you get hung up or high-centered on an object, get out
of the vehicle and try to determine what the vehicle is
hung up on, where it is contacting the underbody and
what is the best direction to recover the vehicle. Depend-
ing on what you are in contact with, jack the vehicle up
and place a few rocks under the tires so the weight is off
of the high point when you let the vehicle down. You can
also try rocking the vehicle or winching the vehicle off
the object.
360 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
Winching or rocking the vehicle off hard objects
increases the risk of underbody damage.
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
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 safelyrecover the vehicle if something goes wrong? If every-
thing looks good and you feel confident, shift the trans-
mission into a lower gear with 4L (Low) 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 as
you 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
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 361

provide a freshbiteinto 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 Downhill
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,
controlled descent? Are there obstacles? Is it a straight
descent? Is there plenty of distance at the base of the hill
to regain control if the vehicle descends to fast? If you feel confident in your ability to proceed, then make sure you
are in 4L (Low) and proceed with caution. Allow engine
braking to control the descent and apply your brakes, if
necessary, but do not allow the tires to lock.
WARNING!
Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use
vehicle brakes in conjunction with engine braking.
Descending a grade too fast could cause you to lose
control and be seriously injured.
Driving Across an Incline
If at all possible, avoid driving across an incline. If it is
necessary, know your vehicle’s abilities. Driving across
an incline places more weight on the downhill wheels,
which increases the possibilities of a downhill slide or
rollover. Make sure the surface has good traction with
firm and stable soils. If possible, transverse the incline at
an angle heading slightly up or down.
362 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of a
rollover, which may result in severe injury.
If You Stall or Begin to Lose Headway
If you stall or begin to lose headway while climbing a
steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and
immediately apply the brake. Restart the engine and shift
into REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill allowing
engine braking to control the descent and apply your
brakes, if necessary, but do not allow the tires to lock.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls or you lose headway 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, which may result in
severe injury. Always back carefully straight down a
hill in REVERSE gear. Never back down a hill in
NEUTRAL using only the vehicle brakes. Never
drive diagonally across a hill; always drive straight
up or down.
Driving Through Water
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type of water.
Water crossings should be avoided, if possible, and only
be attempted when necessary in a safe, responsible
manner. You should only drive through areas which are
designated and approved. You should tread lightly and
avoid damage to the environment. You should know
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 363

your vehicle’s abilities and be able to recover it if
something goes wrong. You should never stop or shut a
vehicle off when crossing deep water unless you ingested
water into the engine air intake. If the engine stalls, do
not attempt to restart it. Determine if it has ingested
water first. The key to any crossing is low and slow. Shift
into first gear (manual transmission), or DRIVE (auto-
matic transmission), with the transfer case in the 4L
(Low) position and proceed very slowly with a constant
slow speed {3 to 5 mph (5 to 8 km/h) maximum} and
light throttle. Keep the vehicle moving; do not try to
accelerate through the crossing. After crossing any water
higher than the bottom of the axle differentials, you
should inspect all of the vehicle fluids for signs of water
ingestion.CAUTION!
•Water ingestion into the axles, transmission, trans-
fer case, engine or vehicle interior can occur if you
drive too fast or through too deep of water. Water
can cause permanent damage to engine, driveline
or other vehicle components, and your brakes will
be less effective once wet and/or muddy.
•This vehicle is capable of crossing through water
at a depth of 30 inches (76 cm) at speeds no greater
than 5 mph (8 km/h). Water ingestion can occur
causing damage to your vehicle.
Before You Cross Any Type of Water
As you approach any type of water, you need to deter-
mine if you can cross it safely and responsibly. If neces-
sary, get out and walk through the water or probe it with
a stick. You need to be sure of its depth, approach angle,
current and bottom condition. Be careful of murky or
364 STARTING AND OPERATING

muddy waters; check for hidden obstacles. Make sure
you will not be intruding on any wildlife, and you can
recover the vehicle if necessary. The key to a safe crossing
is the water depth, current and bottom conditions. On
soft bottoms, the vehicle will sink in, effectively increasing
the water level on the vehicle. Be sure to consider this when
determining the depth and the ability to safely cross.
Crossing Puddles, Pools, Flooded Areas or Other
Standing Water
Puddles, pools, flooded or other standing water areas
normally contain murky or muddy waters. These water
types normally contain hidden obstacles and make it
difficult to determine an accurate water depth, approach
angle, and bottom condition. Murky or muddy water
holes are where you want to hook up tow straps prior to
entering. This makes for a faster, cleaner and easier
vehicle recovery. If you are able to determine you can
safely cross, than proceed using the low and slow
method.
CAUTION!
Muddy waters can reduce the cooling system effec-
tiveness by depositing debris onto the radiator.
Crossing Ditches, Streams, Shallow Rivers or
Other Flowing Water
Flowing water can be extremely dangerous. Never at-
tempt to cross a fast running stream or river even in
shallow water. Fast moving water can easily push your
vehicle downstream, sweeping it out of control. Even in
very shallow water, a high current can still wash the dirt
out from around your tires putting you and your vehicle
in jeopardy. There is still a high risk of personal injury
and vehicle damage with slower water currents in depths
greater than the vehicle’s running ground clearance. You
should never attempt to cross flowing water which is
deeper than the vehicle’s running ground clearance. Even
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 365

the slowest current can push the heaviest vehicle down-
stream and out of control if the water is deep enough to
push on the large surface area of the vehicle’s body.
Before you proceed, determine the speed of the current,
the water’s depth, approach angle, bottom condition and
if there are any obstacles. Then cross at an angle heading
slightly upstream using the low and slow technique.
WARNING!
Never drive through fast moving deep water. It can
push your vehicle downstream, sweeping it out of
control. This could put you and your passengers at
risk of injury or drowning.
After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than
does most on-road driving. After going off-road, it isalways 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, steering, 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 components, steering, and sus-
pension. Retighten 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.
366 STARTING AND OPERATING

•After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or
similar dirty conditions, have the radiator, fan, 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 steer-
ing pump may make noise for a short amount of time.
This is due to the cold, thick fluid in the steering
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 367