2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE warning

thorized dealer-installed options, must be
considered as part of the total load on your
vehicle.
Towing RequirementsTo promote proper break-in of your new vehicle
drivetrain components, the following guidelines
are recommended.
CAUTION!
•Do not tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (805 km) the new vehicle is
driven. The engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged.
• Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km)
that a trailer is towed, do not drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts at
full throttle. This helps the engine and other
parts of the vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
Perform the maintenance listed in the “Mainte-
nance Schedule.” Refer to “Maintenance
Schedule” for the proper maintenance inter-
vals. When towing a trailer, never exceed the
GAWR or GCWR ratings.
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury acci-
dent. Follow these guidelines to make your
trailer towing as safe as possible:
•
Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and will not shift during travel. When
trailering cargo that is not fully secured, dy-
namic load shifts can occur that may be
difficult for the driver to control. You could lose
control of your vehicle and have an accident.
• When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do
not overload your vehicle or trailer. Over-
loading can cause a loss of control, poor
performance or damage to brakes, axle,
engine, transmission, steering, suspen-
sion, chassis structure or tires.
• Safety chains must always be used be-
tween your vehicle and trailer. Always con-
nect the chains to the hook retainers of the
vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under the
trailer tongue and allow enough slack for
turning corners.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
• Vehicles with trailers should not be parked
on a grade. When parking, apply the park-
ing brake on the tow vehicle. Put the tow
vehicle transmission in PARK. For four-
wheel drive vehicles, make sure the trans-
fer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always, block
or chock the trailer wheels.
• GCWR must not be exceeded.
• Total weight must be distributed be-
tween 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.
Towing Requirements – Tires
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle. Refer to “Tires – General Informa-
tion” in “Starting and Operating” for proper
tire inflation procedures.
247

Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflationpressures before trailer usage.
Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage before towing a trailer. Refer to
“Tires – General Information” in “Starting and
Operating” for proper inspection procedure.
When replacing tires, refer to “Tires – Gen- eral Information” in “Starting and Operating”
for proper tire replacement procedures. Re-
placing tires with a higher load carrying
capacity will not increase the vehicle’s
GVWR and GAWR limits.
Towing Requirements – Trailer Brakes
Do notinterconnect the hydraulic brake sys-
tem or vacuum system of your vehicle with
that of the trailer. This could cause inad-
equate braking and possible personal injury.
An electronically-actuated trailer brake con- troller is required when towing a trailer with
electronically-actuated brakes. When towing
a trailer equipped with a hydraulic surge-
actuated brake system, an electronic brake
controller is not required. Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers
over 1,000 lbs (454 kg), and required for
trailers in excess of 1,654 lbs (750 kg).
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs
(454 kg) loaded, it should have its own brakes
and they should be of adequate capacity.
Failure to do this could lead to accelerated
brake lining wear, higher brake pedal effort,
and longer stopping distances.
WARNING!
• Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehi-
cle’s hydraulic brake lines. It can overload
your brake system and cause it to fail. You
might not have brakes when you need
them and could have an accident.
• Towing any trailer will increase your stop-
ping distance. When towing, you should
allow for additional space between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Failure to do so could result in an accident. Towing Requirements – Trailer Lights and
Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the
trailer size, stop lights and turn signals on the
trailer are required for motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package includes a 13 pin
wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer
harness and connector.
NOTE:
Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicles
wiring harness.
The electrical connections are all complete to
the vehicle but you must mate the harness to a
trailer connector.
248

Recreational Towing — Quadra–Trac
II /Quadra–Drive II Four-Wheel
Drive Models
The transfer case must be shifted into NEU-
TRAL (N) and the transmission must be placed
in PARK for recreational towing. The NEUTRAL
(N) selection button is adjacent to the transfer
case selector switch. Shifts into and out of
transfer case NEUTRAL (N) can take place with
the selector switch in any mode position.
CAUTION!
• Front or rear wheel lifts should not be used.
Internal damage to the transmission or
transfer case will occur if a front or rear
wheel lift is used when recreational towing.
• Tow only in a forward direction. Towing this
vehicle backwards can cause severe dam-
age to the transfer case.
• The transmission must be placed in PARK
for recreational towing.
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
• Before recreational towing, perform the
procedure outlined under “Shifting into
NEUTRAL (N)” to be certain that the trans-
fer case is fully in NEUTRAL (N). Other-
wise, internal damage will result.
• Failure to follow these procedures can
cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage.
• Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on
tow bar on your vehicle. The bumper face
bar will be damaged. Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in
the NEUTRAL (N) position without first fully
engaging the parking brake. The transfer case
NEUTRAL (N) position disengages both the
front and rear driveshafts from the powertrain
and will allow the vehicle to move, even if the
transmission is in PARK. The parking brake
should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
Use the following procedure to prepare your
vehicle for recreational towing.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be
certain that the transfer case is fully in NEU-
TRAL (N) before recreational towing to pre-
vent damage to internal parts.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop and
shift the transmission to PARK.
252

6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
•HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS ................. 258
• IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS .................. 258
• JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING ................. 259
• Jack Location .......................... 259
• Spare Tire Stowage ....................... 259
• Preparations for Jacking .................... 259
• Jacking Instructions ...................... 260
• JUMP-STARTING .......................... 262
• Preparations for Jump-Start .................. 262
• Jump-Starting Procedure ................... 263
• TOW EYES .............................. 264
• TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE ................. 265
• Towing Without the Ignition Key Fob ............ 266
• Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles ................... 266
257

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERSThe Hazard Warning flasher switch is located
on the switch bank just above the climate
controls.Press the switch to turn on the Hazard
Warning flasher. When the switch is
activated, all directional turn signals will
flash on and off to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. Press the switch a
second time to turn off the Hazard Warning
flasher.
This is an emergency warning system and it
should not be used when the vehicle is in
motion. Use it when your vehicle is disabled
and it is creating a safety hazard for other
motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assis-
tance, the Hazard Warning flasher will continue
to operate even though the ignition is placed in
the OFF position.
NOTE:
With extended use the Hazard Warning
flasher may wear down your battery.IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATSIn any of the following situations, you can
reduce the potential for overheating by taking
the appropriate action.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, place the
transmission in NEUTRAL, but do not in-
crease the engine idle speed.
NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow
down an impending overheat condition:
• If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it
off. The A/C system adds heat to the
engine cooling system and turning the
A/C off can help remove this heat.
• You can also turn the temperature control
to maximum heat, the mode control to
floor and the blower control to high. This
allows the heater core to act as a supple-
ment to the radiator and aids in removing
heat from the engine cooling system.CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could dam-
age your vehicle. If the temperature gauge
reads HOT (H), pull over and stop the vehicle.
Idle the vehicle with the air conditioner turned
off until the pointer drops back into the normal
range. If the pointer remains on HOT (H), and
you hear continuous chimes, turn the engine
off immediately and call for service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming
from under the hood, do not open the hood
until the radiator has had time to cool. Never
try to open a cooling system pressure cap
when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
258

JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
WARNING!
•Getting under a jacked-up vehicle is dan-
gerous. The vehicle could slip off the jack
and fall on you. You could be crushed.
Never get any part of your body under a
vehicle that is on a jack. If you need to get
under a raised vehicle, take it to a service
center where it can be raised on a lift.
• The jack is designed to be used as a tool
for changing tires only. The jack should not
be used to lift the vehicle for service pur-
poses. The vehicle should be jacked on a
firm, level surface only. Avoid ice or slippery
areas.
Jack LocationThe scissor-type jack and tire changing tools
are located in rear cargo area, below the load
floor.
Spare Tire StowageThe spare tire is stowed under the load floor in
the rear cargo area.
Preparations for Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface.
Avoid ice or slippery surfaces.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of
the vehicle closest to moving traffic. Pull far
enough off the road to avoid being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel. 2. Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Place the shift lever into PARK.
5. Turn the ignition OFF.
6. Block both the front
and rear of the wheel
diagonally opposite of
the jacking position. For
example, if changing
the right front tire, block
the left rear wheel.
NOTE:
Passengers should not remain in the vehicle
when the vehicle is being jacked.
7. For vehicle equipped with Quadra-Lift refer
to “Quadra-Lift — If Equipped” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information on disabling
automatic leveling.
Jack Storage Location
259

Jacking Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings
to help prevent personal injury or damage to
your vehicle:
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far
from the edge of the roadway as possible
before raising the vehicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite the
wheel to be raised.
• Set the parking brake firmly and set an
automatic transmission in PARK.
• Never start or run the engine with the
vehicle on a jack.
• Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it
is on a jack.
• Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a
jack.
• Only use the jack in the positions indicated
and for lifting this vehicle during a tire
change.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
• If working on or near a roadway, be ex-
tremely careful of motor traffic.
• To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated,
are securely stowed, spares must be
stowed with the valve stem facing the
ground.
1. Remove the spare tire, jack, and tools from
storage.
2. Loosen (but do not remove) the wheel lug
nuts by turning them to the left, one turn, while
the wheel is still on the ground.
3. Assemble the jack and jacking tools. 4. For a front tire, place the jack and protective
cap on the body flange just behind the front tire
(as indicated by the triangular lift point symbol
on the sill molding).
Do not raise the vehicle
until you are sure the jack is fully engaged.
Jack Warning Label
Jack and Tool Assembly
260

5. For a rear tire, place the jack and protective
cap in the slot on the rear tie-down bracket, just
forward of the rear tire (as indicated by the
triangular lift point symbol on the sill molding).
Do not raise the vehicle until you are sure
the jack is fully engaged.6. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw
clockwise. Raise the vehicle only until the tire
just clears the surface and enough clearance is
obtained to install the spare tire. Minimum tire
lift provides maximum stability.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can
make the vehicle less stable. It could slip off
the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the
vehicle only enough to remove the tire.7. Remove the lug nuts and wheel.
8. Position the spare wheel/tire on the vehicle
and install the lug nuts with the cone-shaped
end toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the nuts.
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the
jack, do not tighten the nuts fully until the
vehicle has been lowered.
9. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw
counterclockwise, and remove the jack and
wheel blocks.
10. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down
on the wrench while tightening for increased
leverage. Alternate nuts until each nut has
been tightened twice. The correct wheel nut
tightness is 95 ft lbs (130 N·m). If in doubt about
the correct tightness, have them checked with
a torque wrench by your authorized dealer or at
a service station.
11. Lower the jack to the fully closed position
and return it and the tools to the proper posi-
tions in the foam tray.
Front Jacking LocationRear Jacking Location
261