2012 JEEP COMPASS parking brake

AutoStick .......................... 306
▫ Operation ......................... 306
▫ General Information .................. 307
 Four-Wheel Drive Operation — If Equipped . . 307
 On-Road Driving Tips .................. 308
 Power Steering ....................... 308
▫ Power Steering Fluid Check ............. 309
 Parking Brake ........................ 310
 Brake System ........................ 313
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........... 314
 Electronic Brake Control System ........... 316
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........... 316
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ........... 316▫
Brake Assist System (BAS) .............. 317
▫ Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) ......... 318
▫ Hill Descent Control (HDC) – If Equipped . . 319
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) – Manual
Transmission Only ................... 320
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......... 322
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
And ESC Off Indicator Light ............ 325
 Tire Safety Information ................. 326
▫ Tire Markings ....................... 326
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ......... 330
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ......... 331
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure .......... 332
290 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
•Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking
brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and re-
move the key fob from the ignition. When leaving
the vehicle, always lock your vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
•Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle. A
child could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.
Manual Transmission – If Equipped
Before starting the engine fully apply the parking brake,
press the clutch pedal to the floor, and place the shift
lever in NEUTRAL.
NOTE:
•The engine will not start unless the clutch pedal is
pressed to the floor.
•If the key will not turn and the steering wheel is
locked, rotate the wheel in either direction to relieve
pressure on the locking mechanism and then turn the
key.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 293

ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
Five–Speed Manual Transmission
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.
Fully press the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As you
release the clutch pedal, lightly press the accelerator
pedal.
296 STARTING AND OPERATING

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing 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 between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
WARNING!
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running.
•Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking
brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and re-
move the key fob from the ignition. When leaving
the vehicle, always lock your vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
•Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 299

Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be
done only after the accelerator pedal is released and the
vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake
pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears.
The transmission shift lever has PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, and DRIVE shift positions. Some models include a
LOW position; in others, manual shifts are made using
the AutoStickshift control (refer to “AutoStick” in this
section). Moving the shift lever to the left or right (-/+)
while in the DRIVE position (if equipped with
AutoStick) will manually select from a set of predefined
transmission gear ratios, and will display the current
gear in the instrument cluster as 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
Shift Lever
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 301

When parking on a level surface, you may place the shift
lever in the PARK position first, and then apply the
parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for
the parking brake. Always apply the parking
brake fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever rearward (with the brake
pedal released) after you have placed it in PARK.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK before
leaving the vehicle.
•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 pressing 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
your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.(Continued)
302 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING! (Continued)
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
and remove the ignition key. Once the key is
removed, the shift lever is locked in the PARK
position, securing the vehicle against unwanted
movement.
•Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking
brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and re-
move the key fob from the ignition. When leaving
the vehicle, always lock your vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle. A
child could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you
must turn the ignition switch from the LOCK/OFF
position to the ON/RUN position, and also press
the brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the shift
lever could result.(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 303

CAUTION! (Continued)
•DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as
this can damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the shift lever into the PARK position:
•When shifting into PARK, move the shift lever all the
way forward and to the left until it stops and is fully
seated.
•Look at the shift lever position display and verify that
it indicates the PARK position.
•With brake pedal released, verify that the shift lever
will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Set the parking brake and shift the
transmission into PARK if you must leave the vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
304 STARTING AND OPERATING