2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE coolant temperature

23. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) OFF
Indicator Light — If EquippedThis light indicates the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) is off.
24. Vehicle Security Light This light will flash rapidly for ap-
proximately 15 seconds when the
vehicle theft alarm is arming. The
light will flash at a slower speed
continuously after the alarm is set.
The security light will also come on
for about three seconds when the ignition is first
turned on.
25. Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge shows engine coolant
temperature. Any reading within the normal
range indicates that the engine cooling system
is operating satisfactorily.
The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher
temperature when driving in hot weather, up
mountain grades, or when towing a trailer. It should not be allowed to exceed the upper
limits of the normal operating range.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If the temperature
gauge reads “H” pull over and stop the ve-
hicle. Idle the vehicle with the air conditioner
turned off until the pointer drops back into the
normal range. If the pointer remains on the “H”
and you hear continuous chimes, turn the
engine off immediately and call an authorized
dealership for service.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous.
You or others could be badly burned by steam
or boiling coolant. You may want to call an
authorized dealership for service if your ve-
hicle overheats. If you decide to look under
the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your Ve-
hicle”. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.26. Rear Fog Light Indicator
This indicator will illuminate when the
rear fog lights are on.
ELECTRONIC VEHICLE
INFORMATION CENTER (EVIC)
The Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC) features a driver-interactive display that
is located in the instrument cluster.
Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC) Display
164

Elapsed Time
Shows the total elapsed time of travel since the
last reset when the ignition switch is in the ACC
position. Elapsed time will increment when the
ignition switch is in the ON or START position.
To Reset The Display
Reset will only occur while a resettable function
is being displayed. Press and release the SE-
LECT button once to clear the resettable func-
tion being displayed.
UnitsPress and release the UP or DOWN button until
“Units” displays highlighted in the EVIC and
press the SELECT button. The EVIC, odometer,
and navigation system (if equipped) can be
changed between English and Metric units of
measure. To make your selection, scroll up or
down until the preferred setting is highlighted,
then press and release the SELECT button until
a check-mark appears next to the setting,
showing that the setting has been selected.
Vehicle Info
(Customer Information Features)
Press and release the UP or DOWN button until
“Vehicle Info” displays highlighted in the EVIC
and press the SELECT button. Press the UP
and DOWN button to scroll through the avail-
able information displays, then press SELECT
to display any one of the following choices.
•Oil Temp (If Equipped)
Displays the actual oil temperature.
• Oil Pressure (If Equipped)
Displays the actual oil pressure.
• Coolant Temp
Displays the actual coolant temperature.
• Trans Temperature
Displays the actual transmission temperature
when the shift lever is in the Drive position. •
Engine Hours
Displays the number of hours of engine opera-
tion.
Tire PSI or Tire KPA
Press and release the UP or DOWN button until
“Tire PSI” or “Tire KPA” displays highlighted in
the EVIC and press the SELECT button. Press
and release the UP/DOWN buttons until one of
the following System Status messages displays
in the EVIC:
• System OK
• System Warnings Displayed (will display all
currently active System Warnings)
175

3. Watch the “Wait To Start Light” in the instru-
ment cluster. Refer to “Instrument Cluster” in
“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for fur-
ther information. It may glow for up to three
seconds, depending on engine temperature.
4. When the “Wait To Start Light” goes out, the
engine will automatically start.
5. After the engine starts, allow it to idle for
approximately 30 seconds before driving. This
allows oil to circulate and lubricate the turbo-
charger.
Avoid prolonged idling in ambient tempera-
tures below 0°F (-18°C). Long periods of idling
may be harmful to your engine because com-
bustion chamber temperatures can drop so low
that the fuel may not burn completely. Incom-
plete combustion allows carbon and varnish to
form on piston rings and injector nozzles. Also,
the unburned fuel can enter the crankcase,
diluting the oil and causing rapid wear to the
engine.Engine Warm Up
Avoid full throttle operation when the engine is
cold. When starting a cold engine, bring the
engine up to operating speed slowly to allow
the oil pressure to stabilize as the engine
warms up.
NOTE:
High-speed, no-load running of a cold en-
gine can result in excessive white smoke
and poor engine performance. No-load en-
gine speeds should be kept under 1,200
RPM during the warm-up period, especially
in cold ambient temperature conditions.
If temperatures are below 32°F (0°C), operate
the engine at moderate speeds for five minutes
before full loads are applied.
Engine Idling – In Cold Weather
Avoid prolonged idling in ambient tempera-
tures below 0°F (-18°C). Long periods of idling
may be harmful to your engine because com-
bustion chamber temperatures can drop so low
that the fuel may not burn completely. Incom-
plete combustion allows carbon and varnish to
form on piston rings and injector nozzles. Also,the unburned fuel can enter the crankcase,
diluting the oil and causing rapid wear to the
engine.
Stopping The Engine
Before turning off your turbo diesel engine,
always allow the engine to return to normal idle
speed and run for several seconds. This as-
sures proper lubrication of the turbocharger.
This is particularly necessary after any period
of hard driving.
Idle the engine a few minutes before routine
shutdown. After full load operation, idle the
engine three to five minutes before shutting it
down. This idle period will allow the lubricating
oil and coolant to carry excess heat away from
the combustion chamber, bearings, internal
components, and turbocharger. This is espe-
cially important for turbocharged, charge air
cooled engines.
220

Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control
allows the driver to limit the highest available
gear when the shift lever is in the DRIVE
position. For example, if you shift the transmis-
sion into 3 (third gear), the transmission will
never shift above third gear, but will shift down
into second and first gear normally.
Use of ERS (or TOW/HAUL mode) also enables
an additional underdrive gear which is not
normally used during through-gear accelera-
tions. This additional gear can improve vehicle
performance and cooling capability when tow-
ing a trailer on certain grades. In ERS mode,
gears 1 though 3 are underdrive gears, and
ERS 4 is direct drive. ERS 5 and 6 (Overdrive
gears ) are the same as the normal fourth and
fifth gears.
You can switch between DRIVE and ERS mode
at any vehicle speed. When the shift lever is in
the DRIVE position, the transmission will oper-
ate automatically, shifting between all available
gears. Tapping the shift lever to the left (-) will
activate ERS mode, display the current gear in
the instrument cluster, and maintain that gear
as the top available gear. Once in ERS mode,tapping the shift lever to the left (-) or right (+)
will change the top available gear.
To exit ERS mode, simply press and hold the
shift lever to the right (+) until “D” is once again
displayed in the shift lever position indicator in
the instrument cluster.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking
on a slippery surface. The drive wheels could
lose their grip and the vehicle could skid,
causing an accident or personal injury.
Screen
Display
123456D
Actual
Gear(s)
Allowed 1 1-2 1-3 1,2,4 1,2,
4,51,2,
4-6 1-5
NOTE:
To select the proper gear position for maxi-
mum deceleration (engine braking), simply
press and hold the shift lever to the left (-).
The transmission will shift to the range from
which the vehicle can best be slowed down. Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an elec-
tronically controlled Overdrive (fourth and fifth
gears). The transmission will automatically shift
into the Overdrive gear if the following condi-
tions are present:
•
the shift lever is in the DRIVE position,
• the transmission fluid has reached an ad-
equate temperature,
• the engine coolant has reached an adequate
temperature,
• vehicle speed is sufficiently high,
• the driver is not heavily pressing the accel-
erator, and
• the TOW/HAUL switch has not been acti-
vated.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer,
carrying a heavy load, etc., and frequent trans-
mission shifting occurs, press the TOW/HAUL
switch to select TOW/HAUL mode. This will
improve performance and reduce the potential
for transmission overheating or failure due to
230

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
flashers.
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 flashers will con-
tinue to operate even though the ignition is
placed in the OFF position.
NOTE:
With extended use the Hazard Warning
flashers 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.
282

When adding engine coolant (antifreeze):
•
The manufacturer recommends using MOPAR
Antifreeze/ Coolant 5–Year/100,000 Mile For-
mula HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technol-
ogy) or equivalent.
• Mix a minimum solution of 50% HOAT engine
coolant (antifreeze) and distilled water. Use
higher concentrations (not to exceed 70%) if
temperatures below -34°F (-37°C) are antici-
pated.
• Use only high purity water such as distilled
or deionized water when mixing the water/
engine coolant (antifreeze) solution. The use
of lower quality water will reduce the amount
of corrosion protection in the engine cooling
system.
Please note that it is the owner’s responsibility
to maintain the proper level of protection
against freezing according to the temperatures
occurring in the area where the vehicle is
operated.
NOTE:
Mixing engine coolant (antifreeze) types will
decrease the life of the engine coolant (an- tifreeze) and will require more frequent en-
gine coolant (antifreeze) changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss
of engine coolant (antifreeze), and to ensure
that engine coolant (antifreeze) will return to the
radiator from the coolant recovery tank.
The cap should be inspected and cleaned if
there is any accumulation of foreign material on
the sealing surfaces.
WARNING!
•
The warning words DO NOT OPEN HOT
on the cooling system pressure cap are a
safety precaution. Never add engine cool-
ant (antifreeze) when the engine is over-
heated. Do not loosen or remove the cap to
cool an overheated engine. Heat causes
pressure to build up in the cooling system.
To prevent scalding or injury, do not remove
the pressure cap while the system is hot or
under pressure.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
• Do not use a pressure cap other than the
one specified for your vehicle. Personal
injury or engine damage may result.
Disposal Of Used Engine Coolant
Used ethylene glycol-based engine coolant
(antifreeze) is a regulated substance requiring
proper disposal. Check with your local authori-
ties to determine the disposal rules for your
community. To prevent ingestion by animals
and children, do not store ethylene glycol-
based engine coolant (antifreeze) in open con-
tainers or allow it to remain in puddles on the
ground. If ingested by a child or pet, seek
emergency assistance immediately. Clean up
any ground spills immediately.
Coolant Level
The coolant bottle provides a quick visual
method for determining that the engine coolant
(antifreeze) level is adequate. With the engine
idling, and warm to normal operating tempera-
ture, the level of the engine coolant (antifreeze)
in the bottle should be between the ranges
indicated on the bottle.
310

The radiator normally remains completely full,
so there is no need to remove the radiator cap,
unless checking for engine coolant (antifreeze)
freeze point or replacing engine coolant (anti-
freeze). Advise your service attendant of this.
As long as the engine operating temperature is
satisfactory, the coolant bottle need only be
checked once a month.
When additional engine coolant (antifreeze) is
needed to maintain the proper level, it should
be added to the coolant bottle. Do not overfill.
Points To Remember
NOTE:
When the vehicle is stopped after a few
miles (kilometers) of operation, you may
observe vapor coming from the front of the
engine compartment. This is normally a re-
sult of moisture from rain, snow, or high
humidity accumulating on the radiator and
being vaporized when the thermostat opens,
allowing hot engine coolant (antifreeze) to
enter the radiator.If an examination of your engine compartment
shows no evidence of radiator or hose leaks,
the vehicle may be safely driven. The vapor will
soon dissipate.
•
Do not overfill the coolant recovery bottle.
• Check engine coolant (antifreeze) freeze
point in the radiator and in the coolant recov-
ery bottle. If engine coolant (antifreeze)
needs to be added, contents of coolant
recovery bottle must also be protected
against freezing.
• If frequent engine coolant (antifreeze) addi-
tions are required, or if the level in the
coolant recovery bottle does not drop when
the engine cools, the cooling system should
be pressure tested for leaks.
• Maintain engine coolant (antifreeze) concen-
tration at 50% HOAT engine coolant (anti-
freeze) (minimum) and distilled water for
proper corrosion protection of your engine,
which contains aluminum components.
• Make sure that the radiator and coolant
recovery bottle hoses are not kinked or ob-
structed. •
Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your
vehicle is equipped with air conditioning,
keep the front of the condenser clean.
• Do not change the thermostat for Summer or
Winter operation. If replacement is ever nec-
essary, install ONLY the correct type thermo-
stat. Other designs may result in unsatisfac-
tory cooling performance, poor gas mileage,
and increased emissions.
Brake SystemIn order to assure brake system performance,
all brake system components should be peri-
odically inspected. Refer to the “Maintenance
Schedule” for the proper maintenance inter-
vals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure
and possibly an accident. Driving with your
foot resting or riding on the brake pedal can
result in abnormally high brake temperatures,
excessive lining wear, and possible brake
damage. You would not have your full braking
capacity in an emergency.
311

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
(Cruise Control)..............117
Adding Fuel ................265
Additives, Fuel ...............264
Air Cleaner, Engine
(Engine Air Cleaner Filter) .........304
Air Conditioner Maintenance .......305
Air Conditioning Refrigerant .......305
Air Conditioning System ..........205
Air Conditioning, Operating Tips .....208
Air Filter ...................304
Air Pressure, Tires .............253
Air Suspension ...............236
Airbag .................. 37,43
Airbag Deployment .............44
Airbag Light ........... 42,45,56,159
Airbag Maintenance ............45
Airbag, Side ............. 39,41,43
Airbag, Window (Side Curtain) . . . 39,41,43
Alarm (Security Alarm) ..........164
Alarm System (Security Alarm) ......16
Alterations/Modifications, Vehicle ......8
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ......245
Anti-Lock Warning Light ..........163
Anti-Theft System .............164
Antifreeze (Engine Coolant) ........326
Appearance Care .............315 Assist, Hill Start
..............249
Auto Down Power Windows ........25
Automatic Dimming Mirror .........67
Automatic Door Locks ...........21
Automatic Headlights ...........105
Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) . . 205
Automatic Transmission .....222,226,313
Adding Fluid ...............315
Fluid and Filter Changes ........313
Fluid Level Check .........314,315
Fluid Type ................313
Special Additives ............314
Autostick ................ 225,230
Auxiliary Electrical Outlet
(Power Outlet) ...............142
Auxiliary Power Outlet ...........142
Battery ...................304
Keyless Transmitter Replacement
(RKE) ...................19
Belts, Seat ................ 30,56
Blind Spot Monitoring ............69
Body Mechanism Lubrication .......305
Brake Assist System ............246
Brake Control System, Electronic .....245
Brake Fluid .................312 Brake System
...............311
Anti-Lock
(ABS) .............245
Fluid Check ...............312
Master Cylinder .............312
Parking ..................244
Warning Light ..............162
Brake/Transmission Interlock .......222
Break-In Recommendations, New
Vehicle ....................55
Bulb Replacement .............322
Bulbs, Light .................58
Calibration, Compass ...........179
Camera, Rear ...............136
Capacities, Fluid ..............326
Caps, Filler Fuel ....................265
Power Steering .............243
Radiator (Coolant Pressure) ......310
Car Washes ................316
Carbon Monoxide Warning .........56
Cargo Area Cover .............148
Cargo Area Features ...........146
Cargo Compartment ............146
Light ...................147
Cargo Light .................147
366