2013 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Owners Manual

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 vehicle’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.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Towing any trailer will increase your stopping
distance. When towing you should allow for addi-
tional 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,
stoplights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may include a four- and seven-
pin wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer har-
ness and connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicles
wiring harness.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 567

The electrical connections are all complete to the vehicle
but you must mate the harness to a trailer connector.
Refer to the following illustrations.
Four-Pin Connector
1 — Female Pins 4 — Park
2 — Male Pin 5 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Ground 6 — Right Stop/Turn
Seven-Pin Connector
1 — Battery 5 — Ground
2 — Backup Lamps 6 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Right Stop/Turn 7 — Running Lamps
4 — Electric Brakes 568 STARTING AND OPERATING

Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer up in an area away from heavy
traffic.
Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. The
transmission controls include an adaptive drive strategy
to avoid frequent shifting when towing. However, if
frequent shifting does occur while in DRIVE, select
TOW/HAUL mode (if equipped), or a lower gear range
(using the Electronic Range Select [ERS] shift control).
NOTE:Using the TOW/HAUL mode (if equipped) or
selecting a lower gear range (using the ERS shift control)
while operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, will improve performance and extend transmission
life by reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup. This
action will also provide better engine braking.If you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than 45 min-
utes of continuous operation, then change the transmis-
sion fluid and filter(s) as specified for “police, taxi, fleet,
or frequent trailer towing.” Refer to the “Maintenance
Schedule” for the proper maintenance intervals.
NOTE:Check the transmission fluid level before towing
(5.7L engine).
Electronic Speed Control – If Equipped
•Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
•When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
•Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 569

Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
SNOW PLOW
Snow plows, winches, and other aftermarket equipment
shouldnotbe added to the front end of your vehicle. The
airbag crash sensors may be affected by the change in the
front end structure. The airbags could deploy unexpect-
edly or could fail to deploy during a collision.
WARNING!
Do not add a snow plow, winches, or any other
aftermarket equipment to the front of your vehicle.
This could adversely affect the functioning of the
airbag system and you could be injured.
570 STARTING AND OPERATING

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing Condition Wheel OFF the GroundTwo-Wheel
Drive ModelsFour-Wheel
Drive Models
Flat Tow NONENOT ALLOWED See Instructions
•Transmission in PARK
•Transfer case in NEU-
TRAL (N)
•Tow in forward direc-
tion
Dolly Tow FrontNOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
Rear OKNOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALL OK OK
NOTE:Vehicles equipped with Quadra-Lift™ must be
lowered to the “Park” (lowest) level, and have automatic
leveling disabled, before tying them down (from thebody) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to “Quadra-
Lift™ – If Equipped” in “Starting and Operating” for
more information. If the vehicle cannot be lowered to the
“Park” level (for example, engine will not run), tie-downs5
STARTING AND OPERATING 571

must be fastened to the axles (not to the body). Failure to
follow these instructions may cause fault codes to be set
and/or cause loss of proper tie-down tension.
Recreational Towing – Two-Wheel Drive Models
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.
Recreational towing (for two-wheel drive models) is
allowed ONLY if the rear wheels are OFF the ground.
This may be accomplished using a tow dolly or vehicle
trailer. If using a tow dolly, follow this procedure:
1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow vehicle, following
the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly.
3. Firmly apply the parking brake. Shift the transmission
into PARK.4. Turn the engine OFF and remove the key fob from the
ignition switch.
5. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following
the dolly manufacturer ’s instructions.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for tow-
ing, to secure the front wheels in the straight position.
CAUTION!
Towing with the rear wheels on the ground will
cause severe transmission damage. Damage from
improper towing is not covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
572 STARTING AND OPERATING

Recreational Towing – Quadra-Trac I®
(Single-Speed Transfer Case) Four-Wheel Drive
Models
Recreational towing is not allowed.These models do
not have a NEUTRAL (N) position in the transfer case.
NOTE:This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or
vehicle trailer provided all four wheels areOFFthe
ground.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage. Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Recreational Towing – Quadra–Trac II®
/Quadra–Drive® II Four-Wheel Drive Models
The transfer case must be shifted into NEUTRAL (N) and
the transmission must be in PARK for recreational tow-
ing. 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!
•DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle. Internal
damage to the transmission or transfer case will
occur if a dolly is used when recreational towing.
•Tow only in a forward direction. Towing this ve-
hicle backwards can cause severe damage to the
transfer case.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 573

CAUTION!(Continued)
•The transmission must be in PARK for recreational
towing.
•Before recreational towing, perform the procedure
outlined under “Shifting into NEUTRAL (N)” to be
certain that the transfer case is fully in NEU-
TRAL (N). Otherwise, internal damage will result.
•Failure to follow these procedures can cause severe
transmission and/or transfer case damage. Damage
from improper towing is not covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
•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 drive-
shafts 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.
574 STARTING AND OPERATING