Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires
(including spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid (if
equipped), or brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause
should be located and corrected immediately.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 107
FREEDOM TOP™ THREE-PIECE MODULAR
HARD TOP — IF EQUIPPED
CAUTION!
•The hard top is not designed to carry any addi-
tional loads such as roof racks, spare tires, build-
ing, hunting, or camping supplies, and/or luggage,
etc. Also, it was not designed as a structural mem-
ber of the vehicle, and thus cannot properly carry
any additional loads other than environmental
(rain, snow, etc.).
• Do not move your vehicle until the top has been
either fully attached to the windshield frame and
body side, or fully removed.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these cautions may cause interior
water damage, stains or mildew:
• It is recommended that the top be free of water
prior to panel removal. Removing the top, opening
a door or lowering a window while the top is wet
may allow water to drip into the vehicles interior.
• The hard top assembly must be positioned prop-
erly to ensure sealing. Improper installation can
cause water to leak into the vehicles interior.
• Careless handling and storage of the removable
roof panels may damage the seals, causing water to
leak into the vehicles interior.
• The front panel(s) must be positioned properly to
ensure sealing. Improper installation can cause
water to leak into the vehicles interior.
206 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
9. Tighten the front knob, then the rear most knob, andthen the middle knob. Repeat this procedure for the
other side.SOFT TOP — TWO-DOOR MODELS
Please visit the owners manual on your DVD for
instructional videos.
CAUTION!
The soft top is not designed to carry any additional
loads such as roof racks, spare tires, building, hunt-
ing, or camping supplies, and/or luggage, etc. Also, it
was not designed as a structural member of the
vehicle and, thus, cannot properly carry any addi-
tional loads other than environmental (rain, snow,
etc.).
If the temperature is below 72°F (24°C) and/or the top
has been folded down for a period of time, the top will
appear to have shrunk when you raise it, making it
difficult to put up. This is caused by a natural contraction
of the vinyl coating on the fabric top.3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 225
SOFT TOP — FOUR-DOOR MODELS
Please visit the owners manual on your DVD for
instructional videos.
CAUTION!
The soft top is not designed to carry any additional
loads such as roof racks, spare tires, building, hunt-
ing, or camping supplies, and/or luggage, etc. Also, it
was not designed as a structural member of the
vehicle, and thus cannot properly carry any addi-
tional loads other than environmental (rain, snow,
etc.).
If the temperature is below 72°F (24°C) and/or the top
has been folded down for a period of time, the top will
appear to have shrunk when you raise it, making it
difficult to put up. This is caused by a natural contraction
of the vinyl coating on the fabric top. Place the vehicle in a warm area. Pull steadily on the top
fabric. The vinyl will stretch back to its original size and
the top can then be snapped into place.
If the tempera-
ture is 41°F (5°C) or below, do not attempt to put the top
down or roll the rear or side curtains.CAUTION!
• Do not run a fabric top through an automatic car
wash. Window scratches and wax buildup may
result.
• Do not lower the top when the temperature is
below 41°F (5°C). Damage to the top may result.
• Do not lower the top when the windows are dirty.
Grit may scratch the window.
• Do not move your vehicle until the top has been
either fully attached to the windshield frame, or
fully lowered.
(Continued)
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 255
WARNING!(Continued)
Vehicle”. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
19. Cruise Indicator This indicator shows when the electronic speed
control system is turned on.
20. 4WD Indicator Light — If Equipped
This light alerts the driver that the vehicle is in
the four-wheel drive mode, and the front and
rear driveshafts are mechanically locked to-
gether forcing the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed.
21. Odometer / Trip Odometer / ECO (Fuel Saver Indi-
cator) Button
Press this button to change the display from odometer to
either of the two trip odometer settings or the “ECO” display. Trip A or Trip B will appear when in the trip
odometer mode. Press and hold the button for two
seconds to reset the trip odometer to 0 miles or kilome-
ters. The odometer must be in trip mode to reset.
22. Shift Lever Indicator
The Shift Lever Indicator is self-contained within the
instrument cluster. It displays the gear position of the
automatic transmission.
23. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.)
314 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure telltale.Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle, to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 315
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result when using re-
placement equipment that is not of the same size,
type, and/or style. Aftermarket wheels can cause
sensor damage. Do not use tire sealant from a can or
balance beads if your vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors may result.
24. Odometer / Trip Odometer Display Area
The odometer display shows the total distance the ve-
hicle has been driven. The trip odometer shows indi-
vidual trip mileage. Refer to “Odometer / Trip Odometer
/ ECO (Fuel Saver Indicator) Button” for additional
information. U.S. Federal regulations require that upon transfer of
vehicle ownership, the seller certify to the purchaser the
correct mileage that the vehicle has been driven. If your
odometer needs to be repaired or serviced, the repair
technician should leave the odometer reading the same
as it was before the repair or service. If s/he cannot do so,
then the odometer must be set at zero, and a sticker must
be placed in the door jamb stating what the mileage was
before the repair or service. It is a good idea for you to
make a record of the odometer reading before the repair/
service, so that you can be sure that it is properly reset, or
that the door jamb sticker is accurate if the odometer
must be reset at zero.
316 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM .............465
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .467
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............467
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ............468
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) ...............468
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) .................469
▫ Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) ..........473
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ..........474
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And
ESC OFF Indicator Light ................480
▫ Trailer Sway Control (TSC) ..............481
▫ Hill Descent Control (HDC) — If Equipped . . .482
TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............484▫
Tire Markings ....................... .484
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........487
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........489
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........490
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION ........495
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... .495
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................496
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .498
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... .498
▫ Tire Types .......................... .499
▫ Run Flat Tires — If Equipped .............500
▫ Spare Tires — If Equipped ...............501
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... .503
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 415