2015 JEEP COMPASS Transmission

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it can
often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the steering
wheel right and left to clear the area around the front
wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE and
REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or 2nd gear and
REVERSE (with manual transmission), while gently press-
ing the accelerator. Use the least amount of accelerator
pedal pressure that will maintain the rocking motion,
without spinning the wheels, or racing the engine.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL for at
least one minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
the risk of clutch or transmission failure during
prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
NOTE:Press the#ESC Off#switch, to place the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system in#Partial Off#mode,
before rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake
Control” in “Starting And Operating” for further infor-
mation. Once the vehicle has been freed, press the#ESC
Off#switch again to restore#ESC On#mode.
CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting be-
tween DRIVE/2nd gear and REVERSE, do not spin
the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drive-
train damage may result.
(Continued)
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 457

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure.
It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no trans-
mission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the
following procedure to temporarily move the shift lever:
1. Turn the engine OFF.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove the
shift lever override access cover (located on the right
side of the shift lever housing).
458 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled
vehicle using a commercial towing service.
To w i n gConditionWheels OFFthe GroundManualTransmission6-Speed Automatic(FWD Only)6-Speed Automatic4WDCVT AutomaticTransmission
Flat Tow NONE
•Transmission inNEUTRAL•Key in ACC orON/RUN position
If transmission isoperable:•Transmission inNEUTRAL•25 mph (40 km/h)maxspeed•15 miles (24 km)maxdistance
If transmission isoperable:•Transmission inNEUTRAL•25 mph (40 km/h)maxspeed•15 miles (24 km)maxdistance
NOT ALLOWED
Wheel Lift orDolly TowRearNOT ALLOWEDNOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
Front FWD ModelsONLYOKNOT ALLOWEDFWD ModelsONLY
FlatbedALL BEST METHOD BEST METHOD BEST METHOD BEST METHOD
460 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

With Ignition Key
Automatic Transmission
•Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles can be towed with
the front wheels elevated, or on a flatbed truck (all four
wheelsOFFthe ground).
•Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) vehicles can be towed on a
flatbed truck (all four wheelsOFFthe ground).
If the transmission is operable, Front Wheel Drive (FWD)
and Four Wheel Drive (4WD) vehicles, with the 6-speed
automatic transmission only (NOTthe Continuously
Variable automatic transmission [CVT]), may be flat
towed (with all four wheels on the ground) under the
following conditions:
•The transmission must be in NEUTRAL.
•The towing speed must not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
•The towing distance must not exceed 15 miles (24 km).
Front Wheel Drive (FWD) models (with 6-speed auto-
maticonly) may also be towed (under the same limita-
tions shown above) with the rear wheels elevated.
CAUTION!
•DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with a
CVT automatic transmission. Damage to the drive-
train will result. If these vehicles require towing,
make sure all drive wheels are OFF the ground.
•Towing this vehicle in violation of the above re-
quirements can cause severe transmission and/or
transfer case damage. Damage from improper tow-
ing is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty..
If the vehicle’s battery is discharged, refer to “Shift Lever
Override” in this section for instructions on shifting the
automatic transmission out of PARK for towing.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 461

Manual Transmission
•Front Wheel Drive (FWD) or Four-Wheel Drive (4WD)
vehicles can be flat towed (all four wheels on the
ground) with the transmission in NEUTRAL.
•FWD vehicles can be towed with the front wheels
elevated.
•FWD or 4WD vehicles can be towed on a flatbed truck
(all wheelsOFFthe ground).
CAUTION!
•DO NOT flat tow any disabled vehicle if condition
is related to the clutch, transmission or driveline.
Additional damage to the drivetrain could result.
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
•Towing this vehicle in violation of the above re-
quirements can cause severe engine, transmission,
or drivetrain damage. Damage from improper tow-
ing is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
All Transmissions
If you must use the accessories (wipers, defroster, etc.)
while being towed, the key must be in the ON/RUN
position, not the ACC position. Make certain the trans-
mission remains in NEUTRAL.
462 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

▫Automatic Transmission (Six-Speed) —
If Equipped.........................494
▫Automatic Transmission (CVT) —
If Equipped.........................496
▫Manual Transmission — If Equipped.......498
▫Rear Drive Assembly (RDA) — AWD/4WD
Models Only........................498
▫Power Transfer Unit (PTU) — AWD/4WD
Models Only........................499
▫Appearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion...........................499
!FUSES..............................506
▫Integrated Power Module...............507
!VEHICLE STORAGE....................511
!REPLACEMENT BULBS..................511
!BULB REPLACEMENT..................512
▫Headlamps.........................512
▫Fog Lamps..........................513
▫Rear Turn Signal And Backup Lamp........513
▫License Lamps.......................514
▫Center High-Mounted Stoplamp..........514
!FLUID CAPACITIES....................514
!FLUIDS, LUBRICANTS AND GENUINE
PA R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..515
▫Engine.............................515
▫Chassis............................517
466 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM — OBD II
Your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated onboard
diagnostic system called OBD II. This system monitors
the performance of the emissions, engine, and automatic
transmission control systems. When these systems are
operating properly, your vehicle will provide excellent
performance and fuel economy, as well as engine emis-
sions well within current government regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD II system
will turn on the “Malfunction Indicator Light” (MIL). It
will also store diagnostic codes and other information to
assist your service technician in making repairs. Al-
though your vehicle will usually be drivable and not
need towing, see your authorized dealer for service as
soon as possible.
CAUTION!
•Prolonged driving with the MIL on could cause
further damage to the emission control system. It
could also affect fuel economy and driveability.
The vehicle must be serviced before any emissions
tests can be performed.
•If the MIL is flashing while the engine is running,
severe catalytic converter damage and power loss
will soon occur. Immediate service is required.
Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message
After fuel is added, the vehicle diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel filler cap is possibly loose or
improperly installed. A “gASCAP” message will be dis-
played in the instrument cluster. Tighten the gas cap until
a#clicking#sound is heard. This is an indication that the
gas cap is properly tightened. Press the trip odometer
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 469

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of your
vehicle and also allow extended maintenance inter-
vals. Do not use chemical flushes in these compo-
nents as the chemicals can damage your engine,
transmission, power steering or air conditioning.
Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. If a flush is needed because of
component malfunction, use only the specified
fluid for the flushing procedure.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper engine lubrication, the engine oil must
be maintained at the correct level. Check the oil level at
regular intervals, such as every fuel stop. The best time to
check the engine oil level is about five minutes after a
fully warmed engine is shut off. Do not check oil level
before starting the engine after it has sat overnight.
Checking engine oil level when the engine is cold will
give you an incorrect reading.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground and
only when the engine is hot, will improve the accuracy of
the oil level readings. Maintain the oil level between the
range markings on the dipstick. The range markings will
consist of a crosshatch zone which depicts the MIN at the
low end of the range and MAX at the high end of the
range. Adding 1 qt (1L) of oil when the reading is at the
low end of the indicated range will result in the oil level
at the full end of the indicator range.7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 473