2015 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE tow

WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to a collision. Follow these
guidelines to make your trailer towing as safe as
possible:
•Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have a collision.
•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance or dam-
age to brakes, axle, engine, transmission, steering,
suspension, chassis structure or tires.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to
the hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a
grade. When parking, apply the parking brake on
the tow vehicle. Put the tow vehicle transmission in
PARK. For four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure
the transfer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always,
block orchockthe trailer wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
(Continued)
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STARTING AND OPERATING 491

WARNING!(Continued)
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch uti-
lized.
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.
The electrical connections are all complete to the vehicle
but you must mate the harness to a trailer connector.
Refer to the following illustrations.
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Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
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.
•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.
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.
•Donotinterconnect the hydraulic brake system or
vacuum system of your vehicle with that of the trailer.
This could cause inadequate braking and possible
personal injury.
•An electronically actuated trailer brake controller is
required when towing a trailer with electronically
actuated brakes. When towing a trailer equipped with
a hydraulic surge actuated brake system, an electronic
brake controller is not required.
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•Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers over
1,000 lbs (454 kg) and required for trailers in excess of
1,653 lbs (750 kg).
Towing Requirements — Tires
•Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe
and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to
“Tires – General Information” in “Starting And Oper-
ating” for proper tire inflation procedures.
•Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation pres-
sures before trailer usage.
•Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage
before towing a trailer. Refer to “Tires – General
Information” in “Starting And Operating” for proper
inspection procedure.
•When replacing tires, refer to “Tires – General Infor-
mation” in “Starting And Operating” for proper tirereplacement procedures. Replacing tires with a higher
load carrying capacity will not increase the vehicle’s
GVWR and GAWR limits.
Towing Tips
NOTE:To provide optimum towing performance and to
protect transmission components always select TOW
mode when towing a trailer. Before setting out on a trip,
practice turning, stopping and backing the trailer in an
area away from heavy traffic.
Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. The
transmission controls include a drive strategy to avoid
frequent shifting when towing. However, if frequent
shifting does occur while in DRIVE, select TOW mode, or
use the Paddle Shift switches to manually select a lower
gear.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 495

NOTE:Using TOW mode, or selecting a lower gear
(using the Paddle Shift switches) while operating the
vehicle under heavy loading conditions will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat build up. This action will also
provide better engine braking.
TOW Mode
To reduce the potential for automatic transmission over-
heating, select TOW mode when driving in hilly areas, or
select a lower gear (using the Paddle Shift switches) on
more severe grades.
Paddle Shift Mode
•When using the Paddle Shift switches, select the
highest gear that allows for adequate performance and
avoids frequent downshifts. For example, choose “5” if
the desired speed can be maintained. Choose “4” or
“3” if needed to maintain the desired speed.•To prevent excess heat generation, avoid continuous
driving at high RPM. Reduce vehicle speed as neces-
sary to avoid extended driving at high RPM. Return to
a higher gear or vehicle speed when grade and road
conditions allow.
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.
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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.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Recreational towing is not allowed.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle with any of its wheels on the
ground can cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage. Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
NOTE:This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or
vehicle trailer provided all four wheels areOFFthe
ground.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS...........500
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS............500
WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS......................501
▫Torque Specifications...................502
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING..........503
▫Run Flat Tires........................504
▫Jack Location........................505
▫Spare Tire Stowage....................505
▫Preparations For Jacking................505▫Jacking Instructions...................506
▫Road Tire Installation...................513
JUMP-STARTING......................514
▫Preparations For Jump-Start..............515
▫Jump-Starting Procedure................517
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE.............519
MANUAL PARK RELEASE................520
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE...........524
6

Jack Location
The scissor-type jack and tire changing tools are located
in rear cargo area, below the load floor.NOTE:The funnel for the Cap-Less Fuel System is
located on top of the spare tire. If your vehicle is out of
fuel and an auxiliary fuel can is needed, insert the funnel
into the filler neck and proceed to fill the vehicle. For
vehicles not equipped with a spare tire, the fuel filler
funnel is stored in the left storage bin under the load
floor. For more information on the Cap-Less Fuel System
refer to “Adding Fuel” in “Starting And Operating” in
this manual.
Spare Tire Stowage
The spare tire is stowed under the load floor in the rear
cargo area and is secured to the body with a special wing
nut.
Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface. Avoid ice or
slippery surfaces.Jack Storage Location
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 505