2016 JEEP PATRIOT power steering

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 proper 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 101

AUTOSTICK ......................... .355
▫ AutoStick (Six-Speed Automatic
Transmission) ....................... .355
▫ AutoStick (CVT) — If Equipped ...........357
 FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION — IF
EQUIPPED .......................... .359
 ON-ROAD DRIVING TIPS ................359
 OFF-ROAD DRIVING TIPS ...............360
▫ When To Use Low (L Off-Road) With The 4WD
Lock Lever Engaged — If Equipped ........361
▫ Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand ..........361
▫ Hill Climbing ....................... .363
▫ Driving Through Water .................365
▫ After Driving Off-Road .................367 
POWER STEERING .....................368
▫ Power Steering Fluid Check ..............369
 PARKING BRAKE ..................... .370
 BRAKE SYSTEM ...................... .373
 ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .374
▫ Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) . . . .374
▫ Brake System Warning Light ..............374
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............374
▫ Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light ............376
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) ...............377
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) .................377
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ............380
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ..........381
332 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
•Before exiting a vehicle, always shift the transmis-
sion into PARK, apply the parking brake and
remove the Key Fob from the ignition. When
leaving the vehicle, always lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
• Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the gear selector.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle, or
in a location accessible to children. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
Manual Transmission — If Equipped
Before starting the engine fully apply the parking brake,
press the clutch pedal to the floor, and place the shift
lever in NEUTRAL.
NOTE:
• The engine will not start unless the clutch pedal is
pressed to the floor.
•
If the key will not turn and the steering wheel is locked,
rotate the wheel in either direction to relieve pressure on
the locking mechanism and then turn the key.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 335

When To Use Low (L Off-Road) With The 4WD
Lock Lever Engaged — If Equipped
When driving off-road, shift into low (L Off-Road [if
equipped] ) and activate the 4WD LOCK. This will
provide additional traction and activates the numerous
off-road features to improve handling and control on
slippery or difficult terrain. Due to the sustained lower
gearing, low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) with 4WD LOCK
engaged will allow the engine to operate in a higher
power range. This will allow you to cross over obstacles
and descend hills, with improved control and less effort.
NOTE:For maximum off-road performance, premium
fuel is recommended. While the vehicle will operate on
regular fuel when in L Off-Road mode (if equipped), the
engine has been calibrated for maximum performance
using premium fuel.
Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand
There is a drastic reduction in traction when driving in
snow, mud or sand. The vehicle will be less responsive to
steering, acceleration and braking inputs. Therefore, you
should accelerate slowly, leave greater stopping distances
and avoid abrupt vehicle maneuvers. You want to keep a
slow constant steady pace. The key is to maintain the
vehicle’s momentum.
Snow
In heavy snow or for additional control and traction at
slower speeds, activate the 4WD LOCK and shift the
transaxle to low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) if necessary.
Do not shift to a lower gear than necessary to maintain
headway. Over-revving the engine can spin the wheels
and traction will be lost. If you start to slow to a stop, try
turning your steering wheel no more than a 1/4 turn
quickly back and forth, while still applying throttle. This
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 361

•Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on
the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and sus-
pension. Retighten them, if required, and torque to the
values specified in the Service Manual.
• Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These
things could be a fire hazard. They might hide damage
to fuel lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and
propeller shafts.
• After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or
similar dirty conditions, have the radiator, fan, brake
rotors, wheels, brake linings, and axle yokes inspected
and cleaned as soon as possible.
WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may cause
excessive wear or unpredictable braking. You might
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
not have full braking power when you need it to
prevent a collision. If you have been operating your
vehicle in dirty conditions, get your brakes checked
and cleaned as necessary.
• If you experience unusual vibration after driving in
mud, slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for
impacted material. Impacted material can cause a
wheel imbalance and freeing the wheels of it will
correct the situation.
POWER STEERING
The electric power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will vary its assist to provide
light efforts while parking and good feel while driving. If
368 STARTING AND OPERATING

the electric steering system experiences a fault that
prevents it from providing assist, you will still have the
ability to steer the vehicle manually.
Alternate electric power steering efforts can be selected
through the Uconnect System. Refer to ”Customer Pro-
grammable Features” within “Uconnect Settings” in “Un-
derstanding Your Instrument Panel” for further informa-
tion.
WARNING!
Continued operation with reduced assist could pose
a safety risk to yourself and others. Service should be
obtained as soon as possible.If the Electric Power Steering warning icon is
displayed and the “SERVICE POWER STEER-
ING” or the “POWER STEERING ASSIST OFF – SERVICE SYSTEM” message is displayed within the
Driver Information Display (DID), this indicates the
vehicle needs to be taken to the dealer for service. Refer
to “Driver Information Display (DID)” in “Understand-
ing Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
NOTE:
•
Even if the power steering assistance is no longer
operational, it is still possible to steer the vehicle.
Under these conditions there will be a substantial
increase in steering effort, especially at low speeds and
during parking maneuvers.
• If the condition persists, see your authorized dealer for
service.
Power Steering Fluid Check
Checking the power steering fluid level at a defined
service interval is not required. The fluid should only be
checked if a leak is suspected, abnormal noises are
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 369

apparent, and/or the system is not functioning as antici-
pated. Coordinate inspection efforts through an autho-
rized dealer.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your power steering
system as the chemicals can damage your power
steering components. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
WARNING!
Fluid level should be checked on a level surface and
with the engine off to prevent injury from moving
parts and to ensure accurate fluid level reading. Do
not overfill. Use only manufacturer’s recommended
power steering fluid.If necessary, add fluid to restore to the proper indicated
level. With a clean cloth, wipe any spilled fluid from all
surfaces. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further informa-
tion.
PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied. Also, be certain to leave an
automatic transmission in PARK, or manual transmission
in REVERSE or first gear.
The parking brake lever is located in the center console.
To apply the parking brake, pull the lever up as firmly as
possible. To release the parking brake, pull the lever up
slightly, push the center button, then lower the lever
completely.
370 STARTING AND OPERATING

For vehicles not equipped with the EVIC, perform the
following steps:
1. Center the steering wheel (front wheels pointingstraight forward).
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Start the engine.
5. Rotate the steering wheel slightly more than one-half turn to the left.
6. Push the “ESC Off” button located in the lower switch bank below the climate control four times within
twenty seconds. The “ESC Off Indicator Light” should
turn on and turn off two times.
7. Rotate the steering wheel back to center and then an additional slighty more than one-half turn to the right. 8. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and then
back to the ON position. If the sequence was com-
pleted properly, the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will
blink several times to confirm HSA is disabled.
9. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to its previous setting.
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, the TCS may
apply brake pressure to the spinning wheel(s) and/or
reduce engine power to provide enhanced acceleration
and stability. A feature of the TCS, Brake Limited Differ-
ential (BLD), functions similar to a limited slip differen-
tial and controls the wheel spin across a driven axle. If
one wheel on a driven axle is spinning faster than the
other, the system will apply the brake of the spinning
wheel. This will allow more engine torque to be applied
380 STARTING AND OPERATING