Page 331 of 688

The electric park brake will be automatically released if
the driver ’s seat belt is buckled and driver’s intention to
start (in forward or reverse direction) is recognized by the
system
To release the EPB manually, the ignition switch must be
in the MAR/RUN position. Put your foot on the brake
pedal, then push the EPB switch down momentarily. You
may hear a slight whirring sound from the back of the car
while the parking brake disengages. You may also notice
a small amount of movement in the brake pedal. Once
the EPB is fully disengaged, The BRAKE warning lamp
in the instrument cluster and the LED indicator on the
switch will extinguish.NOTE:
•When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. Apply the EPB
before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the
load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK.
The EPB should always be applied whenever the
driver is not in the vehicle.
•If the clutch pedal is released at the same time the gas
pedal is pressed, the EPB will be automatically re-
leased (manual transmissions only).
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 329
Page 339 of 688

Downshifting
Moving from a high gear down to a lower gear is
recommended to preserve brakes when driving down
steep hills. In addition, downshifting at the right time
provides better acceleration when you desire to resume
speed. Downshift progressively. Do not skip gears to
avoid overspeeding the engine and clutch.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip, and the vehicle could skid.
CAUTION!
•Skipping gears and downshifting into lower gears
at higher vehicle speeds can damage the engine
and clutch systems, Any attempt to shift into lower
gear with clutch pedal depressed may result dam-
age to the clutch system. Shifting into lower gear
and releasing the clutch may result in engine
damage.
•When descending a hill, be very careful to down-
shift one gear at a time to prevent overspeeding the
engine which can cause engine damage, and/or
clutch damage, even if the clutch pedal is pressed.
If transfer case is in low range the vehicle speeds to
cause engine and clutch damage are significantly
lower.
(Continued)
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 337
Page 345 of 688

Gear Ranges
PARK (P)
This range supplements the Electric Park Brake (EPB) by
locking the transmission. The engine can be started in
this range. Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle
is in motion. Apply the EPB when leaving the vehicle in
this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the EPB.
When parking on a hill, apply the EPB before shifting the
transmission to PARK, otherwise the load on the trans-
mission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
Electric Parking Brake (EPB). Always apply the
EPB fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever out of PARK with the brake
pedal released. Make sure the transmission is in
PARK before leaving the vehicle.
•It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in RE-
VERSE. You could lose control of the vehicle and
hit someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
(Continued)
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 343
Page 350 of 688

•The transmission will automatically downshift to first
or second gear (depending on model) when coming to
a stop. After a stop, the driver should manually upshift
(+) the transmission as the vehicle is accelerated.
•You can start out (from a stop) in first or second gear.
Starting out in second gear can be helpful in snow or
icy conditions. Tap the shift lever forward or rearward
to select the desired gear after the vehicle is brought to
a stop.
•If a requested downshift would cause the engine to
over-speed, that shift will not occur.
•The system will ignore attempts to upshift at too low
of a vehicle speed.
•Avoid using speed control when AutoStick is engaged
because the transmission will not shift automatically.•Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
AutoStick is enabled.
•The system may revert to automatic shift mode if a
fault or overheat condition is detected.
To disengage AutoStick mode, return the shift lever to the
DRIVE position. You can shift in or out of the AutoStick
position at any time without taking your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
348 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 353 of 688
SPEED CONTROL — IF EQUIPPED
When engaged, the Electronic Speed Control takes over
accelerator operations at speeds greater than 25 mph
(40 km/h).
The Electronic Speed Control buttons are located on the
right side of the steering wheel.
Electronic Speed Control Buttons
1 — ON/OFF 4 — SET-/DECEL
2 — SET+/ACCEL 5 — CANCEL
3 — RESUME
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 351
Page 357 of 688

Accelerating For Passing
Push the accelerator as you would normally. When the
pedal is released, the vehicle will return to the set speed.
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE — JEEP ACTIVE DRIVE
(4WD) AND JEEP ACTIVE DRIVE LOW (4WD
LOW)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Power Transfer
Unit (PTU). This system is automatic with no driver
inputs or additional driving skills required. Under nor-
mal driving conditions, the front wheels provide most of
the traction. If the front wheels begin to lose traction,
power is shifted automatically to the rear wheels. The
greater the front wheel traction loss, the greater the
power transfer to the rear wheels.Additionally, on dry pavement under heavy throttle
input (where one may have no wheel spin), torque will be
sent to the rear in a preemptive effort to improve vehicle
launch and performance characteristics.
CAUTION!
All wheels must have the same size and type tires.
Unequal tire sizes must not be used. Unequal tire
size may cause failure of the power transfer unit.
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 355
Page 358 of 688
Four Wheel Drive (4x4)
The four wheel drive (4WD) is fully automatic in normal
driving mode.
NOTE:It is not possible to carry out the change of mode
when the vehicle exceeds the speed of 75 mph
(120 km/h).
Enabling Four Wheel Drive (4x4)
The buttons for the activation of four wheel drive are
located on the device Selec-Terrain and allow you to
select the following:
•4WD LOCK
•4WD LOW — (Trailhawk models only)Active Drive Control — If Equipped
The Power Transfer Unit (PTU) is locked to ensure
immediate availability of torque to the rear drive axles.
This feature is selectable in AUTO mode and automatic in
the other driving mode. 4WD LOCK can be enabled by
the following ways:
•When the 4WD LOCK button is pushed.
Selec-Terrain Switch
356 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 361 of 688

•AUTO: This four-wheel drive operation is a continu-
ous operation, is fully automatic and can be used on
and off road. This mode balances traction to ensure
maneuverability and acceleration improvement com-
pared to a vehicle with two wheel drive. This modealso reduces fuel consumption, since it allows the
disconnect of the drive shaft where conditions permit.
•SNOW: This mode allows you to have greater stability
under conditions of bad weather. For use on and off
road on surfaces with poor traction, such as roads
covered with snow. When in SNOW mode (depending
on certain operating conditions), the transmission may
use second gear (rather than first gear) during
launches, to minimize wheel slippage.
•SAND: For off-road driving or use on surfaces with
poor traction, such as sandy bottoms. The transmission
is set to provide maximum traction.
•MUD: For off-road driving or use on surfaces with
poor traction, such as roads covered by mud or wet
grass.
Selec-Terrain Switch (Trailhawk)
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 359