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 transmis-
sion locking mechanism may make it difficult to move the
gear selector out of PARK. As an added precaution, turn
the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and
away from the curb on an uphill grade.
When exiting the vehicle, always:
•Apply the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the ignition OFF.
• Remove the key fob from the vehicle.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the
transmission gear selector 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.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you
should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and
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266 STARTING AND OPERATING
WARNING!(Continued)
turn the ignition OFF. When the ignition is in the
OFF mode, the transmission is locked in PARK,
securing the vehicle against unwanted movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF mode, remove the key fob from
the vehicle, and lock the 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. Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the trans-
mission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in
a location accessible to children), and do not leave
the ignition in the ON or RUN mode. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
CAUTION!
• Before moving the transmission gear selector out of
PARK, you must turn the ignition to the ON/RUN
mode, and also press the brake pedal. Otherwise,
damage to the gear selector could result.
• DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK
or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this can
damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that you
have properly engaged the transmission into the PARK
position:
• When shifting into PARK, press the lock button on the
gear selector, and firmly move the gear selector all the
way forward until it stops and is fully seated.
• Look at the transmission gear position display and
verify that it indicates the PARK position (P), and is not
blinking.
• With the brake pedal released, verify that the gear
selector will not move out of PARK.
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REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Apply the electric park brake and shift
the transmission into PARK if you must exit the vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
that limit your response to changing traffic or road
conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and
have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
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CAUTION!(Continued)
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “In Case Of Emergency” for
further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and downshifts,
and the best fuel economy. The transmission automatically
upshifts through all forward gears. The DRIVE position
provides optimum driving characteristics under all normal
operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as when
operating the vehicle under heavy loading conditions, in
hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds or while
towing a heavy trailer), use the AutoStick shift control
(refer to “AutoStick” in this section for further information)
to select a lower gear. Under these conditions, using a
lower gear will improve performance and extend transmis-
sion life by reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
268 STARTING AND OPERATING
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operating
limits, the transmission controller may modify the trans-
mission shift schedule, reduce engine torque, and/or ex-
pand the range of torque converter clutch engagement.
This is done to prevent transmission damage due to
overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot, the “Transmis-
sion Temperature Warning Light” may illuminate and the
transmission may operate differently until the transmission
cools down.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may be
modified depending on engine and transmission tempera-
ture as well as vehicle speed. This feature improves warm
up time of the engine and transmission to achieve maxi-
mum efficiency. Engagement of the torque converter
clutch, and shifts into 8th or 9th gear, are inhibited until the
transmission fluid is warm. Normal operation will resume
once the transmission temperature has risen to a suitable
level.
AutoStick
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission feature pro-
viding manual shift control, giving you more control of the
vehicle. AutoStick allows you to maximize engine braking,eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts, and im-
prove overall vehicle performance. This system can also
provide you with more control during passing, city driv-
ing, cold slippery conditions, mountain driving, trailer
towing and many other situations.
Operation
When the gear selector is in the AutoStick position (beside
the DRIVE position), it can be moved forward and rear-
ward. This allows the driver to manually select the trans-
mission gear being used. Moving the gear selector forward
(-) triggers a downshift, and rearward (+) an upshift. The
current gear is displayed in the instrument cluster.
NOTE:
In AutoStick mode, the transmission will only shift
up or down when the driver moves the gear selector
rearward (+) or forward (-), except as described below.
• The transmission will automatically upshift when nec-
essary to prevent engine overspeed.
• The transmission will automatically downshift as the
vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging) and will
display the current gear.
• The transmission will automatically downshift to first or
second gear (depending on model) when coming to a
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STARTING AND OPERATING 269
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 gear selector 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
overspeed, 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 gear selector 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.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is electronically monitored for ab-
normal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission remains
in fourth gear regardless of which forward gear is selected.
PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL will continue to operate.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be illuminated.
Limp Home Mode allows the vehicle to be driven to an
authorized dealer for service without damaging the trans-
mission.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission can
be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK, if possible. If not, shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
270 STARTING AND OPERATING
3. Push and hold the ignition switch until the engine turnsOFF.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no longer detected, the transmission will return to normal
operation.
NOTE: Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit your authorized dealer at your earliest
possible convenience. Your authorized dealer has diagnos-
tic equipment to determine if the problem could recur. If
the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer service
is required.
Ignition Park Interlock
Vehicles Equipped With Keyless Enter-N-Go:
This vehicle is equipped with an Ignition Park Interlock,
which requires the transmission to be in PARK before the
ignition can be turned to the OFF mode. Also, the trans-
mission is locked in PARK whenever the ignition is in the
OFF mode.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock system (BTSI) that holds the transmission gear
selector in PARK unless the brakes are applied. To shift the
transmission out of PARK, the ignition must be in the RUN
mode (engine running or not) and the brake pedal must be
pressed.
The brake pedal must also be pressed before pushing the
button on the gear selector to shift from NEUTRAL into
DRIVE or REVERSE when the vehicle is stopped or mov-
ing at low speeds.
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 the
electric steering system experiences a fault that reduces
assist or prevents the vehicle from providing assist, you
will still have the ability to steer the vehicle manually.
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Active Drive With Low Control — (Trailhawk Models
Only)
The 4WD LOW mode helps to improve the off-road
performance in all modes. To enable 4WD Low, please
follow the steps below:
Enabling 4WD LOW
With the vehicle stationary, the ignition in RUN mode or
with the engine running, shift the transmission into NEU-
TRAL and push the button once 4WD LOW. The instru-
ment cluster will display the message4WD LOWonce
the shift is complete. NOTE:
•
Both LOCK and LOW LEDs will blink and then become
active on the Selec-Terrain switch until the shift is
complete.
• The instrument cluster display will illuminate the 4WD
Low icon.
Disabling 4WD LOW
To disable the 4WD LOW mode, the vehicle must be
stationary and the transmission shifted into NEUTRAL.
Push the 4WD LOW button once.
SELEC-TERRAIN
Selec-Terrain combines the capabilities of the vehicle con-
trol systems, along with driver input, to provide the best
performance for all terrains.Selec-Terrain Switch (Trailhawk)
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Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight
Ratings)
The following chart provides the maximum trailer weight
ratings towable for your given drivetrain.1.4L Turbo Engine
Trailer towing is not recommended.
Engine
Max. GTW (Gross Trailer Wt.) Max. Tongue Wt. (See Note)
2.4L 2,000 lbs (900 kg) 200 lbs (90 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.
NOTE: The trailer tongue weight must be considered as part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo and
should never exceed the weight referenced on the Tire and Loading Information placard. Refer to “Tire Safety In-
formation” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for further information.
Trailer And Tongue Weight
Never exceed the maximum tongue weight stamped on
your bumper or trailer hitch.
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