STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING PROCEDURES .................285
▫ Manual Transmission — If Equipped ........285
▫ Automatic Transmission — If Equipped ......285
▫ Normal Starting — Gasoline Engine .........285
▫ Extreme Cold Weather
(Below –22°F Or 30°C) ..................286
▫ If Engine Fails To Start ..................286
▫ After Starting ......................... .287
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED . . . .287
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS . . . .288
PARKING BRAKE ...................... .288
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED .....290
▫Shifting ............................. .291
▫ Downshifting ......................... .292▫
Reverse Shifting ....................... .293
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION —
IF EQUIPPED ......................... .293
▫ Key Ignition Park Interlock ................294
▫ Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . . .295
▫ Five-Speed Automatic Transmission —
If Equipped ......................... .295
▫ Gear Ranges ......................... .296
▫ Autostick ........................... .300
FOUR–WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
(COMMAND-TRAC I OR ROCK-TRAC) .......301
▫ Operating Instructions/Precautions ..........301
▫ Shift Positions ........................ .303
▫ Shifting Procedure ..................... .304
▫ Trac-Lok Rear Axle — If Equipped ..........305
6
STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key fob
from the ignition and 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. Children
should be warned not to touch the parking brake,
brake pedal or the gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, or in
a location accessible to children. A child could oper-
ate power windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
• Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
Manual Transmission — If Equipped
Apply the parking brake, place the gear selector in NEU-
TRAL, and press the clutch pedal before starting the
vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a clutch interlocking
ignition system. It will not start unless the clutch pedal is
pressed to the floor.
Four-Wheel Drive Models Only
In 4L mode, this vehicle will start regardless of whether or
not the clutch pedal is pressed to the floor. This feature
enhances off-road performance by allowing the vehicle to
start when in 4L without having to press the clutch pedal.
The “4WD Indicator Light” will illuminate when the
transfer case has been shifted into this mode.
Automatic Transmission — If Equipped
Start the vehicle with the gear selector in the PARK
position (vehicle can also be started in NEUTRAL). Apply
the brake before shifting to any driving range.
Normal Starting — Gasoline Engine
NOTE: Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine
is obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator
pedal.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 285
Cycle the ignition switch to the START position and release
when the engine starts. If the engine fails to start within 10
seconds, cycle the ignition switch to the LOCK/OFF posi-
tion, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the “Normal
Starting” procedure.
Extreme Cold Weather (Below –22°F Or 30°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
•
Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic transmis-
sion cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel could
enter the catalytic converter and once the engine has
started, ignite and damage the converter and vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster cables
may be used to obtain a start from a booster battery
or the battery in another vehicle. This type of start
can be dangerous if done improperly. Refer to
“Jump-Starting Procedure” in “In Case Of Emer-
gency” for further information.
Without Tip Start — Manual Transmission Only
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather” procedures,
it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and hold it there while cranking the engine. This
should clear any excess fuel in case the engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to 15
seconds before trying again.
286 STARTING AND OPERATING
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15-second
periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal held to the
floor, repeat the “Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold
Weather” procedures.
With Tip Start — Automatic Transmission Only
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather” procedures,
it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel, push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it. Then,
turn the ignition switch to the START position and release
it as soon as the starter engages. The starter motor will
disengage automatically in 10 seconds. Once this occurs,
release the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the
“Normal Starting” procedure.CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, wait 10 to 15 seconds
before trying again.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically, and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a grounded,
three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
The engine block heater cord is found under the hood
bundled in front of the battery tray.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater cord
before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt AC electri-
cal cord could cause electrocution.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 287
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine and
drivetrain (transmission and axle) in your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km). After
the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or 55 mph (80
or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental and should be avoided.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil changes
should be consistent with anticipated climate conditions
under which vehicle operations will occur. For the recom-
mended viscosity and quality grades, refer to “Dealer
Service” in “Servicing And Maintenance”.
CAUTION!
Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight Mineral Oil
in the engine or damage may result.NOTE:
A new engine may consume some oil during its
first few thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This
should be considered a normal part of the break-in and not
interpreted as a problem.
PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied. Also, be certain to leave an auto-
matic 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.
288 STARTING AND OPERATING
NOTE:During cold weather, you may experience in-
creased effort in shifting until the transmission fluid warms
up. This is normal.Shifting
Fully press the clutch pedal before shifting gears. As you
release the clutch pedal, lightly press the accelerator pedal.
You should always use first gear when starting from a
standing position.
Recommended Vehicle Shift Speeds
To utilize your manual transmission efficiently for both
fuel economy and performance, it should be upshifted as
listed in recommended shift speed chart. Shift at the
vehicle speeds listed for acceleration. When heavily loaded
or pulling a trailer these recommended up-shift speeds
may not apply.
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
Engine Speeds 1 to 2 2 to 33 to 44 to 5 5 to 6
3.6L Accel. 15 (24) 24 (39) 34 (55) 47 (76) 56 (90)
Cruise 10 (16) 19 (31) 27 (43) 37 (60) 41 (66)
NOTE: Vehicle speeds shown in the chart above are for 2H
and 4H only, vehicle speeds in 4L would be significantly
less.
Shift Pattern
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STARTING AND OPERATING 291
Downshifting
Moving from a high gear down to a lower gear is recom-
mended 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 damage to
the clutch system. Shifting into lower gear and
releasing the clutch may result in engine damage.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•When descending a hill, be very careful to downshift
one gear at a time to prevent overspeeding the engine
which can cause engine damage, and/or clutch dam-
age, 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.
• Failure to follow the maximum recommended down-
shifting speeds may cause the engine damage and/or
damage the clutch, even if the clutch pedal is
pressed.
• Descending a hill in low range with clutch pedal
depressed could result in clutch damage.
Maximum Recommended Downshift Speeds
CAUTION!
Failure to follow the maximum recommended down-
shifting speeds may cause the engine to overspeed
and/or damage the clutch disc, even if the clutch pedal
is pressed.
292 STARTING AND OPERATING
Manual Transmission Downshift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
Gear Selection 6 to 5 5 to 44 to 33 to 2 2 to 1
Maximum Speed 80 (129) 70 (113)50 (81)30 (48) 15 (24)
NOTE: Vehicle speeds shown in the chart above are for 2H
and 4H only, vehicle speeds in 4L would be significantly
less.
Reverse Shifting
To shift into REVERSE, bring the vehicle to a complete
stop. Press the clutch and pause briefly to allow the gear
train to stop rotating. Beginning from the NEUTRAL
position, move the gear selector in one quick, smooth
motion straight across and into the REVERSE area (the
driver will feel a firm “click” as the shifter passes the
“knock-over”). Complete the shift by pulling the gear
selector into REVERSE.
The “knock-over” provides a resistance to the driver from
accidentally entering the REVERSE shift area and warns
the driver that they are about to shift the transmission into
REVERSE. Due to this feature, a slow shift to REVERSE can
be perceived as a high shift effort.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop.
• Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL,
or DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
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