2018 JEEP CHEROKEE ignition

The starter is allowed to crank for up to
30-second intervals. Waiting a few minutes
between such intervals will protect the starter
from overheating.
WARNING!
• Before exiting a vehicle, always come toa complete stop, then shift the auto-
matic transmission into PARK and apply
the parking brake.
• Always make sure the keyless ignition
node is in the OFF mode, key fob is
removed from the vehicle and vehicle is
locked.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle,
or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Leaving children 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, and do not leave the ignition of
a vehicle equipped with Keyless Enter-
WARNING!
N-Go in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A
child could operate 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.
NOTE:
Engine start up in very low ambient tempera-
ture could result in evident white smoke. This
condition will disappear as the engine warms
up.
CAUTION!
The engine is allowed to crank as long as
30 seconds. If the engine fails to start
during this period, please wait at least two
minutes for the starter to cool before re-
peating start procedure.
Battery Blanket Usage
A battery loses 60% of its cranking power as
the battery temperature decreases to 0°F
(-18°C). For the same decrease in tempera-
ture, the engine requires twice as much
power to crank at the same RPM. The use of
battery blankets will greatly increase starting
capability at low temperatures. Suitable bat-
tery blankets are available from your autho-
rized Mopar dealer.
Normal Starting Procedure — Keyless
Enter-N-Go
Observe the instrument panel cluster lights
when starting the engine.
NOTE:
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or press-
ing the accelerator pedal.
1. Always apply the parking brake.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal while pushing the ENGINE START/STOP button
once.STARTING AND OPERATING
122

PARKING BRAKE
Electric Park Brake (EPB)
Your vehicle is equipped with a new Electric
Park Brake System (EPB) that offers greater
convenience. The park brake switch is lo-
cated in the center console.
To apply the park brake manually, pull up on
the switch momentarily. The BRAKE telltale
light in the instrument cluster and an indica-
tor on the switch will illuminate.To release the park brake manually, the igni-
tion must be in ON/RUN. Then put your foot
on the brake pedal and push the park brake
switch down momentarily. Once the park
brake is fully disengaged, the BRAKE telltale
light and the switch indicator will extinguish.
The park brake can also be automatically
released. With the engine running and the
transmission in gear, release the brake pedal
and depress the throttle pedal. For safety
reasons, your seat belt must also be fastened.
NOTE:
• You may hear a slight whirring sound from
the back of the vehicle while the parking
brake engages or disengages.
• If your foot is on the brake pedal while you are engaging or disengaging the parking
brake, you may notice a small amount of
brake pedal movement.
• The new Auto Park Brake feature can be used to apply the park brake automatically
every time you park the vehicle. Auto Park
Brake can be enabled and disabled in the
Settings menu in Uconnect. • The parking brake can be engaged even
when the ignition is OFF, however, it can
only be disengaged when the ignition is in
the ON/RUN mode.
•SafeHold a new feature that will automatically
apply the park brake under certain conditions.
The EPB monitors the status of the driver’s
seat belt, driver’s door and pedal positions to
determine if the driver may have exited while
the vehicle is still capable of moving and will
then automatically apply the park brake to
prevent the vehicle from rolling.
•The EPB fault light will illuminate if the EPB
switch is held for longer than 20 seconds in
either the released or applied position. The
light will extinguish upon releasing the
switch.
• Refer to the Starting And Operating section in the Owner’s Manual.
CAUTION!
If the Brake System Warning Light remains
on with the parking brake released, a brake
system malfunction is indicated. Have the
brake system serviced by an authorized
dealer immediately.Parking Brake Switch
STARTING AND OPERATING
124

WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a sub-stitute for the parking brake. Always ap-
ply the parking brake fully when exiting
the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or dam-
age.
• When exiting the vehicle, always make
sure the ignition is in the OFF mode,
remove the key fob from the vehicle, 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 un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission
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 ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child
WARNING!
could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.
• Be sure the parking brake is fully disen-
gaged before driving; failure to do so can
lead to brake failure and a collision.
• Always fully apply the parking brake
when leaving your vehicle, or it may roll
and cause damage or injury. Also be
certain to leave the transmission in
PARK. Failure to do so may allow the
vehicle to roll and cause damage or in-
jury.
• Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake engaged, or repeated use of the
parking brake to slow the vehicle may
cause serious damage to the brake sys-
tem.
Auto Park Brake
The electric park brake can be programmed
to be applied automatically whenever the
vehicle is at a standstill and the automatic
transmission is placed in PARK, or with a
manual transmission, whenever the ignition
is turned “OFF”. Auto Park Brake is enabled and disabled by customer selection through
the customer programmable features section
of the Uconnect Settings.
Any single auto park brake application can be
bypassed by pushing the EPB switch to the
release position while the transmission is
placed in PARK.
SafeHold
SafeHold is a safety feature of the Electric
Park Brake System that will engage the park
brake automatically if the vehicle is left un-
secured while the ignition is in ON/RUN.
For automatic transmissions, the park brake
will automatically engage if all of the follow-
ing conditions are met:
• The vehicle is at a standstill.
• There is no attempt to depress the brake
pedal or accelerator pedal.
• The seat belt is unbuckled.
• The driver door is open.
125

For manual transmissions, the park brake will
automatically engage if all of the following
conditions are met:
• The vehicle is at a standstill.
• There is no attempt to depress the brakepedal or accelerator pedal.
• The clutch pedal is not pressed.
• The seat belt is unbuckled.
• The driver door is open.
SafeHold can be temporarily bypassed by
pushing the Electric Park Brake Switch while
the driver door is open. Once manually by-
passed, SafeHold will be enabled again once
the vehicle reaches 12 mph (20 km/h) or the
ignition is turned to the OFF position and
back to ON again.MANUAL TRANSMISSION —
IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave
the vehicle unattended without having the
parking brake fully applied. The parking
brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle, especially on
an incline.
CAUTION!
Never drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal, or attempt to hold the ve-
hicle on a hill with the clutch pedal par-
tially engaged, as this will cause abnormal
wear on the clutch. NOTE:
During cold weather, you may experience
increased effort in shifting until the transmis-
sion 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 effi-
ciently for fuel economy and performance, it
should be upshifted as listed in the recom-
mended shift speed chart. Shift at the ve-
hicle speeds listed for acceleration. When
heavily loaded or pulling a trailer, these rec-
ommended up-shift speeds may not apply.
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
All Engines Gear Selection 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 6
Accel. 24 (39) 34 (55) 47 (76) 56 (90)
Cruise 19 (31) 27 (43) 37 (60) 41 (66)
STARTING AND OPERATING
126

CAUTION!
If you skip a gear while downshifting or
downshift at too high of a vehicle speed,
these conditions may cause the engine to
overspeed if too low of a gear is selected
and the clutch pedal is released. Damage
to the clutch and the transmission can
result from skipping a gear while down-
shifting or downshifting at too high of a
vehicle speed even if the clutch pedal is
held pressed (i.e., not released).
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION —
IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK orNEUTRAL 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
reverse. You could lose control of the
WARNING!
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 run-
ning. Before exiting a vehicle, always
come to a complete stop, then apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission
into PARK, turn the engine OFF, and
remove the key fob. When the ignition is
in the LOCK/OFF (key removal) position,
(or, with Keyless Enter-N-Go, when the
ignition is in the OFF mode) the trans-
mission 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 use the PARK position as a substi-
tute for the parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when exiting the ve-
WARNING!
hicle 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 gear selector out of
PARK with the brake pedal released.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK
before exiting the vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle,
or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Allowing children to be in a vehicle un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission
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 a vehicle equipped with Keyless
Enter-N-Go) in the ACC or ON/RUN
mode. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the ve-
hicle.
STARTING AND OPERATING
128

CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if
the following precautions are not ob-
served:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSEonly 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.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition
Park Interlock which requires the transmis-
sion to be in PARK before the ignition can be
turned to the LOCK/OFF (key removal) posi-
tion. The key fob can only be removed from the ignition when the ignition is in the LOCK/
OFF position, and the transmission is locked
in PARK whenever the ignition is in the
LOCK/OFF position.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock
System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Trans-
mission 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 ON/RUN mode (engine running or
not) and the brake pedal must be pressed.
The brake pedal must also be pressed to shift
from NEUTRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE
when the vehicle is stopped or moving at low
speeds.
Nine-Speed Automatic Transmission
The transmission gear range (PRND) is dis-
played both beside the gear selector and in
the instrument cluster. To select a gear range,
press the lock button on the gear selector and
move the selector rearward or forward. You
must also press the brake pedal to shift thetransmission out of PARK (or NEUTRAL,
when the vehicle is stopped or moving at low
speeds). Select the DRIVE range for normal
driving.
NOTE:
In the event of a mismatch between the gear
selector position and the actual transmission
gear (for example, driver selects REVERSE
while driving forward), the position indicator
will blink continuously until the selector is
returned to the proper position, or the re-
quested shift can be completed.
The electronically-controlled transmission
adapts its shift schedule based on driver
inputs, along with environmental and road
conditions. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts
on a new vehicle may be somewhat abrupt.
This is a normal condition, and precision
shifts will develop within a few hundred miles
(kilometers).
The nine-speed transmission has been devel-
oped to meet the needs of current and future
FWD/AWD vehicles. Software and calibration
is refined to optimize the customer’s driving
experience and fuel economy. By design,
129

When additional traction is required, the
4WD LOW range position can be used to
provide an additional gear reduction which
allows for increased torque to be delivered to
both the front and rear wheels. 4WD LOW is
intended for loose, slippery road surfaces
only. Driving in 4WD LOW on dry, hard-
surfaced roads may cause increased tire wear
and damage to driveline components.
When operating your vehicle in 4WD LOW,
the engine speed is approximately three
times that of the normal driving mode at a
given road speed. Take care not to overspeed
the engine and do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).
Proper operation of four-wheel drive vehicles
depends on tires of equal size, type, and
circumference on each wheel. Any difference
will adversely affect shifting and cause dam-
age to the driveline components.
Because four-wheel drive provides improved
traction, there is a tendency to exceed safe
turning and stopping speeds. Do not go faster
than road conditions permit.Shift Positions
For additional information on the appropriate
use of each 4WD system mode position, see
the information below:
NEUTRAL
This range disengages the driveline from the
powertrain.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if
you leave the vehicle unattended with the
power transfer unit in the NEUTRAL (N)
position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The NEUTRAL (N) position
disengages both the front and rear drive-
shafts from the powertrain and will allow
the vehicle to roll, even if the automatic
transmission is in PARK (or manual trans-
mission is in gear). The parking brake
should always be applied when the driver
is not in the vehicle.
4WD LOW
This range is for low speed four-wheel drive.
It provides an additional gear reduction
which allows for increased torque to be deliv-
ered to both the front and rear wheels while
providing maximum pulling power for loose,
slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed
25 mph (40 km/h).
NOTE:
Refer to “Selec-Terrain — If Equipped” for
further information on the various positions
and their intended usages.
Shifting Procedures
Shifting Into 4X4 LOW
With the vehicle at speeds of 0 to 3 mph (0 to
5 km/h), the ignition in the ON mode and the
engine running, shift the transmission into
NEUTRAL, and push the “4WD LOW” button
once. The “4WD LOW” indicator light in the
instrument cluster will begin to flash and
remain on solid when the shift is complete.
STARTING AND OPERATING
132

NOTE:
If shift conditions/interlocks are not met, a
message will flash from the instrument clus-
ter display with instructions on how to com-
plete the requested shift. Refer to “Instru-
ment Cluster Display” in “Getting To know
Your Instrument Panel” for further informa-
tion.
Shifting Out Of 4X4 LOW
With the vehicle at speeds of 0 to 3 mph (0 to
5 km/h), the ignition in the ON mode and the
engine running, shift the transmission into
NEUTRAL, and push the “4WD LOW” button
once. The “4WD LOW” indicator light in the
instrument cluster will flash and go out when
the shift is complete.
NOTE:
• If shift conditions/interlocks are not met, amessage will flash from the instrument
cluster display with instructions on how to
complete the requested shift. Refer to “In-
strument Cluster Display” in “Getting To
Know Your Instrument Panel” for further
information.
•
Shifting into or out of 4WD LOW is possible
with the vehicle completely stopped; however,
difficulty may occur due to the mating clutch
teeth not being properly aligned. Several at-
tempts may be required for clutch teeth align-
ment and shift completion to occur. The pre-
ferred method is with the vehicle rolling 0 to
3 mph (0 to 5 km/h). If the vehicle is moving
faster than 3 mph (5 km/h), the 4WD system
will not allow the shift.
NEUTRAL Shift Procedure
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if
you leave the vehicle unattended with the
power transfer unit in the NEUTRAL (N)
position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The NEUTRAL (N) position
disengages both the front and rear drive-
shafts from the powertrain and will allow
the vehicle to roll, even if the automatic
transmission is in PARK (or manual trans-
mission is in gear). The parking brake
should always be applied when the driver
is not in the vehicle.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop on level ground and shift the automatic
transmission to PARK.
2. Turn the engine OFF.
3. Turn the ignition to the ON/RUN mode, but do not start the engine.
4. Press and hold the brake pedal.
Selec-Terrain Switch
133