2018 JEEP COMPASS Owner handbook (in English)

WARNING!
of an ERM-equipped vehicle must never
be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user's
safety or the safety of others.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This system enhances directional control and
stability of the vehicle under various driving
conditions. ESC corrects for oversteering or
understeering of the vehicle by applying the
brake of the appropriate wheel(s) to assist in
counteracting the oversteer or understeer
condition. Engine power may also be reduced
to help the vehicle maintain the desired path.
ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to determine
the vehicle path intended by the driver and
compares it to the actual path of the vehicle.
When the actual path does not match the
intended path, ESC applies the brake of the
appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting
the oversteer or understeer condition.
• Oversteer — when the vehicle is turning
more than appropriate for the steering
wheel position.• Understeer — when the vehicle is turning
less than appropriate for the steering wheel
position.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” located in the instrument cluster will
start to flash as soon as the ESC system
becomes active. The “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” also flashes
when the TCS is active. If the “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” be-
gins to flash during acceleration, ease up on
the accelerator and apply as little throttle as
possible. Be sure to adapt your speed and
driving to the prevailing road conditions.
WARNING!
•Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from
acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
the traction afforded by prevailing road con-
ditions. ESC cannot prevent accidents, in-
cluding those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery
surfaces, or hydroplaning. ESC also cannot
prevent accidents resulting from loss of
WARNING!
vehicle control due to inappropriate driver
input for the conditions. Only a safe, atten-
tive, and skillful driver can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ESC equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner which could jeop-
ardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.
• Vehicle modifications, or failure to prop-
erly maintain your vehicle, may change
the handling characteristics of your ve-
hicle, and may negatively affect the per-
formance of the ESC system. Changes to
the steering system, suspension, brak-
ing system, tire type and size or wheel
size may adversely affect ESC perfor-
mance. Improperly inflated and un-
evenly worn tires may also degrade ESC
performance. Any vehicle modification
or poor vehicle maintenance that re-
duces the effectiveness of the ESC sys-
tem can increase the risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, per-
sonal injury and death.
79

ESC Operating Modes
NOTE:
Depending upon model and mode of opera-
tion, the ESC system may have multiple op-
erating modes.ESC On
This is the normal operating mode for the
ESC. Whenever the vehicle is started, the
ESC system will be in this mode. This mode
should be used for most driving conditions.
Alternate ESC modes should only be used for
specific reasons as noted in the following
paragraphs.
Partial Off
The “Partial Off” mode is intended for times
when a more spirited driving experience is
desired. This mode may modify TCS and ESC
thresholds for activation, which allows for
more wheel spin than normally allowed. This
mode may be useful if the vehicle becomes
stuck.
To enter the “Partial Off” mode, momentarily
push the “ESC Off” switch and the “ESC Off
Indicator Light” will illuminate. To turn the
ESC on again, momentarily push the “ESC
Off” switch and the “ESC Off Indicator Light”
will turn off.NOTE:
When driving with snow chains, or when
starting off in deep snow, sand, or gravel, it
may be desirable to allow more wheel spin.
This can be accomplished by momentarily
pushing the “ESC Off” button to enter partial
mode “Partial Off” mode. Once the situation
requiring “Partial Off” mode is overcome,
turn ESC back on by momentarily pushing
the “ESC Off” button. This may be done
while the vehicle is in motion.
WARNING!
• When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS
functionality of ESC, (except for the lim-
ited slip feature described in the TCS
section), has been disabled and the
“ESC Off Indicator Light” will be illumi-
nated. When in “Partial Off” mode, the
engine power reduction feature of TCS is
disabled, and the enhanced vehicle sta-
bility offered by the ESC system is re-
duced.
• Trailer Sway control (TSC) is disabled
when the ESC system is in the “Partial
Off” mode.
ESC OFF Button
SAFETY
80

Full Off (Four-Wheel Drive Models Only)
This mode is intended for off-highway or
off-road use when ESC stability features
could inhibit vehicle maneuverability due to
trail conditions. This mode is entered by
pushing and holding the “ESC Off” switch for
five seconds when the vehicle is stopped and
the engine is running. After five seconds, the
"ESC OFF Indicator Light" will illuminate and
the “ESC OFF” message will appear in the
instrument cluster display.
In this mode, ESC and TCS, except for the
“limited slip” feature described in the TCS
section, are turned off until the vehicle
reaches a speed of 40 mph (64 km/h). At
40 mph (64 km/h), the system returns to
“Partial Off” mode, as described above. TCS
remains off. When the vehicle speed drops
below 30 mph (48 km/h), the ESC system
shuts off. ESC is deactivated at low vehicle
speeds so that it will not interfere with off-
road driving however, ESC function returns to
provide the stability feature at speeds above
40 mph (64 km/h). The "ESC OFF Indicator
Light" will always be illuminated when ESC is
off.To turn ESC on again, momentarily push the
“ESC Off” switch. This will restore the “ESC
On” mode of operation.
NOTE:
The “ESC OFF” message will display and an
audible chime will sound when the gear se-
lector is placed into the PARK position from
any other position, and then moved out of the
PARK position. This will occur even if the
message was previously cleared.
WARNING!
In the "Full Off" mode, the engine torque
reduction and stability features are disabled.
In an emergency evasive maneuver, the ESC
system will not engage to assist in maintain-
ing stability. “ESC Off” mode is intended for
off-highway or off-road use only.
ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
And ESC OFF Indicator Light
The “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” in
the instrument cluster will come
on when the ignition is turned tothe ON mode. It should go out with the
engine running. If the “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” comes on con-
tinuously with the engine running, a malfunc-
tion has been detected in the ESC system. If
this light remains on after several ignition
cycles, and the vehicle has been driven sev-
eral miles (kilometers) at speeds greater than
30 mph (48 km/h), see your authorized
dealer as soon as possible to have the prob-
lem diagnosed and corrected.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” (located in the instrument cluster)
starts to flash as soon as the tires lose trac-
tion and the ESC system becomes active. The
“ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” also flashes when TCS is active. If the
“ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” begins to flash during acceleration,
ease up on the accelerator and apply as little
throttle as possible. Be sure to adapt your
speed and driving to the prevailing road con-
ditions.
81

NOTE:
• The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” and the “ESC OFF Indicator Light”
come on momentarily each time the igni-
tion is turned ON.
• Each time the ignition is turned ON, the
ESC system will be on even if it was turned
off previously.
• The ESC system will make buzzing or click-
ing sounds when it is active. This is normal;
the sounds will stop when ESC becomes
inactive following the maneuver that
caused the ESC activation.
The “ESC OFF Indicator Light”
indicates the customer has
elected to have the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) in a re-
duced mode.Hill Descent Control (HDC) — If Equipped
HDC is intended for low speed off road driv-
ing while in 4WD Low Range. HDC maintains
vehicle speed while descending hills during
various driving situations. HDC controls ve-
hicle speed by actively controlling the brakes.HDC has three states:
1. Off (feature is not enabled and will not
activate).
2. Enabled (feature is enabled and ready but
activation conditions are not met, or
driver is actively overriding with brake or
throttle application).
3. Active (feature is enabled and actively
controlling vehicle speed).
Enabling HDC
HDC is enabled by pushing the HDC switch,
but the following conditions must also be met
to enable HDC:
• Driveline is in 4WD Low Range.
• Vehicle speed is below 7.5 mph (12 km/h).
• Electric Park Brake (EPB) is released.
• Driver’s door is closed.
Hill Descent Control (Trailhawk)
SAFETY
82

Activating HDC
Once HDC is enabled, it will activate auto-
matically if driven down a grade of sufficient
magnitude (greater than approximately 8%).
The set speed for HDC is selectable by the
driver and can be adjusted within the thresh-
olds by using throttle or brake application.
Driver Override:
The driver may override HDC activation speed
with throttle or brake application at anytime.
Deactivating HDC
HDC will be deactivated but remain available
if any of the following conditions occur:
• Driver overrides HDC set speed with a
speed exceeding 7.5 mph (12 km/h) but
remains below 25 mph (40 km/h).
• Vehicle is on a downhill grade of insuffi-
cient magnitude (less than approximately
8%), is on level ground, or is on an uphill
grade.
• Vehicle is shifted to PARK.Disabling HDC
HDC will be deactivated and disabled if any
of the following conditions occur:
• The driver pushes the HDC switch.
• The driveline is shifted out of 4WD Low
Range.
• Driver’s door opens.
• The vehicle is driven greater than 25 mph
(40 km/h) (HDC exits immediately.)
Feedback To The Driver:
The instrument cluster has an HDC icon and
the HDC switch has an LED which offer
feedback to the driver about the state HDC is
in.
• The cluster icon and switch lamp will illu-
minate and remain solid when HDC is en-
abled or activated. This is the normal oper-
ating condition for HDC.
• The switch lamp will flash for several sec-
onds then extinguish when the driver
pushes the HDC switch when enable con-
ditions have not been met.The Hill Descent Switch is located within the
Selec-Terrain knob in the upper right
position.
WARNING!
HDC is only intended to assist the driver in
controlling vehicle speed when descend-
ing hills. The driver must remain attentive
to the driving conditions and is responsible
for maintaining a safe vehicle speed.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The HSA system is designed to mitigate roll
back from a complete stop while on an in-
cline. If the driver releases the brake while
stopped on an incline, HSA will continue to
hold the brake pressure for a short period. If
the driver does not apply the throttle before
this time expires, the system will release
brake pressure and the vehicle will roll down
the hill as normal.
83

The following conditions must be met in
order for HSA to activate:
• The feature must be enabled.
• The vehicle must be stopped.
• Park brake must be off.
• Driver door must be closed.
• The vehicle must be on a sufficient grade.
• The gear selection must match vehicle up-
hill direction (i.e., vehicle facing uphill is in
forward gear; vehicle backing uphill is in
REVERSE gear).
• HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all
forward gears. The system will not activate
if the transmission is in PARK or NEU-
TRAL. For vehicles equipped with a manual
transmission, if the clutch is pressed, HSA
will remain active.
WARNING!
There may be situations where the Hill
Start Assist (HSA) will not activate and
slight rolling may occur, such as on minor
hills or with a loaded vehicle, or while
pulling a trailer. HSA is not a substitute for
WARNING!
active driving involvement. It is always the
driver’s responsibility to be attentive to
distance to other vehicles, people, and
objects, and most importantly brake op-
eration to ensure safe operation of the
vehicle under all road conditions. Your
complete attention is always required
while driving to maintain safe control of
your vehicle. Failure to follow these warn-
ings can result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate
roll back while towing a trailer.
WARNING!
• If you use a trailer brake controller with
your trailer, the trailer brakes may be
activated and deactivated with the brake
switch. If so, there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold both the vehicle
and the trailer on a hill when the brake
WARNING!
pedal is released. In order to avoid roll-
ing down an incline while resuming ac-
celeration, manually activate the trailer
brake or apply more vehicle brake pres-
sure prior to releasing the brake pedal.
• HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply
the parking brake fully when exiting your
vehicle. Also, be certain to place the
transmission in PARK.
• Failure to follow these warnings can re-
sult in a collision or serious personal
injury.
Disabling And Enabling HSA
This feature can be turned on or turned off.
To change the current setting, proceed as
follows:
• If disabling HSA using Uconnect Settings,
refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Multime-
dia” for further information.
SAFETY
84

Rain Brake Support (RBS)
Rain Brake Support may improve braking
performance in wet conditions. It will periodi-
cally apply a small amount of brake pressure
to remove any water buildup on the front
brake rotors. It functions when the wind-
shield wipers are in LO or HI speed. When
Rain Brake Support is active, there is no
notification to the driver and no driver inter-
action is required.
Ready Alert Braking (RAB)
Ready Alert Braking may reduce the time
required to reach full braking during emer-
gency braking situations. It anticipates when
an emergency braking situation may occur by
monitoring how fast the throttle is released by
the driver. The EBC will prepare the brake
system for a panic stop.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
TSC uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize
an excessively swaying trailer and will take
the appropriate actions to attempt to stop the
sway. TSC will become active automatically
once an excessively swaying trailer is recog-
nized.NOTE:
TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying.
Always use caution when towing a trailer and
follow the trailer tongue weight recommenda-
tions. Refer to “Trailer Towing” in “Starting
And Operating” for further information.
When TSC is functioning, the “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” will
flash, the engine power may be reduced and
you may feel the brakes being applied to
individual wheels to attempt to stop the
trailer from swaying. TSC is disabled when
the ESC system is in the “Partial Off” or “Full
Off” modes.
WARNING!
If TSC activates while driving, slow the
vehicle down, stop at the nearest safe
location, and adjust the trailer load to
eliminate trailer sway.
AUXILIARY DRIVING
SYSTEMS
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) — If
Equipped
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system
uses two radar-based sensors, located inside
the rear bumper fascia, to detect highway
licensable vehicles (automobiles, trucks, mo-
torcycles, etc.) that enter the blind spot
zones from the rear/front/side of the vehicle.
Rear Detection Zones
85

When the vehicle is started, the BSM warning
light will momentarily illuminate in both out-
side rear view mirrors to let the driver know
that the system is operational. The BSM
system sensors operate when the vehicle is in
any forward gear or REVERSE and enters
stand-by mode when the vehicle is in PARK.
The BSM detection zone covers approxi-
mately one lane width on both sides of the
vehicle 12 ft (3.8 m). The zone length starts
at the outside mirror and extends approxi-
mately 10 ft (3 m) beyond the rear bumper of
the vehicle. The BSM system monitors the
detection zones on both sides of the vehicle
when the vehicle speed reaches approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h) or higher and will
alert the driver of vehicles in these areas.
NOTE:
• The BSM system does NOT alert the driver
about rapidly approaching vehicles that are
outside the detection zones.
• The BSM system detection zone DOES NOT
change if your vehicle is towing a trailer.
Therefore, visually verify the adjacent lane
is clear for both your vehicle and trailer
before making a lane change. If the traileror other object (i.e., bicycle, sports equip-
ment) extends beyond the side of your ve-
hicle, this may result in the BSM warning
light remaining illuminated the entire time
the vehicle is in a forward gear. It may be
necessary to deactivate the BSM system
manually to avoid miss-detection. Refer to
“Uconnect Settings” in “Multimedia” in
the Owner’s Manual for further information.
The area on the rear fascia where the radar
sensors are located must remain free of snow,
ice, and dirt/road contamination so that the
BSM system can function properly. Do not
block the area of the rear fascia where the
radar sensors are located with foreign objects
(bumper stickers, bicycle racks, etc.)
The BSM system will provide a visual alert in
the appropriate side view mirror based on a
detected object. If the turn signal is then
activated, and it corresponds to an alert pres-
ent on that side of the vehicle, an audible
chime will also be sounded. Whenever a turn
signal and detected object are present on the
same side at the same time, both the visual
and audio alerts will be issued. In addition to
the audible alert the radio (if on) will also be
muted.The BSM system monitors the detection zone
from three different entry points (side, rear,
front) while driving to see if an alert is nec-
essary. The BSM system will issue an alert
during these types of zone entries.
Entering From The Side
Vehicles that move into your adjacent lanes
from either side of the vehicle.
Entering From The Rear
Vehicles that come up from behind your ve-
hicle on either side and enter the rear detec-
tion zone with a relative speed of less than
30 mph (48 km/h).
BSM Warning Light
SAFETY
86