2018 JEEP COMPASS steering

SAFETY FEATURES
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides
increased vehicle stability and brake perfor-
mance under most braking conditions. The
system automatically prevents wheel lock,
and enhances vehicle control during braking.
The ABS performs a self-check cycle to en-
sure that the ABS is working properly each
time the vehicle is started and driven. During
this self-check, you may hear a slight clicking
sound as well as some related motor noises.
ABS is activated during braking when the
system detects one or more wheels begin to
lock. Road conditions such as ice, snow,
gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose debris,
or panic stops may increase the likelihood of
ABS activation(s).
You also may experience the following when
ABS activates:
• The ABS motor noise (it may continue to
run for a short time after the stop).
• The clicking sound of solenoid valves.• Brake pedal pulsations.
• A slight drop of the brake pedal at the end
of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
WARNING!
• The ABS contains sophisticated elec-
tronic equipment that may be suscep-
tible to interference caused by improp-
erly installed or high output radio
transmitting equipment. This interfer-
ence can cause possible loss of anti-lock
braking capability. Installation of such
equipment should be performed by
qualified professionals.
• Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will
diminish their effectiveness and may
lead to a collision. Pumping makes the
stopping distance longer. Just press
firmly on your brake pedal when you
need to slow down or stop.
• The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws
of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase braking or steering
efficiency beyond that afforded by the
WARNING!
condition of the vehicle brakes and tires
or the traction afforded.
• The ABS cannot prevent collisions, in-
cluding those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle
too closely, or hydroplaning.
• The capabilities of an ABS equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner that could
jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety
of others.
ABS is designed to function with the OEM
tires. Modification may result in degraded
ABS performance.
Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light
The yellow “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light”
will turn on when the ignition is turned to the
ON/RUN mode and may stay on for as long as
four seconds.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” re-
mains on or comes on while driving, it indi-
cates that the anti-lock portion of the brake
system is not functioning and that service is
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76

required. However, the conventional brake
system will continue to operate normally if
the “Brake System Warning Light” is not on.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on,
the brake system should be serviced as soon
as possible to restore the benefits of anti-lock
brakes. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning
Light” does not come on when the ignition is
turned to the ON/RUN mode, have the light
repaired as soon as possible.
Electronic Brake Control System
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced
Electronic Brake Control system (EBC). This
system includes Electronic Brake Force Dis-
tribution (EBD), Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), Brake Assist System (BAS), Hill Start
Assist (HSA), Traction Control System (TCS),
Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Elec-
tronic Roll Mitigation (ERM). These systems
work together to enhance both vehicle stabil-
ity and control in various driving conditions.
Your vehicle may also be equipped with
Ready Alert Braking (RAB), Rain Brake Sup-
port (RBS), Trailer Sway Control (TSC), and
Dynamic Steering Torque (DST).
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel
spin of each of the driven wheels. If wheel
spin is detected, the TCS may apply brake
pressure to the spinning wheel(s) and/or re-
duce vehicle power to provide enhanced ac-
celeration and stability. A feature of the TCS,
Brake Limited Differential (BLD), functions
similar to a limited slip differential and con-
trols the wheel spin across a driven axle. If
one wheel on a driven axle is spinning faster
than the other, the system will apply the
brake of the spinning wheel. This will allow
more vehicle torque to be applied to the
wheel that is not spinning. BLD may remain
enabled even if TCS and ESC are in a reduced
mode.
Brake Assist System (BAS) — If Equipped
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s
braking capability during emergency braking
maneuvers. The system detects an emer-
gency braking situation by sensing the rate
and amount of brake application and then
applies optimum pressure to the brakes. This
can help reduce braking distances. The BAS
complements the anti-lock brake system(ABS). Applying the brakes very quickly re-
sults in the best BAS assistance. To receive
the benefit of the system, you must apply
continuous braking pressure during the stop-
ping sequence, (do not “pump” the brakes).
Do not reduce brake pedal pressure unless
braking is no longer desired. Once the brake
pedal is released, the BAS is deactivated.
WARNING!
The Brake Assist System (BAS) cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from
acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
the traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. BAS cannot prevent collisions,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery
surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities
of a BAS-equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous man-
ner, which could jeopardize the user's
safety or the safety of others.
77

Brake System Warning Light
The red “Brake System Warning Light” will
turn on when the ignition is turned to the
ON/RUN mode and may stay on for as long as
four seconds.
If the “Brake System Warning Light” remains
on or comes on while driving, it indicates that
the brake system is not functioning properly
and that immediate service is required. If the
“Brake System Warning Light” does not
come on when the ignition is turned to the
ON/RUN mode, have the light repaired as
soon as possible.
Dynamic Steering Torque (DST)
Dynamic Steering Torque is a feature of the
ESC and Electric Power Steering (EPS) mod-
ules that provides torque at the steering
wheel for certain driving conditions in which
the ESC module is detecting vehicle instabil-
ity. The torque that the steering wheel re-
ceives is only meant to help the driver realize
optimal steering behavior in order to reach/maintain vehicle stability. The only notifica-
tion the driver receives that the feature is
active is the torque applied to the steering
wheel.
NOTE:
The DST feature is only meant to help the
driver realize the correct course of action
through small torques on the steering wheel,
which means the effectiveness of the DST
feature is highly dependent on the driver’s
sensitivity and overall reaction to the applied
torque. It is very important to realize that this
feature will not steer the vehicle, meaning
the driver is still responsible for steering the
vehicle.Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
This function manages the distribution of the
braking torque between the front and rear
axles by limiting braking pressure to the rear
axle. This is done to prevent overslip of the
rear wheels to avoid vehicle instability, and to
prevent the rear axle from entering ABS be-
fore the front axle.
Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
This system anticipates the potential for
wheel lift by monitoring the driver’s steering
wheel input and the speed of the vehicle.
When ERM determines that the rate of
change of the steering wheel angle and vehi-
cle’s speed are sufficient to potentially cause
wheel lift, it then applies the appropriate
brake and may also reduce engine power to
lessen the chance that wheel lift will occur.
ERM can only reduce the chance of wheel lift
occurring during severe or evasive driving
maneuvers; it cannot prevent wheel lift due
to other factors, such as road conditions,
leaving the roadway, or striking objects or
other vehicles.
WARNING!
Many factors, such as vehicle loading,
road conditions and driving conditions,
influence the chance that wheel lift or
rollover may occur. ERM cannot prevent
all wheel lift or roll overs, especially those
that involve leaving the roadway or striking
objects or other vehicles. The capabilities
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78

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

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) With
Mitigation — If Equipped
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) With Miti-
gation Operation
The Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system
with mitigation provides the driver with au-
dible warnings, visual warnings (within the
instrument cluster display), and may apply a
brake jerk to warn the driver when it detects a
potential frontal collision. The warnings and
limited braking are intended to provide the
driver with enough time to react, avoid or
mitigate the potential collision.
NOTE:
FCW monitors the information from the for-
ward looking sensors as well as the Electronic
Brake Controller (EBC), to calculate the prob-
ability of a forward collision. When the sys-
tem determines that a forward collision is
probable, the driver will be provided with
audible and visual warnings and may provide
a brake jerk warning.
If the driver does not take action based upon
these progressive warnings, then the system
will provide a limited level of active braking tohelp slow the vehicle and mitigate the poten-
tial forward collision. If the driver reacts to
the warnings by braking and the system de-
termines that the driver intends to avoid the
collision by braking but has not applied suf-
ficient brake force, the system will compen-
sate and provide additional brake force as
required.
If a Forward Collision Warning with Mitigation
event begins at a speed below 26 mph
(42 km/h), the system may provide the maxi-
mum braking possible to mitigate the poten-
tial forward collision. If the Forward Collision
Warning with Mitigation event stops the ve-
hicle completely, the system will hold the
vehicle at standstill for two seconds and then
release the brakes.
When the system determines a collision with
the vehicle in front of you is no longer prob-
able, the warning message will be deacti-
vated.
NOTE:
• The minimum speed for FCW activation is
1 mph (2 km/h).• The FCW alerts may be triggered on objects
other than vehicles such as guard rails or
sign posts based on the course prediction.
This is expected and is a part of normal
FCW activation and functionality.
• It is unsafe to test the FCW system. To
prevent such misuse of the system, after
four Active Braking events within a key
cycle, the Active Braking portion of FCW
will be deactivated until the next key cycle.
• The FCW system is intended for on-road use
only. If the vehicle is taken off-road, the
FCW system should be deactivated to pre-
vent unnecessary warnings to the
surroundings.
WARNING!
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is not
intended to avoid a collision on its own,
nor can FCW detect every type of potential
collision. The driver has the responsibility
to avoid a collision by controlling the ve-
hicle via braking and steering. Failure to
follow this warning could lead to serious
injury or death.
89

Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
Seat belts must be worn by all occupants
including pregnant women: the risk of injury
in the event of an accident is reduced for the
mother and the unborn child if they are wear-
ing a seat belt.
Position the lap belt snug and low below the
abdomen and across the strong bones of the
hips. Place the shoulder belt across the chest
and away from the neck. Never place the
shoulder belt behind the back or under the
arm.
Seat Belt Pretensioner — If Equipped
The front and second row outboard seat belt
system is equipped with pretensioning de-
vices that are designed to remove slack from
the seat belt in the event of a collision. These
devices may improve the performance of the
seat belt by removing slack from the seat belt
early in a collision. Pretensioners work for all
size occupants, including those in child re-
straints.
NOTE:
These devices are not a substitute for proper
seat belt placement by the occupant. The
seat belt still must be worn snugly and posi-
tioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occu-
pant Restraint Controller (ORC). Like the air
bags, the pretensioners are single use items.
A deployed pretensioner or a deployed air bag
must be replaced immediately.
Energy Management Feature — If Equipped
The front seat belt system is equipped and
the second row outboard seat belt system
may be equipped with an Energy Manage-
ment feature that may help further reducethe risk of injury in the event of a collision.
The seat belt system has a retractor assembly
that is designed to release webbing in a
controlled manner.
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS)
Some of the safety features described in this
section may be standard equipment on some
models, or may be optional equipment on
others. If you are not sure, ask your autho-
rized dealer.
The air bag system must be ready to protect
you in a collision. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) monitors the internal cir-
cuits and interconnecting wiring associated
with the electrical Air Bag System Compo-
nents. Your vehicle may be equipped with the
following Air Bag System Components:
Air Bag System Components
• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
• Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
Pregnant Women And Seat Belts
105

instrument panel. The Redundant Air Bag
Warning Light will stay on until the fault is
cleared. In addition, a single chime will
sound to alert you that the Redundant Air Bag
Warning Light has come on and a fault has
been detected. If the Redundant Air Bag
Warning Light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving have an authorized
dealer service the vehicle immediately. For
additional information regarding the Redun-
dant Air Bag Warning Light refer to “Getting
To Know Your Instrument Panel” section of
this manual.
Front Air Bags
This vehicle has front air bags and lap/
shoulder belts for both the driver and front
passenger. The front air bags are a supple-
ment to the seat belt restraint systems. The
driver front air bag is mounted in the center of
the steering wheel. The passenger front air
bag is mounted in the instrument panel,
above the glove compartment. The words
“SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” are embossed
on the air bag covers.
WARNING!
• Being too close to the steering wheel or
instrument panel during front air bag
deployment could cause serious injury,
WARNING!
including death. Air bags need room to
inflate. Sit back, comfortably extending
your arms to reach the steering wheel or
instrument panel.
• Never place a rear-facing child restraint
in front of an air bag. A deploying pas-
senger front air bag can cause death or
serious injury to a child 12 years or
younger, including a child in a rear-
facing child restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a
vehicle with a rear seat.
Driver And Passenger Front Air Bag Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has mul-
tistage driver and front passenger air bags.
This system provides output appropriate to
the severity and type of collision as deter-
mined by the Occupant Restraint Controller
(ORC), which may receive information from
the front impact sensors (if equipped) or
other system components.
Front Air Bag/Knee Bolster Locations
1 — Driver And Passenger Front Air
Bags
2 — Driver Knee Impact Bolster
3 — Passenger Knee Impact Bolster
107

The first stage inflator is triggered immedi-
ately during an impact that requires air bag
deployment. A low energy output is used in
less severe collisions. A higher energy output
is used for more severe collisions.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver
and/or front passenger seat belt buckle
switch that detects whether the driver or front
passenger seat belt is buckled. The seat belt
buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of
the Advanced Front Air Bags.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver
and/or front passenger seat track position
sensors that may adjust the inflation rate of
the Advanced Front Air Bags based upon seat
position.
WARNING!
• No objects should be placed over or near
the air bag on the instrument panel or
steering wheel because any such objects
could cause harm if the vehicle is in a
collision severe enough to cause the air
bag to inflate.
WARNING!
• Do not put anything on or around the air
bag covers or attempt to open them
manually. You may damage the air bags
and you could be injured because the air
bags may no longer be functional. The
protective covers for the air bag cush-
ions are designed to open only when the
air bags are inflating.
• Relying on the air bags alone could lead
to more severe injuries in a collision. The
air bags work with your seat belt to
restrain you properly. In some collisions,
air bags won’t deploy at all. Always wear
your seat belts even though you have air
bags.
Front Air Bag Operation
Front Air Bags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat
belts. Front air bags are not expected to
reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or
rollover collisions. The front air bags will not
deploy in all frontal collisions, includingsome that may produce substantial vehicle
damage — for example, some pole collisions,
truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type
and location of impact, front air bags may
deploy in crashes with little vehicle front-end
damage but that produce a severe initial
deceleration.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle
deceleration over time, vehicle speed and
damage by themselves are not good indica-
tors of whether or not an air bag should have
deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in
all collisions, and also are needed to help
keep you in position, away from an inflating
air bag.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring
the front air bags, it signals the inflator units.
A large quantity of non-toxic gas is generated
to inflate the front air bags.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the
upper right side of the instrument panel
separate and fold out of the way as the air
bags inflate to their full size. The front air
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108