2018 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE towing

NOTE:
If the vehicle is moving, there will also be a
single chime.
— Electric Power Steering Fault
Warning Light
This light will turn on when there's a fault
with the EPS (Electric Power Steering) sys-
tem. Refer to “Power Steering” in “Starting
And Operating” in the Owner’s Manual for
further information.
WARNING!
Continued operation with reduced assist
could pose a safety risk to yourself and
others. Service should be obtained as soon
as possible.
— Electronic Throttle Control (ETC)
Warning Light
This light informs you of a problem with the
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system. If a
problem is detected while the vehicle is run-
ning, the light will either stay on or flash
depending on the nature of the problem.Cycle the ignition when the vehicle is safely
and completely stopped and the transmission
is placed in the PARK position. The light
should turn off. If the light remains on with
the vehicle running, your vehicle will usually
be drivable; however, see an authorized
dealer for service as soon as possible.
NOTE:
This light may turn on if the accelerator and
brake pedals are pressed at the same time.
If the light continues to flash when the ve-
hicle is running, immediate service is re-
quired and you may experience reduced per-
formance, an elevated/rough idle, or engine
stall and your vehicle may require towing.
The light will come on when the ignition is
placed in the ON/RUN or ACC/ON/RUN posi-
tion and remain on briefly as a bulb check. If
the light does not come on during starting,
have the system checked by an authorized
dealer.
— Engine Coolant Temperature Warn-
ing Light
This light warns of an overheated engine
condition. If the engine coolant temperature
is too high, this indicator will illuminate and
a single chime will sound. If the temperature
reaches the upper limit, a continuous chime
will be sound for four minutes or until the
engine is able to cool: whichever comes first.
If the light turns on while driving, safely pull
over and stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is
on, turn it off. Also, shift the transmission
into NEUTRAL and idle the vehicle. If the
temperature reading does not return to nor-
mal, turn the engine off immediately and call
for service. Refer to “If Your Engine Over-
heats” in “In Case Of Emergency” for further
information.
— Hood Open Warning Light
This indicator will illuminate when the hood
is ajar/open and not fully closed.
NOTE:
If the vehicle is moving, there will also be a
single chime.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
68

— Liftgate Open Warning Light
This indicator light will illuminate when the
liftgate is open.
NOTE:
If the vehicle is moving, there will also be a
single chime.
— Oil Pressure Warning Light
This warning light will illuminate to indicate
low engine oil pressure. If the light turns on
while driving, stop the vehicle and shut off
the engine as soon as possible. A chime will
sound when this light turns on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is
corrected. This light does not indicate how
much oil is in the engine. The engine oil level
must be checked under the hood.
— Oil Temperature Warning Light
This telltale indicates engine oil temperature
is high. If the light turns on while driving,
stop the vehicle and shut off the engine as
soon as possible. Wait for oil temperature to
return to normal levels.
— Seat Belt Reminder Warning Light
This light indicates when the driver or pas-
senger seat belt is unbuckled. When the
ignition is first placed in the ON/RUN or
ACC/ON/RUN position and if the driver’s seat
belt is unbuckled, a chime will sound and the
light will turn on. When driving, if the driver
or front passenger seat belt remains unbuck-
led, the Seat Belt Reminder Light will flash or
remain on continuously and a chime will
sound. Refer to “Occupant Restraint Sys-
tems” in “Safety” for further information.
— Transmission Temperature Warning
Light — If Equipped
This light indicates high transmission fluid
temperature. This may occur with strenuous
usage such as trailer towing. If this light turns
on, stop the vehicle and run the engine at idle
or slightly faster, with the transmission in
PARK or NEUTRAL, until the light turns off.
Once the light turns off, you may continue to
drive normally.
WARNING!
If you continue operating the vehicle when
the Transmission Temperature Warning
Light is illuminated you could cause the
fluid to boil over, come in contact with hot
engine or exhaust components and cause a
fire.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission
Temperature Warning Light illuminated
will eventually cause severe transmission
damage or transmission failure.
— Vehicle Security Warning Light — If
Equipped
This light will flash at a fast rate for approxi-
mately 15 seconds when the vehicle security
alarm is arming, and then will flash slowly
until the vehicle is disarmed.
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— LaneSense Warning Light — If
Equipped
The LaneSense Warning Light will be solid
yellow when the vehicle is approaching a lane
marker. The warning light will flash when the
vehicle is crossing the lane marker.
Refer to “LaneSense — If Equipped" in
“Starting And Operating” for further informa-
tion.
— Low Fuel Warning Light
When the fuel level reaches approximately
2.4 gal (9.1 L) this light will turn on, and
remain on until fuel is added.
A single warning chime will sound with Low
Fuel Warning.
— Low Washer Fluid Warning Light —
If Equipped
This indicator will illuminate when the wind-
shield washer fluid is low.
— Engine Check/Malfunction Indica-
tor Warning Light (MIL)
The Engine Check/Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) is a part of an Onboard Diagnostic
System called OBD II that monitors engine
and automatic transmission control systems.
This warning light will illuminate when the
ignition is in the ON/RUN position before
engine start. If the bulb does not come on
when turning the ignition switch from OFF to
ON/RUN, have the condition checked
promptly.
Certain conditions, such as a loose or missing
gas cap, poor quality fuel, etc., may illumi-
nate the light after engine start. The vehicle
should be serviced if the light stays on
through several typical driving styles. In most
situations, the vehicle will drive normally and
will not require towing.
When the engine is running, the MIL may
flash to alert serious conditions that could
lead to immediate loss of power or severe
catalytic converter damage. The vehicle
should be serviced as soon as possible if this
occurs.
WARNING!
A malfunctioning catalytic converter, as
referenced above, can reach higher tem-
peratures than in normal operating condi-
tions. This can cause a fire if you drive
slowly or park over flammable substances
such as dry plants, wood, cardboard, etc.
This could result in death or serious injury
to the driver, occupants or others.
CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL) on could cause dam-
age to the vehicle control system. It also
could affect fuel economy and driveability.
If the MIL is flashing, severe catalytic
converter damage and power loss will soon
occur. Immediate service is required.
71

ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC
SYSTEM — OBD II
Your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated
Onboard Diagnostic system called OBD II.
This system monitors the performance of the
emissions, engine, and transmission control
systems. When these systems are operating
properly, your vehicle will provide excellent
performance and fuel economy, as well as
engine emissions well within current govern-
ment regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the
OBD II system will turn on the Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL). It will also store diag-
nostic codes and other information to assist
your service technician in making repairs.
Although your vehicle will usually be drivable
and not need towing, see an authorized
dealer for service as soon as possible.
CAUTION!
• Prolonged driving with the MIL on could
cause further damage to the emission
control system. It could also affect fuel
economy and driveability. The vehicle
must be serviced before any emissions
tests can be performed.
• If the MIL is flashing while the vehicle is
running, severe catalytic converter dam-
age and power loss will soon occur. Im-
mediate service is required.
Onboard Diagnostic System (OBD II)
Cybersecurity
Your vehicle is required to have an Onboard
Diagnostic system (OBD II) and a connection
port to allow access to information related to
the performance of your emissions controls.
Authorized service technicians may need to
access this information to assist with the
diagnosis and service of your vehicle and
emissions system.
WARNING!
• ONLY an authorized service technician
should connect equipment to the OBD II
connection port in order to diagnose or
service your vehicle.
• If unauthorized equipment is connected
to the OBD II connection port, such as a
driver-behavior tracking device, it may:
• Be possible that vehicle systems,
including safety related systems,
could be impaired or a loss of ve-
hicle control could occur that may
result in an accident involving seri-
ous injury or death.
• Access, or allow others to access,
information stored in your vehicle
systems, including personal infor-
mation.
For further information, refer to “Cybersecu-
rity” in “Multimedia”.
77

For vehicles not equipped with an instrument
cluster display, perform the following steps:
1. Center the steering wheel (front wheels
pointing straight forward).
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Start the engine.
5. Rotate the steering wheel slightly more
than one-half turn to the left.
6. Push the “ESC Off” button located in the
lower switch bank below the climate con-
trol four times within 20 seconds. The
“ESC Off Indicator Light” should turn on
and turn off two times.
7. Rotate the steering wheel back to center
and then an additional slightly more than
one-half turn to the right.
8. Turn the ignition to the OFF mode and
then back to ON. If the sequence was
completed properly, the “ESC Off Indica-
tor Light” will blink several times to con-
firm HSA is disabled.
9. Repeat these steps if you want to return
this feature to its previous setting.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
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.
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 engine 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 engine torque to be applied to the wheel
that is not spinning. BLD may remain en-
abled even if TCS and ESC are in a reduced
mode.
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.
83

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, leav-
ing the roadway, or striking objects or other
vehicles.
NOTE:
ERM is disabled anytime the ESC is in “Full
Off” mode (if equipped). Refer to “Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)” in this section for a
complete explanation of the available ESC
modes.
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
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.
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 andyou 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.
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.
87

Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
NOTE:
For vehicles equipped with run flat tires —
when the TPMS indicates a tire pressure of
14 psi (96 kPa) or lower, always check tire
pressure and replace the tire at the first
opportunity. At inflation pressure of/or below
14 psi (96 kPa) the tire is in the run-flat
mode of operation. In this condition, it is
recommended a vehicle maximum speed of
50 mph (80 km/h) for a maximum distance of
50 miles (80 km). The manufacturer does not
recommend using the run flat feature while
driving a vehicle loaded at full capacity or
towing a trailer.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
will warn the driver of a low tire pressure
based on the vehicle recommended cold tire
pressure.
The tire pressure will vary with temperature
by about 1 psi (7 kPa) for every 12°F (6.5°C).
This means that when the outside tempera-
ture decreases, the tire pressure will de-
crease. Tire pressure should always be set
based on cold inflation tire pressure. This is
defined as the tire pressure after the vehiclehas not been driven for at least three hours, or
driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) after a
three-hour period.Refer to “Tires” in “Servic-
ing And Maintenance” for information on how to
properly inflate the vehicle’s tires.The tire
pressure will also increase as the vehicle is
driven - this is normal and there should be no
adjustment for this increased pressure.
The TPMS will warn the driver of a low tire
pressure if the tire pressure falls below the
low pressure warning threshold for any rea-
son, including low temperature effects, or
natural pressure loss through the tire.
The TPMS will continue to warn the driver of
low tire pressure as long as the condition
exists, and will not turn off until the tire
pressure is at or above recommended cold
tire pressure. Once the low tire pressure
warning has been illuminated, the tire pres-
sure must be increased to the recommended
cold tire pressure in order for the Tire Pres-
sure Monitoring Telltale Light to be turned
off.NOTE:
When filling warm tires, the tire pressure may
need to be increased up to an additional 4 psi
(28 kPa) above the recommended cold plac-
ard pressure in order to turn the Tire Pressure
Monitoring Telltale Light off.
The system will automatically update and the
Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will
extinguish once the updated tire pressures
have been received. The vehicle may need to
be driven for up to 10 minutes above 15 mph
(24 km/h) to receive this information.
For example, your vehicle has a recom-
mended cold (parked for more than three
hours) tire pressure of 33 psi (227 kPa). If
the ambient temperature is 68°F (20°C) and
the measured tire pressure is 28 psi
(193 kPa), a temperature drop to 20°F (-7°C)
will decrease the tire pressure to approxi-
mately 24 psi (165 kPa). This tire pressure is
sufficiently low enough to turn on the Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light. Driving
the vehicle may cause the tire pressure to rise
to approximately 28 psi (193 kPa), but the
Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will
still be on. In this situation, the Tire Pressure
95

Setting A Desired Speed..........166
Varying The Speed.............166
To Resume..................168
Deactivation.................168
Setting The Following Distance......168
ACC Operation At Stop...........169
Changing Modes..............169
PARKSENSE REAR PARK ASSIST. .170
ParkSense Sensors.............170
Activation/Deactivation ParkSense. . . .170
Instrument Cluster Display........171
ParkSense System Usage Precautions . .171
PARKSENSE FRONT AND REAR
PARKASSIST...............172
ParkSense Sensors.............172
Activation/Deactivation...........173
Engagement/Disengagement.......173
Operation With A Trailer..........173
General Warnings..............173
PARKSENSE ACTIVE PARK ASSIST
SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED......174
LANESENSE................175
LaneSense Operation............175
Turning LaneSense On Or Off.......176
PARKVIEW REAR BACK-UP CAM-
ERA .....................176
Symbols And Messages On The Display .176
REFUELING THE VEHICLE — GASO-
LINE ENGINE...............177
Emergency Fuel Filler Door Release . . .178
REFUELING THE VEHICLE — DIE-
SEL ENGINE................179
Avoid Using Contaminated Fuel.....181
Bulk Fuel Storage — Diesel Fuel. . . .181
Diesel Exhaust Fluid............181
TRAILER TOWING...........185
Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings) — Non SRT.......185
Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings) — SRT..........187
Trailer Hitch Receiver Cover Removal
(Summit Models) — If Equipped.....188
Trailer Hitch Receiver Cover Removal (SRT
Models) — If Equipped..........189
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)..........191
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another
Vehicle....................191
Recreational Towing-Two Wheel Drive
Models....................192
Recreational Towing — Quadra-Trac I
(Single-Speed Transfer Case) Four-Wheel
Drive Models.................192
Recreational Towing — Quadra–Trac
II/Quadra–Drive II Four-Wheel Drive
Models....................193
STARTING AND OPERATING
136