2023 JEEP GLADIATOR power steering

208STARTING AND OPERATING
3. After all bolts and nuts have been removed, pull the side step assembly off of the vehicle.
4. To reinstall the side steps align the studs to the body side holes and fasten all nuts on all four
brackets. Then secure all four bolts to the
underbody. Repeat the reassembly procedure
for the other side.
Bumper End Cap Removal — If Equipped
The end caps on your vehicle’s front bumper can
be removed by following the steps below:
NOTE:Bumper end caps are removable on steel bumpers
only.

1. Loosen the two bolts that retain the GAWR bracket (Bolts #1 and #2) to the end cap
using a T45 Torx bit screw driver. Do not
remove the bolts.

Bolt #1 Bolt #2

2. Remove the remaining eight bolts.
3. Gently remove the end cap from the vehicle and store it where it will not get damaged.
4. Repeat this procedure on the other side.
The Basics Of Off-Road Driving
You will encounter many types of terrain driving
off-road. You should be familiar with the terrain
and area before proceeding. There are many types
of surface conditions: hard-packed dirt, gravel,
rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow and ice. Every
surface has a different effect on your vehicle's
steering, handling and traction. Controlling your
vehicle is one of the keys to successful off-road
driving, so always keep a firm grip on the steering
wheel and maintain a good driving posture. Avoid
sudden accelerations, turns or braking. In most
cases, there are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. Therefore, you will need to use your
own good judgment on what is safe and what is
not. When on a trail, you should always be looking
ahead for surface obstacles and changes in
terrain. The key is to plan your future driving route
while remembering what you are currently driving
over.
NOTE:It is recommended that the Stop/Start system be
disabled during off-road use.
When To Use 4L Range
When off-road driving, shift into 4L for additional
traction and control on slippery or difficult terrain,
ascending or descending steep hills, and to
increase low speed pulling power. This range
should be limited to extreme situations such as
deep snow, mud, steep inclines, or sand where
WARNING!
Always wear your seat belt and firmly tie down
cargo. Unsecured cargo can become projectiles
in an off-road situation.
CAUTION!
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other
combustible materials. The heat from your
vehicle exhaust system could cause a fire.

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STARTING AND OPERATING209
additional low speed pulling power is needed.
Vehicle speeds in excess of 25 mph (40 km/h)
should be avoided when in 4L range.
Simultaneous Brake And Throttle
Operation
Many off-road driving conditions require the
simultaneous use of the brake and throttle
(two-footed driving). When climbing rocks, logs, or
other stepped objects, using light brake pressure
with light throttle will keep the vehicle from jerking
or lurching. This technique is also used when you
need to stop and restart a vehicle on a steep
incline.
Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand
SNOW
In heavy snow or for additional control and traction
at slower speeds, shift the transmission into a low
gear and the transfer case into 4L if necessary. Do
not shift to a lower gear than necessary to maintain
headway. Over-revving the engine can spin the
wheels and traction will be lost. If you start to slow
to a stop, try turning your steering wheel no more than a quarter turn quickly back and forth, while
still applying throttle. This will allow the tires to get
fresh traction and help maintain your momentum.
MUD
Deep mud creates a great deal of suction around
the tires and is very difficult to get through. You
should use DRIVE, with the transfer case in the 4L
position to maintain your momentum. If you start to
slow to a stop, try turning your steering wheel no
more than a quarter turn quickly back and forth for
additional traction. Mud holes pose an increased
threat of vehicle damage and getting stuck. They
are normally full of debris from previous vehicles
getting stuck. As a good practice before entering
any mud hole, get out and determine how deep it
is, if there are any hidden obstacles and if the
vehicle can be safely recovered if stuck.
SAND
Soft sand is very difficult to travel through with full
tire pressure. When crossing soft, sandy spots in a
trail, maintain your vehicle's momentum and do
not stop. The key to driving in soft sand is using the
appropriate tire pressure, accelerating slowly, avoiding abrupt maneuvers and maintaining the
vehicle's momentum. If you are going to be driving
on large soft sandy areas or dunes, reduce your
tire pressure to a minimum of 15 psi (103 kPa) to
allow for a greater tire surface area. Reduced tire
pressure will drastically improve your traction and
handling while driving on the soft sand, but you
must return the tires to normal air pressure before
driving on pavement or other hard surfaces. Be
sure you have a way to reinflate the tires prior to
reducing the pressure.
Crossing Obstacles (Rocks And Other High
Points)
While driving off-road, you will encounter many
types of terrain. These varying types of terrain bring
different types of obstacles. Before proceeding,
review the path ahead to determine the correct
approach and your ability to safely recover the
vehicle if something goes wrong. Keeping a firm
grip on the steering wheel, bring the vehicle to a
complete stop and then inch the vehicle forward
CAUTION!
Do not use 4L range when operating the vehicle
on dry pavement. Driveline hardware damage
can result.
CAUTION!
On icy or slippery roads, do not downshift at high
engine RPM or vehicle speeds, because engine
braking may cause skidding and loss of control.
CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressures may cause tire
unseating and total loss of air pressure. To
reduce the risk of tire unseating, while at a
reduced tire pressure, reduce your speed and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
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STARTING AND OPERATING211
Hill Climbing
Hill climbing requires good judgment and a good
understanding of your abilities and your vehicle's
limitations. Hills can cause serious problems.
Some are just too steep to climb and should not be
attempted. You should always feel confident with
the vehicle and your abilities. You should always
climb hills straight up and down. Never attempt to
climb a hill on an angle.
BEFORE CLIMBING A STEEP HILL
As you approach a hill, consider its grade or
steepness. Determine if it is too steep. Look to see
what the traction is on the hill side trail. Is the trail
straight up and down? What is on top and the other
side? Are there ruts, rocks, branches or other
obstacles on the path? Can you safely recover the
vehicle if something goes wrong? If everything
looks good and you feel confident, shift the
transmission into a lower gear with 4L engaged,
and proceed with caution, maintaining your
momentum as you climb the hill.
DRIVING UP HILL
Once you have determined your ability to proceed
and have shifted into the appropriate gear, line
your vehicle up for the straightest possible run.
Accelerate with an easy constant throttle and apply
more power as you start up the hill. Do not race
forward into a steep grade; the abrupt change of grade could cause you to lose control. If the front
end begins to bounce, ease off the throttle slightly
to bring all four tires back on the ground. As you
approach the crest of the hill, ease off the throttle
and slowly proceed over the top. If the wheels start
to slip as you approach the crest of a hill, ease off
the accelerator and maintain headway by turning
the steering wheel no more than a quarter turn
quickly back and forth. This will provide a fresh
"bite" into the surface and will usually provide
enough traction to complete the climb. If you do
not make it to the top, place the vehicle in
REVERSE and back straight down the grade using
engine resistance along with the vehicle brakes.
DRIVING DOWNHILL
Before driving down a steep hill, you need to
determine if it is too steep for a safe descent. What
is the surface traction? Is the grade too steep to
maintain a slow, controlled descent? Are there
obstacles? Is it a straight descent? Is there plenty
of distance at the base of the hill to regain control
if the vehicle descends too fast? If you feel
confident in your ability to proceed, then make sure you are in 4L and proceed with caution. Allow
engine braking to control the descent and apply
your brakes, if necessary, but do not allow the tires
to lock.
DRIVING ACROSS AN INCLINE
If at all possible, avoid driving across an incline. If
it is necessary, know your vehicle's abilities. Driving
across an incline places more weight on the
downhill wheels, which increases the possibilities
of a downhill slide or rollover. Make sure the
surface has good traction with firm and stable
soils. If possible, transverse the incline at an angle
heading slightly up or down.WARNING!
Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn
around on a steep grade. Driving across an
incline increases the risk of a rollover, which may
result in severe injury.
WARNING!
Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use
vehicle brakes in conjunction with engine
braking. Descending a grade too fast could
cause you to lose control and be seriously
injured or killed.
WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of a
rollover, which may result in severe injury.
4

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STARTING AND OPERATING213
CROSSING DITCHES, STREAMS, SHALLOW
RIVERS OR OTHER FLOWING WATER
Flowing water can be extremely dangerous. Never
attempt to cross a fast running stream or river
even in shallow water. Fast moving water can
easily push your vehicle downstream, sweeping it
out of control. Even in very shallow water, a high
current can still wash the dirt out from around your
tires putting you and your vehicle in jeopardy.
There is still a high risk of personal injury and
vehicle damage with slower water currents in
depths greater than the vehicle's running ground
clearance. You should never attempt to cross
flowing water which is deeper than the vehicle's
running ground clearance. Even the slowest
current can push the heaviest vehicle downstream
and out of control if the water is deep enough to
push on the large surface area of the vehicle's
body. Before you proceed, determine the speed of
the current, the water's depth, approach angle,
bottom condition and if there are any obstacles.
Then cross at an angle heading slightly upstream
using the low and slow technique.
After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your
vehicle than does most on-road driving. After going
off-road, it is always a good idea to check for
damage. That way you can get any problems taken
care of right away and have your vehicle ready
when you need it.
Completely inspect the underbody of your
vehicle. Check tires, body structure, steering,
suspension, driveline, and exhaust system for
damage.
Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and
clean as required.
Check threaded fasteners for looseness, partic -
ularly on the chassis, drivetrain components,
steering, and suspension. Retighten them, if
required, and torque to the values specified in
the Service Manual.
Check for accumulations of plants or brush.
These things could be a fire hazard. They might
hide damage to fuel lines, brake hoses, axle
pinion seals, and propeller shafts.
After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or
similar dirty conditions, have the radiator, fan,
brake rotors, wheels, brake linings, and axle
yokes inspected and cleaned as soon as
possible.
NOTE:Inspect the clutch vent holes in the manual trans -
mission bell housing for mud and debris and clean
as required.
If you experience unusual vibration after driving
in mud, slush or similar conditions, check the
wheels for impacted material. Impacted mate -
rial can cause a wheel imbalance and freeing
the wheels of it will correct the situation.
CAUTION!
Muddy waters can reduce the cooling system
effectiveness by depositing debris onto the
radiator.
WARNING!
Never drive through fast moving deep water. It
can push your vehicle downstream, sweeping it
out of control. This could put you and your
passengers at risk of injury or drowning.
WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may
cause excessive wear or unpredictable braking.
You might not have full braking power when you
need it to prevent a collision. If you have been
operating your vehicle in dirty conditions, get
your brakes checked and cleaned as necessary.
4

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224MULTIMEDIA
Seats & Comfort/Auto-On Comfort Systems
AUX Switches
When Seats & Comfort/Auto-On Comfort Systems button is pressed on the touchscreen, the system displays the options related to the vehicle’s comfort
systems when remote start has been activated or the vehicle has been started.
NOTE:Depending on the vehicle’s options, feature settings may vary.
Setting Name Description
Auto-On Driver Heated/Ventilated Seat & Heated Steering Wheel With Vehicle
Start This setting will activate the vehicle’s comfort system and heated seats or
heated steering wheel when the vehicle is remote started or ignition is
started. The “Off” setting will not activate the comfort systems. The “Remote
Start” setting will only activate the comfort systems when using Remote Start.
The “All Start” setting will activate the comfort systems whenever the vehicle
is started.
When the AUX button is pressed on the touchscreen, the system displays the options related to the four vehicle AUX switches:
NOTE:Depending on the vehicle’s options, feature settings may vary.
Setting Name
Description
AUX 1-4 This setting will adjust the type and power source for the four vehicle AUX
switches. There are two types: “Latching” and “Momentary”. The power
source for the AUX switches can either be set to run off the “Battery” or from
the “Ignition”. In addition to setting the type and power source, you can set if
the vehicle will recall the previous state at which the AUX switches were set.
The Recalled Last State setting can be set to “On” or “Off”. Last state
conditions are met only if the type is set to Latching and the power source is
set to Ignition.

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254MULTIMEDIA
SIRI® EYES FREE — IF EQUIPPED
When used with your Apple® iPhone® connected
to your vehicle via Bluetooth®, Siri lets you use
your voice to send text messages, select media,
place phone calls and much more. Siri uses your
natural language to understand what you mean
and responds back to confirm your requests. The
system is designed to keep your eyes on the road
and your hands on the wheel by letting Siri help you
perform useful tasks.
To enable Siri, push and hold, then release the
Uconnect Voice Recognition (VR) button on the
steering wheel. After you hear a double beep, you
can ask Siri to play podcasts and music, get
directions, read text messages, and many other
useful requests.
BLUETOOTH® COMMUNICATION LINK
Mobile phones may lose connection to the
Uconnect Phone. When this happens, the
connection can generally be re-established by
restarting the mobile phone. Your mobile phone is
recommended to remain in Bluetooth® ON mode.
POWER-UP
After switching the ignition key from OFF to either
the ON/RUN or ACC position, or after a language
change, you must wait at least 15 seconds prior to
using the system Ú page 432.
ANDROID AUTO™ & APPLE CARPLAY® —
IF EQUIPPED
ANDROID AUTO™
Use this QR code to access your
digital experience.
Android Auto™ is a feature of your
Uconnect system, and your
Android™ 6.0 or higher powered
smartphone with a data plan, that
allows you to project your
smartphone and a number of its apps onto the
touchscreen radio display. Android Auto™ brings
you useful information, and organizes it into simple
cards that appear just when they are needed.
Android Auto™ can be used with speech
technology, the steering wheel controls, the knobs
and buttons on your radio faceplate, and the radio
display’s touchscreen to control many of your
apps. To use Android Auto™, perform the following
procedure:
NOTE:Feature availability depends on your carrier and
mobile phone manufacturer. Some Android Auto™
features may or may not be available in every
region and/or language.
1. Download the Android Auto™ app from the
Google Play store on your Android™-powered
smartphone.

2. Connect your Android™-powered smartphone to one of the media USB ports in your vehicle.
If the Android Auto™ app was not downloaded,
the first time you plug your device in the app
begins to download. Your vehicle should be in
PARK the first time you use the app.
NOTE:Be sure to use the factory-provided USB cable that
came with your phone, as aftermarket cables may
not work.

Android Auto™ And LTE Data Coverage

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256MULTIMEDIA
Android Auto™ allows you to use your voice to
interact with its best-in-class speech technology
through your vehicle’s voice recognition system,
and use your smartphone’s data plan to project
your Android™-powered smartphone and a
number of its apps onto your Uconnect
touchscreen. Connect your Android™ 6.0 or higher
to one of the media USB ports, using the
factory-provided USB cable, and press the new
Android Auto™ icon that replaces your Phone icon
on the main menu bar to begin Android Auto™.
Push and hold the VR button on the steering wheel,
or press and hold the Microphone icon within
Android Auto™, to activate its VR, which recognizes
natural voice commands, to use a list of your
smartphone’s features:
Maps
Music
Phone
Text Messages
Additional Apps
NOTE:
To use Android Auto™ on your car display, you’ll
need an Android™ phone running Android™ 6.0
or higher, an active data plan, and the Android
Auto™ app.
To wirelessly use Android Auto™ on your car
display, you need a compatible Android™ smart -
phone with an active data plan. You can check which smartphones are compatible at g.co/
androidauto/requirements.
Android™ is a trademark of Google Inc.
APPLE CARPLAY®
Use this QR code to access your
digital experience.
Uconnect works seamlessly with
Apple CarPlay®, the smarter,
more secure way to use your
iPhone® in the car, and stay
focused on the road. Use your
Uconnect Touchscreen display, the vehicle's knobs
and controls, and your voice with Siri to get access
to Apple Music®, Maps, Messages, and more.
NOTE:Feature availability depends on your carrier and
mobile phone manufacturer. Some Apple
CarPlay® features may or may not be available in
every region and/or language.
To use Apple CarPlay®, make sure you are using
iPhone® 5 or later, have Siri enabled in Settings,
ensure your iPhone® is unlocked for the very first
connection only, and then use the following
procedure:

1. Connect your iPhone® to one of the media USB ports in your vehicle.

NOTE:Be sure to use the factory-provided Lightning cable
that came with your phone, as aftermarket cables
may not work.
2. Once the device is connected and recognized, the Phone icon on the drag & drop menu bar
changes to the Apple CarPlay® Icon.
NOTE:Apple CarPlay® is set to launch immediately. You
can also launch it by pressing the Apple CarPlay®
icon on the touchscreen.

Apple CarPlay® And LTE Data Coverage

1 — LTE Data Coverage
2 — Apple CarPlay® Icon

23_JT_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 256

SAFETY281
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, striking objects or other vehicles.
NOTE:ERM is disabled any time the ESC is in “Full Off”
mode (if equipped). See Ú page 281 for a
complete explanation of the available ESC modes.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
The ESC 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 counteract the
above conditions. Engine power may also be
reduced to help the vehicle maintain the desired
path.
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.
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.
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 Traction Control System (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 conditions.
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 rollovers,
especially those that involve leaving the roadway
or striking objects or other vehicles. The
capabilities 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.
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 conditions. ESC
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving
on very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. ESC
also cannot prevent accidents resulting from
loss of vehicle control due to inappropriate
driver input for the conditions. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent acci -
dents. The capabilities of an ESC equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or
dangerous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.

Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly
maintain your vehicle, may change the handling
characteristics of your vehicle, and may nega -
tively affect the performance of the ESC system.
Changes to the steering system, suspension,
braking system, tire type and size or wheel size
may adversely affect ESC performance. Improp -
erly inflated and unevenly worn tires may also
degrade ESC performance. Any vehicle modifi-
cation or poor vehicle maintenance that
reduces the effectiveness of the ESC system
can increase the risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.

6

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