2023 JEEP GLADIATOR tow

152STARTING AND OPERATING
NOTE:A new engine may consume some oil during its first
few thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This
should be considered a normal part of the break-in
and not interpreted as a problem.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS —
DIESEL ENGINE (IF EQUIPPED)
The diesel engine does not require a break-in
period due to its construction. Normal operation is
allowed, providing the following recommendations
are followed:
Warm up the engine before placing it under
load.
Do not operate the engine at idle for prolonged
periods.
Use the appropriate transmission gear to
prevent engine lugging.
Observe vehicle oil pressure and temperature
indicators.
Check the coolant and oil levels frequently.
Vary throttle position at highway speeds when
carrying or towing significant weight.
NOTE:Light duty operation such as light trailer towing or
no load operation will extend the time before the
engine is at full efficiency. Reduced fuel economy
and power may be seen at this time.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory
is a high-quality energy conserving type lubricant.
Oil changes should be consistent with anticipated
climate conditions under which vehicle operations
will occur. For recommended viscosity and quality
grades Úpage 424. NON-DETERGENT OR
STRAIGHT MINERAL OILS MUST NEVER BE USED.
PARKING BRAKE
Before exiting the vehicle, make sure that the
parking brake is fully applied. Also, be certain to
leave an automatic transmission in PARK, or
manual transmission in REVERSE or FIRST gear.
The parking brake lever is located in the center
console. To apply the parking brake, pull the lever
up as firmly as possible. To release the parking
brake, pull the lever up slightly, push the center
button, then lower the lever completely.
Parking Brake Lever

When the parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch ON, the Brake Warning Light in the
instrument cluster will illuminate.
NOTE:
When the parking brake is applied and the auto -
matic transmission is placed in gear, the Brake
Warning Light will flash. If vehicle speed is
detected, a chime will sound to alert the driver.
Fully release the parking brake before
attempting to move the vehicle.
This light only shows that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake
application.
CAUTION!
Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight Mineral
Oil in the engine or damage may result.

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STARTING AND OPERATING153
(Continued)
When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the
front wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade
and away from the curb on an uphill grade. For
vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission,
apply the parking brake before placing the gear
selector in PARK, otherwise the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it
difficult to move the gear selector out of PARK.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
Never use the PARK position on an automatic
transmission as a substitute for the parking
brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle move-
ment and possible injury or damage.
When exiting the vehicle, always 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 chil
-
dren to be 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. A child
could operate power windows, other controls,
or move the vehicle.
Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
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 an
automatic transmission in PARK, a manual
transmission in REVERSE or FIRST gear.
Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to roll
and cause damage or injury.
CAUTION!
If the Brake 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.
WARNING!
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 or
partially pressing the clutch pedal. Never
attempt to hold the vehicle on a hill with the
clutch pedal partially engaged. Operating
vehicle in this manner may cause the clutch to
overheat and cause permanent damage to
the clutch. If you continue to operate the
vehicle in this manner, the “CLUTCH HOT”
message or Transmission Temperature
Warning Light will be displayed in the instru -
ment cluster. For more information
Ú page 132.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the gear
selector as the force exerted, even if slight,
could lead over time to premature wear of the
gearbox internal components.
4

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158STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
(Continued)
PARK (P)
This range supplements the parking brake by
locking the transmission. The engine can be
started in this range. Never attempt to use PARK
while the vehicle is in motion. Apply the parking
brake when exiting the vehicle in this range.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
before shifting the transmission to PARK. As an
added precaution, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb
on an uphill grade.
When exiting the vehicle, always:
Apply the parking brake
Shift the transmission into PARK
Turn the ignition off
Remove the key fob from the vehicle
NOTE:On four-wheel drive vehicles, be sure that the
transfer case is in a drive position.
WARNING!
Never use the PARK position as a substitute
for the parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when exiting the vehicle 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 transmission gear selector out of
PARK with the brake pedal released. Make
sure the transmission is in PARK before
exiting the vehicle.
The transmission may not engage PARK if the
vehicle is moving. Always bring the vehicle to a
complete stop before shifting to PARK, and
verify that the transmission gear position indi
-
cator solidly indicates PARK (P) without
blinking. Ensure that the vehicle is completely
stopped, and the PARK position is properly
indicated, before exiting the vehicle.
It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or
NEUTRAL 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 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.
WARNING!
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 running. Before exiting a vehicle,
always come to a complete stop, then apply
the parking brake, shift the transmission into
PARK, and turn the ignition OFF. When the
ignition is in the OFF position, the transmis -
sion is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
When exiting the vehicle, always make sure
the ignition is in the OFF position, remove the
key fob from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing chil -
dren to be 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 transmis -
sion 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
position. A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
WARNING!

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STARTING AND OPERATING159
The following indicators should be used to ensure
that you have properly engaged the transmission
into the PARK position:
When shifting into PARK, push the lock button
on the gear selector and firmly move the gear
selector all the way forward until it stops and is
fully seated.
Look at the transmission gear position display
and verify that it indicates the PARK position (P),
and is not blinking.
With the brake pedal released, verify that the
gear selector will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward.
Shift into REVERSE only after the vehicle has come
to a complete stop. NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with the engine running. Apply
the parking brake and shift the transmission into
PARK if you must exit the vehicle.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and
highway driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts
and downshifts, and the best fuel economy. The
transmission automatically upshifts through all
forward gears. The DRIVE position should be used
for all normal operating conditions.When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such
as when operating the vehicle under heavy loading
conditions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong
head winds, or while towing a heavy trailer), use
the AutoStick shift control to select a lower gear
Ú
page 160. Under these conditions, using a lower
gear will improve performance and extend
transmission life by reducing excessive shifting
and heat build-up.
During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F
[-30°C] or below), transmission operation may be
modified depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. Normal
operation will resume once the transmission
temperature has risen to a suitable level.
MANUAL (M)
The MANUAL (M, +/-) position (beside the DRIVE
position) enables full manual control of
transmission shifting also known as AutoStick
mode. Toggling the gear selector forward (-) or
rearward (+) while in the MANUAL (AutoStick)
position will manually select the transmission gear,
and will display the current gear in the instrument
cluster Ú page 160.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically
for abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected
that could result in transmission damage,
Transmission Limp Home mode is activated. In this
CAUTION!
Before moving the transmission gear selector
out of PARK, you must start the engine, and
also press the brake pedal. Otherwise,
damage to the gear selector could result.
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as
this can damage the drivetrain.WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing
traffic or road conditions. You might lose control
of the vehicle and have a collision.
CAUTION!

Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL
can cause severe transmission damage.

For Recreational Towing Ú page 205.
For Towing A Disabled Vehicle Ú page 350.
4

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160STARTING AND OPERATING
mode, the transmission may operate only in
certain gears, or may not shift at all. Vehicle
performance may be severely degraded and the
engine may stall. In some situations, the
transmission may not re-engage if the engine is
turned off and restarted. The Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) may be illuminated. A message in the
instrument cluster will inform the driver of the
more serious conditions, and indicate what actions
may be necessary.
In the event of a momentary problem, the
transmission can be reset to regain all forward
gears by performing the following steps:
NOTE:
In cases where the instrument cluster message
indicates the transmission may not re-engage
after engine shutdown, perform this procedure
only in a desired location (preferably, at an
authorized dealer).
Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom -
mend that you visit an authorized dealer at your
earliest possible convenience. An authorized
dealer has diagnostic equipment to assess the
condition of your transmission.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized
dealer service is required.

1. Stop the vehicle.

2. Shift the transmission into PARK, if possible. If not, shift the transmission to NEUTRAL. 3. Push and hold the ENGINE START/STOP
button until the engine turns off.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no longer detected, the
transmission will return to normal operation.
AutoStick
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission
feature providing manual shift control, giving you
more control of the vehicle. AutoStick allows you to
maximize engine braking, eliminate undesirable
upshifts and downshifts, and improve overall
vehicle performance. This feature can also provide
you with more control during passing, city driving,
cold slippery conditions, mountain driving, trailer
towing, and many other situations.
Operation
To activate AutoStick mode, move the gear
selector into the MANUAL (M) position (beside the
DRIVE position). The current transmission gear will
be displayed in the instrument cluster. In AutoStick
mode, you can use the gear selector (in the
MANUAL position) to manually shift the
transmission. Tapping the gear selector forward (-)
while in the MANUAL (M) position will downshift the
transmission to the next lower gear. Tapping the
selector rearward (+) will command an upshift. In AutoStick mode, the transmission will shift up or
down when (+/-) is manually selected by the driver,
unless an engine lugging or overspeed condition
would result. It will remain in the selected gear
until another upshift or downshift is chosen, except
as described below:
The transmission will automatically downshift
as the vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging)
and will display the current gear.
The transmission will automatically downshift to
FIRST gear when coming to a stop. After a stop,
the driver should manually upshift (+) the trans
-
mission as the vehicle is accelerated.
You can start out, from a stop, in FIRST or
SECOND gear (or THIRD gear, in 4L range).
Tapping (+) (at a stop) will allow starting in
SECOND gear. Starting out in SECOND or THIRD
gear can be helpful in snowy or icy conditions.
If a requested downshift would cause the
engine to overspeed, that shift will not occur.
The system will ignore attempts to upshift at too
low of a vehicle speed.
Holding the gear selector in the (-) position will
downshift the transmission to the lowest gear
possible at the current speed.
Transmission shifting will be more noticeable
when AutoStick is enabled.
The system may revert to automatic shift mode
if a fault or overheat condition is detected.

23_JT_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 160

STARTING AND OPERATING161
NOTE:When Hill Descent Control is enabled, AutoStick is
not active.
To disengage AutoStick mode, return the gear
selector to the DRIVE position. You can shift in or
out of the AutoStick position at any time without
taking your foot off the accelerator pedal.
FOUR–WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
FOUR-POSITION TRANSFER CASE —
I
F EQUIPPED

Four-Wheel Drive Gear Selector

The transfer case provides four positions:
2H (Two-Wheel Drive High Range)
4H (Four-Wheel Drive High Range)
N (Neutral)
4L (Four-Wheel Drive Low Range)
For additional information on the appropriate use
of each transfer case position, see the information
below:
2H
Two-Wheel Drive High Range — This range is for
normal street and highway driving on dry, hard
surfaced roads. 4H
Four-Wheel Drive High Range — This range
maximizes torque to the front driveshaft, forcing
the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same
speed. This range provides additional traction for
loose, slippery road surfaces only.
N (Neutral)
N (Neutral) — This range disengages both the front
and rear driveshafts from the powertrain. To be
used for flat towing behind another vehicle.
See Recreational Towing for further information
Ú
page 205.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking
on a slippery surface. The drive wheels could
lose their grip and the vehicle could skid,
causing a collision or personal injury.
WARNING!
Failure to engage a transfer case position
completely can cause transfer case damage or
loss of power and vehicle control. You could have
a collision. Do not drive the vehicle unless the
transfer case is fully engaged.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you
leave the vehicle unattended with the transfer
case in the N (Neutral) position without first fully
engaging the parking brake. The transfer case N
(Neutral) position disengages both the front and
rear driveshafts from the powertrain, and will
allow the vehicle to roll, even if the automatic
transmission is in PARK (or manual transmission
is in gear). The parking brake should always be
applied when the driver is not in the vehicle.4

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STARTING AND OPERATING163
During cold weather, you may experience
increased effort in shifting until the transfer case
fluid warms up. This is normal.
FIVE-POSITION TRANSFER CASE —
I
F EQUIPPED

Four-Wheel Drive Gear Selector
The transfer case provides five positions:
2H (Two-Wheel Drive High Range)
4H AUTO (Four-Wheel Drive Auto High Range)
4H PART TIME (Four-Wheel Drive Part Time High
Range)
N (Neutral)
4L (Four-Wheel Drive Low Range)
For additional information on the appropriate use
of each transfer case position, see the information
below:
2H
Two-Wheel Drive High Range — This range is for
normal street and highway driving on dry, hard
surfaced roads.
4H AUTO
Four-Wheel Drive Auto High Range — This range
sends power to the front wheels. The four-wheel
drive system will be automatically engaged when
the vehicle senses a loss of traction. This range
provides additional traction for varying road
conditions.
4H PART TIME
Four-Wheel Drive Part Time High Range — This
range maximizes torque to the front driveshaft,
forcing the front and rear wheels to rotate at the
same speed. This range provides additional
traction for loose, slippery road surfaces only. N (Neutral)
Neutral — This range disengages both the front and
rear driveshafts from the powertrain. To be used
for flat towing behind another vehicle
Úpage 205.
4L
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range provides
low speed four-wheel drive. It maximizes torque to
the front driveshaft, forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed. This range
provides additional traction and maximum pulling
power for loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do not
exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
This transfer case is designed to be driven in the
two-wheel drive position (2H) or four-wheel drive
position (4H AUTO) for normal street and highway
conditions on dry hard surfaced roads.
WARNING!
Failure to engage a transfer case position
completely can cause transfer case damage or
loss of power and vehicle control. You could have
a collision. Do not drive the vehicle unless the
transfer case is fully engaged.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you
leave the vehicle unattended with the transfer
case in the N (Neutral) position without first fully
engaging the parking brake. The transfer case N
(Neutral) position disengages both the front and
rear driveshafts from the powertrain, and will
allow the vehicle to roll, even if the automatic
transmission is in PARK (or manual transmission
is in gear). The parking brake should always be
applied when the driver is not in the vehicle.
4

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176STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Operation
The buttons on the right side of the steering wheel
operate the ACC system.
Adaptive Cruise Control Buttons

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Menu
The instrument cluster display will show the
current ACC system settings. The instrument
cluster display is located in the center of the
instrument cluster. The information it displays
depends on ACC system status.
Push the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) on/off
button (located on the steering wheel) until one of
the following appears in the instrument cluster
display:
WARNING!
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is a conve
-
nience system. It is not a substitute for active
driver involvement. It is always the driver’s
responsibility to be attentive of road, traffic,
and weather conditions, vehicle speed,
distance to the vehicle ahead and, most
importantly, brake operation to ensure safe
operation of the vehicle under all road condi -
tions. 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 and death or
serious personal injury.
The ACC system:
Does not react to pedestrians, oncoming
vehicles, and stationary objects (e.g., a
stopped vehicle in a traffic jam or a
disabled vehicle).
Cannot take street, traffic, and weather
conditions into account, and may be
limited upon adverse sight distance condi -
tions.
Does not always fully recognize complex
driving conditions, which can result in
wrong or missing distance warnings.
You should turn the ACC system off and do not
use:
When driving in fog, heavy rain, heavy snow,
sleet, heavy traffic, and complex driving situa -
tions (i.e., in highway construction zones).
When entering a turn lane or highway
off-ramp; when driving on roads that are
winding, icy, snow-covered, slippery, or have
steep uphill or downhill slopes.
When towing a trailer up or down steep slopes.
When circumstances do not allow safe driving
at a constant speed.
WARNING!
1 — Distance Increase Button
2 — Adaptive Cruise Control On/Off
3 — Distance Decrease Button

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