transmission JEEP COMMANDER 2009 1.G Owner's Guide

NOTE:The Brake Warning Light indicates only that the
parking brake is applied. It does not indicate the degree
of brake application.
Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked and
the shift lever is in the PARK position. When parking on
a hill, you should apply the parking brake before placingthe shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK.
WARNING!
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also, be certain to leave the transmission
in PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to
roll and cause damage or injury.
•Leaving unattended children in a vehicle is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be injured. Children should be warned not
to touch the parking brake or the shift lever. Do
not leave the key in the ignition. A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
(Continued)
Parking Brake
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NOTE:During severe braking conditions, a pulsing
sensation may occur and a clicking noise will be heard.
This is normal, indicating that the ABS is functioning.
WARNING!
To use your brakes and accelerator more safely,
follow these tips:
•Do not “ride” the brakes by resting your foot on the
pedal. This could overheat the brakes and result in
unpredictable braking action, longer stopping dis-
tances, or brake damage.
•When descending mountains or hills, repeated brak-
ing can cause brake fade with loss of braking control.
Avoid repeated heavy braking by downshifting the
transmission or locking out overdrive whenever pos-
sible.
•Engines may idle at higher speeds during warm-up,
which could cause rear wheels to spin and result in
loss of vehicle control. Be especially careful while
driving on slippery roads, in close-quarter maneuver-
ing, parking, or stopping.
•Do not drive too fast for road conditions, especially
when roads are wet or slushy. A wedge of water can
build up between the tire tread and the road. This
hydroplaning action can cause loss of traction, braking
ability, and control.
•After going through deep water or a car wash, brakes
may become wet, resulting in decreased performance
and unpredictable braking action. Dry the brakes by
gentle, intermittent pedal action while driving at very
slow speeds.
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Towing with HSA
HSA will provide assistance when starting on a grade
when pulling a trailer.
WARNING!
•If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, your trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated with the brake switch. If so, when the
brake pedal is released there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold the vehicle and trailer on a
hill and this could cause a collision with another
vehicle or object behind you. In order to avoid
rolling down the hill while resuming acceleration,
manually activate the trailer brake prior to releas-
ing the brake pedal. Always remember the driver
is responsible for braking the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•HSA is not a parking brake. If you stop the vehicle
on a hill without putting the transmission in
PARK and using the parking brake, it will roll
down the hill and could cause a collision with
another vehicle or object. Always remember to use
the parking brake while parking on a hill, and that
the driver is responsible for braking the vehicle.
HSA Off
If you wish to turn off the HSA system, it can be done
using the Customer Programmable Features in the Elec-
tronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC). Refer to “Elec-
tronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)” in Section 4 of
this manual.
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5

•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a
loss of control, poor performance or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transmission, steering, suspension, chas-
sis structure or tires.
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the
hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the chains
under the trailer tongue and allow enough slack for
turning corners.
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade.
When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow
vehicle. Put the tow vehicle transmission in PARK. For
four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure the transfer case
is not in NEUTRAL. Always, block orchockthe
trailer wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Trailer tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch
utilized (This requirement may limit the ability to
always achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue weight
as a percentage of total trailer weight).
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Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.
Towing Tips — Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, the
TOW/HAUL mode (if equipped) or a lower gear range
should be selected.
NOTE:Using the TOW/HAUL mode (if equipped) or a
lower gear range while operating the vehicle under
heavy operating conditions, will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shift-
ing and heat buildup. This action will also provide better
engine braking.
The transmission fluid and filter should be changed if
you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than 45 minutesof continuous operation. Refer to the “Maintenance
Schedule” in Section 8 for the proper maintenance inter-
vals.
NOTE:Check the transmission fluid level before towing
(4.7L and 5.7L engines).Towing Tips — Electronic Speed Control (If
Equipped)

Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
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Towing Tips — Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
SNOW PLOW
Snow plows, winches, and other aftermarket equipment
shouldnotbe added to the front end of your vehicle. The
airbag crash sensors may be affected by the change in the
front end structure. The airbags could deploy unexpect-
edly or could fail to deploy during a collision.
WARNING!
Do not add a snow plow, winches, or any other
aftermarket equipment to the front of your vehicle.
This could adversely affect the functioning of the
airbag system and you could be injured.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing – 2WD Models
Recreational towing is allowed ONLY if the driveshaft
is removed.Towing with the rear wheels on the ground
while the driveshaft is connected can result in severe
transmission damage.
392 STARTING AND OPERATING

Towing — Quadra-Trac I(Single-Speed Transfer
Case) 4WD Models
Recreational towing is not allowed.This model does not
have a NEUTRAL position in the transfer case.
Towing — Quadra–Trac II/Quadra–Drive II4WD
Models
CAUTION!
Front or rear wheel lifts should not be used. Internal
damage to the transmission or transfer case will occur
if a front or rear wheel lift is used when recreational
towing.
NOTE:The transfer case must be in the NEUTRAL
position, and the transmission must be in the PARK
position for recreational towing.
Shifting Into NEUTRAL
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL before recre-
ational towing to prevent damage to internal parts.
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition key ON, engine off.
3. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
4. Shift the transfer case into NEUTRAL.
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Hold down the NEUTRAL “pin” switch (with a pen, etc.)
for four seconds until the LED lamp by the switch starts
to blink, indicating shift in progress. The lamp will stop
blinking (stay on solid) when the NEUTRAL shift is
complete. A “4WD SYSTEM IN NEUTRAL” message will
display on the EVIC (Electronic Vehicle Information
Center). Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)” in Section 4 of this manual.
5. Start the engine.
6. Shift the transmission into DRIVE.
Neutral Switch
394 STARTING AND OPERATING

7. Release the brake pedal and ensure that there is no
vehicle movement.
8. Shut the engine off.
9. Shift the transmission into PARK.
10. Place the ignition key in the OFF position, and
remove key.
11. Apply the parking brake.
12. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle with tow bar.
13. Release the parking brake.CAUTION!
Transmission damage may occur if the transmission
is shifted into PARK with the transfer case in NEU-
TRAL and the engine running. With the transfer case
in NEUTRAL ensure that the engine is OFF prior to
shifting the transmission into PARK (refer to steps 7
and 8 above).
Shifting Out Of NEUTRAL
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage.
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition key ON, engine off.
3. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
4. Shift the transfer case out of NEUTRAL.
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5

Hold down the NEUTRAL “pin” switch (with a pen, etc.)
for four seconds until the LED lamp by the switch starts
to blink, indicating shift in progress. The lamp will stop
blinking (go out) when shift is complete. The “4WD
SYSTEM IN NEUTRAL” message will no longer be
displayed on the EVIC (Electronic Vehicle Information
Center). Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)” in Section 4 of this manual.
5. Shift the transmission into PARK.
6. Start the engine.
7. Shift the transmission into DRIVE.
Neutral Switch
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