automatic transmission JEEP COMPASS 2012 1.G Owner's Manual

CAUTION!
•Do not flat tow any vehicle equipped with an
automatic transmission. Damage to the drivetrain
will result. If these vehicles require towing, make
sure all drive wheels are off the ground.
•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. The only exception is
that FWD (NOT 4WD) automatic transmission
models may be towed with the front wheels raised
on a dolly.
378 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flashers ................ 380
 If Your Engine Overheats ................ 380
 Automatic Transmission Overheating ....... 381
 Jacking And Tire Changing ............... 382
▫ Jack Location ....................... 383
▫ Spare Tire Stowage ................... 383
▫ Preparations For Jacking ............... 383
▫ Jacking Instructions ................... 384
▫ Road Tire Installation ................. 390 
Jump-Starting Procedures ................ 392
▫ Preparations For Jump-Start ............. 393
▫ Jump-Starting Procedure ............... 394
 Freeing A Stuck Vehicle ................. 396
 Shift Lever Override ................... 397
 Towing A Disabled Vehicle ............... 399
▫ With Ignition Key .................... 399
▫ Without The Ignition Key .............. 400
6

CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the pointer rises to the H (red) mark,
the instrument cluster will sound a chime. When
safe, pull over and stop the vehicle with the engine at
idle. Turn off the air conditioning and wait until the
pointer drops back into the normal range. If the
pointer remains on the H (red) mark for more than a
minute, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine
coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If
you see or hear steam coming from under the hood,
do not open the hood until the radiator has had time
to cool. Never try to open a cooling system pressure
cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING
During sustained high speed driving or trailer towing up
long grades on hot days, the automatic transmission oil
may become too hot.If this happens, the transmission overheat in-
dicator light will come on, and the vehicle will
slow slightly until the automatic transmission
cools down enough to allow a return to the
requested speed. If the high speed is maintained, the
overheating may reoccur, as before, in a cyclic fashion.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 381

Jack Location
The jack and jack-handle are stowed under the load floor
in the cargo area.
Spare Tire Stowage
The compact spare tire is stowed under the rear load floor
in the cargo area.
Spare Tire Removal
Lift up the load floor cover and remove the hold down.
Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm level surface, avoiding ice or
slippery areas.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic, pull far enough off
the road to avoid the danger of being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.
2. Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Place the shift lever in PARK (automatic transmission)
or REVERSE (manual transmission).
Spare Tire And Jack Stowage
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 383

5. Turn OFF the ignition.6. Block both the front and rear of the
wheel diagonally opposite the jacking
position. For example, if changing the
right front tire, block the left rear
wheel.
NOTE: Passengers should not remain in the vehicle
while the vehicle is being jacked.
Jacking Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to
help prevent personal injury or damage to your
vehicle:
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far from
the edge of the roadway as possible before raising
the vehicle.
•Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
•Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to
be raised.
•Set the parking brake firmly and set an automatic
transmission in PARK; a manual transmission in
REVERSE.
•Never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a
jack.
•Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it is on a
jack.
•Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a jack.
•Only use the jack in the positions indicated and
for lifting this vehicle during a tire change.(Continued)
384 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!
•Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan when-
ever the hood is raised. It can start anytime the
ignition switch is on. You can be injured by
moving fan blades.
•Remove any metal jewelry such as watch bands or
bracelets that might make an inadvertent electrical
contact. You could be seriously injured.
•Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your
skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas which is
flammable and explosive. Keep open flames or
sparks away from the battery.
1. Set the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission
into PARK and turn the ignition to LOCK.
2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal accessories. 3. If using another vehicle to jump-start the battery, park
the vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
Jump-Starting Procedure
WARNING!
Failure to follow this procedure could result in per-
sonal injury or property damage due to battery ex-
plosion.
394 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

8. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive(+)jumper
cable from the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
9. Disconnect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable
from the positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
10. Reinstall the air intake duct.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle
power outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.).
Eventually, if plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s
battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery
life and/or prevent the engine from starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or 1st gear
and Reverse (with manual transmission). Using minimal
accelerator pedal pressure to maintain the rocking mo-
tion, without spinning the wheels, is most effective.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the shift lever in NEUTRAL for at
least one minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce
the risk of transmission failure during prolonged
efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
396 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

NOTE:If your vehicle is equipped with Traction Con-
trol or Electronic Stability Control (ESC), turn the system
OFF before attempting to “rock” the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving between
DRIVE and REVERSE (with automatic transmission)
or 1st gear and Reverse (with manual transmission),
do not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h),
or drivetrain damage may result.
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure. It
can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no transmis-
sion shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the
following procedure to temporarily move the shift lever:
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 397

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Towing Condition Wheels OFF the GroundAUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
Flat Tow NONENOT ALLOWED Transmission in
NEUTRAL
Wheel Lift or Dolly Tow Rear
NOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
Front FWD ModelsONLY FWD ModelsONLY
Flatbed ALLBEST METHOD BEST METHOD
With Ignition Key
Automatic Transmission
•
Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles can be towed with
the front wheels elevated or on a flatbed truck (all four
wheelsOFFthe ground).
•Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) vehicles must be towed on a
flatbed truck (all four wheels OFFthe ground).
CAUTION!
DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with an
automatic transmission. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.
Manual Transmission
•
Front Wheel Drive (FWD) or Four-Wheel Drive (4WD)
vehicles can be flat towed (all four wheels on the
ground) with the transmission in NEUTRAL.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 399

•FWD vehicles can be towed with the front wheels
elevated.
•FWD or 4WD vehicles can be towed on a flatbed truck
(all wheelsOFFthe ground).
CAUTION!
DO NOT flat tow disabled vehicle if condition is
related to the clutch, transmission or driveline.
Additional damage to the drivetrain could result.
All Transmissions
If you must use the accessories (wipers, defroster, etc.)
while being towed (wipers, defrosters, etc.), the key must
be in the ON/RUN position, not the ACC position. Make
certain the transmission remains in NEUTRAL.
If the vehicle’s battery is discharged, see “Shift Lever
Override” in “What To Do In Emergencies” for instruc-
tions on shifting the automatic transmission out of the
PARK position for towing.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these cautions could result in dam-
age to your vehicle:
•Do not attempt to use sling-type equipment when
towing. When securing the vehicle to a flatbed
truck, do not attach to front or rear suspension
components.
•If the vehicle being towed requires steering, the
ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN or ACC
position, not in the LOCK/OFF position.
Without The Ignition Key
Special care must be taken when the vehicle is towed
with the ignition in the LOCK/OFF position. The only
approved method of towing without the ignition key is
with a flatbed truck. Proper towing equipment is neces-
sary to prevent damage to the vehicle.
400 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES