JEEP PATRIOT 2009 1.G Owners Manual

designated and approved. You should tread lightly and
avoid damage to the environment. You should know
your vehicles abilities and be able to recover it if some-
thing goes wrong. You should never stop or shut a
vehicle off when crossing deep water unless you ingested
water into the engine air intake. If the engine stalls, do
not attempt to restart it. Determine if it has ingested
water first. The key to any crossing is low and slow. You
want to use low (L Off-Road) with the 4WD LOCK
engaged and proceed very slowly with a constant slow
speed {3-5 mph (5–8 km/h) maximum} and light throttle.
Keep the vehicle moving; do not try to accelerate through
the crossing. After crossing any water higher than the
bottom of the axle differentials, you should inspect all of
the vehicle fluids for signs of water ingestion.CAUTION!
Water ingestion into the transaxle, transfer case,
engine or vehicle interior can occur if you drive too
fast or through too deep of water. Water can cause
permanent damage to engine, driveline or other
vehicle components and your brakes will be less
effective once wet and/or muddy.
Before You Cross Any Type Of Water
As you approach any type of water you need to deter-
mine if you can cross it safely and responsibly. If neces-
sary, get out and walk through the water or probe it with
a stick. You need to be sure of its depth, approach angle,
current and bottom condition. Be careful of murky or
muddy waters, check for hidden obstacles. Make sure
you will not be intruding on any wildlife and you can
recover the vehicle if necessary. The key to a safe crossing
is the water depth, current and bottom conditions. On
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soft bottoms the vehicle will sink in, effectively increas-
ing the water level on the vehicle. Be sure to consider this
when determining the depth and the ability to safely
cross.
Crossing Puddles, Pools, Flooded Areas Or Other
Standing Water
Puddles, pools, flooded or other standing water areas
normally contain murky or muddy waters. These water
types normally contain hidden obstacles and make it
difficult to determine an accurate water depth, approach
angle, and bottom condition. Murky or muddy water
holes are where you want to hook up tow straps prior to
entering. This makes for a faster, cleaner and easier
vehicle recovery. If you are able to determine you can
safely cross, than proceed using the low and slow
method.
CAUTION!
Muddy waters can reduce the cooling system effec-
tiveness by depositing debris onto the radiator.
Crossing Ditches, Streams, Shallow Rivers Or
Other Flowing Water
Flowing water can be extremely dangerous. Never at-
tempt 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
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the slowest current can push the heaviest vehicle down-
stream 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.
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.
Airing Down For Off-Road Driving
Running lower tire pressure off-road can improve your
ride comfort and vehicle traction. Reducing the tire air
pressure allows the tire to bulge slightly, improving its
surface area for better flotation and ability to mold orform to the ground contour. Different terrain, tires, and
vehicles require different tire pressure. Hard surfaces like
rock and heavier vehicles require higher pressures than
softer surfaces such as sand and lighter vehicles. You will
need to experiment to determine what is right for your
situation. It is easier and faster to let air out than it is to
replace it so, start high and lower it as required. Remem-
ber you must return the tires to normal air pressure
before driving on-road or at highway conditions. Be sure
you have a way to return the tires to their normal on-road
air pressure.
CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressure increases the risk of tire dam-
age and may cause tire unseating with total loss of air
pressure. To reduce the risk of tire unseating, while at
a reduced tire pressure, drive at slower speeds and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
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Vehicle Recovery
If you drive off-road, you may encounter a situation
where you will need to recover your vehicle. Vehicle
recovery should always be given consideration before
attempting a questionable obstacle. You should never go
off-road driving without the ability to recover your
vehicle from a situation. Having another vehicle with
you usually works best for most situations. The first
thing to do is assess the situation. Why are you stuck?
Are you hung up on something? Would it be easier to go
forward or to go backward? Can you still move the
vehicle? Are you alone or do you have another vehicle to
help? Is there high risk of vehicle damage during the
recovery process? Answering these questions will help
you determine the best method of recovery. If you can
still move the vehicle slightly and the only issue is slick
ground, then rock cycling your vehicle would be the first
choice. If you have ample room, an additional vehicleand there is low risk of vehicle impingement on the
surroundings, then using a tow strap to the vehicle tow
hooks would be fast and easy. If the vehicle is severely
hung up or in a situation where great care needs to be
taken during the recovery, then nothing can do the job
better than a winch. If you are severely hung up on
something you should jack the vehicle up and stack
something under the wheels to allow the vehicle to roll
off the object without causing further damage. This
should be tried before attempting any recovery method.
CAUTION!
Pulling the vehicle off an obstacle, without first
clearing the object, may result in additional under-
body damage.
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Rock Cycling Your Vehicle
Rock cycling your vehicle is one of the easiest, fastest and
most commonly used methods. This simply involves
shifting your vehicle from DRIVE to REVERSE, while
applying throttle after each shift. During this process, for
additional traction, try turning your steering wheel
quickly back and forth no more than a 1/4 turn. If you are
stuck in mud, sand, or snow, try spinning your tires
during this process to clean the debris from the tread and
improve the traction. You want to create a rocking motion
with the vehicle. This helps build vehicle momentum,
which hopefully gets you out. Remember to ease off and
on the accelerator before and after the shift. If after a few
rock cycles your vehicle is not free, stop and try another
method of recovery. Continuous rock cycling will only
cause unnecessary damage to your vehicle and the
environment.CAUTION!
Damage can occur when spinning your tires at an
excessive high speed. Do not spin your tires faster
than an indicated 30 mph (48 km/h). Do not spin the
wheels continuously for more than 30 seconds.
Using The Tow Hooks With A Tow Strap
Tow straps are a quick and easy way to recover your
vehicle from minor situations if you have a secondary
vehicle which is not stuck. The tow hooks on your vehicle
are designed to take the abusive force generated during
vehicle recovery. Do not use the bumper or any other
vehicle component as an attachment point. Using tow
straps requires coordination between the two drivers.
Good communication and line of sight are required for a
safe recovery. First connect the tow strap to the correct
attachment points on both vehicles. There should be a
least 20 to 30 ft (6 to 9 m) between the vehicles to allow
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for a safe recovery. If necessary join two tow straps
together using a 1 1/2 in (4 cm) hard wood dowel. This
will keep the straps from becoming knotted and is safer
than using a clevis pin if the strap breaks. Next have the
tow vehicle backup, leaving 2 to 3 ft (61 to 91 cm) worth
of slack in the strap. Then the tow vehicle, using light
throttle, should accelerate tightening the strap providing
the pulling force needed to free the vehicle. The vehicle
being recovered should assist in the recovery, at the time
of the snap, by slowly spinning the tires in the same
direction as the pulling vehicle. After the vehicle becomes
free, the driver of the previously stuck vehicle should
signal they are free and should hit their brakes stopping
both vehicles. The driver of the pulling vehicle should let
off the throttle without using the brakes, once signaled by
the other driver. This sequence is important to avoid
having the recovered vehicle hit the pulling vehicle.WARNING!
Never use tow straps with end hooks or link two
straps with a clevis pin. These heavy metal objects
could become projectiles if a strap breaks, which
could cause severe injury. Never leave more than 2 to
3 ft (61 to 91 cm) of slack in the strap. More slack than
this greatly increases the risk of injury and vehicle
damage. Always keep everyone at least 30 ft (9 m)
away from a strapping or winching situation.
After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than
does most on-road driving. After driving off-road, it is
always a good idea to check for damage.
•Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle.
Check tires, body structure, steering, suspension, and
exhaust system for damage.
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•Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on
the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and sus-
pension. 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, or 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 brake drums and rotors,
brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and cleaned as
soon as possible.
•If you experience unusual vibration after driving in
mud, slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for
packed material. Packed foreign material can cause a
wheel imbalance and cleaning the wheels will correct
the situation.
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 an accident. If you have been operating your
vehicle in dirty conditions, get your brakes checked
and cleaned as necessary. Failure to do so may result
is serious injury.
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POWER STEERING
The standard power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will provide mechanical
steering capability if power assist is lost.
If for some reason the power assist is interrupted, it will
still be possible to steer your vehicle. Under these condi-
tions, you will observe a substantial increase in steering
effort, especially at very low vehicle speeds and during
parking maneuvers.
NOTE:Increased noise levels at the end of the steering
wheel travel are considered normal and do not indicate
that there is a problem with the power steering system.
Upon initial start-up in cold weather, the power steering
pump may make noise for a short amount of time. This is
due to the cold, thick fluid in the steering system. This
noise should be considered normal, and it does not in any
way damage the steering system.WARNING!
Continued operation with reduced power steering
assist could pose a safety risk to yourself and others.
Service should be obtained as soon as possible.
CAUTION!
Prolonged operation of the steering system at the end
of the steering wheel travel will increase the steering
fluid temperature and it should be avoided when
possible. Damage to the power steering pump may
occur.
Power Steering Fluid Check
Checking the power steering fluid level at a defined
service interval is not required. The fluid should only be
checked if a leak is suspected, abnormal noises are
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apparent, and/or the system is not functioning as antici-
pated. Coordinate inspection efforts through an autho-
rized dealer.
No chemical flushes should be used in any power
steering system; only the approved lubricant may be
used.
WARNING!
Fluid level should be checked on a level surface and
with the engine off to prevent injury from moving
parts and to ensure accurate fluid level reading. Do
not overfill. Use only manufacturer’s recommended
power steering fluid.
If necessary, add fluid to restore to the proper indicated
level. With a clean cloth, wipe any spilled fluid from all
surfaces. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in Section 7 for the correct fluid type.
PARKING BRAKE
When the parking brake is applied with the ignition ON,
the Brake Light in the instrument cluster will come on.
NOTE:This light only shows that the parking brake is
on. It does not show the degree of brake application.
If the parking brake is applied while the vehicle is
moving, a chime will sound to alert the driver. The chime
will sound up to 10 times or until the vehicle has
returned to a stop.
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is set. To set the parking brake, pull up firmly on
the lever. Also, place the shift lever in the PARK position
(automatic transaxle) or REVERSE position (manual
transaxle). To release the parking brake, apply the brake
pedal, pull up slightly on the lever, then depress the
button on the end of the lever and push the lever fully
down toward the floor.
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NOTE:The parking brake lever will not release unless
the lever is pulled up slightly past its applied position.
When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise,
the load on the automatic transaxle locking mechanism
may make it difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK.As an added precaution, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on a
uphill grade.
You should always apply the parking brake before leav-
ing the vehicle.
WARNING!
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Do not leave the key in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, 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 an accident.Parking Brake
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