JEEP COMMANDER 2006 1.G Owners Manual

Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)........297
▫Base System.........................297
▫Premium System......................299
▫General Information...................303

Tire Chains...........................303

Tire Rotation Recommendations............304

Fuel Requirements......................305
▫3.7/4.7L Engines (If Equipped)............305
▫5.7L Engines (If Equipped)...............305
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................306
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............306
▫MMT In Gasoline.....................307
▫Materials Added To Fuel................307▫Fuel System Cautions..................307
▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings..............308

Fuel Tank Filler Cap (Gas Cap).............309
▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message............311

TrailerTowing .........................312
▫Common Towing Definitions.............312
▫Trailer Hitch Classification...............314
▫Trailer Towing Weights
(Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings).........315
▫Trailer And Tongue Weight..............316
▫Towing Requirements..................317
▫TowingTips .........................321

Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 323
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▫Towing – 2WD Models.................323
▫Towing — Quadra-Trac I
(Single-Speed Transfer Case) 4WD Models....323▫Towing — Quadra–Trac II /Quadra–Drive II
4WD Models........................324

Snow Plow...........................328
252 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
The gear selector must be in the N (Neutral) or P (Park)
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting to any driving gear.
Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine is
obtained without pumping or depressing the accelerator
pedal. Turn the key to the START position and release
when the engine starts. If the engine fails to start within
10 seconds, turn the key to the OFF position, wait 5
seconds, then repeat the normal starting procedure.
Ignition Key Positions
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5

WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
Extreme Cold Weather (below –20°F (–29°C)
To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails to Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather” proce-
dures, it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it there while cranking the
engine. This should clear any excess fuel in case the
engine is flooded.NOTE:To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank
the engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15–
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold
Weather” procedures should be repeated.
254 STARTING AND OPERATING

After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
CAUTION!
Long periods of engine idling, especially at high
engine speeds can cause excessive exhaust tempera-
tures which can damage your vehicle. Do not leave
your vehicle unattended with the engine running.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord
to a standard 110-115 volt AC electrical outlet with
grounded, three wire extension cord.
Use the heater when temperatures below 0°F (-18°C) are
expected to last for several days.The engine block heater cord is located:
•3.7L/4.7L Engine — coiled and strapped to the engine
oil dipstick tube.
•5.7L Engine — bundled and fastened to the injector
harness.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 volt AC electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
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TRANSMISSION SHIFTING
5–Speed Automatic Transmission
The electronically controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle, may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles.
Automatic Shift Controls
256 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of P
(Park) or N (Neutral) if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on 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
when your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Brake Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a brake transmission shift
interlock system (BTSI) that holds the gearshift lever in
the P (Park) position when the ignition switch is in the
LOCK position. To move the gear selector lever out of the
P (Park) position, the ignition switch must be turned to
the ON position, and the brake pedal must be depressed.
Gear Ranges
NOTE:After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerating.
This is especially important when the engine is cold. If
there is a need to restart the engine be sure to cycle the
key to the LOCK position before restarting. Transmission
gear engagement may be delayed after restarting the
engine if the key is not cycled to the LOCK position first.
P (Park)
Supplements the parking brake by locking the transmis-
sion. The engine can be started in this range. Never use P
(Park) while the vehicle is in motion. Apply the parking
brake when leaving the vehicle in this range.
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WARNING!
Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, you should apply
the park brake, shift the transmission into P (Park),
and remove the key from the ignition. Once the key
is removed from the ignition the transmission shift
lever is locked in the P (Park) position, securing the
vehicle against unwanted movement. Furthermore,
you should never leave children unattended inside a
vehicle.
R (Reverse)
Shift into this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
N (Neutral)
No power is transmitted from the engine to the drive
axle. When the brakes are released, the vehicle can roll
freely. Do not engage in N (Neutral) position while
driving except to coast when the vehicle is in danger of
skidding (e.g., on icy roads).
NOTE:Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever in N (Neutral) can result
in severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in Section 5 and “Towing a Disabled Vehicle” in
Section 6 of this manual.
D (Drive)
The transmission automatically upshifts through fifth
gear. The D (Drive) position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
Electronic Range Select (ERS)Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control allows
you to move the shifter left (-) or right (+) when the
258 STARTING AND OPERATING

shifter is in the D (Drive) position, allowing the selection
of the desired top gear. For example, if the driver shifts
the transmission into 3 (third gear), the transmission will
never shift above third gear, but can shift down to 2
(second) or 1 (first), when needed.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid.
Screen Display12 34D
Actual Gear(s) Al-
lowed1 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5
NOTE:To select the proper gear position for maximum
deceleration (engine braking), move the shift lever to theleft “D(-)” and hold it there. The transmission will shift to
the range from which the vehicle can best be slowed
down.
Overdrive Operation
The overdrive automatic transmission contains an elec-
tronically controlled fourth and fifth speed (Overdrive).
The transmission will automatically shift from 3rd gear to
Overdrive if the following conditions are present:
•the transmission selector is in D (Drive);
•the engine coolant has reached normal operating tem-
perature;
•vehicle speed is above approximately 30 mph (48
km/h);
•the “TOW/HAUL” button has not been activated;
•transmission has reached normal operating tempera-
ture.
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NOTE:If the vehicle is started in extremely cold tem-
peratures, the transmission may not shift into Overdrive
and will automatically select the most desirable gear for
operation at this temperature. Normal operation will
resume when the transmission fluid temperature has
risen to a suitable level. Refer also to the Note under
torque converter clutch, later in this section.
During cold temperature operation you may notice de-
layed upshifts depending on engine and transmission
temperature. This feature improves the warm up time of
the engine and transmission.
If the transmission temperature gets extremely hot, the
transmission will automatically select the most desirable
gear for operation at this temperature. If the transmission
temperature becomes hot enough, the “TRANSMISSIONOVER TEMP” message may display and the transmis-
sion may downshift out of Overdrive until the transmis-
sion cools down. After cooldown, the transmission will
resume normal operation.
In high ambient temperatures with sustained high engine
speed and load, an upshift followed shortly thereafter by
a downshift may occur. This is a normal part of the
overheat protection strategy when operating in the
“Tow/Haul” mode.
The transmission will downshift from Overdrive to the
most desirable gear if the accelerator pedal is fully
depressed at vehicle speeds above approximately 35 mph
(56 km/h).
When To Use “TOW/HAUL” Mode — If Equipped
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting oc-
curs, press the “TOW/HAUL” button. This will improve
performance and reduce the potential for transmission
260 STARTING AND OPERATING