battery JEEP COMPASS 2011 1.G Owner's Manual

Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.
Manual Transmission – If Equipped
If using a manual transmission vehicle for trailer towing,
all starts must be in first gear to avoid excessive clutch
slippage.
Seven-Pin Connector
1 — Battery5 — Ground
2 — Backup Lamps 6 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Right Stop/Turn 7 — Running Lamps
4 — Electric Brakes
368 STARTING AND OPERATING

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located on the
instrument panel, below the radio.Press the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flasher. When the switch is activated, all directional
turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. Press the switch a second time to
turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it should not
be used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
Hazard Warning flashers will continue to operate even
though the ignition is placed in the OFF position.
NOTE: With extended use the Hazard Warning flashers
may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
•On the highways — slow down.
•In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission
in NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
•If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
•You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control
to high. This allows the heater core to act as a
supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
374 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not tighten the lug nuts fully until the vehicle is
lowered to the ground. Failure to follow this warning
may result in personal injury.
3. Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the jack
handle counterclockwise.
4. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the
wrench while at the end of the handle for increased
leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until each
nut has been tightened twice. The correct tightness of
each lug nut is 100 ft/lbs (135 N·m). If in doubt about the
correct tightness, have them checked with a torque
wrench by your authorized dealer or service station. 5. After 25 miles (40 km) check the lug nut torque with a
torque wrench to ensure that all lug nuts are properly
seated against the wheel.
JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURES
If your vehicle has a discharged battery it can be jump-
started using a set of jumper cables and a battery in
another vehicle or by using a portable battery booster
pack. Jump-starting can be dangerous if done improperly
so please follow the procedures in this section carefully.
NOTE:
When using a portable battery booster pack
follow the manufacturer ’s operating instructions and
precautions.
384 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any
other booster source with a system voltage greater
than 12 Volts or damage to the battery, starter motor,
alternator or electrical system may occur.
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump-starting if the battery is frozen.
It could rupture or explode and cause personal injury.
Preparations For Jump-Start
The battery in your vehicle is located in the front of the
engine compartment below the air intake duct. To access
the battery remove the air intake duct by turning the two
finger screws, located on the radiator support.
Air Intake Finger Screws
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 385

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.
Positive Battery Post
386 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

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.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
NOTE: Remove Air Intake before proceeding with this
Jump-Starting procedure.
1. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable to the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable to the
negative (-)post of the booster battery.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 387

4. Connect the opposite end of the negative(-)jumper
cable to a good engine ground (exposed metal part of the
discharged vehicle’s engine) away from the battery and
the fuel injection system.
WARNING!
Do not connect the cable to the negative post (-) of the
discharged battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode and could result in
personal injury.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster
battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then start
the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery. Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in
the reverse sequence:
6. Disconnect the negative
(-)jumper cable from the
engine ground of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
7. Disconnect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable
from the negative (-)post of the booster battery.
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.
388 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

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/
1st gear and REVERSE. Using minimal accelerator pedal
pressure to maintain the rocking motion, without spin-
ning 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.
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.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 389

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 All Wheel Drive (AWD)
vehicles can be flat towed (all four wheels on the
ground) with the transmission in NEUTRAL.
•FWD vehicles can be towed with the front wheels
elevated.
•FWD or AWD vehicles can be towed on a flatbed truck
(all wheelsOFFthe ground).
All Transmissions
If you must use the accessories (wipers, defroster, etc.)
while being towed (wipers, defrosters, etc.), the key must
be in the ON 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.
392 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Engine Compartment — 2.0L ............. 397
 Engine Compartment — 2.4L ............. 398
 Onboard Diagnostic System — OBD II ...... 399
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ........... 399
 Emissions Inspection And Maintenance
Programs ............................ 400
 Replacement Parts ..................... 401
 Dealer Service ........................ 401 
Maintenance Procedures ................. 402
▫ Engine Oil ......................... 403
▫ Engine Oil Filter ..................... 406
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ............... 406
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery .............. 407
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance ............ 408
▫ Body Lubrication .................... 409
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ............... 410
▫ Adding Washer Fluid ................. 410
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