traction control JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 2006 WK / 3.G Owners Manual

provided to the custodial entity upon request. General
data that does not identify particular vehicles or crashes
may be released for incorporation in aggregate crash
databases, such as those maintained by the US govern-
ment and various states. Data of a potentially sensitive
nature, such as would identify a particular driver, ve-
hicle, or crash, will be treated confidentially. Confidential
data will not be disclosed by DaimlerChrysler Corpora-
tion to any third party except when:
1. Used for research purposes, such as to match data
with a particular crash record in an aggregate database,
provided confidentiality of personal data is thereafter
preserved
2. Used in defense of litigation involving a
DaimlerChrysler Corporation product
3. Requested by police under a legal warrant
4. Otherwise required by lawData Parameters that May Be Recorded:
•Diagnostic trouble code(s) and warning lamp status
for electronically-controlled safety systems, including
the airbag system
•Airbag disable lamp status (if equipped)
•Timeof airbag deployment (in terms of ignition
cycles and vehicle mileage)
•Airbag deployment level (if applicable)
•Seat belt status
•Brake status (service and parking brakes)
•Accelerator status (including vehicle speed)
•Engine control status (including engine speed)
•Cruise control status
•Traction/stability control status
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57
2

▫Automatic Headlight System—If Equipped . . 122
▫Smartbeams—If Equipped..............123
▫Instrument Panel And Interior Lights.......124
▫Daytime Running Lights—Canada Only....125
▫Lights-On Reminder...................125
▫Fog Lights—If Equipped...............125
▫Turn Signals.........................126
▫High Beam Switch....................126
▫Passing Light........................126
▫Headlight Time Delay..................126

Windshield Wipers And Washers............126
▫Mist...............................128
▫Speed Sensitive Intermittent Wiper System . . . 128▫Rain Sensing Wipers—If Equipped.........128

Tilt Steering Column....................130

Electronic Brake Control System............131
▫ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System)............131
▫TCS (Traction Control System)............132
▫BAS (Brake Assist System)...............133
▫ERM (Electronic Rollover Mitigation).......134
▫ESP (Electronic Stability Program).........135
▫ESP/BAS Warning Lamp And ESP/TCS
Indicator Light.......................140

Rear Park Assist System—If Equipped.......141
▫Rear Park Assist Sensors................141
▫Rear Park Assist Warning Display.........142
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 75
3

WARNING!
Tilting the steering wheel column while the vehicle
is moving is dangerous. Without a stable steering
column, you could lose control of the vehicle and
have an accident. Adjust the tilting mechanism only
while the vehicle is stopped. Be sure it is locked
before driving.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced electronic
brake control system that includes ABS (Anti-Lock Brake
System), TCS (Traction Control System), BAS (Brake
Assist System), ERM (Electronic Rollover Mitigation),
and ESP (Electronic Stability Program). All five systems
work together to enhance vehicle stability and control in
various driving conditions, and are commonly referred to
as ESP.
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System)
This system aids the driver in maintaining vehicle control
under adverse braking conditions. The system controls
hydraulic brake pressure to prevent wheel lock-up and
help avoid skidding on slippery surfaces during braking.
Refer to“Anti-Lock Brake System”in Section 5 of this
manual for more information about ABS. (See page 269
for more information.)
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 131
3

WARNING!
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) cannot prevent the
natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase the traction afforded by prevail-
ing road conditions. ABS cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver
can prevent accidents. The capabilities of an ABS-
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner which could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
TCS (Traction Control System)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, brake
pressure is applied to the slipping wheel(s) and engine
power is reduced to provide enhanced acceleration and
stability. A feature of the TCS system functions similar to
a limited slip differential and controls the wheel spin
across a driven axle. If one wheel on a driven axle is
spinning faster than the other, the system will apply the
brake of the spinning wheel. This will allow more engine
torque to be applied to the wheel that is not spinning.
This feature remains active even if TCS and ESP are in
either the“Partial Off”or“Full Off”modes. Refer to“ESP
(Electronic Stability Program)”in this section.
132 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

ESP (Electronic Stability Program)
This system enhances directional control and stability of
the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESP cor-
rects for over/under steering of the vehicle by applying
the brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in counter-
acting the over/under steer condition. Engine power
may also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the
desired path.
ESP uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle
path intended by the driver and compares it to the actual
path of the vehicle. When the actual path does not match
the intended path, ESP applies the brake of the appropri-
ate wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer or
understeer condition.
•Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
•Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
TheESP/TCS Indicator Lightlocated in the instrument
cluster, starts to flash as soon as the tires lose traction and
the ESP system becomes active. TheESP/TCS Indicator
Lightalso flashes when TCS is active. If theESP/TCS
Indicator Lightbegins to flash during acceleration, ease
up on the accelerator and apply as little throttle as
possible. Be sure to adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road conditions.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 135
3

WARNING!
ESP (Electronic Stability Program) cannot prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. ESP cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabilities of an
ESP-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner which could jeopar-
dize the user’s safety or the safety of others.
The ESP system has 3 available operating modes in 4WD
High Range and in 2WD vehicles. The system has 2
operating modes in 4WD Low Range.
High Range (4WD Models) or 2WD Models
On
This is the normal operating mode for ESP in 4WD high
range and in 2WD vehicles. Whenever the vehicle is
started or the transfer case (if equipped) is shifted from
4WD low range or neutral back to 4WD high range, the
ESP system will be in this mode. This mode should be
used for most all driving situations. ESP should only be
turned to“Partial Off”or“Full Off”for specific reasons
as noted below.
Partial Off
This mode is entered by momentarily depressing the
ESP Control Switch. When inPartial Offmode, the
TCS portion of ESP, except for the“limited slip”feature
described in the TCS section, has been disabled and the
ESP/TCS Indicator Lightwill be illuminated. All other
stability features of ESP function normally. This mode is
intended to be used if the vehicle is in deep snow, sand,
136 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

or gravel conditions and more wheel spin than ESP
would normally allow is required to gain traction. To
turn ESP on again, momentarily depress theESP Control
Switch. This will restore the normal“ESP On”mode of
operation.NOTE:To improve the vehicle’s traction when driving
with snow chains, or starting off in deep snow, sand, or
gravel, it may be desirable to switch to the“Partial Off”
mode by pressing the ESP switch. Once the situation
requiring ESP to be switched to the“Partial Off”mode is
overcome, turn ESP back on by momentarily depressing
the“ESP Control Switch”. This may be done while the
vehicle is in motion.
Full Off
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use
when ESP stability features could inhibit vehicle maneu-
verability due to trail conditions. This mode is entered by
depressing and holding the“ESP Control Switch”for 5
seconds when the vehicle is stopped and the engine is
running. In this mode, all ESP and TCS stability features
are turned off except for the“limited slip”feature de-
scribed in the TCS section. After 5 seconds, a chime will
sound, theESP/TCS Indicator Lightwill illuminate,
and theESP OFFmessage will appear in the Electronic
ESP Control Switch
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 137
3

If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of Anti-Lock
brakes. If the ABS light does not turn on when the
Ignition switch is turned to the ON position, have the
light inspected by an authorized dealer.
8. Tachometer
The red segments indicate the maximum permissible
engine revolutions-per-minute (r.p.m. x 1000) for each
gear range. Before reaching the red area, ease up on the
accelerator.
9. Security Alarm System Indicator Light — If
Equipped
This light will flash rapidly for approximately 15 seconds
when the vehicle theft alarm is arming. The light will
flash at a slower speed continuously after the alarm is set.
The security light will also come on for about three
seconds when the ignition is first turned on.10. Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light shows low engine oil pressure. The light
should turn on momentarily when the engine is
started. If the light turns on while driving, stop the
vehicle, and shut off the engine as soon as possible. A
continuous chime will sound when this light turns on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected.
This light does not show how much oil is in the engine.
The engine oil level must be checked under the hood.
11. Electronic Stability Program (ESP) Indicator
Light/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator Light
This indicator light starts to flash as soon as the
tires lose traction and the ESP system becomes
active. The“ESP/TCS Indicator Light”also
flashes when TCS is active. If the“ESP/TCS
Indicator Light”begins to flash during acceleration, ease
up on the accelerator and apply as little throttle as
possible. Be sure to adapt your speed and driving to the
182 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

cause damage to the transmission. The torque converter
will refill within five seconds of shifting from Park into
any other gear position.
Rocking the Vehicle
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, sand, or mud, it can
often be moved by a rocking motion. Move the gear
selector rhythmically between D (Drive) and R (Reverse),
while applying slight pressure to the accelerator.
NOTE:The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and
Traction Control (if equipped) should be turned OFF
before attempting to rock the vehicle. Refer to“Electronic
Brake Control System”in Section 3 of this manual.
The least amount of accelerator pedal pressure to main-
tain the rocking motion without spinning the wheels or
racing the engine is most effective. Racing the engine or
spinning the wheels, due to the frustration of not freeing
the vehicle, may lead to transmission overheating and
failure. Allow the engine to idle with the transmissionselector in N (Neutral) for at least one minute after every
five rocking-motion cycles. This will minimize overheat-
ing and reduce the risk of transmission failure during
prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
CAUTION!
When“rocking”a stuck vehicle by moving between
“First”and R (Reverse), do not spin the wheels faster
than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
STARTING AND OPERATING 261
5

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
Quadra-Trac IOperating
Instructions/Precautions—If Equipped
The Quadra-Trac Iis a single speed (HI range only)
transfer case which provides convenient full-time
4–wheel drive. No driver interaction is required. This
transfer case divides engine torque almost evenly with 48
percent of engine torque to the front axle and 52 percent
of engine torque to the rear axle. The Brake Traction
Control System (BTC), which combines standard ABS
and Traction Control, provides resistance to any wheel
that is slipping to allow additional torque transfer to
wheels with traction.
NOTE:The Quadra-Trac Isystem is not appropriate
for conditions where LOW range is recommended. Refer
to“Off-Road Driving Tips”in this section.
Quadra-Trac IIOperating
Instructions/Precautions—If Equipped
The Quadra-Trac IItransfer case is fully automatic in the
normal driving 4 HI mode. The Quadra-Trac IItransfer
case provides three mode positions—four wheel drive
high range, neutral, and four wheel drive low range.
This transfer case is fully automatic in the 4 HI mode.
This transfer case divides engine torque almost evenly
with 48 percent of engine torque to the front axle and 52
percent of engine torque to the rear axle. When speed
differences are increased between the front and rear drive
shafts, the transfer case can transmit up to 100 percent of
available engine torque to the front or rear drive shafts.
When additional traction is required, the 4 LOW position
can be used to lock the front and rear driveshafts together
and force the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same
speed. The 4 LOW position is intended for loose, slippery
262 STARTING AND OPERATING