engine JEEP LIBERTY 2005 User Guide

In cold weather, always turn off the wiper switch
and allow the wipers to return to the park position
before turning off the engine. If the wiper switch is
left on and the wipers freeze to the windshield,
damage to the wiper motor may occur when the
vehicle is restarted.

Vehicle exhaust contains carbon monoxide, a danger-
ous gas. Do not run the vehicle’s engine while
programming HomeLink. Exhaust gas can cause se-
rious injury or death.
WARNING!
Your motorized door or gate will open and close
while you are programming HomeLink. Do not
program HomeLink if people or pets are in the path
of the door or gate. A moving door or gate can cause
serious injury or death to people and pets or damage
to objects.

Electrical Outlet Use With Engine Off
•Many accessories that can be plugged in 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 engine starting.
•Accessories that draw higher power (i.e., coolers,
vacuum cleaners, lights, etc.) will degrade the
battery even more quickly. Only use these inter-
mittently and with greater caution.
•After the use of high power draw accessories, or
long periods of the vehicle not being started (with
accessories still plugged in), the vehicle must be
driven a sufficient length of time to allow the
alternator to recharge the vehicle’s battery.

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.
If Engine Fails to Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” procedure, 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.
CAUTION!
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.

It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of “P” or
“N” 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 re-
verse. 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 right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Brake Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a brake transmission shift
interlock system (BTSI), which holds the gearshift lever
in the P (Park) position when the ignition switch is in the
OFF position. To move the gear selector lever out of the
P (Park) position, turn the ignition switch to the ON
position, and press the brake pedal and the button on the
front of the shifter handle.

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 always
shift the vehicle into P (Park), remove the key from
the ignition, and apply the parking brake. 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. Further-
more, you should never leave children unattended
inside a vehicle.

On vehicles equipped with a limited-slip differen-
tial, never run the engine with one rear wheel off the
ground. The vehicle may drive through the rear
wheel remaining on the ground and cause you to
lose control of your vehicle.

If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never
attempt to turn around. To do so may result in
tipping and rolling the vehicle. Always back care-
fully straight down a hill in R (Reverse) gear. Never
back down a hill in N (Neutral) using only the brake.
Remember, never drive diagonally across a hill-always
drive straight up or down.
If the wheels start to slip as you approach the crest of a
hill, ease off the accelerator and maintain headway byturning the front wheels slowly left and right. This may
provide a fresh “bite” into the surface and will usually
provide traction to complete the climb.
Traction Downhill
Shift the transmission into a low gear and the transfer
case to 4L or 4LO range. Let the vehicle go slowly down
the hill with all four wheels turning against engine
compression drag. This will permit you to control the
vehicle speed and direction.
When descending mountains or hills, repeated braking
can cause brake fade with loss of braking control. Avoid
repeated heavy braking by downshifting the transmis-
sion whenever possible.
252 STARTING AND OPERATING

Do not use alcohol or gasoline as a fuel blending
agent. They can be unstable under certain conditions
and hazardous or explosive when mixed with diesel
fuel.
To avoid fuel spillage and overfilling, do not “top
off” the fuel tank after filling.
CAUTION!
DO NOT put gasoline in your diesel vehicle (if
equipped). If you accidentally put gasoline in your
vehicle, DO NOT start the engine. This will cause
damage to the fuel system. Have the fuel system
flushed.

Transmission damage may occur if the automatic
transmission is shifted into P (Park) with the transfer
case in N (Neutral) and the engine running. With the
transfer case in N (Neutral) ensure that the engine is
OFF prior to shifting the transmission into P (Park)
(refer to steps7 – 8 above).
Shifting Out Of Neutral (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage.
1. Shift transmission into N (Neutral).
2. Turn engine off.
3. Shift transfer case lever to desired position.
4. Shift automatic transmission into P (Park).
288 STARTING AND OPERATING