JEEP LIBERTY 2006 KJ / 1.G Owners Manual

Summer Operation
Air conditioned equipped vehicle’s cooling systems must
be protected with a high quality engine coolant during
summer to provide proper corrosion protection and to
raise the boiling point of the coolant for protection
against overheating. A 50% concentration is recom-
mended.
Winter Operation
When operating the system during the winter months,
make sure the air intake, located directly in front of the
windshield, is free of ice, slush, snow, or other obstruc-
tions.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 211
4

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS

Starting Procedures .....................217
▫ Manual Transmission ..................217
▫ Automatic Transmission ................217
▫ Normal Starting — Gasoline Engines .......218
▫ Normal Starting — Diesel Engines .........219
▫ Diesel Fuel-Water Separator ..............221
▫ Re-Priming The Diesel Fuel System ........222

Engine Block Heater — If Equipped .........223

Transmission Shifting ....................224 ▫
6-Speed Manual Transmission ............224
▫ Automatic Transmission ................227
▫ Rocking The Vehicle ...................233

Four-Wheel Drive Operation ...............234
▫ Command-Trac Operating
Information/Precautions ................234
▫ Shift Positions ........................236
▫ Shifting Procedure ....................237
▫ Selec-Trac Operating Information/Precautions —
If Equipped .........................238
5

▫Shift Positions ........................240
▫ Shifting Procedure ....................241

Trac-Lok™ Rear Axle — If Equipped .........243

Parking Brake .........................243

Anti-Lock Brake System — If Equipped .......245

Power Steering ........................247

On-Road Driving Tips ...................248

Off-Road Driving Tips ...................249
▫ When To Use 4L Or 4LO (Low) Range ......249
▫ Driving Through Water .................249
▫ Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand ..........250
▫ Hill Climbing ........................250
▫ Traction Downhill .....................251 ▫
After Driving Off-Road .................252

Tire Safety Information ...................253
▫ Tire Markings ........................253
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ..........256
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........257

Tires — General Information ...............261
▫ Tire Pressure .........................261
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................262
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation ....264
▫ Radial-Ply Tires ......................264
▫ Tire Spinning ........................264
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ..................265
▫ Life Of Tire .........................266
214 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Replacement Tires .....................266
▫ Alignment And Balance .................267

Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) —
If Equipped ...........................268
▫ Base System .........................268
▫ Premium System ......................270
▫ General Information ...................274

Tire Chains ...........................274

Tire Rotation Recommendations ............275

Fuel Requirements (Gasoline Engines) ........276
▫ Reformulated Gasoline .................277
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............277
▫ MMT In Gasoline .....................278 ▫
Materials Added To Fuel ................278
▫ Fuel System Cautions ..................278
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ..............279

Fuel Requirements (Diesel Engines) ..........280

Fuel Tank Filler Cap (Gas Cap) .............281
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............282

Trailer Towing .........................282
▫ Common Towing Definitions .............283
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification ...............285
▫ Trailer Towing Weights
(Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings) .........285
▫ Trailer And Tongue Weight ..............287
▫ Towing Requirements ..................288
STARTING AND OPERATING 215
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▫Towing Tips .........................292

Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 294
▫ Towing – 2WD Models .................294 ▫
Towing — 4WD Models ................294

Snow Plow ...........................297
216 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.
Manual Transmission
Apply the parking brake, place the gearshift control lever
in N (Neutral) and depress the clutch pedal before
starting vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a clutch
interlocking ignition system, which requires the clutch to
be fully depressed before starting the vehicle. 4WD Models Only
In 4L mode, this vehicle will start regardless of whether
or not the clutch pedal is pressed to the floor. This feature
enhances off-road performance by allowing the vehicle to
start when in 4L without having to depress the clutch
pedal. The 4 LO MODE indicator light will illuminate
when the transfer case has been shifted into this mode.
Automatic Transmission
Start the engine with the selector lever in the N (Neutral)
or P (Park) position. Apply the brake before shifting to
any driving range.
STARTING AND OPERATING 217
5

Normal Starting — Gasoline Engines
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.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.
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.
Ignition Key Positions
218 STARTING AND OPERATING

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.
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” procedure should
be repeated.
After Starting
The idle speed is automatically controlled and will de-
crease as the engine warms up.
Normal Starting — Diesel Engines
1. Turn the ignition key to the ON/RUN position.
2. Watch the “Glow Plug Indicator Light.” It will stay on
for a maximum of 2 seconds, depending on engine
temperature. When the “Glow Plug Indicator Light” goes
out, the engine is ready to start.
3. Do not press the accelerator. Turn the ignition key to
START and hold it in this position until the engine starts.
Starting and Operating Cautions — Diesel Engines
•
Under normal conditions, do notoperate the starter
for longer than 20 seconds at one time. At tempera-
tures below 5°F (
15°C), you may operate the starter
for up to 25 seconds at one time. Longer periods of
STARTING AND OPERATING 219
5

operation may result in starter or battery damage. If
the engine does not start at once, repeat Steps 1
through 4.
•Cold engine speeds higher than necessary for driving
or higher than specified for idling may damage engine
components.
•Before turning off your Diesel engine, always allow
the engine to return to normal idle speed and then run
for several seconds. This assures proper lubrication of
the turbocharger. This is particularly necessary after
periods of high speed driving.
•“Two-footed” driving is not recommended. Inadvert-
ently driving with the brake pedal depressed for more
than a few seconds when the accelerator pedal is held
in place can cause the ETC system to assume that a
stuck accelerator pedal has occurred. This will result in
a loss of power. Returning the brake pedal to its
normal position or moving the accelerator pedal will cancel this condition. If the depressed brake pedal and
the constant accelerator pedal position are maintained
for an extended period of time, the ETC warning light
will begin to flash and continue until the ignition
switch is cycled in the following manner. Cycle the
ignition key when the vehicle is safely and completely
stopped and the gear selector is placed in the P (Park)
position.
Turbocharger “Cool Down”
NOTE:
Letting the engine idle after extended operation
allows the turbine housing to cool to normal operating
temperature.
The following chart should be used as a guide in deter-
mining the amount of engine idle time required to
sufficiently cool down the turbocharger before shut
down, depending upon the type of driving and the
amount of cargo.
220 STARTING AND OPERATING