JEEP PATRIOT 2008 1.G Owners Manual

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the key in the
ignition. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
Manual Transmission
Before starting the engine fully apply the parking brake,
press the clutch pedal to the floor, and place the shift
lever in NEUTRAL.NOTE:The engine will not start unless the clutch pedal
is pressed to the floor.
NOTE:If the key won’t turn and the steering wheel is
locked, rotate the wheel in either direction to relieve
pressure on the locking mechanism and then turn the
key.
Automatic Transmission
The shift lever must be in the PARK or NEUTRAL
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting to any driving gear.
NOTE:You must press the brake pedal before shifting
out of PARK.
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5

Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine does
not require pumping or depressing the accelerator pedal.
Simply turn the ignition switch to the START position
and release when the engine starts. If the engine fails to
start within 15 seconds, turn the ignition switch to the
OFF position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the
normal starting procedure.WARNING!
Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
axle cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel could
enter the catalytic converter and once the engine has
started, ignite and damage the converter and vehicle.
If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster cables
may be used to obtain a start from another vehicle.
This type of start can be dangerous if done improp-
erly, so follow the procedure carefully. See Section 6
of this manual for jump-starting instructions.
Extremely Cold Weather (Below
20°F Or
29°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
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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. Crank the engine for no more than 15 seconds. This
should clear any excess fuel in case the engine is flooded.
Leave the ignition key in the ON position, release the
accelerator pedal and repeat the “Normal Starting” pro-
cedure.
WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
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.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
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5

MANUAL TRANSAXLE — IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.
Fully depress the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As
you release the clutch pedal, lightly depress the accelera-
tor pedal.
Use each gear in numerical order, do not skip a gear. Be
sure the transaxle is in 1st gear, (not 3rd), when starting
from a standing position. Damage to the clutch can result
from starting in 3rd gear.
5-Speed Shift Pattern
242 STARTING AND OPERATING

For most city driving, you will find it easier to use only
the lower gears. For steady highway driving with light
accelerations, 5th gear is recommended.
Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal,
and never try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch
pedal partially engaged. This will cause abnormal wear
on the clutch.
Never shift into REVERSE until the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
NOTE:During cold weather, until the transaxle lubri-
cant is warm, you may experience slightly higher shift
efforts. This is normal and not harmful to the transaxle.Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transaxle for optimal fuel economy,
it should be upshifted as listed in the following table.
Manual Transaxle Recommended Shift Speeds
Units in mph (km/h)
Engine
SizeAccel-
eration
Rate1to2 2to3 3to4 4to5
All En-
ginesAccel 14 (23) 23 (37) 29 (47) 45 (72)
Cruise 12 (19) 18 (29) 25 (40) 32 (52)
Downshifting
Proper downshifting will improve fuel economy and
prolong engine life.
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5

CAUTION!
If you skip more than one gear while downshifting
or downshift at too high a vehicle speed, you could
damage the engine, transmission, or clutch.
To maintain a safe speed and prolong brake life, shift
down to 2nd or 1st gear when descending a steep grade.
When turning a corner or driving up a steep grade,
downshift early so that the engine will not be overbur-
dened.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE — IF EQUIPPED
Automatic Shift Lever
244 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
Damage to the transaxle may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
•Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.NOTE:You MUST press and hold the brake pedal down
while shifting out of PARK.
WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the shift lever out of PARK or
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 right foot is
firmly on the brake pedal.
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Brake/Transmission Interlock System
This system prevents you from moving the shift lever out
of PARK and into any gear unless the brake pedal is
pressed. This system is active only while the ignition
switch is in the ON or ACC positions. Always depress the
brake pedal first,before moving the shift lever out of
PARK.
NOTE:If a malfunction occurs, the transaxle will not
shift out of PARK. Battery power is required to release the
brake/transmission interlock system. There is a remov-
able plug in the right side of the shift lever housing that
allows you to insert your finger to override the system.
The key must be in the ignition and in the ON position to
use the override lever. If this occurs obtain service as
soon as possible.
Automatic Transaxle Ignition Interlock System
This system prevents the key from being removed unless
the shift lever is in PARK. It also prevents shifting out of
PARK unless the key is in the ACC or ON position, and
the brake pedal is depressed.
NOTE:If a malfunction occurs, the system will trap the
key in the ignition cylinder to warn you that this safety
feature is inoperable. The engine can be started and
stopped, but the key cannot be removed, until you obtain
service.
Gear Ranges For Continuously Variable
Automatic Transaxle (CVT)
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL positions into another gear range.
246 STARTING AND OPERATING

PARK
Supplements the parking brake by locking the transmis-
sion. The engine can be started in this range. Never use
PARK while the vehicle is in motion. Apply the parking
brake when leaving the vehicle in this range. Always
apply the parking brake first, and then place the shift
lever in the PARK position.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 always
shift the vehicle into 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 PARK position, securing the
vehicle against unwanted movement. Furthermore,
you should never leave unattended children inside a
vehicle.
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The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the transmission shift lever into the
PARK position:
•When shifting into PARK, firmly move the shift lever
all the way forward until it stops.
•Look at the shift indicator window on the shift lever
bezel to ensure it is in the PARK position.
•You must depress the brake pedal to move the shift
lever out of the PARK position.
CAUTION!
Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you must
turn the ignition from LOCK to ON so the steering
wheel and shift lever are released. Otherwise, dam-
age to the steering column or shift lever could result.
You must also depress the brake pedal.
REVERSE
Shift into this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
NEUTRAL
The engine may be started in this range.
DRIVE
This should be used for most driving and provides the
best ratio for optimum drivability, fuel economy, and
performance.
LOW
This range should be used for maximum engine braking
when descending steep grades. In this range, the trans-
axle will ratio up only to prevent transaxle damage or
engine over-speed, while ratio down will occur as early
as possible
248 STARTING AND OPERATING