air conditioning JEEP WRANGLER 2008 JK / 3.G Owners Manual

▫Operating Instructions - Hands-Free Phone
(If Equipped) ........................257
▫ Operating Instructions - Video Entertainment
System (VES) (If Equipped) .............258
 CD/DVD Disc Maintenance ...............258
 Radio Operation And Cellular Phones ........258
 Climate Controls .......................259 ▫
Manual Heater Only ...................259
▫ Manual Air Conditioning And Heating System
— If Equipped .......................261
▫ Air Conditioning .....................264
▫ Operating Tips .......................265
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 203
4

Manual Air Conditioning and Heating System — If
Equipped
The controls for the heating/air conditioning and venti-
lation system in this vehicle consist of a series of rotary
knobs. These comfort controls can be set to obtain desired
interior conditions.The instrument panel features four airflow registers. Two
registers are located on the outer ends of the instrument
panel and two are located in the center of the instrument
panel. These registers can be closed to partially block
airflow, and they can be adjusted to direct airflow where
the occupant desires.
Mode Control
The mode control allows you
to choose from several pat-
terns of air distribution. You
can select either a primary
mode, as identified by the
symbols, or a blend of two of
these modes. The closer the
control is to a particular
mode, the more air distribu-
tion you receive from that
mode.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 261
4

PanelAir is directed through the outlets in the instrument
panel. These outlets can be adjusted to direct airflow.
Bi-Level Air is directed through the panel and floor outlets.
NOTE: There is a difference in temperature between the
upper and lower outlets for added comfort. The warmer
air goes to the floor outlets. This feature gives improved
comfort during sunny but cool conditions.
Floor Air is directed through the floor outlets and side
window demist outlets with a small amount
through the defrost outlet.
Mix Air is directed through the floor, defrost and side
window demist outlets. This setting works best in cold or snowy conditions that require extra heat at the
windshield. This setting is good for maintaining comfort
while reducing moisture on the windshield.
Defrost
Air is directed through the windshield and side
window demist outlets. Use this mode with maxi-
mum fan and temperature settings for best windshield
and side window defrosting.
NOTE: The air conditioning compressor operates in
both Mix and Defrost or a blend of these modes even if
the fan switch is not in the A/C position. This dehumidi-
fies the air to help dry the windshield. To improve fuel
economy, use these modes only when necessary.
262 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Blower Control
Use this control to regulate the
amount of air forced through the
system in any mode you select.
The fan speed increases as you
move the control to the right from
the OFF position.
Temperature Control
Use this control to regulate the
temperature of the air inside the
passenger compartment. The blue
area of the scale indicates cooler
temperatures while the red area
indicates warmer temperatures.NOTE:
If your air conditioning performance seems
lower than expected, check the front of the A/C con-
denser: located in front of the radiator, for an accumula-
tion of dirt or insects. Clean with a gentle water spray
from behind the radiator and through the condenser.
Fabric front fascia protectors may reduce air flow to the
condenser, reducing air conditioning performance.
Recirculation Control
Press this button to choose be-
tween outside air intake or recir-
culation of the air inside the ve-
hicle. A lamp will illuminate when
you are in “Recirculate” mode.
Only use the “Recirculate” mode
to temporarily block out any out-
side odors, smoke, or dust and to
cool the interior rapidly upon ini-
tial start up in very hot or humid weather.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 263
4

NOTE:Continuous use of the “Recirculate” mode may
make the inside air stuffy and window fogging may
occur. Extended use of this mode is not recommended.
In cold or damp weather, the use of the “Recirculate”
mode will cause windows to fog on the inside because of
moisture buildup inside the vehicle. For maximum de-
fogging, select the Outside Air position.
NOTE: The “Recirculate” mode will not operate in floor,
mix or defrost modes.Air Conditioning
Normal Operation
Press this button to engage the air
conditioning. A lamp will illumi-
nate when the air conditioning
system is engaged. Once the air
conditioning is engaged, use a
combination of the mode control,
fan speed control, and tempera-
ture control to achieve your de-
sired interior temperature.
NOTE: The air conditioning compressor will not engage
until the engine has been running for about 10 seconds.
264 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

MAX A/C
For maximum cooling, select ei-
ther the Panel or Bi-Level position
using the mode control. Then,
press the “A/C” and the “Recir-
culate” buttons so that both lamps
are illuminated, and set the tem-
perature control to its coolest set-
ting.
NOTE:
•Recirculation Mode will not operate in floor, mix or
defrost modes.
•Refer to “Recirculation Control” in this section, for
proper or extended use of this position.
Operating Tips
Window Fogging
Windows will fog on the inside when the humidity inside
the vehicle is high. This often occurs in mild or cool
temperatures when it’s rainy or humid. In most cases
turning on the air-conditioning (pressing the snowflake
button) will clear the fog. Adjust the temperature control,
air direction and blower speed to maintain comfort.
As the temperature gets colder it may be necessary to
direct air onto the windshield. Adjust the temperature
control and blower speed to maintain comfort. Higher
blower speeds will reduce fogging. Interior fogging on
the windshield can be quickly removed by selecting the
defrost mode.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 265
4

Regular cleaning of the inside of the windows with a
non-filming cleaning solution (vinegar and water works
very well) will help prevent contaminates (cigarette
smoke, perfumes, etc.) from sticking to the windows.
Contaminates increase the rate of window fogging.
Summer Operation
Air conditioned vehicles must be protected with a high
quality antifreeze 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 recommended. Refer to Fluids and
Genuine Parts in Section 7 for the proper coolant type.
When using the air conditioner in extremely heavy traffic
in hot weather especially when towing a trailer, addi-
tional engine cooling may be required. If this situation is
encountered, operate the transmission in a lower gear to
increase engine RPM, coolant flow and fan speed. When
stopped in heavy traffic, it may be necessary to shift intoNEUTRAL (N) and depress the accelerator slightly for
fast idle operation to increase coolant flow and fan speed.
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.
Vacation Storage
Anytime you store your vehicle, or keep it out of service
(i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run the air
conditioning system at idle for about five minutes in the
fresh air and high blower setting. This will ensure
adequate system lubrication to minimize the possibility
of compressor damage when the system is started again.
266 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Towing Tips — Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
refer to Cooling System Operating information in the
Maintenance section of this manual for more informa-
tion.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
CAUTION!
Front or rear wheel lifts should not be used. Internal
damage to the transmission or transfer case will occur
if a front or rear wheel lift is used when recreational
towing.
Towing – 2WD Models
Recreational towing is allowed ONLY if the rear drive-
shaft is removed. See your authorized dealer or refer to
the Service Manual. Towing with the rear wheels on the
ground while the driveshaft is connected can result in
severe transmission damage.
STARTING AND OPERATING 359
5

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, shift transmission into
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
is on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the engine cooling system and turning off the A/C
removes this heat. You can also turn the Temperature
Control to maximum heat, the Mode Control to floor, and
the Fan 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.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads HOT
(H), pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle
with the air conditioner turned off until the pointer
drops back into the normal range. If the pointer
remains on HOT (H), and you hear continuous
chimes, turn the engine off immediately, and call for
service.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 365
6

Air Conditioner Maintenance
For best possible performance, your air conditioner
should be checked and serviced by an authorized dealer
at the start of each warm season. This service should
include cleaning of the condenser fins and a performance
test. Drive belt tension should also be checked at this
time.WARNING!
•Use only refrigerants and compressor lubricants
approved by the manufacturer for your air condi-
tioning system. Some unapproved refrigerants are
flammable and can explode, injuring you. Other
unapproved refrigerants or lubricants can cause
the system to fail, requiring costly repairs. Refer to
Section 3 of the Warranty Information Book for
further warranty information.
•The air conditioning system contains refrigerant
under high pressure. To avoid risk of personal
injury or damage to the system, adding refrigerant
or any repair requiring lines to be disconnected
should be done by an experienced repairman.
390 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE