automatic transmission JEEP WRANGLER 2009 JK / 3.G Owner's Manual

Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked, and
the shift lever is in the PARK position (automatic trans-
mission), or REVERSE, or first gear (manual transmis-
sion). When parking on a hill, you should apply the
parking brake before placing the shift lever in PARK;
otherwise, the load on the transmission locking mecha-
nism may make it difficult to move the shifter out of
PARK.
WARNING!
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also, be certain to leave an automatic
transmission in PARK, a manual transmission in
REVERSE or first gear. Failure to do so may allow
the vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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
seriously or fatally injured. Do not leave the key in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
The parking brake should always be applied whenever
the driver is not in the vehicle.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is designed to aid the
driver in maintaining vehicle control under adverse
braking conditions. The system operates with a separate
316 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Gear selection matches vehicle uphill direction (i.e.,
vehicle facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle back-
ing uphill is in REVERSE gear).
WARNING!
There may be situations on minor hills (i.e., less than
8%), with a loaded vehicle, or while pulling a trailer
where the system will not activate and slight rolling
may occur, which could cause a collision with an-
other vehicle or object. Always remember the driver
is responsible for braking the vehicle.
The system will only work if the intended direction of the
vehicle and vehicle gear match. For example, if the
intended direction is forward up a hill and the vehicle is
in DRIVE (automatic transmission equipped vehicle),
and the activation criteria are met, HSA will activate.
HSA on Automatic Transmission Vehicles
The system will work in REVERSE, and all forward gears
on vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission.
The system will not activate if the vehicle is placed in
NEUTRAL.
HSA on Manual Transmission Vehicles
The system will work in REVERSE, forward gears, and
NEUTRAL on manual transmission equipped vehicles.
The system does not recognize NEUTRAL on manual
vehicles, thus it will hold the vehicle on an incline for a
short period while in NEUTRAL, regardless of clutch
position. To prevent this, do not attempt to roll down a
hill simply by putting the transmission in NEUTRAL and
letting gravity act on the vehicle, as the HSA will prevent
the vehicle from rolling. Instead, use the appropriate gear
for moving in the desired direction.
322 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING! (Continued)
•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance or dam-
age to the brakes, axle, engine, transmission, steer-
ing, suspension, chassis structure or tires.
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to
the frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch.
Cross the chains under the trailer tongue and
allow enough slack for turning corners.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a
grade. When parking, apply the parking brake on
the tow vehicle. Put the tow vehicle automatic
transmission in PARK. With a manual transmis-
sion, shift the transmission into first gear. And
with four-wheel-drive vehicles, make sure the
transfer case is not in N (Neutral). Always, block
orchock the trailer wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 377

Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.
If using a manual transmission vehicle for trailer towing,
all starts must be in first gear to avoid excessive clutch
slippage.
Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, the
“O/D OFF” feature should be selected.
NOTE:Using “O/D OFF” while operating the vehicle
under heavy operating conditions will improve perfor-
mance and extend transmission life by reducing exces-
sive shifting and heat build up. This action will also
provide better engine braking. The automatic transmission fluid and filter should be
changed if you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than
45 minutes of continuous operation. Refer to the “Main-
tenance Schedule” in Section 8 for the proper mainte-
nance intervals.
NOTE:
Check the automatic transmission fluid level
before towing.
O/D Off
To reduce the potential for automatic transmission over-
heating, select the “O/D OFF” feature when driving in
hilly areas or shift the transmission to DRIVE position 2
on more severe grades. Refer to “Automatic Transmis-
sion” in this section.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 381

Towing – Four-Wheel Drive Models
NOTE:The transfer case must be shifted into N (Neu-
tral), automatic transmission must be shifted into PARK,
and manual transmission must be placed in gear (not in
NEUTRAL) for recreational towing.
Shifting Into Neutral (N)
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the N
(Neutral) position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case N (Neutral) position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from
the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to move,
even if the transmission is in PARK. The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle. Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in N (Neutral) before recre-
ational towing to prevent damage to internal parts.
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Press the brake pedal.
3. Shift the automatic transmission into NEUTRAL or
press the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
4. Shift the transfer case lever into N (Neutral).
5. Start the engine.
6. Shift the automatic transmission into DRIVE or the
manual transmission into gear.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 383

7. Release the brake pedal and ensure that there is no
vehicle movement.
8. Turn the engine off and turn the ignition switch to the
ACC position.
9. Shift the automatic transmission into PARK.
10. Apply the parking brake.
11. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle with the tow bar.
12. Release the parking brake.
13. Disconnect the negative battery cable, and secure it
away from the negative battery post.CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the trans-
mission is shifted into PARK with the transfer case in
N (Neutral) and the engine running. With the trans-
fer case in N (Neutral) ensure that the engine is off
prior to shifting the transmission into PARK (refer to
steps8–9above).
Shifting Out of Neutral (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage.
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Shift the automatic transmission into NEUTRAL or
press the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
3. Shift the transfer case lever into the desired position.
4. Start the engine.
384 STARTING AND OPERATING

5. Shift the automatic transmission into DRIVE or release
the clutch on manual transmissions.
NOTE:When shifting out of transfer case N (Neutral)
on automatic transmission-equipped vehicles, turning
the engine off may be required to avoid gear clash.CAUTION!
•Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on tow bar
on your vehicle. The bumper face bar will be
damaged.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 385

2. Set the parking brake.
3. Shift the automatic transmission into PARK, or a
manual transmission into REVERSE.
4. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
5. Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.6. Block both the front and rear of the
wheel diagonally opposite of the jack-
ing position. For example, if changing
the right front tire, block the left rear
wheel.
NOTE: Passengers should not remain in the vehicle
when the vehicle is being jacked.Jacking Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to
help prevent personal injury or damage to your
vehicle:
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far from
the edge of the roadway as possible before raising
the vehicle.
•Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to
be raised.
•Set the parking brake firmly and set an automatic
transmission in PARK; a manual transmission in
REVERSE.
•Never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a
jack.
(Continued)
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 391

1. Remove all metal jewelry such as watch bands or
bracelets which might make an unintended electrical
contact.
2. Park the booster vehicle within cable reach but with-
out letting the vehicles touch. Set the parking brake on
both vehicles, shift the automatic transmission into
PARK, or the manual transmission into NEUTRAL, and
turn the ignition to LOCK.
3. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal loads.
4. Connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive
terminal of the booster battery. Connect the other end of
the same cable to the positive terminal of the discharged
battery.WARNING!
Do not permit vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
5. Connect the other cable, first to the negative terminal
of the booster battery and then to the engine of the
vehicle with the discharged battery. Make sure you have
a good contact on the engine.
6. Start the engine in the vehicle which has the booster
battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, then start the
engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
7. When removing the jumper cables, reverse the above
sequence exactly. Be careful of the moving belts and fan.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 395

▫Brake System ....................... 421
▫ Automatic Transmission — If Equipped .... 423
▫ Hydraulic Clutch Fluid — Manual
Transmission ....................... 426
▫ Manual Transmission — If Equipped ...... 426
▫ Transfer Case — If Equipped ............ 426
▫ Front/Rear Axle Fluid ................. 427
▫ Maintenance After Off-Road Driving ...... 428
▫ Appearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion .......................... 428
 Fuses .............................. 436
▫ Totally Integrated Power Module ......... 436
 Vehicle Storage ....................... 442
 Replacement Bulbs .................... 443 
Bulb Replacement ..................... 444
▫ Headlamp ......................... 444
▫ Front Park/Turn Signal ................ 445
▫ Front Side Marker .................... 445
▫ Front Fog Lamp ..................... 445
▫ Rear Tail, Stop, Turn Signal, And Backup
Lamp ............................. 446
▫ Center High-Mounted Stop Lamp
(CHMSL) .......................... 446
 Fluid Capacities ...................... 447
 Fluids, Lubricants And Genuine Parts ....... 448
▫ Engine ............................ 448
▫ Chassis ........................... 449
400 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE