Jeep 2011 Patriot - User Guide - Manual (Page 52)

IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
• In any of the following situations, you can reduce the potential for overheating by
taking the appropriate action.
• 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 (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C system adds heat to the engine
cooling system and turning the A/C off can help remove 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.
• If the temperature reading does not return to normal, turn the engine off immediately.
• We recommend that you do not operate the vehicle or engine damage will occur. Have
the vehicle serviced immediately.
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.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam
from your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming from under the hood, do not
open the hood until the radiator has had time to cool. Never try to open a cooling
system pressure cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING
• During sustained high speed driving or trailer towing up long grades on hot days, the
automatic transmission oil may become too hot.
• When the transmission overheat warning light turns on, you will experience
reduced performance until the automatic transmission cools down. Once the
transmission has cooled down and the light turns off, you may continue to drive
normally. If the high speed is maintained, the overheating will continue to occur.
• If the overheating continues, it may become necessary to stop the vehicle and run
the engine at idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL until the light turns off.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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