Jeep 2012 Patriot - Owner Manual - Manual (Page 319)

CAUTION!
Water ingestion into the transaxle, transfer case,
engine or vehicle interior can occur if you drive too
fast or through too deep of water. Water can cause
permanent damage to engine, driveline or other
vehicle components and your brakes will be less
effective once wet and/or muddy.
Before You Cross Any Type Of Water
As you approach any type of water you need to determine
if you can cross it safely and responsibly. If necessary, get
out and walk through the water or probe it with a stick.
You need to be sure of its depth, approach angle, current
and bottom condition. Be careful of murky or muddy
waters, check for hidden obstacles. Make sure you will
not be intruding on any wildlife and you can recover the
vehicle if necessary. The key to a safe crossing is the water
depth, current and bottom conditions. On soft bottoms
the vehicle will sink in, effectively increasing the water
level on the vehicle. Be sure to consider this when
determining the depth and the ability to safely cross.
Crossing Puddles, Pools, Flooded Areas Or Other
Standing Water
Puddles, pools, flooded or other standing water areas
normally contain murky or muddy waters. These water
types normally contain hidden obstacles and make it
difficult to determine an accurate water depth, approach
angle, and bottom condition. Murky or muddy water
holes are where you want to hook up tow straps prior to
entering. This makes for a faster, cleaner and easier
vehicle recovery. If you are able to determine you can
safely cross, than proceed using the low and slow method.
CAUTION!
Muddy waters can reduce the cooling system effec-
tiveness by depositing debris onto the radiator.
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