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Jeep 2014 Compass - Owner Manual User Manual

Page 341

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NOTE:

Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the

ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
that limit your response to changing traffic or road
conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and
have a collision.

CAUTION!

Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting and Operating” and “Towing a
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.

DRIVE (D)

This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission

automatically upshifts through underdrive first, second,
third, and fourth gears, direct fifth gear and overdrive
sixth gear. The DRIVE position provides optimum driv-
ing characteristics under all normal operating conditions.

When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or
while towing heavy trailers), use the AutoStick® shift
control (refer to “AutoStick®” in this section for further
information) to select a lower gear. Under these condi-
tions, using a lower gear will improve performance and
extend transmission life by reducing excessive shifting
and heat buildup.

If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operat-
ing limits, the transmission controller will modify the
transmission shift schedule and expand the range of
torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to
prevent transmission damage due to overheating. If the

5

STARTING AND OPERATING

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