Tire Rotation Recommendations; Storing The Vehicle; Bodywork; Protection From Atmospheric Agents - Jeep Compass Operating Information Manual

Tire Rotation Recommendations

The tires on the front and rear of your vehicle
operate at different loads and perform different
steering, driving, and braking functions. For
these reasons, they wear at unequal rates.
These effects can be reduced by timely rotation
of tires. The benefits of rotation are especially
worthwhile with aggressive tread designs such
as those on all season type tires. Rotation will
increase tread life, help to maintain mud, snow
and wet traction levels, and contribute to a
smooth, quiet ride.
Refer to the "Service and Warranty Handbook"
for the proper maintenance intervals. The rea-
sons for any rapid or unusual wear should be
corrected prior to rotation being performed.
The suggested rotation method is the "forward
cross" shown in the following diagram. This
rotation pattern does not apply to some direc-
tional tires that must not be reversed.
Tire Rotation

STORING THE VEHICLE

If you will not be using your vehicle for more
than 21 days, you may want to take steps to
preserve your battery.
• Disengage the mini-fuse in the Power Distri-
bution Center labeled IOD (Ignition Off-
Draw).
• Or disconnect the negative cable from the
battery.
• 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.

BODYWORK

Protection From Atmospheric
Agents
Vehicle body care requirements vary according
to geographic locations and usage. Chemicals
that make roads passable in snow and ice and
those that are sprayed on trees and road sur-
faces during other seasons are highly corrosive
to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking,
which exposes your vehicle to airborne contami-
nants, road surfaces on which the vehicle is
operated, extreme hot or cold weather and other
extreme conditions will have an adverse effect
on paint, metal trim, and underbody protection.
The following maintenance recommendations
will enable you to obtain maximum benefit from
the corrosion resistance built into your vehicle.
What Causes Corrosion?
Corrosion is the result of deterioration or re-
moval of paint and protective coatings from your
vehicle.
The most common causes are:
• Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation.
• Stone and gravel impact.
• Insects, tree sap and tar.
• Salt in the air near seacoast localities.
• Atmospheric fallout/industrial pollutants.

Body And Underbody Maintenance

Cleaning Headlights
Your vehicle is equipped with plastic headlights
and fog lights that are lighter and less suscep-
tible to stone breakage than glass headlights.
Plastic is not as scratch resistant as glass and
therefore different lens cleaning procedures
must be followed.
To minimize the possibility of scratching the
lenses and reducing light output, avoid wiping
with a dry cloth. To remove road dirt, wash with
a mild soap solution followed by rinsing.
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