Jeep Compass Operating Information Manual page 154

WARNING!
Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL.
Use vehicle brakes in conjunction with en-
gine braking. Descending a grade too fast
could cause you to lose control and be
seriously injured or killed.
Driving Across An Incline
If at all possible avoid driving across an incline.
If it is necessary, know your vehicle's abilities.
Driving across an incline places more weight on
the down-hill wheels, which increases the pos-
sibilities of a down-hill slide or rollover. Make
sure the surface has good traction with firm and
stable soils. If possible transverse the incline at
an angle heading slightly up or down.
WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of
a rollover, which may result in severe injury.
If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway
If you stall or begin to lose headway while
climbing a steep hill, allow your vehicle to come
to a stop and immediately apply the brake.
Restart the engine and shift to REVERSE. Back
slowly down the hill allowing engine and hill
descent braking to control the descent and
apply your brakes if necessary, but do not allow
the tires to lock.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls or you lose headway or
cannot make it to the top of a steep hill or
grade, never attempt to turn around. To do so
may result in tipping and rolling the vehicle,
which may result in severe injury. Always
back carefully straight down a hill in RE-
VERSE gear. Never back down a hill in
NEUTRAL using only the vehicle brakes.
Never drive diagonally across a hill, always
drive straight up or down.
Driving Through Water
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type
of water. Water crossings should be avoided if
possible, and only be attempted when neces-
sary in a safe responsible manner. You should
only drive through areas which are designated
and approved. You should tread lightly and
avoid damage to the environment. You should
know your vehicles abilities and be able to
recover it if something goes wrong. You should
never stop or shut a vehicle off when crossing
deep water unless you ingested water into the
engine air intake. If the engine stalls, do not
attempt to restart it. Determine if it has ingested
water first. The key to any crossing is low and
slow. You want to use low (L Off-Road [if
equipped] ) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and
proceed very slowly with a constant slow speed
(3-5 mph [5–8 km/h] maximum) and light
throttle. Keep the vehicle moving; do not try to
accelerate through the crossing. After crossing
any water higher than the bottom of the axle
differentials, you should inspect all of the vehicle
fluids for signs of water ingestion.
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 compo-
nents 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 respon-
sibly. 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.
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