2008 Jeep Commander Owner Manual - Page 284

284 STARTING AND OPERATING WARNING! Never use P (Park) position as a substitute for the parking brake. Always apply parking brake fully when parked to guard against vehicle movement and possible injury or damage. R (Reverse) Use this range only after the vehicle has come to a complete stop. N (Neutral) Shift into N (Neutral) when the vehicle is standing for prolonged periods with the engine running. The engine may be started in this range. Set the parking brake if you must leave the vehicle. NOTE: Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other reason with selector lever in N (Neutral) can result in severe transmission damage. Refer to "Recreational Towing" in Section 5 and "Towing a Disabled Vehicle" in Section 6 of this manual. D (Drive) Shift into D (Drive) only when the vehicle is at a complete stop and the brakes are firmly applied. The transmission automatically upshifts through fifth gear. The D (Drive) position provides optimum driving characteristics under all normal operating conditions. WARNING! It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift into gear when the engine is idling normally and when your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.