2008 Jeep Patriot Owner's Manual - Page 140

138 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE HDC has the capability to sense terrain and will only activate when the vehicle is descending a hill. It will not activate on level ground. If desired, HDC can be fully deactivated by putting the vehicle into ESP "Full Off" mode. This is done by pressing and holding the ESP OFF button for five seconds. Refer to "Electronic Stability Program (ESP)" in this section of the manual. HDC operation can be overridden with brake application to slow the vehicle down below the HDC control speed. Conversely, if more speed is desired during HDC control, the accelerator pedal will increase vehicle speed like normal. When either the brake or the accelerator is released, HDC will control the vehicle back to the original set speed. HDC is only intended for low speed off-road driving. At vehicle speeds above 31 mph (50 km/h) HDC will no longer function. If the HDC indicator light begins to flash this indicates that the brakes are getting too hot and the vehicle should be stopped to allow the brakes to cool. WARNING! HDC is only intended to assist the driver in controlling vehicle speed when descending hills. The driver must remain attentive to the driving conditions and is responsible for maintaining a safe vehicle speed. Electronic Stability Program (ESP) This system enhances directional control and stability of the vehicle under various driving conditions. ESP corrects for over-steering or under-steering of the vehicle by applying the brake of the appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting the over-steering or under-steering condition. Engine power may also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the desired path. ESP uses sensors in the