2008 Jeep Patriot Owner's Manual - Page 276

274 STARTING AND OPERATING WARNING! Never use tow straps with end hooks or link two straps with a clevis pin. These heavy metal objects could become projectiles if a strap breaks, which could cause severe injury. Never leave more than 2 to 3 ft (61 to 91 cm) of slack in the strap. More slack than this greatly increases the risk of injury and vehicle damage. Always keep everyone at least 30 ft (9 m) away from a strapping or winching situation. After Driving Off-Road Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than does most on-road driving. After driving off-road, it is always a good idea to check for damage. • Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle. Check tires, body structure, steering, suspension, and exhaust system for damage. • Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and suspension. Retighten them, if required, and torque to the values specified in the Service Manual. • Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These things could be a fire hazard, or they might hide damage to fuel lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and propeller shafts. • After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or similar dirty conditions, have brake drums and rotors, brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and cleaned as soon as possible. • If you experience unusual vibration after driving in mud, slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for packed material. Packed foreign material can cause a wheel imbalance and cleaning the wheels will correct the situation.