2009 Jeep Patriot Owner's Manual - Page 261

STARTING AND OPERATING 259 Fully depress the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As you release the clutch pedal, lightly depress the accelerator pedal. Use each gear in numerical order, do not skip a gear. Be sure the transaxle is in 1st gear, (not 3rd), when starting from a standing position. Damage to the clutch can result from starting in 3rd gear. For most city driving, you will find it easier to use only the lower gears. For steady highway driving with light accelerations, 5th gear is recommended. Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, and never try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal partially engaged. This will cause abnormal wear on the clutch. Never shift into REVERSE until the vehicle has come to a complete stop. 5 Shift Pattern NOTE: During cold weather, until the transaxle lubricant is warm, you may experience slightly higher shift efforts. This is normal and not harmful to the transaxle.