2010 Jeep Commander Owner's Manual - Page 263

STARTING AND OPERATING 263 Driving in Snow, Mud and Sand In heavy snow, when pulling a load, or for additional control at slower speeds, shift the transmission to a low gear and shift the transfer case to 4WD LOW if necessary. Refer to "Four-Wheel Drive Operation" in this section. Do not shift to a lower gear than necessary to maintain forward motion. Over-revving the engine can spin the wheels and traction will be lost. Avoid abrupt downshifts on icy or slippery roads, because engine braking may cause skidding and loss of control. Hill Climbing NOTE: Before attempting to climb a hill, determine the conditions at the crest and/or on the other side. If you stall or begin to lose forward motion while climbing a steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and immediately apply the brakes. Restart the engine, and shift into REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill, allowing the compression braking of the engine to help regulate your speed. If the brakes are required to control vehicle speed, apply them lightly and avoid locking or skidding the tires. WARNING! If the engine stalls, you lose forward motion, 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. Always back carefully straight down a hill in REVERSE gear. Never back down a hill in NEUTRAL using only the brake. 5 Before climbing a steep hill, shift the transmission to a lower gear and shift the transfer case to 4WD LOW. Use Remember, never drive diagonally across a hill always first gear and 4WD LOW for very steep hills. drive straight up or down.