2010 Jeep Compass Owner Manual - Page 292

STARTING AND OPERATING 291 WARNING! • Driving through standing water limits your vehicle's traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through standing water. • Driving through standing water limits your vehicle's braking capabilities, which increases stopping distances. Therefore, after driving through standing water, drive slowly and lightly press on the brake pedal several times to dry the brakes. • Getting water inside your vehicle's engine can cause it to lock up and stall out, and leave you stranded. • Failure to follow these warnings may result in injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your passengers, and others around you. ON-ROAD DRIVING TIPS Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and a narrower track to make them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design characteristics give them a higher center of gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better view of the road, allowing you to anticipate problems. They are not designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional two-wheel drive vehicles any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily in off-road conditions. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover. POWER STEERING The standard power steering system will give you good vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability 5