2010 Jeep Patriot Owner's Manual - Page 310

STARTING AND OPERATING 309 is on the hill side trail. Is the trail straight up and down? What is on top and the other side? Are there ruts, rocks, branches or other obstacles on the path? Can you safely recover the vehicle if something goes wrong? If everything looks good and you feel confident, then you should use low (L Off-Road) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and proceed with caution maintaining your momentum as you climb the hill. Driving Up Hill Once you have determined your ability to proceed and have shifted into the appropriate gear, line your vehicle up for the straightest possible run. Accelerate with an easy constant throttle and apply more power as you start up the hill. Do not race forward into a steep grade, the abrupt change of grade could cause you to lose control. If the front end begins to bounce, ease off the throttle slightly to bring all four tires back on the ground. As you approach the crest of the hill ease off the throttle and slowly proceed over the top. If the wheels start to slip as you approach the crest of a hill, ease off the accelerator and maintain headway by turning the steering wheel no more than a 1/4 turn quickly back and forth. This will provide a fresh bite into the surface and will usually provide enough traction to complete the climb. If you do not make it to the top, place the vehicle in REVERSE and back straight down the grade using engine resistance along with the vehicle brakes. WARNING! Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn around on a steep grade. Driving across an incline increases the risk of a rollover, which may result in severe injury. Driving Down Hill Before driving down a steep hill you need to determine if it is too steep for a safe descent. What is the surface traction? Is the grade too steep to maintain a slow 5