2011 Jeep Patriot Owner Manual - Page 395

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 393 FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE NOTE: If your vehicle is equipped with Traction ConIf your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it trol or Electronic Stability Control (ESC), turn the system can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your OFF before attempting to "rock" the vehicle. steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the CAUTION! front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE/ 1st gear and REVERSE. Using minimal accelerator pedal • When "rocking" a stuck vehicle by moving bepressure to maintain the rocking motion, without spintween DRIVE/1st gear and REVERSE, do not spin ning the wheels, is most effective. the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may result. CAUTION! • Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to may lead to transmission overheating and failure. transmission overheating and failure. Allow the enIt can also damage the tires. Do not spin the gine to idle with the shift lever in NEUTRAL for at wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no least one minute after every five rocking-motion transmission shifting occurring). cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce the risk of transmission failure during prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle. 6