4 Wheel Drive/SUVs: 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4 x 4, jeep grand cherokee, 2008 jeep grand cherokee

Question
I have an automatic 4 x 4 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2008. Below the "D" on my "gear stick" I have a plus and minus sign. I am able to move the shifter left or right and it will lower the number to 1 or increase to 4 and then Drive. What is that doing? Am I putting in in 4 x 4 drive? I have a button I can press that allows for all wheel stability when roads are wet. Can you tell me if I am shifting automatically into 4 x 4? If not, how do I use the 4 x 4 system? What exactly am I shifting up and down for and what does that do? Is there a certain number I need to shift up or down to when in drive in certain road conditions? Any help you can provide to enlighten me on all this will be extremely helpful.

Thank you,
Leigh

Answer
Leigh,

The "D" stands for Drive in an automatic transmission.  The left and right on the shifter allows you to manually shift the transmission through the gears, first, second, third and fourth.  The numbers tell you which gear you are in.  Shifting to the left, usually down shifts to the lower gears, while moving the lever to the right will up shift to the higher gear ratios.  This can be used for more power when climbing steep grades, or compression for less brake use when going down steep grades.

There are several models of the Grand Cherokee in this year.  Without knowing which model you have, I wouldn't know which transfer case you have.  

It sounds like you may have a single range transfer case.  If this is the case, then the all wheel stability would shift it into a full time 4-wheel drive mode.

If you have a quadra-drive transfer case you would have a full time 4-wheel high range mode, and a part time low range 4-wheel drive mode.

If you can try to obtain an owner's manual for your Jeep.  It will explain all of the shifting techniques and uses for your model.

Carl