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WHO READS OWNERS MANUALS? i GOTS TO KNOW

Higher_Ground

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I read most of the manual the first few days, but refer back to it as needed. I agree about the manuals being tailored to each model. It's got to cost a lot of money to make and keep these things up to date, but that is all in proportion to the cost and complexity of these machines.

I much prefer actual paper to pdf. I keep hearing about the "search function" - they used to call it an index, and any reference book worth its price should have a thorough one.

That being said the manual isn't all encompassing, and this forum helps to fill in the blanks. I could not find out what the holes directly behind the tie-downs near the cab are for. Still don't know.
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DLAW

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Oh you mean the "which terminal is the hot one on the trailer connector" sort of explanation in the book?
(answered not only in the book - but since it's standard, one can Google "7 pin trailer connector" and get a huge nice color-coded picture, too)

I had the screen icons under control as my wife's Grand Cherokees have shared the same setup and my son wasted no time at all customizing his. He always hates factory configurations for anything.

But when the power went out for a week after our derecho here, I did need to refer back to the book to find what the timeout was for the various ports as I needed a way to charge phones and hearing aids. I had the outlets in both Jeeps in use for a while that week.
A month ago, I was trying to put Christmas lights on the back bumper and thought maybe I could tap into the trailer plugs. So the manual made me understand that it was in fact possible. I've never used a 7 PIN before so it was nice to learn from the manual that it has options for 'power when lights are on' only. I just bought a cheap $5 wire-yourself 7-pin plug. Wired it up to a tiny inverter for the 5 watt lights and I was done.

I would have used the constant 12v+ pin (thinking it just turns on with the ignition-run) but when I was testing with the multi-meter, with the truck off, it was still reading as connected to the battery. In hindsight, I think my auto-lights or something else just didn't get a chance to time out yet...I'm not sure. But I didn't want to risk having a power draw directly on the battery at all times. So I went with the "lights on" pin instead.
 

ShadowsPapa

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I've thought that, too. It would seem the technology exists to print one corresponding to the actual equipment in one's own Jeep.

But maybe there is some advantage to FCA to print only universal manuals.. For one, the customer might decide to add a factory option after the fact after reading about it in the manual. Or add that option when buying a new Jeep down the road.
It's been that way since, well, before I was driving. Some owner manuals actually covered more than one model car!

This one, for example - 199, 232, 287 or 327 engine?
automatic on column or on floor?
Twin stick or not?
Overdrive or not?
Manual floor shift or column shift?
Convertable, hardtop or sedan or wagon?
AC or not?
Reclining bucket seats or bench seats?
If a wagon, did you get the seat brackets that convert the interior into one huge flat sleeping area?
Power windows or not?
Which radio?
This is one example........... I have dozens.
And for Jeeps, it's been that way for years even with the Grand Cherokee and other models. Do you have the full size spare (now comes only with the tow package) or the compact spare? Air ride or not? Which headlights - halogen, HID, LED? Lane departure warning or no?

I guess you are supposed to know what you bought, and if any questions, that's what the sales person is for - however, I find most of them quite lacking in knowledge of options and equipment.

Jeep Gladiator WHO READS OWNERS MANUALS? i GOTS TO KNOW 20201231_094824
 

DreamedofaJeepSomeday

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I guess you are supposed to know what you bought, and if any questions, that's what the sales person is for - however, I find most of them quite lacking in knowledge of options and equipment.
When I first went into the showroom, I selected a young woman salesperson. Why? 1) I like women, and 2) Women are (usually) less agressive in selling, and 3) I figured since I knew what I wanted anyway, might as well let the newer salesperson earn the commission.

First question I asked that she did not know the answer to, she called on their "Jeep expert". Unfortunately, turns out he knew less about Gladiator than I did. Of course, at that point I had been reading Forum posts for two months.
 

DreamedofaJeepSomeday

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Oh you mean the "which terminal is the hot one on the trailer connector" sort of explanation in the book?
. . . one can Google "7 pin trailer connector" and get a huge nice color-coded picture, too)
I did, and found there are more than one "standard". So more reason to read the Jeep manual.
 

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ShadowsPapa

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I did, and found there are more than one "standard". So more reason to read the Jeep manual.
Don't know where you got that info, but for years, the pinout has been the same. Now maybe you found a pic of the "outlet" on the truck vs. the plug on the trailer itself. I see some post one, while others post the other. Otherwise, they are the same, they must be otherwise you could very easily FRY something. There's no way you could have the same exact plug with different wire destinations without some damage.

There's one standard. According to etrailer, the difference is wire color, but FUNCTION is the same.

Jeep Gladiator WHO READS OWNERS MANUALS? i GOTS TO KNOW 7-way-trailer
 
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ZTMAN

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My son picked up a new to him 2019 F150 last night. Stopped by to show me the truck and said he was going home to read the manual. Brought a tear to my eye. Was the first time he negotiated and bought a vehicle on his own, and I was happy to hear is was going to read the manual
 

Empty Pockets

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I do. Cover-to-cover. Doesn’t matter if it’s a new car, power tool, whatever. Probably the reason I write the manuals for my company’s products.
 

DreamedofaJeepSomeday

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Don't know where you got that info, but for years, the pinout has been the same.
Where I got it is doing what you suggested. Here are two examples.

Jeep Gladiator WHO READS OWNERS MANUALS? i GOTS TO KNOW 1


Jeep Gladiator WHO READS OWNERS MANUALS? i GOTS TO KNOW 2b


Not only are some assignments different, but so are some colors.
 

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SwampNut

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Those are all identical, so I'm not sure what you're saying. All trailers and all vehicles with the 7-way round connector are fully compatible. All trailers with the 4-way flat are compatible with all vehicles that have that. They are always the same, and pretty sure they always have been.
 

DreamedofaJeepSomeday

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Those are all identical, so I'm not sure what you're saying. All trailers and all vehicles with the 7-way round connector are fully compatible. All trailers with the 4-way flat are compatible with all vehicles that have that. They are always the same, and pretty sure they always have been.
Auxiliary is the same as reverse? Red same as yellow? etc.
 

SwampNut

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The colors are meaningless, and yes, aux and reverse are the same. Have you ever had to rewire a trailer just to connect it to any vehicle? I've towed a lot of things with a lot of other things, and never had to.
 

DreamedofaJeepSomeday

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The colors are meaningless, and yes, aux and reverse are the same. Have you ever had to rewire a trailer just to connect it to any vehicle? I've towed a lot of things with a lot of other things, and never had to.
No need to continue. My only point was that the images with nomenclature and colors you find online are not all the same. To a neophyte, this can be confusing.
 

SwampNut

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Ah, interesting point, fair enough.

I would have used the constant 12v+ pin (thinking it just turns on with the ignition-run) but when I was testing with the multi-meter, with the truck off, it was still reading as connected to the battery.
That's what "constant" means; always on. Every vehicle I've had leaves this connected to the battery at all times. If you leave your camping trailer connected and kill its battery, then your vehicle battery is dead too. Conversely, if you have a generator in your RV trailer, you can also charge the vehicle.
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