Can You Flat Tow a Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee can only be flat towed if equipped with the 4Lo drivetrain setting found on Quadra-Trac I, II, and Quadra-Drive II models.
Written by Kate Kirby
Edited by Pat Roache
You can only flat tow a Jeep Grand Cherokee if it’s equipped with the 4Lo drivetrain setting, which is currently only available on the Quadra-Trac I, II, and Quadra-Drive II models.
- Check your Jeep’s owner’s manual to verify that your Grand Cherokee is equipped with the proper drivetrain and compatible with flat towing.
- Trying to flat tow any Jeep Grand Cherokee that isn’t equipped with 4Lo could damage your vehicle and void your warranty.
- You’ll need to put your Jeep’s transfer case in Neutral for flat-towing—which is not the same as putting your transmission in Neutral.
- Check your Jeep’s owner’s manual to verify that your Grand Cherokee is equipped with the proper drivetrain and compatible with flat towing.
- Trying to flat tow any Jeep Grand Cherokee that isn’t equipped with 4Lo could damage your vehicle and void your warranty.
- You’ll need to put your Jeep’s transfer case in Neutral for flat-towing—which is not the same as putting your transmission in Neutral.
You can only flat tow Jeep Grand Cherokees with 4Lo
Check your
car owner’s manual
to see if your Jeep Grand Cherokee is equipped with low-range four-wheel drive (4Lo)—a high-torque 4-wheel-drive setting—and approved for flat towing.Why it matters: Only Jeep models equipped with 4Lo allow you to shift the transfer case into neutral while keeping the transmission in Park—a key step in flat-towing your Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Currently, these are the only Jeep Grand Cherokee drivetrains equipped with 4Lo:
- Quadra-Trac I
- Quadra-Trac II
- Quadra-Drive II
Proceed with caution: Flat towing a Jeep Grand Cherokee model that’s not approved for flat towing could damage it in many ways—and even
void the warranty
. Always check the owner’s manual for any exceptions to the 4Lo rule before flat towing your Grand Cherokee.
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How to flat tow a Jeep Grand Cherokee with 4Lo
Step 1: Gather the necessary parts
Here is a list of the parts you’ll need to properly flat tow your Jeep Grand Cherokee:
- Base plates
- Base plate adapter system
- Tow bar
- Supplemental braking system
- Stop light switch
- Tow bar wiring
- Safety cables
- Charge line kit
You may also want to consider some of the additional parts to ease the flat-towing process:
- High-low adapter
- Tow defender
- Rock guard
- Sentry deflector
- Tow bar cover
Pro tip Instead of purchasing each part individually, buy a flat towing kit that’s compatible with the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Some popular kits include the Complete Package by Roadmaster and eTrailer Package.
MORE:
How to install a tow bar
Step 2: Set up the tow kit
Read the instructions in your owner’s manual or your flat-towing kit carefully to install flat-towing equipment on your Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Step 3: Complete a safety check
After you have everything set up, double-check that each part is functional and safe to flat tow. Once you’re sure that everything is correctly in place, you’re all set to flat tow your Jeep Grand Cherokee!
Step 4: Put the transfer case in neutral
You’ll need to put the transfer case in neutral before you can flat tow your Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Keep in mind: Putting a transfer case in Neutral is not the same as putting your transmission in neutral. Check your owner’s manual for specific steps.
Here are the general steps you’ll need to follow to prepare your Jeep Grand Cherokee for flat-towing:
- Turn your Jeep’s ignition on.
- Leave your Jeep’s transmission in Park.
- Set your Quadra-Lift air suspension to the normal height, if applicable.
- Use a ballpoint pen to press and hold the recessed Neutral (N) switch button located next to the air suspension switch. Hold the button for four or more seconds.
- Check for a solid light behind the N to confirm that the transfer case is in Neutral.
- Put your Jeep in reverse to confirm that the car doesn’t move.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Shift your Jeep’s transmission into Neutral.
- Hold the start/stop button to turn off your Jeep’s engine.
- Return your Jeep’s transmission to Park.
- Press the start/stop button twice without touching the brake to turn off the Jeep’s ignition.
- Attach your Jeep Grand Cherokee to the tow bar of your tow vehicle or motorhome, referencing the tow vehicle’s owner manual as needed.
- Release the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s parking brake.
Now you are ready to flat tow your Jeep Grand Cherokee!
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The bottom line
Flat towing a Jeep Grand Cherokee is not recommended by the manufacturer unless it is equipped with 4Lo. Even then, you should still check the owner’s manual for any exemptions and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
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