engine DODGE RAM 3500 DIESEL 2009 4.G Repair Manual

2. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
3. While still rolling, rotate the transfer case switch to the
desired position.
4. After the desired “Transfer Case Position Indicator
Light” is ON (not flashing), shift the transmission back
into gear.
Alternate Procedure
1. Bring the vehicle to complete stop.
2. With the key ON and the engine either OFF or
running, shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
3. Rotate the transfer case switch into the desired posi-
tion.
4. After the desired “Transfer Case Position Indicator
Light” is ON (not flashing), shift the transmission back
into gear.NOTE:
•
If steps 1 or 2 of either the Preferred or Alternate
Procedure are not satisfied prior to attempting the
shift, the desired “Transfer Case Position Indicator
Light” will flash continuously while the original
“Transfer Case Position Indicator Light” is ON, until
all requirements have been met.
•
The ignition key must be ON for a shift to take place
and for the “Transfer Case Position Indicator Lights”
to be operable. If the key is not ON then the shift will
not take place and no “Transfer Case Position Indica-
tor Lights” will be on or flashing.
•
If your are leaving your vehicle stored for longer than
21 days, refer to the section on “Vehicle Storage.”
278 STARTING AND OPERATING

using light brake pressure with light throttle will keep the
vehicle from jerking or lurching. This technique is also
used when you need to stop and restart a vehicle on a
steep incline.The Basics Of Off-Road DrivingYou will encounter many types of terrain driving off-
road. You should be familiar with the terrain and area
before proceeding. There are many types of surface
conditions: hard packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand,
mud, snow and ice. Every surface has a different effect on
your vehicle’s steering, handling and traction. Control-
ling your vehicle is one of the keys to successful off-road
driving, so always keep a firm grip on the steering wheel
and maintain a good driving posture. Avoid sudden
accelerations, turns or braking. In most cases there are no
road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. Therefore
you will need to use your own good judgment on what is
safe and what isn’t. When on a trail you should always be
looking ahead for surface obstacles and changes interrain. The key is to plan your future driving route while
remembering what you are currently driving over.
CAUTION!
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other
combustible materials. The heat from your vehicle
exhaust system could cause a fire.
WARNING!
Always wear your seat belt and firmly tie down
cargo. Unsecured cargo can become projectiles in an
off-road situation.When To Use Low RangeWhen driving off-road, shift into 4L (Low Range) for
additional traction or to improve handling and control on
slippery or difficult terrain. Due to the lower gearing, low
range will allow the engine to operate in a higher power
288 STARTING AND OPERATING

range. This will allow you to idle over obstacles and
down hills, with improved control and less effort. Also,
use 4L (Low Range) in rain, ice, snow, mud, sand, to get
heavy loads rolling, improve traction, or whenever 4H
(High Range) traction will not do the job.Driving In Snow, Mud And SandThere is a drastic reduction in traction when driving in
snow, mud or sand. The vehicle will be less responsive to
steering, acceleration and braking inputs. Therefore you
should accelerate slowly, leave greater stopping distances
and avoid abrupt vehicle maneuvers. You want to keep a
slow constant steady pace. The key is to maintain the
vehicle’s momentum.•
Snow– In heavy snow or for additional control and
traction at slower speeds, shift the transmission to a
low gear and shift the transfer case to 4L (Low Range)
if necessary. Do not shift to a lower gear than neces-
sary to maintain headway. Over-revving the engine can spin the wheels and traction will be lost. If you
start to slow to a stop, try turning your steering wheel
no more than a
14turn quickly back and forth, while
still applying throttle. This will allow the tires to get a
fresh bite and help maintain your momentum.CAUTION!
On icy or slippery roads, do not downshift at high
engine RPMs or vehicle speeds because engine brak-
ing may cause skidding and loss of control.•
Mud – Deep mud creates a great deal of suction
around the tires and is very difficult to get through.
You should use 4L (Low Range) with a gear low
enough to maintain your momentum without shifting.
If you start to slow to a stop, try turning your steering
wheel no more than a
14turn quickly back and forth
for additional traction. Mud holes pose an increased
threat of vehicle damage and getting stuck. They are
STARTING AND OPERATING 289
5

freshbite 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 roll over, 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 controlled descent? Are there
obstacles? Is it a straight descent? Is there plenty of
distance at the base of the hill to regain control if the
vehicle descends too fast? If you feel confident in your ability to proceed then make sure you are in 4L (Low
Range) with the transmission in 1st gear (manually
select 1st gear on automatic transmissions) and pro-
ceed with caution. Allow engine braking to control the
descent and apply your brakes if necessary, but do not
allow the tires to lock.
WARNING!
Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use
vehicle brakes in conjunction with engine braking.
Descending a grade too fast could cause you to lose
control and be seriously injured.•
Driving Across An Incline
– If at all possible avoid
driving across an incline. If it is necessary, know your
vehicle’s abilities. Driving across an incline places
more weight on the down hill wheels, which increases
the possibilities of a down hill slide or rollover. Make
294 STARTING AND OPERATING

sure the surface has good traction with firm and stable
soils. If possible transverse the incline at an angle
heading slightly up or down.
WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of a
rollover, which may result in severe injury.•
If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway– If you stall
or begin to lose headway while climbing a steep hill,
allow your vehicle to come to a stop and immediately
apply the brake. Restart the engine and shift into
REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill allowing the
compression braking of the engine and transmission to
help regulate your speed. If the brakes are required to
control vehicle speed, apply them lightly and avoid
locking or skidding the tires.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never
attempt to turn around. To do so may result in
tipping and rolling the vehicle, which may result in
severe injury. Always back carefully straight down a
hill in REVERSE. Never back down a hill in NEU-
TRAL using only the vehicle brakes. Never drive
diagonally across a hill, always drive straight up or
down.Driving Through WaterExtreme care should be taken crossing any type of water.
Water crossings should be avoided if possible and only
be attempted when necessary, in a safe responsible
manner. You should only drive through areas which are
designated and approved. You should tread lightly and
avoid damage to the environment. You should know
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5

your vehicle’s abilities and be able to recover it if
something goes wrong. You should never stop or shut a
vehicle off when crossing deep water unless you ingested
water into the engine air intake. If the engine stalls do not
attempt to restart it. Determine if it has ingested water
first. The key to any crossing is low and slow. You want
to use 1st gear in 4L (Low Range) and proceed very
slowly with a constant slow speed (3-5 mph [5–8 km/h]
maximum) and light throttle. Keep the vehicle moving;
do not try to accelerate through the crossing. After
crossing any water higher than the bottom of the axle
differentials, you should inspect all of the vehicle fluids
for signs of water ingestion.
CAUTION!
Water ingestion into the axles, transmission, transfer
case, engine or vehicle interior can occur if you drive
too fast or through too deep of water. Water can cause
permanent damage to engine, driveline or other
vehicle components and your brakes will be less
effective once wet and/or muddy•
Before You Cross Any Type Of Water– As you
approach any type of water you need to determine if
you can cross it safely and responsibly. If necessary, get
out and walk through the water or probe it with a
stick. You need to be sure of its depth, approach angle,
current and bottom condition. Be careful of murky or
muddy waters, check for hidden obstacles. Make sure
you will not be intruding on any wildlife and you can
recover the vehicle if necessary. The key to a safe
296 STARTING AND OPERATING

LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL – IF EQUIPPEDThe limited-slip differential provides additional traction
on snow, ice, mud, sand and gravel, particularly when
there is a difference between the traction characteristics
of the surface under the right and left rear wheels. During
normal driving and cornering, the limited-slip unit per-
forms similarly to a conventional differential. On slip-
pery surfaces, however, the differential delivers more of
the driving effort to the rear wheel having the better
traction.
The limited-slip differential is especially helpful during
slippery driving conditions. With both rear wheels on a
slippery surface, a slight application of the accelerator
will supply maximum traction. When starting with only
one rear wheel on an excessively slippery surface, slight
momentary application of the parking brake may be
necessary to gain maximum traction.
WARNING!
On vehicles equipped with a limited-slip differential
never run the engine with one rear wheel off the
ground since the vehicle may drive through the rear
wheel remaining on the ground. You could lose
control of the vehicle.
Care should be taken to avoid sudden accelerations when
both rear wheels are on a slippery surface. This could
cause both rear wheels to spin, and allow the vehicle to
slide sideways on the crowned surface of a road or in a
turn.DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACESWhen driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as hydroplaning and may cause
partial or complete loss of vehicle control and stopping
304 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
•
Always check the depth of the standing water
before driving through it. Never drive through
standing water that is deeper than the bottom of
the tire rims mounted on the vehicle.
•
Determine the condition of the road or the path
that is under water and if there are any obstacles in
the way before driving through the standing wa-
ter.
•
Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
through standing water. This will minimize wave
effects.(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•
Driving through standing water may cause dam-
age to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Al-
ways inspect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil,
transmission/transaxle, axle, etc.) for signs of con-
tamination (i.e., fluid that is milky or foamy in
appearance) after driving through standing water.
Do not continue to operate the vehicle if any fluid
appears contaminated, as this may result in further
damage. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
•
Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and cause serious
internal damage to the engine. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
306 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
•
Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph
(8 km/h) when driving through standing water.
•
Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stop-
ping distances. Therefore, after driving through
standing water, drive slowly and lightly press on
the brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
•
Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and leave you
stranded.
•
Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
DRIVING OFF-ROAD — RAM TRUCK ONLYCare should be taken when attempting to climb steep
hills or driving diagonally across a hill or slope. If natural
obstacles force you to travel diagonally up or down a hill,
choose a mild angle and keep as little side tilt as possible.
Keep the vehicle moving and make turns slowly and
cautiously.
If you must back down a hill, back straight down using
REVERSE gear. Never back down in NEUTRAL, or
diagonally across the hill.
When driving over sand, mud, and other soft terrain,
shift to low gear and drive steadily. Apply the accelerator
slowly to avoid spinning the wheels.
DO NOT REDUCE the tire pressures for this type of
driving.
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5

the vehicle and never near the wire rope or snatch
block. Your situation may have other\bno people\bzones.
15. Begin winching. With the winching vehicles engine
on and light tension already on the wire rope, begin
winching slowly and steadily. Be sure that the wire rope
is winding evenly and tightly around the spooling drum. For additional assistance, the winched vehicle can be
slowly driven while being pulled by the winch. Continue
pulling until the vehicle is on stable ground. If you are
able to drive the vehicle, the winching operation is
complete.
No People Zones
Using The Remote Control
322 STARTING AND OPERATING