brake light Ram 1500 2011 User Guide

If All Shift Conditions Are Met:
1. The current position indicator light will turn OFF.
2. The selected position indicator light will flash until the
transfer case completes the shift.
3. When the shift is complete, the indicator light for the
selected position will stop flashing and remain ON.
If One Or More Shift Conditions Are Not Met:
1. The indicator light for the current position will remain
ON.
2. The newly selected position indicator light will con-
tinue to flash.
3. The transfer casewill notshift.
NOTE: Before retrying a selection, make certain that all
the necessary requirements for selecting a new transfer
case position have been met. To retry the selection, turn the control knob back to the current position, wait five
seconds, and retry selection. To find the shift require-
ments, refer to the
Shifting Procedure for your transfer
case, located in this section.
The “SVC 4WD Warning Light” monitors the electronic
shift four-wheel drive system. If this light remains on
after engine start up or illuminates during driving, it
means that the four-wheel drive system is not function-
ing properly and that service is required.
WARNING!
Always engage the parking brake when powering
down the vehicle if the “SVC 4WD Warning Light” is
illuminated. Not engaging the parking brake may
allow the vehicle to roll, which may cause personal
injury.
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If One Or More Shift Conditions Are Not Met:
1. The indicator light for the current position will remain
ON.
2. The newly selected position indicator light will con-
tinue to flash.
3. The transfer casewill notshift.
NOTE: Before retrying a selection, make certain that all
the necessary requirements for selecting a new transfer
case position have been met. To retry the selection, turn
the control knob back to the current position, wait five
seconds, and retry selection. To find the shift require-
ments, refer to the Shifting Procedure for your transfer
case, located in this section of the owner’s manual.
The “SVC 4WD Warning Light” monitors the electronic
shift four-wheel drive system. If this light remains on after engine start up or illuminates during driving, it
means that the four-wheel drive system is not function-
ing properly and that service is required.
WARNING!
Always engage the parking brake when powering
down the vehicle if the “SVC 4WD Warning Light” is
illuminated. Not engaging the parking brake may
allow the vehicle to roll which may cause personal
injury.
NOTE: Do not attempt to make a shift while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning. This could cause
damage to driveline components.
When operating your vehicle in 4WD LOW, the engine
speed is approximately three times that of the 2WD, 4WD
AUTO or 4WD LOCK positions at a given road speed.
Take care not to overspeed the engine and do not exceed
25 mph (40 km/h).
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distance up the ramp divided by the wheelbase of the
vehicle and multiplied by 1,000 is the RTI. This vehicle
has an RTI of 655, which means you can articulate one
front wheel 32 inches in the air while the other three
wheels remain in contact with the ground.
Water Fording Characteristics
Water fording characteristic is the vehicle’s ability to
cross a body of still water, where the powertrain and
drivetrain are safe from water ingestion. This vehicle has
high water fording characteristics with the ability to cross
a pool of water, without stopping, 24 inches deep at a
maximum speed of 10 mph (16 km/h) and a pool of
water 30 inches deep at a maximum speed of 5 mph
(8 km/h), both with an entrance ramp angle of 1.3
degrees.
CAUTION!
The door sill height is 25 inches. Water may intrude
into the interior of the vehicle at greater depths.
Simultaneous Brake And Throttle Operation
Many off-road driving conditions require the simultane-
ous use of the brake and throttle (two footed driving).
When climbing rocks, logs, or other stepped objects,
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 Driving
You 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
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forward until it makes contact with the object. Apply the
throttle lightly while holding a light brake pressure and
ease the vehicle up and over the object.
WARNING!
Crossing obstacles can cause abrupt steering system
loading which could cause you to loose control of
your vehicle.
Using A Spotter
There are many times where it is hard to see the obstacle
or determine the correct path. Determining the correct
path can be extremely difficult when you are confronting
many obstacles. In these cases have someone guide you
over, through, or around the obstacle. Have the person
stand a safe distance in front of you where they can see
the obstacle, watch your tires and undercarriage, and
guide you through.
Crossing Large Rocks
When approaching large rocks, choose a path which
ensures you drive over the largest with your tires. This
will lift your undercarriage over the obstacle. The tread of
the tire is tougher and thicker than the side wall and is
designed to take the abuse. Always look ahead and make
every effort to cross the large rocks with your tires.
CAUTION!
•Never attempt to straddle a rock that is large
enough to strike your axles or undercarriage.
•Never attempt to drive over a rock which is large
enough to contact the door sills.
Crossing A Ravine, Gully, Ditch, Washout Or Rut
When crossing a ravine, gully, ditch, washout or a large
rut, the angled approach is the key to maintaining your
vehicle’s mobility. Approach these obstacles at a 45-
degree angle and let each tire go through the obstacle
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independently. You need to use caution when crossing
large obstacles with steep sides. Do not attempt to cross
any large obstacle with steep sides at an angle great
enough to put the vehicle at risk of a rollover. If you get
caught in a rut, dig a small trench to the right or left at a
45-degree angle ahead of the front tires. Use the removed
dirt to fill the rut ahead of the turnout you just created.
You should now be able to drive out following the trench
you just created at a 45-degree angle.
WARNING!
There is an increased risk of rollover when crossing
an obstacle, at any angle, with steep sides.
Crossing Logs
To cross a log, approach it at a slight angle (approxi-
mately 10 to 15 degrees). This allows one front tire to be
on top of the log while the other just starts to climb the
log. While climbing the log, modulate your brake andaccelerator to avoid spinning the log out from under your
tires. Then ease the vehicle off the log using your brakes.
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to cross a log with a greater diameter
than the running ground clearance or the vehicle will
become high centered.
Getting High Centered
If you get hung up or high centered on an object, get out
of the vehicle and try to determine what the vehicle is
hung up on, where it is contacting the underbody and
what is the best direction to recover the vehicle. Depend-
ing on what you are in contact with, jack the vehicle up
and place a few rocks under the tires so the weight is off
of the high point when you let the vehicle down. You can
also try rocking the vehicle or winching the vehicle off
the object.5
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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 Water
Extreme 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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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 first 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 safe5
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two tow straps together using a 112inch hard wood
dowel. This will keep the straps from becoming knot-
ted and is safer than using a clevis pin if the strap
breaks. Next have the tow vehicle backup, leaving two
to three feet worth of slack in the strap. Then the tow
vehicle, using light throttle, should accelerate tighten-
ing the strap providing the pulling force needed to free
the vehicle. The vehicle being recovered should assist
in the recovery, at the time of the snap, by slowly
spinning the tires in the same direction as the pulling
vehicle. After the vehicle becomes free, the driver of
the previously stuck vehicle should signal they are free
and should hit their brakes stopping both vehicles.
The driver of the pulling vehicle should let off the
throttle without using the brakes, once signaled by the
other driver. This sequence is important to avoid
having the recovered vehicle hit the pulling vehicle.WARNING!
Never use tow straps with end hooks or link two
straps with a clevis pin. These heavy metal objects
could become projectiles if a strap breaks, which
could cause severe injury. Never leave more than two
or three feet of slack in the strap. More slack than this
greatly increases the risk of injury and vehicle dam-
age. Always keep everyone at least 30 feet away from
a strapping or winching situation.
•Winching (Refer To “Winch Operation” For Addi-
tional Information) – Winching is most commonly
used in the following situations: there is no support
vehicle available, a high controlled force is required to
recover the vehicle, there is a high risk of environmen-
tal or vehicle damage, or where nothing else seems to
work. A winch can deliver a high pulling force with a
great deal of control. It allows you to walk the vehicle
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LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL
The 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 SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
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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, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination
(i.e., fluid that is milky or foamy in appearance)
after driving through standing water. Do not con-
tinue to operate the vehicle if any fluid appears
contaminated, as this may result in further dam-
age. 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.
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.
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