Ram 1500 2019 Owner's Manual

Cold Weather Operation (Below –22°F Or 30°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically, and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a grounded,
three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the passenger side of the vehicle near the right head lamp
assembly. It is located between the front grill and the
radiator, but underneath the black upper seal.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater cord
before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt electrical
cord could cause electrocution.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine and
drivetrain (transmission and axle) in your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km). After
the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or 55 mph (80
or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental and should be avoided.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil changes
should be consistent with anticipated climate conditions
under which vehicle operations will occur. For the recom-
mended viscosity and quality grades, refer to “Fluids And
Lubricants” in “Technical Specifications”.
CAUTION!
Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight Mineral Oil
in the engine or damage may result.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 299

NOTE:A new engine may consume some oil during its
first few thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This
should be considered a normal part of the break-in and not
interpreted as a problem. Please check your oil level with
the engine oil indicator often during the break in period.
Add oil as required.
PARKING BRAKE
Electric Park Brake (EPB)
Your vehicle is equipped with an Electric Park Brake
System (EPB) that offers simple operation, and some
additional features that make the parking brake more
convenient and useful.
The parking brake is primarily intended to prevent the
vehicle from rolling while parked. Before leaving the
vehicle, make sure that the park brake is applied. Also, be
certain to leave the transmission in PARK.
You can engage the park brake in two ways:
• Manually, by applying the park brake switch.
• Automatically, by enabling the Auto Park Brake feature
in the customer programmable features section of the
Uconnect settings. The park brake switch is located on the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel (below the headlamp switch).
To apply the park brake manually, pull up on the switch
momentarily. You may hear a slight whirring sound from
the back of the vehicle while the park brake engages. Once
the park brake is fully engaged, the BRAKE telltale light in
the instrument cluster and an indicator on the switch will
illuminate. If your foot is on the brake pedal while you
apply the park brake, you may notice a small amount of
brake pedal movement. The park brake can be applied
even when the ignition switch is OFF but the BRAKE
Electric Park Brake Switch
300 STARTING AND OPERATING

telltale light will not illuminate, however, it can only be
released when the ignition is in the ON/RUN mode.
NOTE:The EPB fault light will illuminate if the EPB switch
is held for longer than 20 seconds in either the released or
applied position. The light will extinguish upon releasing
the switch.
If the Auto Park Brake feature is enabled, the parking brake
will automatically engage whenever the transmission is
placed into PARK. If your foot is on the brake pedal, you
may notice a small amount of brake pedal movement while
the park brake is engaging.
The park brake will release automatically when the igni-
tion is ON, the transmission is in DRIVE or REVERSE, the
driver seat belt is buckled, and an attempt is made to drive
away.
To release the park brake manually, the ignition switch
must be in the ON/RUN mode. Put your foot on the brake
pedal, then push the park brake switch down momentarily.
You may hear a slight whirring sound from the back of the
vehicle while the parking brake disengages. You may also
notice a small amount of movement in the brake pedal.
Once the park brake is fully disengaged, The BRAKE
telltale light in the instrument cluster and the LED indica-
tor on the switch will extinguish. NOTE:
When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the
front wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and
away from the curb on an uphill grade. Apply the park
brake before placing the gear selector in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may make
it difficult to move the gear selector out of PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied whenever the
driver is not in the vehicle.
WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
• When exiting the vehicle, always remove the key fob
from the ignition and lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a number
of reasons. A child or others could be seriously or
fatally injured. Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the gear
selector.
(Continued)
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 301

WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, or in
a location accessible to children, and do not leave a
vehicle equipped with Keyless Enter-N-Go in the
ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
• Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged before
driving; failure to do so can lead to brake failure and
a collision.
• Always fully apply the parking brake when leaving
your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage or
injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission in
PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to roll
and cause damage or injury.
CAUTION!
If the Brake System Warning Light remains on with the
parking brake released, a brake system malfunction is
indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an au-
thorized dealer immediately.
If exceptional circumstances should make it necessary to
engage the park brake while the vehicle is in motion,
maintain upward pressure on the electric park brake switch for as long as engagement is desired. The BRAKE
telltale light will illuminate, and a continuous chime will
sound. The rear stop lamps will also be illuminated auto-
matically while the vehicle remains in motion.
To disengage the park brake while the vehicle is in motion,
release the switch. If the vehicle is brought to a complete
stop using the parking brake, when the vehicle reaches
approximately 3 mph, (5 km/h) the parking brake will
remain engaged.
WARNING!
Driving the vehicle with the parking brake engaged, or
repeated use of the parking brake to slow the vehicle
may cause serious damage to the brake system. Be sure
the parking brake is fully disengaged before driving;
failure to do so can lead to brake failure and a collision.
In the unlikely event of a malfunction of the Electric Park
Brake system, a yellow EPB fault light will illuminate. This
may be accompanied by the BRAKE telltale light flashing.
In this event, urgent service of the electric park brake
system is required. Do not rely on the parking brake to
hold the vehicle stationary.
302 STARTING AND OPERATING

Auto Park Brake
The electric park brake can be programmed to be applied
automatically whenever the vehicle is at a standstill and
the automatic transmission is placed in PARK. Auto Park
Brake is enabled and disabled by customer selection
through the customer programmable features section of the
Uconnect Settings.
Any single auto park brake application can be bypassed by
pushing the EPB switch to the release position while the
transmission is placed in PARK.
SafeHold
SafeHold is a safety feature of the Electric Park Brake
System that will engage the park brake automatically if the
vehicle is left unsecured while the ignition is in ON/RUN.
For automatic transmissions, the park brake will automati-
cally engage if all of the following conditions are met:
•The vehicle is at a standstill.
• There is no attempt to depress the brake pedal or
accelerator pedal.
• The seat belt is unbuckled.
• The driver door is open. SafeHold can be temporarily bypassed by pushing the
Electric Park Brake Switch while the driver door is open.
Once manually bypassed, SafeHold will be enabled again
once the vehicle reaches 12 mph (20 km/h) or the ignition
is turned to the OFF position and back to ON again.
Brake Service Mode
We recommend having your brakes serviced by your
authorized dealer. You should only make repairs for which
you have the knowledge and the right equipment. You
should only enter Brake Service Mode during brake ser-
vice.
When servicing your rear brakes, it may be necessary for
you or your technician to push the rear piston into the rear
caliper bore. With the electric park brake system, this can
only be done after retracting the Electric Park Brake
actuator. Fortunately, actuator retraction can be done easily
by entering the Brake Service Mode through the Uconnect
Settings in your vehicle. This menu based system will
guide you through the steps necessary to retract the EPB
actuator in order to perform rear brake service.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 303

Service Mode has requirements that must be met in order
to be activated:
•The vehicle must be at a standstill.
• The park brake must be unapplied.
• The transmission must be in PARK or NEUTRAL.
While in service mode, the Electric Park Brake fault lamp
will flash continuously while the ignition is ON.
When brake service work is complete, the following steps
must be followed to reset the park brake system to normal
operation:
• Ensure the vehicle is at a standstill.
• Press the brake pedal with moderate force.
• Apply the Electric Park Brake Switch.
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Do only that service work for which you
have the knowledge and the right equipment. If you
have any doubt about your ability to perform a service
job, take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the
transmission gear selector out of PARK with the
brake pedal released. Make sure the transmission is
in PARK before exiting the vehicle.
• The transmission may not engage PARK if the ve-
hicle is moving. Always bring the vehicle to a
complete stop before shifting to PARK, and verify
that the transmission gear position indicator solidly
indicates PARK (P) without blinking. Ensure that the
vehicle is completely stopped, and the PARK posi-
tion is properly indicated, before exiting the vehicle.
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL if
the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your
foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
(Continued)
304 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!(Continued)
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and your foot is firmly
pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you
should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always come to a
complete stop, then apply the parking brake, shift
the transmission into PARK, and turn the ignition
OFF. When the ignition is in the OFF mode, the
transmission is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
• When exiting the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF mode, remove the key fob from
the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a number
of reasons. A child or others could be seriously or
fatally injured. Children should be warned not to
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the trans-
mission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in
a location accessible to children), and do not leave
the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop.
• Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL,
or DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 305

Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with an Ignition Park Interlock
which requires the transmission to be in PARK before the
ignition can be turned to the OFF mode. This helps the
driver avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without
placing the transmission in PARK. This system also locks
the transmission in PARK whenever the ignition is in the
OFF mode.
NOTE:The transmission is NOT locked in PARK when
the ignition is in the ACC mode (even though the engine
will be off). Ensure that the transmission is in PARK, and
the ignition is OFF (not in ACC mode) before exiting the
vehicle.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock System (BTSI) that holds the transmission gear
selector in PARK unless the brakes are applied. To shift the
transmission out of PARK, the engine must be running and
the brake pedal must be pressed.
The brake pedal must also be pressed to shift from NEU-
TRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE when the vehicle is
stopped or moving at low speeds.
Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission
The transmission is controlled using a rotary electronic
gear selector located on the instrument panel. The trans-
mission gear range (PRND) is displayed both above the
gear selector and in the instrument cluster. To select a gear
range, simply rotate the gear selector. You must press the
brake pedal to shift the transmission out of PARK (or
NEUTRAL, when the vehicle is stopped or moving at low
speeds). To shift past multiple gear ranges at once (such as
PARK to DRIVE), simply rotate the gear selector to the
appropriate detent. Select the DRIVE range for normal
driving.
NOTE: In the event of a mismatch between the gear
selector position and the actual transmission gear (for
example, driver selects PARK while driving), the position
indicator will blink continuously until the selector is re-
turned to the proper position, or the requested shift can be
completed.
The electronically-controlled transmission adapts its shift
schedule based on driver inputs, along with environmental
and road conditions. The transmission electronics are self-
calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new vehicle
306 STARTING AND OPERATING

may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condition, and
precision shifts will develop within a few hundred miles
(kilometers).
Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped. Be
sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when shifting
between these gears.
The transmission gear selector has only PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, and DRIVE positions. Manual downshifts can
be made using the Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift
control. Pressing the GEAR-/GEAR+ switches (on the
steering wheel) while in the DRIVE position will select the
highest available transmission gear, and will display that
gear limit in the instrument cluster as 1, 2, 3, etc. Refer to
“Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation” in this section
for further information. Some models will display both the
selected gear limit, and the actual current gear, while in
ERS mode.
Gear Ranges
Do not depress the accelerator pedal when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range.
NOTE:After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerating. This
is especially important when the engine is cold.
Electronic Transmission Gear Selector
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 307

PARK (P)
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when exiting the vehicle in this
range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
shifting the transmission to PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
NOTE:On four-wheel drive vehicles be sure that the
transfer case is in a drive position.
When exiting the vehicle, always:
• Apply the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the engine OFF.
• Remove the key fob.WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the
transmission gear selector out of PARK with the
brake pedal released. Make sure the transmission is
in PARK before exiting the vehicle.
• The transmission may not engage PARK if the ve-
hicle is moving. Always bring the vehicle to a
complete stop before shifting to PARK, and verify
that the transmission gear position indicator solidly
indicates PARK (P) without blinking. Ensure that the
vehicle is completely stopped, and the PARK posi-
tion is properly indicated, before exiting the vehicle.
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL if
the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your
foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when the
(Continued)
308 STARTING AND OPERATING