engine oil Ram 2500 2015 Owner's Guide

WARNING!(Continued)
distances. Therefore, after driving through stand-
ing water, drive slowly and lightly press on the
brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
• Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your pas-
sengers, and others around you.
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 water.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
through standing water. This will minimize wave
effects.
• Driving through standing water may cause damage
to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always
inspect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, trans-
mission, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination (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 contami-
nated, 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.
548 STARTING AND OPERATING

Fuel Requirements
Your vehicle will operate on both unleaded gasoline with
any octane rating, or solely E-85 fuel, or any mixture of
these fuels. For best results, avoid refueling pattern
alternating between E-85 and unleaded gasoline.
When switching fuel types:
•Add 5 gallons (19 liters) or more when refueling.
• You operate the vehicle immediately after refueling for
a period of at least 5 minutes.
Observing these precautions will avoid possible hard
starting and/or significant deterioration in driveability
during warm up. NOTE:
•
When the ambient temperature is above 90° F (32° C),
you may experience hard starting and rough idle
following start up even if the above recommendations
are followed.
• Some additives used in regular gasoline are not fully
compatible with E-85 and may form deposits in your
engine. To eliminate driveability issues that may be
caused by these deposits, a supplemental gasoline
additive, such as MOPAR® Injector Cleanup or
Techron may be used.
Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles
FFV vehicles operated on E-85 require specially formu-
lated engine oils. These special requirements are included
in MOPAR® engine oils, and in equivalent oils meeting
FCA US Material Standard MS-6395. It is recommended
634 STARTING AND OPERATING

that engine oils that are API Certified and meet the
requirements of Material Standard MS-6395 be used.
MS-6395 contains additional requirements, developed
during extensive fleet testing, to provide additional pro-
tection to FCA US LLC engines.
Starting
The characteristics of E-85 fuel make it unsuitable for use
when ambient temperatures fall below 0°F (-18°C). In the
range of 0°F (-18°C) to 32°F (0°C), an increase in the time
it takes for your engine to start may be experienced, and
a deterioration in driveability (sags and/or hesitations)
until the engine is fully warmed up. These issues may be
improved with the use of seasonally adjusted E-85 fuel.
NOTE:Use of the engine block heater (if equipped) may
improve engine start time when using E-85 fuel when the
ambient temperature is less than 32°F (0°C).
Cruising Range
Because E-85 fuel contains less energy per gallon/liter
than gasoline, an increase in fuel consumption will be
experienced. The miles per gallon (mpg)/kilometers per
liter and the driving range will decrease by approxi-
mately 30%, compared to gasoline operation.
Replacement Parts
All fuel and engine components in your Flexible Fuel
Vehicle (FFV) are designed to be compatible with ethanol.
Ethanol compatible service components are required.
CAUTION!
Replacing fuel system components with non-ethanol
compatible components can damage your vehicle.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 635

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L ..........744
 ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 5.7L ..........745
 ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.4L ..........746
 ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (OBD II) . . .747
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............747
 EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS ......................... .748
 REPLACEMENT PARTS ..................749
 DEALER SERVICE ..................... .750
 MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ...........750▫
Engine Oil ......................... .751
▫ Engine Oil Filter ..................... .754
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ................755
▫ Accessory Drive Belt Inspection ...........758
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery ...............760
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance .............761
▫ Front Driveshaft Lubrication — 2500/3500
(Four-Wheel Drive Models Only) ..........763
▫ Body Lubrication .....................763
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ...............764
7

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter5 — Battery
2 — Engine Oil Dipstick 6 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
3 — Engine Oil Fill 7 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
744 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 5.7L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick (6-Speed Trans Only) 8 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 9 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (2500/3500 Models Only)
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 10 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 11 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
6 — Battery
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 745

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.4L
1 — Coolant Pressure Bottle6 — Battery
2 — Transmission Dipstick 7 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 8 — Washer Solvent
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 9 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 10 — Air Cleaner Filter
746 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of your
vehicle and also allow extended maintenance inter-
vals. Do not use chemical flushes in these compo-
nents as the chemicals can damage your engine,
transmission, power steering or air conditioning.
Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. If a flush is needed because of
component malfunction, use only the specified
fluid for the flushing procedure.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. Check
the oil level at regular intervals, such as every fuel stop. The best time to check the engine oil level is about five
minutes after a fully warmed up engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Always
maintain the oil level within the SAFE zone on the
dipstick. Adding one quart of oil when the reading is at
the bottom of the SAFE zone will result in a reading at the
top of the safe zone on these engines.
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will cause
oil aeration or loss of oil pressure. This could damage
your engine.7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 751

Change Engine Oil
The oil change indicator system will remind you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for further informa-
tion.
NOTE: 1500 Models Only
•Under no circumstances should oil change intervals
exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km) or twelve months on
1500 trucks, whichever comes first.
2500 – 3500 Models
• Under no circumstances should oil change intervals
exceed 8,000 miles (13,000 km) or twelve months on
2500 – 3500 trucks, whichever comes first.
Engine Oil Selection
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacturer only
recommends engine oils that are API Certified and meet
the requirements of FCA US Material Standard MS-6395.
American Petroleum Institute (API) Engine Oil
Identification Symbol
This symbol means that the oil has
been certified by the American
Petroleum Institute (API). The
manufacturer only recommends
API Certified engine oils.
752 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your engine oil as the
chemicals can damage your engine. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Engine Oil Viscosity — 3.6L Engines (1500 Models
Only)
MOPAR® SAE 5W-20 engine oil approved to FCA US
Material Standard MS-6395 or equivalent Pennzoil® or
Shell Helix® is recommended for all operating tempera-
tures. This engine oil improves low temperature starting
and vehicle fuel economy.
The engine oil filler cap also shows the recommended
engine oil viscosity for your vehicle. For information on
engine oil filler cap location, refer to “Engine Compart-
ment” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further informa-
tion.NOTE:
MOPAR® SAE 5W-30 engine oil approved to
FCA US Material Standard MS-6395 may be used when
SAE 5W-20 engine oil meeting MS-6395 is not available.
Engine Oil Viscosity — 5.7L Engine (1500/2500/3500
Models)
MOPAR SAE 5W-20 engine oil or equivalent Pennzoil®
or Shell Helix® is recommended for all operating tem-
peratures. This engine oil improves low temperature
starting and vehicle fuel economy. The engine oil filler
cap also shows the recommended engine oil viscosity for
your engine. For information on engine oil filler cap
location, refer to “Engine Compartment” in “Maintaining
Your Vehicle” for further information.
NOTE:
• Lubricants which do not have both the engine oil
certification mark and the correct SAE viscosity grade
number should not be used.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 753