transmission fluid Ram 2500 2016 Diesel Supplement

Transmission Temperature Indicator Light
Red TelltaleLight What It Means
Transmission Temperature Indicator Light
This light indicates that the transmission fluid temperature is running hot. This may occur with
severe usage, such as trailer towing. If this light turns on, safely pull over and stop them ve-
hicle. Then, shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and run the engine at idle or faster until the
light turns off.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Light illuminated will eventually cause
severe transmission damage or transmission failure.
WARNING!
If you continue operating the vehicle when the
Transmission Temperature Warning Light is illumi-
nated you could cause the fluid to boil over, come in
contact with hot engine or exhaust components and
cause a fire.
3
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 45

4. EVIC White Telltales
•Electronic Speed Control Ready
This light will turn on when the electronic
speed control is ON. For further information,
refer to “Electronic Speed Control” in “Under-
standing The Features Of Your Vehicle.”
• Electronic Speed Control SET
This light will turn on when the electronic
speed control is SET. For further information,
refer to “Electronic Speed Control” in “Under-
standing The Features Of Your Vehicle.”
• ERS Gear Limit
The highest available transmission gear is displayed in
the lower right corner of the Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC) whenever the Electronic Range Select
(ERS) feature is active. Use the +/- selector on the shift
lever or steering wheel to activate ERS. Refer to “Auto-
matic Transmission” in “Starting And Operating” for
further information. 5. EVIC Amber Telltales
•
Low Fuel Telltale
When the fuel level reaches approximately 3.0 gal
(11.0 L) this light will turn on, and remain on until
fuel is added.
• Windshield Washer Fluid Low Indicator
This telltale will turn on to indicate the wind-
shield washer fluid is low.
• Low Coolant Level Indicator
This telltale will turn on to indicate the vehicle
coolant level is low.
• Transmission Temperature Warning Telltale
This telltale indicates that the transmission
fluid temperature is running hot. This may
occur with severe usage, such as trailer towing.
3
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 65

If this telltale turns on, safely pull over and stop the
vehicle. Then, shift the transmission into PARK and run
the engine at idle or faster until the light turns off.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Light illuminated will eventually cause
severe transmission damage or transmission failure.
WARNING!
If you continue operating the vehicle when the
Transmission Temperature Warning Light is illumi-
nated you could cause the fluid to boil over, come in
contact with hot engine or exhaust components and
cause a fire.•
Air Suspension Payload Protection Telltale — If
Equipped This telltale will turn on to indicate that the
maximum payload may have been exceeded or
load leveling cannot be achieved at its current
ride height.
Protection Mode will automatically be selected in
order to “protect” the air suspension system, air
suspension adjustment is limited due to payload.
• Water In Fuel Indicator Light — Diesel Only
The “Water In Fuel Indicator Light” will illu-
minate when there is water detected in the fuel
filters. If this light remains on, DO NOT start
the vehicle before you drain the water from the
fuel filters to prevent engine damage. Refer to “Mainte-
nance Procedures/Draining Fuel/Water Separator Fil-
ters” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information.
66 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING PROCEDURES .................97
▫ Normal Starting .......................98
▫ Automatic Transmission .................98
▫ Keyless Enter-N-Go ....................99
▫ Extreme Cold Weather ..................100
▫ Starting Fluids ....................... .100
 NORMAL OPERATION ..................102
▫ Cold Weather Precautions ................102
▫ Engine Idling ....................... .104
▫ Stopping The Engine ...................104 ▫
Cooling System Tips — Automatic
Transmission ........................ .106
 ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED . . .107
 FUEL REQUIREMENTS ..................108
▫ Fuel Specifications ....................109
▫ Biodiesel Fuel Requirements ..............110
 DIESEL EXHAUST FLUID .................113
▫ System Overview ......................113
 ADDING FUEL — 1500 DIESEL MODELS .....114
▫ Avoid Using Contaminated Fuel ...........117
4

MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain therequiredmaintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides those maintenance items specified in the fixed
maintenance schedule, there are other components which
may require servicing or replacement in the future.
CAUTION!
• Failure to properly maintain your vehicle or per-
form repairs and service when necessary could
result in more costly repairs, damage to other
components or negatively impact vehicle perfor-
mance. Immediately have potential malfunctions
examined by an authorized dealership or qualified
repair center.
(Continued)
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.
5
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 125

Chassis
ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or Genuine Part
Automatic Transmission Only use MOPAR ZF 8&9 Speed ATF Automatic Transmission Fluid or
equivalent. Failure to use the correct fluid may affect the function or
performance of your transmission.
Transfer Case We recommend you use MOPAR BW44–44 Transfer Case Fluid.
Front Axle – 1500 Four-Wheel Drive
Models We recommend you use MOPAR GL-5 Synthetic Axle Lubricant SAE
75W-85.
Rear Axle We recommend you use MOPAR Synthetic Gear Lubricant SAE 75W-140
(MS-8985). Limited-Slip Rear Axles require the addition of 5 oz. (148 ml)
MOPAR Limited Slip Additive (MS-10111).
Brake Master Cylinder We recommend you use MOPAR DOT 3 Brake Fluid, SAE J1703 should be
used. If DOT 3, SAE J1703 brake fluid is not available, then DOT 4 is
acceptable.
150 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Transmission Temperature Indicator Light
Red TelltaleLight What It Means
Transmission Temperature Indicator Light
This light indicates that the transmission fluid temperature is running hot. This may occur with
severe usage, such as trailer towing. If this light turns on, safely pull over and stop them ve-
hicle. Then, shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and run the engine at idle or faster until the
light turns off.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Light illuminated will eventually cause
severe transmission damage or transmission failure.
WARNING!
If you continue operating the vehicle when the
Transmission Temperature Warning Light is illumi-
nated you could cause the fluid to boil over, come in
contact with hot engine or exhaust components and
cause a fire.
210 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING PROCEDURES ................260
▫ Manual Transmission — If Equipped .......261
▫ Automatic Transmission — If Equipped .....261
▫ Keyless Enter-N-Go — If Equipped ........261
▫ Extreme Cold Weather ..................265
▫ Normal Starting Procedure — Engine Manifold
Air Temperature Above 66° F (19° C) ........266
▫ Starting Procedure — Engine Manifold Air
Temperature 0°F To 66°F (–18°C to 19°C) .....267
▫ Starting Procedure — Engine Manifold Air
Temperature Below 0°F (-18°C) ............269▫
Starting Fluids ....................... .271
 NORMAL OPERATION — DIESEL ENGINE . . .272
▫ Cold Weather Precautions ................273
▫ Engine Idling ....................... .275
▫ Stopping The Engine ...................277
▫ Idle Shutdown ....................... .278
▫ Programmable Maximum Vehicle Speed
(Chassis Cab Only) ....................278
▫ Operating Precautions ..................279
5

Select (ERS) shift control (refer to “Electronic Range
Select (ERS) Operation” in this section for further infor-
mation) to select a lower gear range. Under these condi-
tions, using a lower gear range will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shift-
ing and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operat-
ing limits, the powertrain controller will modify the
transmission shift schedule and expand the range of
torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to
prevent transmission damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot or is in danger
of overheating, the “Transmission Temperature Warning
Light” may illuminate and the transmission may operate
differently until the transmission cools down.NOTE:
Use caution when operating a heavily loaded
vehicle at low speeds (such as towing a trailer up a steep
grade, or in stop-and-go traffic) during hot weather. In
these conditions, torque converter slip can impose a
significant additional heat load on the cooling system.
Downshifting the transmission to the lowest possible
gear (when climbing a grade), or shifting to NEUTRAL
(when stopped in heavy traffic) can help to reduce this
excess heat generation.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may
be modified depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature im-
proves warm up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency. Engagement of the torque
converter clutch is inhibited until the transmission fluid
is warm (refer to the “Note” under “Torque Converter
Clutch” in this section). On Pickup models with 68RFE
transmission, top overdrive gear is also inhibited until
the transmission fluid is warm, and during extremely
292 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
When using ERS for engine braking while descend-
ing steep grades, be careful not to overspeed the
engine. Apply the brakes as needed to prevent en-
gine overspeed.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (fifth and sixth gears). The trans-
mission will automatically shift into Overdrive if the
following conditions are present:
•The shift lever is in the DRIVE position.
• The transmission fluid has reached an adequate tem-
perature.
• The engine coolant has reached an adequate tempera-
ture. •
The vehicle speed is sufficiently high.
• The driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting oc-
curs, press the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/
HAUL mode. This will improve performance and reduce
the potential for transmission overheating or failure due
to excessive shifting. When operating in TOW/HAUL
mode, transmission upshifts are delayed, and the trans-
mission will automatically downshift (for engine brak-
ing) when the throttle is closed and/or during steady
braking maneuvers.
296 STARTING AND OPERATING