display Ram 2500 2016 Owner's Manual

▫Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . .489
▫ Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission — If
Equipped .......................... .490
▫ Six-Speed Automatic Transmission — 1500 Models
Only (If Equipped) ....................499
▫ Six-Speed Automatic Transmission — 2500/3500
Models Only ........................511
 FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION — IF
EQUIPPED .......................... .522
▫ Manually Shifted Transfer Case —
If Equipped ......................... .522
▫ Electronically Shifted Transfer Case (Four-Position
Switch) — If Equipped .................526
▫ Electronically Shifted Transfer Case (Five-Position
Switch) — If Equipped .................533 ▫
Five-Position Electronically Shifted Transfer Case
(Eight Speed Transmission Only ) — If
Equipped .......................... .538
 AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM (1500 MODELS) — IF
EQUIPPED .......................... .545
▫ Description ......................... .545
▫ Air Suspension Modes ..................550
▫ Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)/Driver Information Display (DID) Display
Messages .......................... .552
▫ Operation .......................... .552
 AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM (2500/3500 MODELS)
— IF EQUIPPED ...................... .554
▫ Description ......................... .554
▫ Air Suspension Modes ..................556
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▫Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)/Driver Information Display (DID) Display
Messages .......................... .557
▫ Operation .......................... .558
 AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM (REBEL MODELS
ONLY) — IF EQUIPPED .................558
▫ Description ......................... .558
▫ Air Suspension Modes ..................562
▫ Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)/Driver Infromation Display (DID) Display
Messages .......................... .564
▫ Operation .......................... .564
 AXLE LOCKER SYSTEM — POWER WAGON
MODELS ONLY (IF EQUIPPED) ............565
STABILIZER/SWAY BAR SYSTEM — POWER
WAGON ONLY ....................... .568
 SAFE OFF-ROAD DRIVING — POWER WAGON
ONLY.............................. .570
▫ Off-Road Driving Tips And Vehicle
Characteristics ...................... .570
▫ Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand ..........573
▫ Crossing Obstacles (Rocks And Other High
Points) ............................ .575
▫ Hill Climbing ....................... .577
▫ Driving Through Water .................580
▫ Airing Down For Off-Road Driving .........583
▫ Vehicle Recovery ..................... .584
▫ After Driving Off-Road .................588
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STARTING AND OPERATING 471

Normal Starting
Using The ENGINE START/STOP Button
1. The transmission must be in PARK or NEUTRAL.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal while pushing theENGINE START/STOP button once.
3. The system takes over and attempts to start the vehicle. If the vehicle fails to start, the starter will
disengage automatically after 10 seconds.
4. If you wish to stop the cranking of the engine prior to the engine starting, push the button again.
NOTE: Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine
is obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator
pedal.
To Turn Off The Engine Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button
1. Place the gear selector in PARK, then push and release the ENGINE START/STOP button.
2. The ignition switch will return to the OFF position.
3. If the gear selector is not in PARK, the ENGINE START/STOP button must be held for two seconds or
three short pushes in a row with the vehicle speed
above 5 mph (8 km/h) before the engine will shut off.
The ignition switch position will remain in the ACC
position until the gear selector is in PARK and the
button is pushed twice to the OFF position. If the gear
selector is not in PARK and the ENGINE START/
STOP button is pushed once, the EVIC/DID will
display a “Vehicle Not In Park” message and the
engine will remain running. Never leave a vehicle out
of the PARK position, or it could roll.
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After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
STOP/START SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED
The Stop/Start function is developed to save fuel and
reduce emissions. The system will stop the engine auto-
matically during a vehicle stop if the required conditions
are met. Releasing the brake pedal will automatically
re-start the vehicle.
Automatic Mode
The Stop/Start feature is enabled after every normal
customer engine start. It will remain in STOP/START
NOT READY until you drive forward with a vehicle
speed greater than 5 mph (8 km/h). At that time, the
system will go into STOP/START READY and if all other
conditions are met, can go into an STOP/START AUTO
STOP ACTIVE “Autostop” mode.To Activate The Autostop Mode, The Following Must
Occur:
1. The system must be in STOP/START READY state. A
STOP/START READY message will be displayed in
the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)/
Driver Information Display (DID) within the Stop/
Start section. Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC)” or “Driver Information Display (DID)”
in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further
information.
2. The vehicle must be completely stopped.
3. The transmission Gear Selector must be in DRIVE and the brake pedal depressed.
The engine will shut down, the tachometer will move to
the zero position and the stop/start telltale will illumi-
nate indicating you are in an Autostop. While in an
482 STARTING AND OPERATING

The engine may then be restarted by moving the trans-
mission shift selector out of PARK (e.g. to DRIVE) or, in
some cases, only by a KEY START. The Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC)/Driver Information Display
(DID) will display a SHIFT OUT OF PARK message, or a
STOP/START KEY START REQUIRED message, to indi-
cate which action is required.
Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) or
Driver Information Display (DID)” in “Understanding
Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
To Manually Turn Off The Stop Start System
1. Push the STOP/START Off switch (located on theswitch bank). The light on the switch will illuminate. 2. The STOP/START OFF message will appear in Elec-
tronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)/Driver In-
formation Display (DID). Refer to “Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC)” or “Driver Information
Display (DID)” in “Understanding Your Instrument
Panel” for further information.STOP/START OFF Switch
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STARTING AND OPERATING 485

3. At the next vehicle stop (after turning off the STOP/START system) the engine will not be stopped.
4. If the STOP/START system is manually turned off, the engine can only be started and stopped by cycling the
ignition switch.
5. The STOP/START system will reset itself back to an ON condition every time the key is turned off and
back on.
To Manually Turn On The Stop Start System
1. Push the STOP/START Off switch (located on theswitch bank).
2. The light on the switch will turn off.
System Malfunction
If there is a malfunction in the STOP/START system, the
system will not shut down the engine. A “SERVICE
STOP/START SYSTEM” message will appear in the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)/Driver In-
formation Display (DID). Refer to “Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC)” or “Driver Information Dis-
play (DID)” in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel”
for further information.
The system will need to be checked by your authorized
dealer.
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.
1500 Models
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.
486 STARTING AND OPERATING

the transmission out of PARK, the ignition switch must
be turned to the ON/RUN position (engine running, for
vehicles with eight-speed transmission) and the brake
pedal must be pressed.
In 8-speed vehicles, the brake pedal must also be pressed
to shift from NEUTRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE when
the vehicle is stopped or moving at low speeds.
Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission — If
Equipped
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 Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC)/Driver Information Display (DID). To
select a gear range, simply rotate the gear selector. You
must press the brake pedal to shift the transmission out
of PARK, or to shift from NEUTRAL into DRIVE orREVERSE, when the vehicle is stopped or moving at low
speeds (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock Sys-
tem” in this section). 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.
The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle 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.
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The transmission gear selector has only PARK, RE-
VERSE, NEUTRAL, and DRIVE positions. Manual down-
shifts can be made using the Electronic Range Select
(ERS) shift control (refer toElectronic Range Select (ERS)
Operation in this section for further information). Press-
ing 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. Models with
the Driver Information Display (DID) will display both
the selected gear limit, and the actual current gear, while
in ERS mode.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
Electronic Transmission Gear Selector
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CAUTION!
•DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this
can damage the drivetrain.
• Before moving the transmission gear selector out of
PARK, you must start the engine, and also press the
brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the gear selector
could result.
The following indicator should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the transmission into PARK:
• With brake pedal released, look at the transmission
gear position display and verify that it indicates the
PARK position (P). REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. Apply the parking
brake and shift the transmission into PARK if you must
leave the vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
494 STARTING AND OPERATING

If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation —
Eight-Speed Transmission
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control allows the
driver to limit the highest available gear when the
transmission is in DRIVE. For example, if you set the
transmission gear limit to 4 (fourth gear), the transmis-
sion will not shift above fourth gear (except to prevent
engine overspeed), but will shift through the lower gears
normally.
You can switch between DRIVE and ERS mode at any
vehicle speed. When the transmission gear selector is in
DRIVE, the transmission will operate automatically, shift-
ing between all available gears. Tapping the GEAR-
switch (on the steering wheel) will activate ERS mode,
display the current gear in the instrument cluster, and setthat gear as the top available gear. Once in ERS mode,
tapping the GEAR- or GEAR+ switch will change the top
available gear.
1 — ERS (-) Switch
2 — ERS (+) Switch
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