warning Ram 2500 2018 Owner's Manual

SNOWPLOW
1500 Models Only
NOTE:Do not use this model vehicle for snowplow
applications.
WARNING!
Snowplows and other aftermarket equipment should
not be added to the front end of your vehicle. The
airbag crash sensors may be affected by the change in
the front end structure. The airbags could deploy
unexpectedly or could fail to deploy during a collision
resulting in serious injury or death.
CAUTION!
Using this vehicle for snowplow applications can
cause damage to the vehicle.
WARNING!
Attaching a snowplow to this vehicle could adversely
affect performance of the airbag system in a collision.
Do not expect that the airbag will perform as described
earlier in this manual.
2500/3500 Models Only
Snowplow Prep Packages are available as a factory in-
stalled option. These packages include components neces-
sary to equip your vehicle with a snowplow.
NOTE: Before installation of a snowplow it is highly
recommended that the owner/installer obtain and follow
the recommendations contained within the current Body
Builders Guide. See your authorized dealer, installer or
snowplow manufacturer for this information. There are
unique electrical systems that must be connected to prop-
erly assure operator safety and prevent overloading ve-
hicle systems.
WARNING!
Attaching a snowplow to this vehicle could adversely
affect performance of the airbag system in a collision.
Do not expect that the airbag will perform as described
earlier in this manual.
CAUTION!
The “Lamp Out” indicator could illuminate if exterior
lamps are not properly installed.
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CAUTION!(Continued)
damage. Tow with all four wheels either ON the
ground, or OFF the ground (using a vehicle trailer).
• Tow only in the forward direction. Towing this
vehicle backwards can cause severe damage to the
transfer case.
• Before recreational towing, the transfer case must be
in NEUTRAL. To be certain the transfer case is fully
in NEUTRAL, perform the procedure outlined under
“Shifting Into NEUTRAL”. Internal transmission
damage will result, if the transfer case is not in
NEUTRAL during towing.
• Automatic transmissions must be placed in PARK,
and manual transmissions must be placed in gear
(not in Neutral) for recreational towing.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage. Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• Do not disconnect the rear driveshaft because fluid
will leak from the transfer case, causing damage to
internal parts.
• Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on tow bar on
your vehicle. The bumper face bar will be damaged.
Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the NEU-
TRAL (N) position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL (N) posi-
tion disengages both the front and rear driveshafts
from the powertrain, and will allow the vehicle to roll,
even if the automatic transmission is in PARK (or
manual transmission is in gear). The parking brake
should always be applied when the driver is not in the
vehicle.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL (N) before
recreational towing to prevent damage to internal
parts.
438 STARTING AND OPERATING

difference in the surface traction under the rear (driving)
wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the rear
wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle and
possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and care-
fully whenever there is likely to be poor traction (ice,
snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
Driving Through Water
Driving through water more than a few inches/centimeters
deep will require extra caution to ensure safety and pre-
vent damage to your vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or path where water is
flowing and/or rising (as in storm run-off). Flowing
water can wear away the road or path’s surface and
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
cause your vehicle to sink into deeper water. Further-
more, flowing and/or rising water can carry your ve-
hicle away swiftly. Failure to follow this warning may
result in injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through shal-
low standing water, consider the following Cautions and
Warnings before doing so.
WARNING!
•Driving through standing water limits your vehicle’s
traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h)
when driving through standing water.
• Driving through standing water limits your vehicle’s
braking capabilities, which increases stopping dis-
tances. Therefore, after driving through standing
water, drive slowly and lightly press on the brake
pedal several times to dry the brakes.
(Continued)
442 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!(Continued)
•Failure to follow these warnings may result in inju-
ries that are serious or fatal to you, your passengers,
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.
• 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 in-
spect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, transmis-
sion, 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 contaminated, as this
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CAUTION! (Continued)
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.
Off-Road Driving Tips
Care should be taken when attempting to climb steep hills
or driving diagonally across a hill or slope. If natural
obstacles force you to travel diagonally up or down a hill,
choose a mild angle and keep as little side tilt as possible.
Keep the vehicle moving and make turns slowly and
cautiously.
If you must back down a hill, back straight down using
REVERSE gear. Never back down in NEUTRAL or diago-
nally across the hill.
When driving over sand, mud, and other soft terrain, shift
to low gear and drive steadily. Apply the accelerator slowly
to avoid spinning the wheels.
Do not reduce the tire pressures for this type of driving.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 443

After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than
does most on-road driving. After going off-road, it is
always a good idea to check for damage. That way you can
get any problems taken care of right away and have your
vehicle ready when you need it.
•Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle.
Check tires, body structure, steering, suspension, and
exhaust system for damage.
• Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and clean as
required.
• Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on
the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and sus-
pension. Retighten them, if required, and torque to the
values specified in the Service Manual.
• Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These things
could be a fire hazard. They might hide damage to fuel
lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and propeller shafts. •
After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or similar
dirty conditions, have the radiator, fan, brake rotors,
wheels, brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and
cleaned as soon as possible.
WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may cause
excessive wear or unpredictable braking. You might
not have full braking power when you need it to
prevent a collision. If you have been operating your
vehicle in dirty conditions, get your brakes checked
and cleaned as necessary.
• If you experience unusual vibration after driving in
mud, slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for
impacted material. Impacted material can cause a wheel
imbalance and freeing the wheels of it will correct the
situation.
444 STARTING AND OPERATING

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
CONTENTS
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS ............447
 ASSIST AND SOS MIRROR — IF EQUIPPED . . . .447
 BULB REPLACEMENT ....................452
▫ Replacement Bulbs .....................452
▫ Replacing Exterior Bulbs ..................454
 FUSES ............................... .461
▫ Power Distribution Center ................461
 JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING ...........468
▫ Jacking And Tire Changing 1500 Series Trucks . .468
▫ Jacking And Tire Changing 2500 And 3500 Series
Trucks ............................. .485
JUMP STARTING ........................502
▫ Preparations For Jump Start ...............502
▫ Jump Starting Procedure ..................504
 IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS .............505
 GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE — 6-SPEED
TRANSMISSION ........................506
▫ Column Gear Selector — If Equipped .........506
▫ Center Console Gear Selector — If Equipped . . .507
 MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 SPEED
TRANSMISSION ........................508
 FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE ..............509
7

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located on the upper
switch bank just below the radio.Push the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flasher. When the switch is activated, all directional
turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncoming traffic
of an emergency. Push the switch a second time to turn off
the Hazard Warning flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it should not be
used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
Hazard Warning flashers will continue to operate even
though the ignition is placed in the OFF position.
NOTE: With extended use the Hazard Warning flashers
may wear down your battery.
ASSIST AND SOS MIRROR — IF EQUIPPED
If equipped, the rearview mirror contains an ASSIST and a
SOS button.
WARNING!
ALWAYS obey traffic laws and pay attention to the
road. ALWAYS drive safely with your hands on the
steering wheel. You have full responsibility and as-
sume all risks related to the use of the Uconnect and
(Continued)
Assist And SOS Mirror
7
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 447

WARNING!(Continued)
SiriusXM Guardian features and applications in this
vehicle. Only use Uconnect features and SiriusXM
Guardian services when it is safe to do so. Failure to do
so may result in an accident involving serious injury or
death.
NOTE:
• Your vehicle may be transmitting data as authorized by
the subscriber.
• The SOS and ASSIST buttons will only function if you
are connected to an operable LTE (voice/data) or 4G
(data) network. Other Uconnect services will only be
operable if your SiriusXM Guardian service is active and
you are connected to an operable LTE (voice/data) or 4G
(data) network.
ASSIST Call
The ASSIST Button is used to automatically connect you to
any one of the following support centers:
• Roadside Assistance – If you get a flat tire, or need a tow,
just push the ASSIST button and you’ll be connected to someone who can help. Roadside Assistance will know
what vehicle you’re driving and its location. Additional
fees may apply for roadside Assistance.
• SiriusXM Guardian Customer Care – In-vehicle support
for SiriusXM Guardian.
• Vehicle Customer Care – Total support for all other
vehicle issues.
SOS Call
1. Push the SOS Call button on the Rearview Mirror.
NOTE: In case the SOS Call button is pushed in error, there
will be a ten second delay before the SOS Call system
initiates a call to a SOS operator. To cancel the SOS Call
connection, push the SOS call button on the Rearview
Mirror or press the cancellation button on the Device
Screen. Termination of the SOS Call will turn off the green
LED light on the Rearview Mirror.
2. The LED light located between the ASSIST and SOS buttons on the Rearview Mirror will turn green once a
connection to a SOS operator has been made.
448 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

3. Once a connection between the vehicle and a SOSoperator is made, the SOS Call system may transmit the
following important vehicle information to a SOS op-
erator:
• Indication that the occupant placed a SOS Call.
• The vehicle brand.
• The last known GPS coordinates of the vehicle.
4. You should be able to speak with the SOS operator through the vehicle audio system to determine if addi-
tional help is needed.
WARNING!
ALWAYS obey traffic laws and pay attention to the
road. ALWAYS drive safely with your hands on the
steering wheel. You have full responsibility and as-
sume all risks related to the use of the Uconnect and
SiriusXM Guardian features and applications in this
vehicle. Only use Uconnect features and SiriusXM
Guardian services when it is safe to do so. Failure to do
so may result in an accident involving serious injury or
death. NOTE:
•Your vehicle may be transmitting data as authorized
by the subscriber.
• Once a connection is made between the vehicle’s SOS
Call system and the SOS operator, the SOS operator
may be able to open a voice connection with the
vehicle to determine if additional help is needed. Once
the SOS operator opens a voice connection with the
vehicle’s SOS Call system, the operator should be able
to speak with you or other vehicle occupants and hear
sounds occurring in the vehicle. The vehicle’s SOS Call
system will attempt to remain connected with the SOS
operator until the SOS operator terminates the connec-
tion.
5. The SOS operator may attempt to contact appropriate emergency responders and provide them with impor-
tant vehicle information and GPS coordinates.
WARNING!
•If anyone in the vehicle could be in danger (e.g., fire
or smoke is visible, dangerous road conditions or
location), do not wait for voice contact from an
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 449

WARNING!(Continued)
Emergency Services Agent. All occupants should exit
the vehicle immediately and move to a safe location.
• Never place anything on or near the vehicle’s oper-
able network and GPS antennas. You could prevent
operable network and GPS signal reception, which
can prevent your vehicle from placing an emergency
call. An operable network and GPS signal reception
is required for the SOS Call system to function
properly.
• The SOS Call system is embedded into the vehicle’s
electrical system. Do not add aftermarket electrical
equipment to the vehicle’s electrical system. This
may prevent your vehicle from sending a signal to
initiate an emergency call. To avoid interference that
can cause the SOS Call system to fail, never add
aftermarket equipment (e.g., two-way mobile radio,
CB radio, data recorder, etc.) to your vehicle’s electri-
cal system or modify the antennas on your vehicle. IF
YOUR VEHICLE LOSES BATTERY POWER FOR
ANY REASON (INCLUDING DURING OR AFTER
AN ACCIDENT), THE UCONNECT FEATURES,
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WARNING! (Continued)
APPS AND SERVICES, AMONG OTHERS, WILL
NOT OPERATE.
• Modifications to any part of the SOS Call system
could cause the air bag system to fail when you need
it. You could be injured if the air bag system is not
there to help protect you.
SOS Call System Limitations
Vehicles sold in Mexico DO NOThave SOS Call system
capabilities.
SOS or other emergency line operators in Mexico may not
answer or respond to SOS system calls.
If the SOS Call system detects a malfunction, any of the
following may occur at the time the malfunction is de-
tected, and at the beginning of each ignition cycle:
• The Rearview Mirror light located between the ASSIST
and SOS buttons will continuously be illuminated red.
• The Device Screen will display the following message
“Vehicle device requires service. Please contact your
dealer.”
450 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY