Ram Cargo Van 2012 Owner's Manual
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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 recommended viscosity and quality grades, refer to
“Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your Ve-
hicle”.
CAUTION!
Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight Mineral Oil
in the engine or damage may result.
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 an indication of difficulty.
SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE CARGO
AREA.
WARNING!
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
•It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seri-
ously injured or killed.
(Continued)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 99
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WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO),
follow these safety tips:(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in
confined areas any longer than needed to move
your vehicle in or out of the area.
•If you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate
open, make sure that all windows are closed and
the climate control BLOWER switch is set at high
speed. DO NOT use the recirculation mode.
•If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running, adjust your heating or cooling
controls to force outside air into the vehicle. Set
the blower at high speed.
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into
the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
100 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Page 103 of 642
Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the com-
plete exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken,
damaged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open
seams or loose connections could permit exhaust fumes
to seep into the passenger compartment. In addition,
inspect the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace as required.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after
a collision if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor,
torn webbing, etc.). If there is any question regarding belt
or retractor condition, replace the belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for four to eight
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned ON. If the light is not lit during starting, see your
authorized dealer. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes
on while driving, have the system checked by an autho-
rized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is
inoperable.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 101
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Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that they
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals
or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
WARNING!
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of
vehicle control and increase the risk of serious per-
sonal injury.
•Always make sure that floor mats are properly
attached to the floor mat fasteners.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Never place or install floor mats or other floor
coverings in the vehicle that cannot be properly
secured to prevent them from moving and inter-
fering with the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
•Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on
top of already installed floor mats. Additional
floor mats and other coverings will reduce the size
of the pedal area and interfere with the pedals.
•Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Al-
ways properly reinstall and secure floor mats that
have been removed for cleaning.(Continued)
102 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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WARNING! (Continued)
•Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the
driver footwell while the vehicle is moving. Ob-
jects can become trapped under the brake pedal
and accelerator pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
•If required, mounting posts must be properly
installed, if not equipped from the factory.
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or
mounting can cause interference with the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal operation causing loss
of control of the vehicle.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objectslodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires
(including spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid, or
brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause should be
located and corrected immediately.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 103
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Mirrors ............................. 112
▫ Inside Day/Night Mirror — If Equipped . . . 112
▫ Automatic Dimming Mirror — If Equipped . . 112
▫ Outside Mirrors ..................... 113
▫ Driver’s Automatic Dimming Mirror — If
Equipped .......................... 114
▫ Outside Mirror Folding Feature .......... 114
▫ Power Mirrors — If Equipped ........... 114
▫ Heated Mirrors — If Equipped ........... 115▫
Tilt Mirrors In Reverse (Available With
Memory Seat Only) — If Equipped ........ 116
▫ Power Folding Mirrors — If Equipped ..... 116
▫ Illuminated Vanity Mirrors — If Equipped . . 116
Blind Spot Monitoring — If Equipped ....... 117
▫ Rear Cross Path ..................... 123
▫ Modes Of Operation .................. 124
Uconnect™ Phone — If Equipped .......... 125
▫ Operation ......................... 128
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▫Phone Call Features .................. 135
▫ Uconnect™ Phone Features ............. 138
▫ Advanced Phone Connectivity ........... 142
▫ Things You Should Know About Your
Uconnect™ Phone .................... 144
▫ General Information .................. 155
Voice Command — If Equipped ........... 155
▫ Voice Command System Operation ........ 155
▫ Commands ........................ 156
▫ Voice Training ...................... 160
Seats .............................. 160
▫ Power Seats — If Equipped ............. 160
▫ Power Lumbar — If Equipped ........... 162▫
Heated Seats — If Equipped ............ 163
▫ Manual Front/Second Row Seat Adjuster . . . 166
▫ Manual Reclining Seats — If Equipped ..... 167
▫ Head Restraints ..................... 167
▫ Stow ’n Go Seating — If Equipped ....... 172
▫ Quad Seats — If Equipped ............. 178
▫ Second Row Bench Seat — If Equipped .... 184
▫ Third Row Power Recline — If Equipped . . . 186
▫ Third Row Power Folding Seat — If
Equipped .......................... 186
▫ Manually Folding Third Row Seats — If
Equipped .......................... 188
▫ Plastic Grocery Bag Retainer Hooks ....... 191
106 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
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Driver Memory Seat — If Equipped ........ 192
▫ Setting Memory Positions And Linking RKE
Transmitter To Memory ................ 192
▫ Easy Entry/Exit Seat (Available With
Memory Seat Only) ................... 195
To Open And Close The Hood ............ 196
Lights ............................. 198
▫ Headlight Switch .................... 198
▫ Automatic Headlights — If Equipped ...... 199
▫ Headlights On With Wipers — If Equipped . . 199
▫ Headlight Delay — If Equipped .......... 199
▫ Lights-On Reminder .................. 200
▫ Daytime Running Lights — If Equipped .... 200
▫ Front Fog Lights — If Equipped .......... 200▫
Dimmer Controls .................... 201
▫ Multifunction Lever .................. 203
▫ Turn Signals ........................ 203
▫ Lane Change Assist ................... 204
▫ High/Low Beam Switch ............... 204
▫ Flash-To-Pass ....................... 204
▫ Battery Protection .................... 204
Windshield Wiper And Washers ........... 204
▫ Intermittent Wiper System .............. 205
▫ Windshield Wiper Operation ............ 206
▫ Windshield Washers .................. 206
▫ Mist Feature ........................ 206
▫ Rear Wiper And Washer ............... 206
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▫Rain Sensing Wipers — If Equipped ....... 207
Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column .......... 208
Heated Steering Wheel — If Equipped ...... 209
Adjustable Pedals — If Equipped .......... 210
Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped ..... 212
▫ To Activate ......................... 213
▫ To Set A Desired Speed ................ 213
▫ To Deactivate ....................... 213
▫ To Resume Speed .................... 214
▫ To Vary The Speed Setting .............. 214
▫ To Accelerate For Passing .............. 214
Parksense Rear Park Assist — If Equipped . . . 215
▫ Parksense Sensors................... 216 ▫
Parksense Warning Display ............ 216
▫ Parksense Display................... 217
▫ Enabling/Disabling Parksense .......... 220
▫ Service The Parksense Rear Park Assist
System ............................ 221
▫ Cleaning The Parksense System......... 221
▫ Parksense System Usage Precautions ...... 221
Parkview Rear Back Up Camera — If
Equipped ............................ 224
▫ Turning Parkview On Or Off — With
Navigation/Multimedia Radio ........... 226
▫ Turning Parkview On Or Off — Without
Navigation/Multimedia Radio ........... 227
108 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE