tow RAM CHASSIS CAB 2011 Repair Manual

Shifting Out of Neutral – Electronic Shift Transfer
Case (If Equipped)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage:
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving it con-
nected to the tow vehicle.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Insert the key fob into the ignition switch and turn it to
the ON/RUN position, but do not start the engine.
4. Press and hold the brake pedal.
5. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
6. Press and hold the transfer case NEUTRAL button
(located by the selector switch) until the NEUTRAL
indicator light turns off.
7. After the NEUTRAL indicator light turns off, release
the NEUTRAL button. 8. After the NEUTRAL button has been released, the
transfer case will shift to the position identified by the
selector switch.
NOTE: When shifting out of transfer case NEUTRAL,
turning the engine OFF may be required to avoid gear
clash.
9. Shift the automatic transmission into PARK, or place
manual transmission in Neutral.
10. Release the brake pedal.
11. Disconnect vehicle from the tow vehicle.
12. Start the engine.
13. Press and hold the brake pedal.
14. Release the parking brake.352 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIESCONTENTS  Hazard Warning Flasher ................ 356
 Jacking And Tire Changing ............... 356
▫ 3500 Models — If Equipped ............. 357
▫ Preparations For Jacking ............... 358
▫ Jacking Instructions ................... 358
 Hoisting ............................ 366  Jump-Starting Procedures ................ 366
▫ Preparations For Jump-Start ............. 367
▫ Jump-Starting Procedure ............... 368
 Freeing A Stuck Vehicle ................. 370
 Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped ...... 371
 Towing A Disabled Vehicle ............... 372
▫ Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles .............. 372
▫ Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles .............. 373
6

WARNING! (Continued)• Always park on a firm, level surface as far from
the edge of the roadway as possible before raising
the vehicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to
be raised.
• Set the parking brake firmly and set an automatic
transmission in PARK; a manual transmission in
REVERSE.
• Never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a
jack.
• Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it is on a
jack.
• Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a jack.
• Only use the jack in the positions indicated and
for lifting this vehicle during a tire change.
(Continued) WARNING! (Continued)• If working on or near a roadway, be extremely
careful of motor traffic.
• To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are
securely stowed, spares must be stowed with the
valve stem facing the ground.
1. If equipped, remove the spare wheel, jack, and tools
from storage.
2. Using the wheel wrench, loosen, but do not remove,
the wheel nuts by turning them counterclockwise one
turn while the wheel is still on the ground. Jack Warning Label
6 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 359

Before raising the wheel off the ground, make sure that
the jack will not damage surrounding truck parts and
adjust the jack position as required.
NOTE: If the jack will not lower by turning the dial
(thumbwheel) by hand, it may be necessary to use the
jack drive tube in order to lower the jack.
4. By rotating the wheel wrench clockwise, raise the
vehicle until the wheel just clears the surface.
WARNING!Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make
the vehicle unstable and cause an accident. It could
slip off the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the
vehicle only enough to remove the tire.
5. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel off. Install
the spare wheel and wheel nuts with the cone shaped end
of the nuts toward the wheel on single rear wheel (SRW) models. On dual rear wheel models (DRW) the lug nuts
are a two-piece assembly with a flat face. Lightly tighten
the nuts. To avoid risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not fully tighten the nuts until the vehicle has been
lowered.
6. Using the wheel wrench, finish tightening the nuts
using a crisscross pattern. The correct nut tightness is
135 ft lbs (183 N·m) torque for single rear wheel (SRW)
models and 145 ft lbs (197 N·m) for dual rear wheel
models. If in doubt about the correct tightness, have them
checked with a torque wrench by your authorized dealer
or at a service station.
WARNING!A loose tire or jack thrown forward in an accident or
hard stop could injure someone in the vehicle. Al-
ways stow the jack parts and the extra tire and wheel
in the places provided.
6 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 361

7. Install wheel center cap (if equipped) and remove
wheel blocks. Do not install chrome or aluminum wheel
center caps on the spare wheel. This may result in cap
damage.
8. Lower the jack to its fully closed position. If the jack
will not lower by turning the dial (thumbwheel) by hand,
it may be necessary to use the jack drive tube in order to
lower the jack. Stow the replaced tire, jack, and tools as
previously described.
9. Adjust the tire pressure when possible.
NOTE: Do not oil wheel studs. For chrome wheels, do
not substitute with chrome plated wheel nuts.
Hub Caps/Wheel Covers — If Equipped
The hub caps must be removed before raising the vehicle
off the ground. CAUTION!Use extreme caution when removing the front and
rear center caps. Damage can occur to the center cap
and/or the wheel if screwdriver type tools are used. A
pulling motion, not a pry off motion, is recom-
mended to remove the caps.
For single rear wheel (SRW) models, use the blade on the
end of the lug wrench to pry the hub cap off. Insert the
blade end into the pry off notch and carefully pop off the
hub cap with a back and forth motion.
On 3500 models with dual rear wheels (DRW), you must
first remove the hub caps. The jack handle driver has a
hook at one end that will fit in the pry off notch of the
rear hub caps. Position the hook and pull out on the
ratchet firmly. The hub cap should pop off. The wheel
skins can now be removed. For the front hub cap on
models use the blade on the end of the lug wrench to pry
the caps off. The wheel skin can now be removed.362 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Disc Wheels Type Nut Stud Size Torque Ft Lbs Torque Newton Meters
Cone 9/16-18 120-150 160-200
Flanged 9/16-18 130-160 190-220
To Stow The Flat Or Spare — If Equipped
Refer to Upfitters Body Builders Guide for information
on stowing your spare tire (if equipped).
HOISTING
A conventional floor jack may be used at the jacking
locations. Refer to the graphics that show jacking loca-
tions. However, a floor jack or frame hoist must never be
used on any other parts or the underbody.
CAUTION!Never use a floor jack directly under the differential
housing of a loaded truck or damage to your vehicle
may result. JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURES
If your vehicle has a discharged battery it can be jump-
started using a set of jumper cables and a battery in
another vehicle or by using a portable battery booster
pack. Jump-starting can be dangerous if done improperly
so please follow the procedures in this section carefully.
NOTE: When using a portable battery booster pack
follow the manufacturer ’s operating instructions and
precautions.366 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION! (Continued)• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving be-
tween 1st and REVERSE, do not spin the wheels
faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage
may result.
• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure.
It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the
wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h). WARNING!Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
EMERGENCY TOW HOOKS — IF EQUIPPED
Your vehicle may be equipped with emergency tow
hooks.
NOTE: For off-road recovery, it is recommended to use
both of the front tow hooks to minimize the risk of
damage to the vehicle.
6 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 371

WARNING!• Chains are not recommended for freeing a stuck
vehicle. Chains may break, causing serious injury
or death.
• Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow
hooks. Tow straps and chains may break, causing
serious injury.
CAUTION!Tow hooks are for emergency use only to rescue a
vehicle stranded off-road. Do not use tow hooks for
tow truck hookup or highway towing. You could
damage your vehicle. TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to prevent
damage to your vehicle. Use only tow bars and other
equipment designed for the purpose, following equip-
ment manufacturer’s instructions. Use of safety chains is
mandatory. Attach a tow bar or other towing device to
the main structural members of the vehicle—not to
bumpers or associated brackets. State and local laws
applying to vehicles under tow must be observed.
Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles
CAUTION!To avoid damage to the transfer case while towing,
always use one of the following methods.372 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

NOTE: The transfer case must be in the NEUTRAL
position, and the transmission must be in PARK (auto-
matic transmission), or in gear (manual transmission) to
tow a four-wheel drive vehicle, unless all its wheels are
OFF the ground.
The manufacturer recommends towing with all wheels
OFF the ground. Acceptable methods are to tow the
vehicle on a flatbed or with one end of vehicle raised and
the opposite end on a towing dolly.
Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles
Provided that the transmission is operable, tow with the
transmission in NEUTRAL and the ignition key in the
OFF position along with the front wheels raised and the
rear wheels on the ground. Speed must not exceed
30 mph (50 km/h) and the distance must not exceed
15 miles (25 km). CAUTION!Towing faster than 30 mph (50 km/h) or for more than
15 miles (25 km) can cause severe damage to the
transmission. Such damage is not covered by the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
If the vehicle is to be towed faster than 30 mph (50 km/h)
or more than 15 miles (25 km) the vehicle must be towed
with the rear wheels OFF the ground. It may be towed on
a flatbed, or with the front wheels raised and the rear
wheels on a dolly, or (when using a suitable steering
wheel stabilizer to hold the front wheels in the straight
position) with the rear wheels raised and the front wheels
on the ground.
6 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 373

ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (OBD II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated onboard
diagnostic system called OBD II. This system monitors
the performance of the emissions, engine, and automatic
transmission control systems. When these systems are
operating properly, your vehicle will provide excellent
performance and fuel economy, as well as engine emis-
sions well within current government regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD II system
will turn on the “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL).” It
will also store diagnostic codes and other information to
assist your service technician in making repairs. Al-
though your vehicle will usually be drivable and not
need towing, see your authorized dealer for service as
soon as possible. CAUTION!• Prolonged driving with the MIL on could cause
further damage to the emission control system. It
could also affect fuel economy and drivability. The
vehicle must be serviced before any emissions
tests can be performed.
• If the MIL is flashing, while the engine is running,
severe catalytic converter damage and power loss
will soon occur. Immediate service is required.
Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message
If the vehicle diagnostic system determines
that the fuel filler cap is loose, improperly
installed, or damaged, a loose gascap indicator
will display in the EVIC telltale display area.
Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) in
“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further in-
formation. Tighten the fuel filler cap properly and press378 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE