warning Ram ProMaster 2018 Service Manual
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Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or AgeRecommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or younger and
who have not reached the height or weight lim- its of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible Child
Restraint, facing rearward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who
have outgrown the height or weight limit of their rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a five-
point Harness, facing forward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have outgrown their forward-
facing child restraint, but are too small to prop- erly fit the vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the vehicle
seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who have
outgrown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear seat of the
vehicle
Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rear-facing in the vehicle until they are two
years old or until they reach either the height
or weight limit of their rear-facing child re-
straint. Two types of child restraints can be
used rear-facing: infant carriers and convert-
ible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in
the vehicle. It is recommended for children
from birth until they reach the weight or height limit of the infant carrier. Convertible
child seats can be used either rear-facing or
forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible
child seats often have a higher weight limit in
the rear-facing direction than infant carriers
do, so they can be used rear-facing by chil-
dren who have outgrown their infant carrier
but are still less than at least two years old.
Children should remain rear-facing until they
reach the highest weight or height allowed by
their convertible child seat.WARNING!
• Never place a rear-facing child restraint
in front of an air bag. A deploying pas-
senger front air bag can cause death or
serious injury to a child 12 years or
younger, including a child in a rear-
facing child restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a
vehicle with a rear seat.
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Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child
seat can ride forward-facing in the vehicle.
Forward-facing child seats and convertible
child seats used in the forward-facing direc-
tion are for children who are over two years
old or who have outgrown the rear-facing
weight or height limit of their rear-facing
convertible child seat. Children should re-
main in a forward-facing child seat with a
harness for as long as possible, up to the
highest weight or height allowed by the child
seat.
All children whose weight or height is above
the forward-facing limit for the child seat
should use a belt-positioning booster seat
until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If
the child cannot sit with knees bent over the
vehicle’s seat cushion while the child’s back
is against the seatback, they should use a
belt-positioning booster seat. The child and
belt-positioning booster seat are held in the
vehicle by the seat belt.WARNING!
• Improper installation can lead to failureof an infant or child restraint. It could
come loose in a collision. The child
could be badly injured or killed. Follow
the child restraint manufacturer’s direc-
tions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
• After a child restraint is installed in the
vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat
forward or rearward because it can
loosen the child restraint attachments.
Remove the child restraint before ad-
justing the vehicle seat position. When
the vehicle seat has been adjusted, re-
install the child restraint.
• When your child restraint is not in use,
secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt
or LATCH anchorages, or remove it from
the vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the
vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it
could strike the occupants or seatbacks
and cause serious personal injury.
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the
shoulder belt comfortably, and whose legs are
long enough to bend over the front of the seat
when their back is against the seatback,
should use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use
this simple 5-step test to decide whether the
child can use the vehicle’s seat belt alone:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against the back of the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat – while
the child is still sitting all the way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between their neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and
not the stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
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If the answer to any of these questions was
“no,” then the child still needs to use a
booster seat in this vehicle. If the child is
using the lap/shoulder belt, check seat belt
fit periodically and make sure the seat belt
buckle is latched. A child’s squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position. If
the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck,
move the child closer to the center of the
vehicle, or use a booster seat to position the
seat belt on the child correctly.
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt
under an arm or behind their back. In a
crash, the shoulder belt will not protect a
child properly, which may result in serious
injury or death. A child must always wear
both the lap and shoulder portions of the
seat belt correctly.
Installing Child Restraints In Commercial
Vehicles
This commercial vehicle is not designed for
use as a family vehicle and is not intended for
carrying children in the front passenger
seat(s). Never install rear-facing child re-
straints in this vehicle. Although the seat belt
can be locked to secure a child restraint,
there are no tether anchorages to complete
the proper installation of a forward-facing
child restraint. If you must carry a child in a
forward-facing child restraint, the passenger
seat should be moved to the full rearward
position and the child must be in a proper
restraint system based on its age, size and
weight. Follow the instructions below to se-
cure the child restraint using the seat belt.
WARNING!
Rear-facing infant restraints must never be
secured in the passenger seat of a vehicle
with a passenger air bag. In a collision, a
passenger air bag may deploy causing se-
vere injury or death to infants riding in
rear-facing infant restraints.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Ve-
hicle Seat Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt.
WARNING!
• Improper installation or failure to prop-erly secure a child restraint can lead to
failure of the restraint. The child could
be badly injured or killed.
• Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions exactly when installing an in-
fant or child restraint.
The seat belts in the passenger seating posi-
tions are equipped with a Switchable Auto-
matic Locking Retractor (ALR). This seat belt
is designed to keep the lap portion of the seat
belt tight around the child restraint so that it
is not necessary to use a locking clip. The
ALR retractor can be “switched” into a
locked mode by pulling all of the webbing out
of the retractor and then letting the webbing
retract back into the retractor. If it is locked,
the ALR will make a clicking noise while the
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webbing is pulled back into the retractor.
Refer to the “Automatic Locking Mode” de-
scription in “Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractors (ALR)” under “Occupant Re-
straint Systems” for additional information
on ALR.
Installing A Child Restraint With A Switch-
able Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt.
WARNING!
• Improper installation or failure to prop-erly secure a child restraint can lead to
failure of the restraint. The child could
be badly injured or killed.
• Follow the child restraint manufactur-
er’s directions exactly when installing an
infant or child restraint.
1. Place the child seat in the center of the seating position.
2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to pass it through the belt
path of the child restraint. Do not twist the
belt webbing in the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight against the child seat.
5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of the belt until you have
pulled all the seat belt webbing out of the
retractor. Then, allow the webbing to re-
tract back into the retractor. As the web-
Front Bucket Seat Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Location
Front Bench Seat Automatic LockingRetractor (ALR) Locations
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bing retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. This means the seat belt is now in
the Automatic Locking mode.
6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is locked, you should not be able to
pull out any webbing. If the retractor is not
locked, repeat step 5.
7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child
restraint while you push the child restraint
rearward and downward into the vehicle
seat.
8. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the
child seat at the belt path. It should not
move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any
direction.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so
check the belt occasionally, and pull it tight if
necessary.Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could
harm your pet. An unrestrained pet will be
thrown about and possibly injured, or injure a
passenger during panic braking or in a colli-
sion.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in
pet harnesses or pet carriers that are secured
by seat belts.
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.
WARNING!
In a collision, people riding in these
areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed.
• 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 con-
tain carbon monoxide (CO), which is col-
orless and odorless. Breathing it can make
you unconscious and can eventually poi-
son you. To avoid breathing (CO), follow
these safety tips:
• Do not run the engine in a closed garageor in confined areas any longer than
needed to move your vehicle in or out of
the area.
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WARNING!
• If you are required to drive with thetrunk/liftgate/rear doors open, make sure
that all windows are closed and the cli-
mate control BLOWER switch is set at
high speed. DO NOT use the recircula-
tion mode.
• If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle
with the engine running, adjust your
heating or cooling controls to force out-
side 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.
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 ar-
eas 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 seat belt system periodically,
checking for cuts, frays, and loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immedi-
ately. Do not disassemble or modify the sys-
tem.
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 web-
bing, etc.). If there is any question regarding
seat belt or retractor condition, replace the
seat belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The Air Bag warning lightwill turn on for
four to eight seconds as a bulb check when
the ignition switch is first turned to ON/RUN.
If the light is either not on during starting, stays on, or turns on while driving, have the
system inspected at your authorized dealer as
soon as possible. After the bulb check, this
light will illuminate with a single chime when
a fault with the Air Bag System has been
detected. It will stay on until the fault is
cleared. If the light comes on intermittently
or remains on while driving, have your autho-
rized dealer service the vehicle immediately.
Refer to “Occupant Restraint Systems” in
“Safety” for further information.
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.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit your
vehicle. Only use a floor mat that does not
interfere with the operation of the accelera-
tor, brake or clutch pedals. Only use a floor
mat that is securely attached using the floor
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mat fasteners so it cannot slip out of position
and interfere with the accelerator, brake or
clutch pedals or impair safe operation of your
vehicle in other ways.
WARNING!
An improperly attached, damaged, folded,
or stacked floor mat, or damaged floor mat
fasteners may cause your floor mat to in-
terfere with the accelerator, brake, or
clutch pedals and cause a loss of vehicle
control. To prevent SERIOUS INJURY or
DEATH:
• ALWAYS securely attach
your floor
mat using the floor mat fasteners. DO
NOT install your floor mat upside down
or turn your floor mat over. Lightly pull to
confirm mat is secured using the floor
mat fasteners on a regular basis.
• ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING
FLOOR MAT FROM THE VEHICLE
before installing any other floor mat.
NEVER install or stack an additional
floor mat on top of an existing floor mat.
• ONLY install floor mats designed to fit
your vehicle. NEVER install a floor mat
WARNING!
that cannot be properly attached and
secured to your vehicle. If a floor mat
needs to be replaced, only use a FCA
approved floor mat for the specific
make, model, and year of your vehicle.
• ONLY use the driver’s side floor mat on
the driver’s side floor area. To check for
interference, with the vehicle properly
parked with the engine off, fully depress
the accelerator, the brake, and the
clutch pedal (if present) to check for
interference. If your floor mat interferes
with the operation of any pedal, or is not
secure to the floor, remove the floor mat
from the vehicle and place the floor mat
in your trunk.
• ONLY use the passenger’s side floor mat
on the passenger’s side floor area.
• ALWAYS make sure objects cannot fall or
slide into the driver’s side floor area
when the vehicle is moving. Objects can
become trapped under accelerator,
brake, or clutch pedals and could cause
a loss of vehicle control.
WARNING!
• NEVER place any objects under the floormat (e.g., towels, keys, etc.). These ob-
jects could change the position of the
floor mat and may cause interference
with the accelerator, brake, or clutch
pedals.
• If the vehicle carpet has been removed
and re-installed, always properly attach
carpet to the floor and check the floor
mat fasteners are secure to the vehicle
carpet. Fully depress each pedal to
check for interference with the accelera-
tor, brake, or clutch pedals then re-
install the floor mats.
• It is recommended to only use mild soap
and water to clean your floor mats. After
cleaning, always check your floor mat
has been properly installed and is se-
cured to your vehicle using the floor mat
fasteners by lightly pulling mat.
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STARTING THE ENGINE — GAS
ENGINE
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat,
adjust both inside and outside mirrors, and
fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle,or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
• Allowing children to be in a vehicle un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission
gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle (or in a location accessible to
children). A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
Normal Starting
NOTE:
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or press-
ing the accelerator pedal.
Turn the ignition switch to the AVV (START)
position and release it when the engine
starts. If the engine fails to start within
10 seconds, turn the ignition switch to the
STOP (OFF/LOCK) position, wait 10 to
15 seconds, then repeat the “Normal Start-
ing” procedure.
STARTING THE ENGINE — DIESEL
ENGINE
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat,
both inside and outside mirrors, and fasten
your seat belts.
The starter is allowed to crank for up to
10-second intervals. Waiting a few minutes
between such intervals will protect the starter
from overheating.
WARNING!
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle,or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
• Allowing children to be in a vehicle un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission
gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle (or in a location accessible to
children). A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
NOTE:
Engine start up in very low ambient tempera-
ture could result in evident white smoke. This
condition will disappear as the engine warms
up.
STARTING AND OPERATING
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CAUTION!
If the “Generic Warning Light” remains on
and a “Service Fuel Filter” message dis-
plays, DO NOT START engine before you
drain the water from the fuel filter housing
to avoid engine damage. Please see your
authorized dealer for draining the fuel
filter/water separator and fuel filter re-
placement.
Normal Starting Procedure
The gear selector must be in the NEUTRAL
(N) position, and the brake pedal must be
pressed, to allow engine cranking. Place the
gear selector in NEUTRAL (N) and apply the
brake pedal BEFORE turning the key to the
START/AVV position; otherwise, the engine
will not crank and the key must be cycled
OFF, then back on, before cranking is al-
lowed.
Observe the instrument panel cluster lights
when starting the engine.NOTE:
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or press-
ing the accelerator pedal.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Place the gear selector into the NEUTRAL
(N) position while keeping the brake pedal
depressed.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN/ MAR position and watch the instrument
panel cluster lights.CAUTION!
If the “Generic Warning Light” remains on
and a “Service Fuel Filter” message dis-
plays, DO NOT START engine before you
drain the water from the fuel filter housing
to avoid engine damage. Please see your
authorized dealer for draining the fuel
filter/water separator and fuel filter re-
placement.
4. After the Glow Plug light turns off, turn the ignition switch to the AVV (START)
position to start the engine. Do not press
the accelerator during starting. 5. If you wish to stop the cranking of the
engine prior to the engine starting, release
the ignition key so that it turns back to the
ON/RUN position.
6. Check that the oil pressure warning light has turned off.
7. Release the parking brake.
To start the engine if the transmission is
faulty, the “Delayed startup” procedure may
be required.
NOTE:
Not all Transmission Failures requires the
“Delayed startup” Procedure, it depends on
the type of failure.(refer to "Instrument Clus-
ter Messages" under "Automated Manual
Transmission" in this section for further infor-
mation):
• Begin with the key in the OFF position.
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Turn the key to the START/AVV position and hold it there for at least seven seconds with
the brake depressed. The engine will start,
and the transmission will operate in recov-
ery mode (maximum gear permitted = 3rd,
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automatic mode not available). If the en-
gine does not start, contact your authorized
dealer.
Extreme Cold Weather
Your vehicle may be equipped with three
heating elements; one engine block heater (a
resistance heater installed in the water jacket
of the engine) and two transmission heaters
(one resistance heater installed under the oil
reservoir of the hydraulic actuation system
and one on the differential cover of the trans-
mission). To ensure reliable starting/
operating in extreme cold temperatures, use
of an externally powered electric engine
block/transmission heater (available from
your authorized dealer) is recommended.
They require a 110–115 Volt AC electrical
outlet with a grounded, three-wire extension
cord. Their use is recommended for environ-
ments that routinely fall below -10°F
(-23°C). They should be used when the ve-
hicle has not been running overnight or lon-
ger periods and should be plugged in two
hours prior to start. Their use is required for
cold starts with temperatures under -17°F
(-27°C).NOTE:
The engine is designed to work at an ambient
temperature ranging from -22°F to + 122°F
(-30°C to + 50C°). Rubber, pipes, timing belt
cover and electronic devices are not designed
to work out of this range.
In the case of LOW temperature after Start-
ing, the Automated Manual Transmission
may not be able to engage first gear. In this
case a message "Shift not allowed" appears.
In this situation use the engine block heater.
NOTE:
The engine and transmission block heater
cord is a factory installed option. If your
vehicle is not equipped, heater cords are
available from your authorized Mopar dealer.
• A 12 Volt heater built into the fuel filter
housing aids in preventing fuel gelling. It is
controlled by a built-in thermostat.
• A Diesel Pre-Heat system both improves engine starting and reduces the amount of
white smoke generated by a warming
engine.
NORMAL OPERATION
Observe the following when the diesel engine
is operating.
• All message center lights are off.
• Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is off.
• Generic Warning Light is off.
• Engine Oil Pressure telltale is notilluminated.
Stopping The Diesel Engine
Idle the engine a few minutes before routine
shutdown. After full load operation, idle the
engine three to five minutes before shutting it
down. This idle period will allow the lubricat-
ing oil and coolant to carry excess heat away
from the combustion chamber, bearings, in-
ternal components, and turbocharger. This is
especially important for turbocharged diesel
engines.
NOTE:
Refer to the following chart for proper engine
shutdown.STARTING AND OPERATING
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