DODGE RAM 1500 GAS 2005 3.G Owners Manual

Storage and Seats — If Equipped
Located in the center of the front 40/20/40 seat cushion
there is a storage compartment.
Standard cab models also have storage behind the seat.
The Quad Cab models provide additional storage under
the rear seat. Lift the seat to access the storage compart-
ment.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 151
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FOLD FLAT LOAD FLOOR — IF EQUIPPED
Fold Flat Load Floor — If Equipped
Quad Cab models with a 60/40 rear seat, may be
equipped with a folding steel load floor.
WARNING!
Do not operate the vehicle with loose items stored on
the load floor. While driving or in an accident you
may experience, abrupt stopping, rapid acceleration,
or sharp turns. Loose objects stored on the load floor
may move around with force and strike occupants,
resulting in serious or fatal injury.
152 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Unfolding the Load Floor
1. Lift the 60/40 seat cushion(s) to the upward position.2. Grasp the knob on the load floor and lift the knob until
the load floor unfolds into position.
3. Reverse the procedure to store the load floor.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 153
3

Positioning the Load Floor for Storage Access Under
the Seat
1. Lift the 60/40 seat cushion(s) to the upward position.
2. Unsnap the securing snap located at either side of the
load floor.
3. Lift the load floor up to access storage under the load
floor.
WARNING!
Do not drive with the load floor in the up position.
When stopping fast or in an accident, the load floor
could move to the down position causing serious
injury.4. Reverse the procedure to put the load floor back in the
secured down position before you operate the vehicle.
154 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

PICKUP BOX
The pickup box on your new Ram has many features
designed for utility and convenience.NOTE:If you are installing a toolbox to the front of the
pickup box, you must use Mopartoolbox brackets
available from your dealer.
You can carry wide building materials (sheets of ply-
wood, etc.) by building a raised load floor. Place lumber
across the box in the indentations provided above the
wheel housings and in the bulkhead dividers to form the
floor.
WARNING!
The pickup box is intended for load carrying pur-
poses only, not for passengers, who should sit in
seats and use seat belts.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 155
3

WARNING!
•Care should always be exercised when operating a
vehicle with unrestrained cargo. Vehicle speeds
may need to be reduced. Severe turns or rough
roads may cause shifting or bouncing of the cargo
that may result in vehicle damage. If wide build-
ing materials are to be frequently carried, the
installation of a support is recommended. This
will restrain the cargo and transfer the load to the
pickup box floor.
•If you wish to carry more than 600 lbs (272 kg) of
material suspended above the wheelhouse, sup-
ports must be installed to transfer the weight of
the load to the pickup box floor or vehicle damage
may result. The use of proper supports will permit
loading up to the rated payload.
•Unrestrained cargo may be thrown forward in an
accident causing serious or fatal injury.
There are stampings in the sheet metal on the inner side
bulkheads of the box in front of and behind both wheel
housings. Place wooden boards across the box from side
to side to create separate load compartments in the
pickup box.
There are four tie-down cleats bolted to the lower sides of
the pickup box that can sustain loads up to 1000 lbs (450
kg) total.
156 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

SLIDE-IN CAMPERS
Camper Applications
Certain truck models are not recommended for slide-in
campers. To determine if your vehicle is excluded, please
refer to the “Consumer Information Truck-Camper Load-
ing” document available from your dealer. For safety
reasons, follow all instructions in this important docu-
ment.
NOTE:When a cap or pickup camper is installed on a
vehicle, an alternate CHMSL (Center High Mounted Stop
Light) must be provided.
EASY-OFF TAILGATE
To simplify mounting of a camper unit with an overhang,
the tailgate can be removed quickly. If the truck is a 3500
dual rear wheel model, unplug the tailgate wire harness
from under the rear of the truck and pull the harness out
of the cargo box access hole. Unlatch the tailgate and
remove the support cables by releasing the lock tang
from the pivot, then rotate and pull away from the box.
Once the cables are free, move to the right side of the
tailgate hinge bracket.
Raise the right side of the tailgate until the right side
pivot clears the hanger bracket. Slide the entire tailgate to
the right to free the left side pivot. Remove the tailgate
from the vehicle entirely. Do not carry the tailgate loose in
the truck pickup box.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 157
3

NOTE:Dual rear wheel pickup models require properly
spaced rear clearance lights. If such a vehicle is operated
without a tailgate, suitable lights must be installed.
WARNING!
To avoid inhaling carbon monoxide, which is deadly,
the exhaust system on vehicles equipped with “Cap
or Slide-In Campers” should extend beyond the over-
hanging camper compartment and be free of leaks.
158 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
CONTENTS

Instruments And Controls.................163

Instrument Cluster......................164

Instrument Cluster Description.............165

Electronic Digital Clock..................173
▫Clock Setting Procedure.................173

Sales Code RBB—AM/FM Stereo Radio With
Cassette Tape Player And CD Changer
Capability............................174
▫Radio Operation......................174
▫Mode Button........................176▫Scan Button (Radio Mode)...............176
▫Cassette Player Features................177
▫CD Changer Control Capability — If
Equipped...........................178

Sales Code RAZ—AM/ FM Stereo Radio With
Cassette Tape Player, CD Player And CD
Changer Controls.......................180
▫Operating Instructions — Radio...........180
▫Power Switch, Volume Control............181
▫Seek Button (Radio Mode)...............1814

▫Tuning.............................181
▫Radio Data System (RDS)...............181
▫PTY (Program Type) Button..............181
▫Balance............................183
▫Fade..............................183
▫Tone Control........................183
▫AM/FM Selection.....................184
▫Scan Button.........................184
▫To Set The Radio Push-Button Memory......184
▫To Change From Clock To Radio Mode......185
▫Operating Instructions — Tape Player.......185
▫Seek Button.........................185
▫Fast Forward (FF).....................185▫Rewind (RW)........................185
▫Tape Eject...........................186
▫Scan Button.........................186
▫Changing Tape Direction................186
▫Metal Tape Selection...................186
▫Pinch Roller Release...................186
▫Noise Reduction......................186
▫Operating Instructions — CD Player........187
▫Inserting The Compact Disc..............187
▫Seek Button.........................188
▫EJT CD (Eject) Button..................188
▫FF/Tune/RW........................188
▫Program Button 4 (Random Play)..........188
160 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL