DODGE RAM 3500 DIESEL 2009 4.G Owners Manual

Life of TireThe service life of a tire is dependent upon varying
factors including, but not limited to:•
Driving style
•
Tire pressure
•
Distance driven
WARNING!
Tires and the spare tire should be replaced after six
years, regardless of the remaining tread. Failure to
follow this warning can result in sudden tire failure.
You could lose control and have an accident resulting
in serious injury or death.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
Replacement TiresThe tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed. (Refer to the paragraph on
“Tread Wear Indicators”). Refer to the “Tire and Loading
Information” placard for the size designation of your tire.
The service description and load identification will be
found on the original equipment tire. Failure to use
equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect the
safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend
that you contact your original equipment or an autho-
rized tire dealer with any questions you may have on tire
specifications or capability.
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WARNING!
•
DO NOT use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combinations
of unapproved tires and wheels may change sus-
pension dimensions and performance characteris-
tics, resulting in changes to steering, handling, and
braking of your vehicle. This can cause unpredict-
able handling and stress to steering and suspen-
sion components. You could lose control and have
an accident resulting in serious injury or death.
Use only the tire and wheel sizes with load ratings
approved for your vehicle.
•
NEVER use a tire with a smaller load index or
capacity, other than what was originally equipped
on your vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load
index could result in tire overloading and failure.
You could lose control and have an accident.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•
Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size
may result in false speedometer and odometer read-
ings.SUPPLEMENTAL TIRE PRESSURE
INFORMATION — IF EQUIPPEDA light load vehicle condition is defined as two passen-
gers [150 lbs (68 kg) each] plus 200 lbs (91 kg) of cargo.
Cold tire inflation pressures for a lightly loaded vehicle
will be found on the face of the driver’s door.
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TIRE CHAINSUse “Class U” chains on 2500/3500 model trucks, or
other traction aids that meet SAE Type “U” specifica-
tions.
NOTE:Chains must be the proper size for the vehicle,
as recommended by the chain manufacturer.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle, tires or chains,
observe the following precautions:•
Because of limited chain clearance between tires
and other suspension components, it is important
that only chains in good condition are used. Bro-
ken chains can cause serious vehicle damage. Stop
the vehicle immediately if noise occurs that could
suggest chain breakage. Remove the damaged
parts of the chain before further use.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•
Install chains as tightly as possible and then
retighten after driving about 0.5 mile (0.8 km).
•
Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h).
•
Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns and large
bumps, especially with a loaded vehicle.
•
Do not install tire chains on front wheels of 4x2
vehicles.
•
Do not drive for a prolonged period on dry pave-
ment.
•
Observe the tire chain manufacturer’s instructions
on method of installation, operating speed, and
conditions for usage. Always use the lower sug-
gested operating speed of the chain manufacturer
if different than the speed recommended by the
manufacturer.
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These cautions apply to all chain traction devices, includ-
ing link and cable (radial) chains.
Tire chain use is permitted only on the rear tires of 4X2
model trucks.
NOTE:•
The use of class “U” chains is permitted on the front
and rear of 4X4, 2500 model trucks with LT245/
70R17E tires.
•
The use of class “U” chains is permitted on the front
and rear of 4X4, 3500 model trucks with Dual Rear
Wheels and LT235/80R17E tires.
•
On 4X2 2500/3500 model trucks, class “U” snow
chains are permitted on the rear wheels only of
vehicles equipped with LT245/70R17, LT265/70R17,
and LT235/80R17 size tires.
•
On 4x4 2500/3500 SRW (Single Rear Wheel) model
trucks, class “U” snow chains are permitted on the rear
wheels only of vehicles equipped with LT265/70R17E.
CAUTION!
Do not use tire chains on 4x4 model trucks equipped
with P265/70R17, LT275/70R17, P275/60R20, tires.
There may not be adequate clearance for the chains
and you are risking structural or body damage to
your vehicle. Do not use tire chains on the 4X2 front
wheels of 2500/3500 SRW (Single Rear Wheels)
equipped with LT245/70R17, LT265/70R17 LT235/
80R17 tires, or 4X4 front wheels equipped with
LT265/70R17E. There may not be adequate clearance
for the chains and you are risking structural or body
damage to your vehicle.
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SNOW TIRESSnow tires should be of the same size and type construc-
tion as the front tires. Consult the manufacturer of the
snow tire to determine any maximum vehicle speed
requirement associated with the tire. These tires should
always be operated at the vehicle maximum capacity
inflation pressures under any load condition.
While studded tires improve performance on ice, skid
and traction capability on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded tires. Some states pro-
hibit studded tires; therefore, local laws should be
checked before using these tire types.
TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONSTires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving,
and braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at
unequal rates and develop irregular wear patterns. These
effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires. The
benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with ag-
gressive tread designs such as those on ON/OFF Road
type tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help to main-
tain mud, snow, and wet traction levels, and contribute to
a smooth, quiet ride.
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Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” in Section 8 for the
proper maintenance intervals. More frequent rotation is
permissible if desired. The reasons for any rapid or
unusual wear should be corrected prior to rotation being
performed.NOTE:
On Canadian vehicles only, if your vehicle is
equipped with All-Season type tires on the front and
ON/OFF Road type tires mounted on the rear, do not use
a front-to-back rotation pattern. Instead, rotate your tires
side-to-side at the recommended intervals.364 STARTING AND OPERATING

Dual Rear WheelsThe tires used on dual wheel assemblies should be
matched for wear to prevent overloading one tire in a set.
To check if tires are even, lay a straight edge across all
four tires. The straight edge should touch all the tires.
CAUTION!
3500 Dual Rear Tires have only one approved direc-
tion of rotation. This is to accommodate the asym-
metrical design (tread pattern) of the ON/OFF road
tire and the use of Outline White Letter (OWL) tires.•
When replacing a flat, the spare tire may have to
be remounted on the rim, or installed at a different
location, to maintain the correct placement of the
tire on the wheel relative to the tire/wheel position
on the truck. For example, if the spare is used to
replace an outer rear tire it will have to be re-
mounted on the rim so that the wheel is dished
inward. That way the tread design of asymmetrical
tires and the white writing of the OWL tires will
maintain proper position.
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TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) — IF
EQUIPPEDThe Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) will warn
the driver of a low tire pressure based on the vehicle
recommended cold tire inflation placard pressure. The
placard pressure is defined on the Tire and Loading
Information label. The Tire and Loading Information
label is located on the drivers side B-pillar. Vehicles
equipped to be operated in either the “max load inflation
pressure” condition described on the Tire and Loading
Information label or the alternative “light load inflation
pressure” condition described on the Supplemental Tire
Pressure Information label, may also be equipped with a
“Tire Light Load Inflation” switch to choose the appro-
priate TPMS low pressure warning threshold levels
based upon the vehicle load condition. The Supplemental
Tire Pressure Information label is located on the rear face
of the driver door. Operation of the “Tire Light Load
Inflation” switch is described later in this manual section.The tire pressure will vary with temperature by approxi-
mately 1 psi (6.9 kPa) for every 12°F (6.5°C). This means
that when the outside temperature decreases, the tire
pressure will decrease. Tire pressure should always be set
based on cold inflation tire pressure. This is defined as
the tire pressure after a vehicle has not been driven for
more than three hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km)
after a three-hour period. For information on how to
properly inflate the vehicle’s tires, refer to ”Tire Pressure”
under “Tires – General Information” in this section. The
tire pressure will also increase as the vehicle is driven -
this is normal and there should be no adjustment for this
increased pressure.
The TPM System will warn the driver of a low tire
pressure if the tire pressure falls below the low pressure
warning threshold for any reason, including low tem-
perature effects, or natural pressure loss through the tire.366 STARTING AND OPERATING

The TPM System will continue to warn the driver of low
tire pressure as long as the condition exists, and will not
turn off until the tire pressure is at or above recom-
mended cold placard pressure. Once the low tire pressure
warning has been illuminated, the tire pressure must be
increased to the recommended cold placard pressure in
order for the TPMS warning light to be turned off. The
system will automatically update and the TPMS warning
light will extinguish once the updated tire pressures have
been received. The vehicle may need to be driven for up
to 20 minutes above 15 mph (25 km/h) to receive this
information.As an example, assume your vehicle has a recommended
cold tire inflation placard pressure (parked for more than
3 hours) of 35 psi (241 kPa). If the ambient temperature is
68°F (20°C) and the measured tire pressure is 30 psi
(207 kPa), a temperature drop to 20°F (-7°C) will decrease
the tire pressure to approximately 26 psi (179 kPa). This
tire pressure is sufficiently low enough to turn ON the
“Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light.” Driving the
vehicle may cause the tire pressure to rise to approxi-
mately 30 psi (207 kPa), but the “Tire Pressure Monitor-
ing Telltale Light” will still be ON. In this situation, the
“Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will turn OFF
only after the tires have been inflated to the vehicle’s
recommended cold tire placard pressure value.
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CAUTION!
•
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures have
been established for the tire size equipped on your
vehicle. Undesirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using replacement
equipment that is not of the same size, type, and/or
style. After-market wheels can cause sensor dam-
age. Do not use aftermarket tire sealants or balance
beads if your vehicle is equipped with a TPMS, as
damage to the sensors may result.
•
After inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure
always reinstall the valve stem cap. This will
prevent moisture and dirt from entering the valve
stem, which could damage the Tire Pressure Moni-
toring Sensor.NOTE:
•
The TPMS is not intended to replace normal tire care
and maintenance, nor to provide warning of a tire
failure or condition.
•
The TPMS should not be used as a tire pressure gauge
while adjusting your tire pressure.
•
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
•
The TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the “Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light.”
•
Seasonal temperature changes will affect tire pressure,
and the TPM system will monitor the actual tire
pressure in the tire.
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