wheel DODGE RAM 4500 CHASSIS CAB 2008 3.G Owner's Guide

4L
4-Wheel-Drive Low Range - Low speed 4-wheel-drive.
Locks the front and rear driveshafts together. Forces the
front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed.
Additional traction and maximum pulling power for
loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).Vehicle's equipped with the AISIN
(AS68RC) Automatic Transmission, Overdrive gear (5th
and 6th) will be disabled when the transfer case is in
4L.
Shifting Procedure Ð Manually Shifted Transfer
Case
2H,4H
Shifting between 2H and 4H can be made with the
vehicle stopped or in motion. If the vehicle is in motion,
shifts can be made up to 55 mph (88 km/h). With the
Manual Transfer Case Shifter
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vehicle in motion, the transfer case will engage / disen-
gage faster if you momentarily release the accelerator
pedal after completing the shift. Apply a constant force
when shifting the transfer case lever.
2H or 4H,4L
With the vehicle rolling at 2 to 3 mph (3 to 5 km/h), shift
an automatic transmission to N (Neutral) or depress the
clutch on a manual transmission. While the vehicle is
coasting at 2 to 3 mph (3 to 5 km/h), shift the transfer
case lever firmly to the desired position. Do not pause in
transfer case N (Neutral).
NOTE:Pausing in transfer case N (Neutral) in vehicles
equipped with an automatic transmission may require
shutting the engine OFF to avoid gear clash while
completing the shift. If difficulty occurs, shift automatic
transmission to N (Neutral), hold foot on brake, and turn
engine OFF. Make shift to the desired mode.NOTE:Shifting into or out of 4L is possible with the
vehicle completely stopped, however difficulty may oc-
cur due to the mating clutch teeth not being properly
aligned. Several attempts may be required for clutch
teeth alignment and shift completion to occur. The pre-
ferred method is with the vehicle rolling 2 to 3 mph (3 to
5 km/h). Avoid attempting to engage or disengage 4L
with the vehicle moving faster than 2 to 3 mph (3 to 5
km/h).
NOTE:Do not attempt to shift to or from 4L while the
transmission is in gear or clutch is engaged.
Transfer Case Reminder Light
The four-wheel-drive operating light (4WD), located in
the instrument cluster, is used to alert the driver that the
front axle is fully engaged and all four wheels are
driving.
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Electronically Shifted Transfer Case Operating
Information/Precautions (4 Position Switch) Ð If
Equipped
This is an electric shift transfer case and is operated by
the 4WD Control Switch (Transfer Case Switch), which is
located on the instrument panel.This Electronically Shifted transfer case provides 4 mode
positions: 2 (rear) wheel drive high range, 4 wheel drive
lock range, 4 wheel drive low range, and neutral.
The Electronically Shifted transfer case is designed to be
driven in the 2 wheel drive position (2WD) for normal
street and highway conditions (dry hard surfaced roads).
When additional traction is required, the transfer case
4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW positions can be used to lock
the front and rear driveshafts together and force the front
and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is
accomplished by rotating the 4WD Control Switch to the
desired position - see Shifting Procedure section for
specific shifting instructions. The 4WD LOCK and 4WD
LOW positions are designed for loose, slippery road
surfaces only. Driving in the 4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW
positions on dry hard surfaced roads may cause in-
creased tire wear and damage to the driveline compo-
nents.
Transfer Case Switch
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If One or More Shift Conditions are not Met
1. The indicator light for the current position will remain
ON.
2. The newly selected position indicator light will con-
tinue to flash.
3. The transfer casewill notshift.
NOTE:Before retrying a selection, make certain that all
the necessary requirements for selecting a new transfer
case position have been met. To retry the selection, turn
the control knob back to the current position, wait five (5)
seconds, and retry selection. To find the shift require-
ments, refer to the9Shifting Procedure9for your transfer
case, located in this section of the owner's manual.The ªSERVICE 4WDº warning light monitors the electric
shift 4WD system. If this light remains on after engine
start up or illuminates during driving, it means that the
4WD system is not functioning properly and that service
is required.
WARNING!
Always engage the parking brake when powering
down the vehicle if the(Service 4WD(light is illu-
minated. Not engaging the parking brake may allow
the vehicle to roll which may cause personal injury.
NOTE:Do not attempt to make a shift while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning, as this can cause
damage to driveline components.
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When operating your vehicle in 4WD LOW, the engine
speed is approximately three times that of the 2WD or
4WD LOCK positions at a given road speed. Take care
not to overspeed the engine and do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).
Proper operation of 4 wheel drive vehicles depends on
tires of equal size, type and circumference on each wheel.
Any difference in tire size can cause damage to the
transfer case.
Because 4 wheel drive provides improved traction, there
is a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping speeds.
Do not go faster than road conditions permit.WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the
Neutral (N) position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case Neutral (N) position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from
the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to move
regardless of the transmission position. The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position see the information below:
2WD
Rear Wheel Drive High Range - Normal street and
highway driving. Dry hard surfaced roads.
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4WD LOCK
4 Wheel Drive Lock Range - Locks the front and rear
driveshafts together. Forces the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed. Additional traction for loose,
slippery road surfaces only.
4WD LOW
4 Wheel Drive Low Range - Low speed 4 wheel drive.
Locks the front and rear driveshafts together. Forces the
front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed.
Additional traction and maximum pulling power for
loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).
N
Neutral - Disengages both the front and rear driveshafts
from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing behind
another vehicle. See Recreational Towing for more infor-
mation.Shifting Procedure Ð Electronically Shifted
Transfer Case
NOTE:If any of the requirements to select a new
transfer case position have not been met, the transfer case
will not shift.The indicator light for the previous position
will remain ON and the newly selected position indicator
Transfer Case Switch
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light will continue to flash until all the requirements for
the selected position have been met. To retry a shift:
return the control knob back to the original position,
make certain all shift requirements have been met, wait
five (5) seconds and try the shift again.
NOTE:If all the requirements to select a new transfer
case position have been met, the current position indica-
tor light will turn OFF, the selected position indicator
light will flash until the transfer case completes the shift.
When the shift is complete, the indicator light for the
selected position will stop flashing and remain ON.
2WD,4WD LOCK
Rotate the 4WD Control Switch to the desired position.
Shifts between 2WD and 4WD LOCK can be done with
the vehicle stopped or in motion. With the vehicle in
motion, the transfer case will engage / disengage faster if
you momentarily release the accelerator pedal after turn-
ing the control switch. If the vehicle is stopped, theignition key must be in the ON position with the engine
either RUNNING or OFF. This shift cannot be completed
if the key is in the accessory position.
NOTE:The 4x4 system will not allow shifts between
2WD/4WD LOCK if the front and/or rear wheels are
spinning (no traction). In this situation the selected
position indicator light will flash and the original posi-
tion indicator light will remain ON. At this time, reduce
speed and stop spinning the wheels to complete the shift.
2WD or 4WD LOCK,4WD LOW
NOTE:When shifting into or out of 4WD LOW some
gear noise may be heard. This noise is normal and is not
detrimental to the vehicle or occupants.
Shifting can be performed with the vehicle rolling 2 to 3
mph (3 to 5 km/h) or completely stopped. USE EITHER
OF THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES:
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LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL Ð IF EQUIPPED
The limited-slip differential provides additional traction
on snow, ice, mud, sand and gravel, particularly when
there is a difference between the traction characteristics
of the surface under the right and left rear wheels. During
normal driving and cornering, the limited-slip unit per-
forms similarly to a conventional differential. On slip-
pery surfaces, however, the differential delivers more of
the driving effort to the rear wheel having the better
traction.
The limited-slip differential is especially helpful during
slippery driving conditions. With both rear wheels on a
slippery surface, a slight application of the accelerator
will supply maximum traction. When starting with only
one rear wheel on an excessively slippery surface, slight
momentary application of the parking brake may be
necessary to gain maximum traction.WARNING!
On vehicles equipped with a limited-slip differen-
tial, never run the engine with one rear wheel off the
ground, since the vehicle may drive through the rear
wheel remaining on the ground. You could lose
control of the vehicle.
Care should be taken to avoid sudden accelerations when
both rear wheels are on a slippery surface. This could
cause both rear wheels to spin, and allow the vehicle to
slide sideways on the crowned surface of a road or in a
turn.
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DRIVING OFF-ROAD
Care should be taken when attempting to climb steep
hills or driving diagonally across a hill or slope. If natural
obstacles force you to travel diagonally up or down a hill,
choose a mild angle and keep as little side tilt as possible.
Keep the vehicle moving and make turns slowly and
cautiously.
If you must back down a hill, back straight down using
REVERSE gear. Never back down in NEUTRAL, or
diagonally across the hill.
When driving over sand, mud, and other soft terrain,
shift to low gear and drive steadily. Apply the accelerator
slowly to avoid spinning the wheels.
DO NOT REDUCE the tire pressures for this type of
driving.NOTE:After off-road usage, particularly in sand or
mud, inspect the underside of the vehicle for accumu-
lated dirt at the propeller shaft, axles, U-joints, brake
rotors and calipers.
Use a hose to clean off any accumulation of dirt or mud.
Check the exhaust system and all exposed components
for any sign of damage.
If you experience unusual vibration after driving in mud,
slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for im-
pacted material. Impacted foreign material can cause a
wheel imbalance. Removing the foreign material from
the wheels will correct the situation.
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WARNING!
²Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also be certain to leave an automatic
transmission in Park, a manual transmission in
Reverse or First gear. Failure to do so may allow
the vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.
²Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Don't leave the keys in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
²Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving, failure to do so can lead to brake
problems due to excessive heating of the rear
brakes.When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
The parking brake should always be applied whenever
the driver is not in the vehicle.
BRAKE SYSTEM
If power assist is lost for any reason (for example,
repeated brake applications with the engine off), the
brakes will still function. However, you will experience a
substantial increase in braking effort to stop the vehicle.
If either the front or rear hydraulic systems lose normal
capability, the remaining system will still function with
some loss of overall braking effectiveness. This will be
evident by increased pedal travel during application,
greater pedal force required to slow or stop, and activa-
tion of the BRAKE warning lamp and the ABS lamp (if
equipped) during brake use.
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