light Ram 1500 2013 Owner's Manual

NOTE:The rear axle must be locked before the front axle
will lock.
To unlock the front axle; move the axle locker switch to
REAR LOCK. The FRONT/REAR LOCK indicator light
will go out when the axle is unlocked.
NOTE: The axle lockers could be torque locked due to
side to side loads on the axle. Driving slowly while
turning the steering wheel from a left hand turn to a right
hand turn or driving in REVERSE for a short distance
may be required to release the torque lock and unlock the
axles.
To unlock the rear axle; move the axle locker switch to
AXLE UNLOCK. The REAR LOCK indicator light will go
out when the rear axle is unlocked.STABILIZER/SWAY BAR SYSTEM — POWER
WAGON ONLY
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic disconnecting
stabilizer/sway bar. This system allows greater front
suspension travel in off-road situations.
Due to the use of taller springs, this vehicle has an
increased ride height of approximately 1.9 in (48.3 mm)
in the front and 1.5 in (38.1 mm) in the rear. A major
advantage to increasing ride height is the positive effect
it has on approach/departure and break over angles.
This system is controlled by the electronic control sway
bar switch located on the instrument panel.
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The switch has two positions; On-Road and Off-Road.
The system is normally in the On-Road mode, indicated
by a solid green light. The stabilizer/sway bar shouldremain in the On-Road mode during normal driving
conditions.
WARNING!
Do not disconnect the stabilizer bar and drive on
hard surfaced roads or at speeds above 18 mph
(29 km/h), you may lose control of the vehicle, which
could result in serious injury or death. The front
stabilizer bar enhances vehicle stability and is nec-
essary for maintaining control of the vehicle. The
system monitors vehicle speed and will attempt to
reconnect the stabilizer bar at speeds over 18 mph
(29 km/h). This is indicated by a flashing off road
light and solid on road light. Once vehicle speed is
reduced below 14 mph (22 km/h), the system will
attempt to return to the Off-Road mode.
To disconnect the stabilizer/sway bar, shift to either 4HI
or 4LO as shown in “Four Wheel Drive Operation” and
1 — On Road
2 — Off Road 420 STARTING AND OPERATING

press the right hand Off Road stabilizer/sway bar button
to obtain the Off-Road position. The amber indicator
light will flash until the stabilizer/sway bar has been
fully disconnected.
NOTE:The stabilizer/sway bar may be torque locked
due to left and right suspension height differences. This
condition is due to driving surface differences or vehicle
loading. In order for the stabilizer/sway bar to
disconnect/reconnect, the right and left halves of the bar
must be aligned. This alignment may require that the
vehicle be driven onto level ground or rocked from side
to side.
To return to the On-Road mode; press the left hand On
Road stabilizer/sway bar button .WARNING!
If the stabilizer/sway bar will not return to On-Road
mode, vehicle stability is greatly reduced. Do not
attempt to drive the vehicle over 18 mph (29 km/h).
Driving faster than 18 mph (29 km/h) may cause loss
of control of the vehicle, which could result in
serious injury or death. Contact your local service
center for assistance.
SAFE OFF-ROAD DRIVING — POWER WAGON
ONLY
Off-Road Driving Tips And Vehicle Characteristics
Your vehicle has excellent on and off-road capabilities.
These off-road capabilities will allow you to explore
those wilderness trails where few travel, providing a
source of exciting and satisfying recreation. Before you
venture out, you should contact your local governmental
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agency to determine the designated off-road vehicle
(ORV) trails or recreation areas. You should always tread
lightly and only use established roads, trails or ORV
recreational areas. The National Forest Service, Bureau of
Land Management or local Department of Natural Re-
sources are a wealth of information and usually have
maps with marked trails.
Skid Plates And Underbody Protection
Steel skid plates protect the major driveline components
of the truck including the fuel tank, transfer case and
steering damper. In addition, this vehicle is equipped
with boxed cross members and fore/aft rails. This addi-
tional protection allows the vehicle to be utilized in
severe off-road situations that would be considered im-
passable by a normal truck.
Ramp Travel Index (RTI)
The ramp travel index is the distance, in inches, that you
can drive your vehicle with one wheel on a 20-degreeramp without lifting any other wheel off the ground. This
distance up the ramp divided by the wheelbase of the
vehicle and multiplied by 1,000 is the RTI. This vehicle
has an RTI of 655, which means you can articulate one
front wheel 32 inches in the air while the other three
wheels remain in contact with the ground.
Water Fording Characteristics
Water fording characteristic is the vehicle’s ability to
cross a body of still water, where the powertrain and
drivetrain are safe from water ingestion. This vehicle has
high water fording characteristics with the ability to cross
a pool of water, without stopping, 24 inches deep at a
maximum speed of 10 mph (16 km/h) and a pool of
water 30 inches deep at a maximum speed of 5 mph
(8 km/h), both with an entrance ramp angle of 1.3
degrees.
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CAUTION!
The door sill height is 25 inches. Water may intrude
into the interior of the vehicle at greater depths.
Simultaneous Brake And Throttle Operation
Many off-road driving conditions require the simultane-
ous use of the brake and throttle (two footed driving).
When climbing rocks, logs, or other stepped objects,
using light brake pressure with light throttle will keep the
vehicle from jerking or lurching. This technique is also
used when you need to stop and restart a vehicle on a
steep incline.
The Basics Of Off-Road Driving
You will encounter many types of terrain driving off-
road. You should be familiar with the terrain and area
before proceeding. There are many types of surface
conditions: hard packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand,mud, snow and ice. Every surface has a different effect on
your vehicle’s steering, handling and traction. Control-
ling your vehicle is one of the keys to successful off-road
driving, so always keep a firm grip on the steering wheel
and maintain a good driving posture. Avoid sudden
accelerations, turns or braking. In most cases there are no
road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. Therefore
you will need to use your own good judgment on what is
safe and what isn’t. When on a trail you should always be
looking ahead for surface obstacles and changes in
terrain. The key is to plan your future driving route while
remembering what you are currently driving over.
CAUTION!
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other
combustible materials. The heat from your vehicle
exhaust system could cause a fire.
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CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressures may cause tire unseating and
total loss of air pressure. To reduce the risk of tire
unseating, while at a reduced tire pressure, reduce
your speed and avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers.
Crossing Obstacles (Rocks And Other High
Points)
While driving off road, you will encounter many types of
terrain. These varying types of terrain bring different
types of obstacles. Before proceeding review the path
ahead to determine the correct approach and your ability
to safely recover the vehicle if something goes wrong.
Keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel, bring the
vehicle to a complete stop and then inch the vehicle
forward until it makes contact with the object. Apply thethrottle lightly while holding a light brake pressure and
ease the vehicle up and over the object.
WARNING!
Crossing obstacles can cause abrupt steering system
loading which could cause you to loose control of
your vehicle.
Using A Spotter
There are many times where it is hard to see the obstacle
or determine the correct path. Determining the correct
path can be extremely difficult when you are confronting
many obstacles. In these cases have someone guide you
over, through, or around the obstacle. Have the person
stand a safe distance in front of you where they can see
the obstacle, watch your tires and undercarriage, and
guide you through.
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Crossing Logs
To cross a log, approach it at a slight angle (approxi-
mately 10 to 15 degrees). This allows one front tire to be
on top of the log while the other just starts to climb the
log. While climbing the log, modulate your brake and
accelerator to avoid spinning the log out from under your
tires. Then ease the vehicle off the log using your brakes.
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to cross a log with a greater diameter
than the running ground clearance or the vehicle will
become high centered.
Getting High Centered
If you get hung up or high centered on an object, get out
of the vehicle and try to determine what the vehicle is
hung up on, where it is contacting the underbody andwhat is the best direction to recover the vehicle. Depend-
ing on what you are in contact with, jack the vehicle up
and place a few rocks under the tires so the weight is off
of the high point when you let the vehicle down. You can
also try rocking the vehicle or winching the vehicle off
the object.
CAUTION!
Winching or rocking the vehicle off hard objects
increases the risk of underbody damage.
Hill Climbing
Hill climbing requires good judgment and a good under-
standing of your abilities and your vehicle’s limitations.
Hills can cause serious problems. Some are just too steep
to climb and should not be attempted. You should always
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feel confident with the vehicle and your abilities. You
should always climb hills straight up and down. Never
attempt to climb a hill on an angle.
•Before Climbing A Steep Hill – As you approach a
hill consider its grade or steepness. Determine if it is
too steep. Look to see what the traction is on the hill
side trail. Is the trail straight up and down? What is on
top and the other side? Are there ruts, rocks, branches
or other obstacles on the path? Can you safely recover
the vehicle if something goes wrong? If everything
looks good and you feel confident, then change trans-
mission into a lower gear, shift the transfer case into 4L
(Low) and proceed with caution. You should use first
gear and 4L (Low Range) for very steep hills.
• Driving Up Hill – Once you have determined your
ability to proceed and have shifted into the appropri-
ate gear, line your vehicle up for the straightest pos-
sible run. Accelerate with an easy constant throttle and apply more power as you start up the hill. Do not race
forward into a steep grade, the abrupt change of grade
could cause you to lose control. If the front end begins
to bounce, ease off the throttle slightly to bring all four
tires back on the ground. As you approach the crest of
the hill ease off the throttle and slowly proceed over
the top. If the wheels start to slip as you approach the
crest of a hill, ease off the accelerator and maintain
headway by turning the steering wheel no more than
a ¼ turn quickly back and forth. This will provide a
fresh
bite into the surface and will usually provide
enough traction to complete the climb. If you do not
make it to the top, place the vehicle in REVERSE and
back straight down the grade using engine resistance
along with the vehicle brakes.
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WARNING!
Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn
around on a steep grade. Driving across an incline
increases the risk of a roll over, which may result in
severe injury or death.
• Driving Down Hill – Before driving down a steep hill
you need to determine if it is too steep for a safe
descent. What is the surface traction? Is the grade too
steep to maintain a slow controlled descent? Are there
obstacles? Is it a straight descent? Is there plenty of
distance at the base of the hill to regain control if the
vehicle descends too fast? If you feel confident in your
ability to proceed then make sure you are in 4L (Low
Range) with the transmission in first gear (manually
select first gear on automatic transmissions) and pro-
ceed with caution. Allow engine braking to control the descent and apply your brakes if necessary, but do not
allow the tires to lock.
WARNING!
Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use
vehicle brakes in conjunction with engine braking.
Descending a grade too fast could cause you to lose
control and be seriously injured or killed.
• Driving Across An Incline – If at all possible avoid
driving across an incline. If it is necessary, know your
vehicle’s abilities. Driving across an incline places
more weight on the down hill wheels, which increases
the possibilities of a down hill slide or rollover. Make
sure the surface has good traction with firm and stable
soils. If possible transverse the incline at an angle
heading slightly up or down.
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WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of a
rollover , which may result in severe injury.
• If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway – If you stall
or begin to lose headway while climbing a steep hill,
allow your vehicle to come to a stop and immediately
apply the brake. Restart the engine and shift into
REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill allowing the
compression braking of the engine and transmission to
help regulate your speed. If the brakes are required to
control vehicle speed, apply them lightly and avoid
locking or skidding the tires.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never
attempt to turn around. To do so may result in
tipping and rolling the vehicle, which may result in
severe injury. Always back carefully straight down a
hill in REVERSE. Never back down a hill in NEU-
TRAL using only the vehicle brakes. Never drive
diagonally across a hill, always drive straight up or
down.
Driving Through Water
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type of water.
Water crossings should be avoided if possible and only
be attempted when necessary, in a safe responsible
manner. You should only drive through areas which are
designated and approved. You should tread lightly and
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