charging Ram 1500 2014 Owner's Manual

allows the doors to stay open for extended periods of
time without discharging the vehicle’s battery.
The brightness of the instrument panel as well as the
ambient lighting can be regulated by rotating the dimmer
control right (brighter) or left (dimmer). When the head-
lights are on you can supplement the brightness of the
odometer, trip odometer, radio and overhead console by
rotating the control to the right until you hear a click. This
feature is termed the “Parade” mode and is useful when
headlights are required during the day.
NOTE:If your vehicle is equipped with a touchscreen,
the dimming of the touchscreen is programmable
through the Uconnect® system. Refer to “Uconnect®
Settings ” in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for
further details.
Courtesy/Reading Lights
Both lights in the overhead console and rear passenger
compartment will illuminate as courtesy lights when a
door is opened, when the dimmer control is rotated to the
courtesy light position (full right position), or when the
UNLOCK button is pressed on the Remote Keyless Entry
Dimmer Control
176 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

6. EVIC Red Telltales
•Door Ajar
This light will turn on to indicate that one or
more doors may be ajar.
• Oil Pressure Warning Light
This telltale indicates low engine oil pressure. If
the light turns on while driving, stop the vehicle
and shut off the engine as soon as possible. A chime will
sound when this light turns on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected.
This light does not show how much oil is in the engine.
The engine oil level must be checked under the hood.
• Oil Temperature Warning Light
This telltale indicates engine oil temperature is
high. If the light turns on while driving, stop
the vehicle and shut off the engine as soon as
possible. •
Charging System Light
This light shows the status of the electrical charg-
ing system. If the light stays on or comes on while
driving, turn off some of the vehicle’s non-essential
electrical devices or increase engine speed (if at idle). If
the charging system light remains on, it means that the
vehicle is experiencing a problem with the charging
system. Obtain SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. See an autho-
rized dealer.
If jump starting is required, refer to “Jump Starting
Procedures” in “What To Do In Emergencies”.
• Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) Light
This light informs you of a problem with the
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system. The
light will come on when the ignition is first
turned ON and remain on briefly as a bulb
check. If the light does not come on during starting, have
the system checked by an authorized dealer.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 303

EVIC White Telltales
•Electronic Speed Control Ready
This light will turn on when the electronic
speed control is ON. For further information,
refer to “Electronic Speed Control” in “Under-
standing The Features Of Your Vehicle.”
EVIC Red Telltales
This area will show reconfigurable red telltales. These
telltales include:
•Door Ajar
This light will turn on to indicate that one or
more doors may be ajar. •
Oil Pressure Warning Light
This telltale indicates low engine oil pressure. If
the light turns on while driving, stop the vehicle and shut
off the engine as soon as possible. A chime will sound
when this light turns on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected.
This light does not show how much oil is in the engine.
The engine oil level must be checked under the hood.
• Oil Temperature Warning Light
This telltale indicates engine oil temperature is
high. If the light turns on while driving, stop
the vehicle and shut off the engine as soon as
possible.
• Charging System Light
This light shows the status of the electrical charg-
ing system. If the light stays on or comes on while
driving, turn off some of the vehicle’s non-essential
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 313

electrical devices or increase engine speed (if at idle). If
the charging system light remains on, it means that the
vehicle is experiencing a problem with the charging
system. Obtain SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. See an autho-
rized dealer.
If jump starting is required, refer to “Jump Starting
Procedures” in “What To Do In Emergencies”.
•Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) Light
This light informs you of a problem with the
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system. The
light will come on when the ignition is first
turned ON and remain on briefly as a bulb
check. If the light does not come on during starting, have
the system checked by an authorized dealer.
If a problem is detected, the light will come on while the
engine is running. Cycle the ignition key when the vehicle has completely stopped and the shift lever is
placed in the PARK position. The light should turn off.
If the light remains lit with the engine running, your
vehicle will usually be drivable. However, see an autho-
rized dealer for service as soon as possible. If the light is
flashing when the engine is running, immediate service is
required. You may experience reduced performance, an
elevated/rough idle or engine stall and your vehicle may
require towing.
•
Engine Temperature Warning Light
This light warns of an overheated engine condi-
tion. As temperatures rise and the gauge ap-
proaches H,this indicator will illuminate and a single
chime will sound after reaching a set threshold. Further
overheating will cause the temperature gauge to pass H,
a continuous chime will occur until the engine is allowed
to cool.
314 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

•Service Air Suspension System
• Normal Ride Height Achieved
• Aerodynamic Ride Height Achieved
• Off Road 1 Ride Height Achieved
• Off Road 2 Ride Height Achieved
• Entry/Exit Ride Height Achieved
• Selected Ride Height Not Permitted
• Service Air Suspension System Immediately
• Reduce Speed To Maintain Selected Ride Height
• Air Suspension System Cooling Down Please Wait
• Vehicle Cannot Be Lowered Door Open
• Off Road 2 Watch For Clearance
• Entry/Exit Watch For Clearance •
Air Suspension Temporarily Disabled For Jacking And
Tire Change
• Battery Low Start Engine To Change Ride Height
• Stop/Start Ready – If Equipped
• Stop/Start Not Ready – If Equipped
• Stop/Start Not Ready Hood Open – If Equipped
• Stop/Start Not Ready Battery Charging – If Equipped
• Stop/Start Not Ready Trailer Tow/Haul Selected – If
Equipped
• Stop/Start Not Ready 4WD/Low Range Selected – If
Equipped
• Stop/Start Not Ready Fuel Level Low – If Equipped
• Stop/Start Not Ready Steep Incline – If Equipped
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 321

WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may cause
excessive wear or unpredictable braking. You might
not have full braking power when you need it to
prevent a collision. If you have been operating your
vehicle in dirty conditions, get your brakes checked
and cleaned as necessary.
• If you experience unusual vibration after driving in
mud, slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for
impacted material. Impacted material can cause a
wheel imbalance and freeing the wheels of it will
correct the situation.
WINCH USAGE — POWER WAGON ONLY — (IF
EQUIPPED)
Things To Know Before Using Your Winch
General Winch Information
Your vehicle is equipped with an electric vehicle recovery
winch. This winch uses the electrical power from the
vehicle charging system to power a motor that winds
wire rope into the winch drum via planetary gear reduc-
tion. By nature, a winch is capable of generating very
high forces and should be used with care. Do not operate
the winch without reading and understanding the com-
plete winch owner’s manual.
498 STARTING AND OPERATING

Tensioning The Wire Rope
The winch rope must be properly tensioned before use.
Follow the instructions below to tension the rope:
1. Un-spool the wire rope leaving five wraps of rope onthe winch drum.
2. Attach the hook to a suitable anchor point.
CAUTION!
Be certain the anchor will withstand the load re-
quired to tension the wire rope.
3. Apply at least 500 lbs (227 kg) of tension to the rope while winding the rope. Always use care to ensure the
rope does not pile up on one side of the drum and is
neatly wound onto the drum.
CAUTION!
Wire rope must spool on the winch drum in the
direction indicated on the drum rotation decal on the
winch.
Low Voltage Interrupt
Your winch is equipped with a device that will interrupt
winch function if the vehicle charging system voltage
drops to a low level. The winch will not power-in or out
for 30 seconds if this device is tripped. If the interrupt is
tripped, the vehicle should be operated at high idle for a
few minutes to allow the vehicle charging system to
recover before continuing to winch.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 499

1.Motor: The winch motor is powered by the vehicle
charging system and features a thermal protection
switch that automatically stops motor function in the
power-in direction if the motor gets too hot.
2. Remote Socket: The remote socket allows the remote
control to be attached to the control pack to allow the
winch to function.
3. Winch Drum With Integral Brake: The winch drum
allows the wire rope to be stored on the winch and
transmits force to the wire rope. The winch is
equipped with an integral brake that will stop rotation
of the winch drum if the winch motor is stopped.
4. 3-Stage Planetary Gear Set:Provides balance between
speed and pulling power.
5. Wire Rope: The wire rope allows the winch to be
connected to an anchor to provide a pulling force. 6.
Clutch Lever: The clutch lever allows the winch drum
to be disconnected from the winch motor to allow the
wire rope to be pulled from the winch by hand.
7. Remote Control: The remote control provides the
interface between the winch operator and the winch.
The remote control provides the ability to power the
winch in, out, and stop the winch. To operate the
winch, the toggle switch is pressed down to power the
winch in and up to power the winch out. The winch
will stop if the switch is left in the neutral (center)
position.
CAUTION!
If not installed, the hook strap must be placed on the
hook.
Fairlead: The fairlead acts as a guide for the wire rope
and minimizes damage to the rope.
502 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
Connecting The Jumper Cables
1. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable to the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative (-)end of the jumper cable to the
negative (-)post of the booster battery.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-)jumper
cable to a good engine ground (exposed metal part of
the discharged vehicle’s engine) away from the battery
and the fuel injection system.
WARNING!
Do not connect the jumper cable to the negative (-)
post of the discharged battery. The resulting electri-
cal spark could cause the battery to explode and
could result in personal injury. Only use the specific
ground point, do not use any other exposed metal
parts.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then
start the engine in the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
674 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

6. Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cablesin the reverse sequence:
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables
1. Disconnect the negative (-)end of the jumper cable
from the engine ground of the vehicle with the dis-
charged battery.
2. Disconnect the opposite end of the negative (-)jumper
cable from the negative (-)post of the booster battery.
3. Disconnect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable
from the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
4. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable from the positive (+)post of the vehicle with the
discharged battery.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle power outlets
draw power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not
in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.). Eventually, if
plugged in long enough without engine operation,
the vehicle’s battery will discharge sufficiently to
degrade battery life and/or prevent the engine from
starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or snow, it
can often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or 2nd gear
and REVERSE (with manual transmission), while gently6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 675