transmission oil Ram 1500 2014 Owner's Manual

•Windshield Washer Fluid Low Indicator
This telltale will turn on to indicate the wind-
shield washer fluid is low.
• Low Coolant Level Indicator
This telltale will turn on to indicate the vehicle
coolant level is low.
• Transmission Temperature Warning Telltale
This telltale indicates that the transmission
fluid temperature is running hot. This may
occur with severe usage, such as trailer towing.
If this telltale turns on, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. Then, shift the transmission into NEU-
TRAL and run the engine at idle or faster until the light
turns off.CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Light illuminated will eventually cause
severe transmission damage or transmission failure.
WARNING!
If you continue operating the vehicle when the
Transmission Temperature Warning Light is illumi-
nated you could cause the fluid to boil over, come in
contact with hot engine or exhaust components and
cause a fire.
• Air Suspension Payload Protection Telltale — If
Equipped This telltale will turn on to indicate that the
maximum payload may have been exceeded or
load leveling cannot be achieved at its current
ride height.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 301

CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Light illuminated will eventually cause
severe transmission damage or transmission failure.
WARNING!
If you continue operating the vehicle when the
Transmission Temperature Warning Light is illumi-
nated you could cause the fluid to boil over, come in
contact with hot engine or exhaust components and
cause a fire.
• Air Suspension Payload Protection Telltale — If
Equipped
This telltale will turn on to indicate that the
maximum payload may have been exceeded or
load leveling cannot be achieved at its current
ride height. Protection Mode will automatically be selected in order
to “protect” the air suspension system, air suspension
adjustment is limited due to payload.
•
Service Stop/Start System Telltale — If Equipped
This telltale will turn on to indicate that the
Stop/Start is Unavailable, service Stop/Start
system.
• Loose Fuel Filler Cap
This telltale will turn on to indicate that the fuel
filler cap may be loose.
312 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

•Stop/Start To Restart Shift Out Of Park – If Equipped
• Stop/Start Off – If Equipped
• Autostop Duration – If Equipped
The Reconfigurable Telltales section is divided into the
white telltales area on the right, amber telltales in the
middle, and red telltales on the left.
EVIC Selectable Menu Items
Push and release the UP or DOWN arrow buttons until
the desired Selectable Menu icon is highlighted in the
EVIC.
Digital Speedometer
Press and release the UP or DOWN arrow
button until the Digital display icon is high-
lighted in the EVIC. Press and release the
SELECT/RIGHT arrow button to change the
display between km/h and mph.
Vehicle Info (Customer Information Features)
Press and release the UP or DOWN arrow
button until the Vehicle Info icon is highlighted
in the EVIC. Press and release the SELECT/
RIGHT arrow button and Coolant Temp will be
displayed. Press the LEFT or SELECT/RIGHT arrow
button to scroll through the following information sub-
menus:
Air Suspension – If Equipped
Transmission Temperature – Automatic Transmission
Only
Oil Temp
Oil Life
Multimeter
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 323

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.
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.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 483

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 5.7L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick (6-Speed Trans Only) 8 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 9 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (2500/3500 Models Only)
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 10 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 11 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
6 — Battery7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 691

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.4L
1 — Coolant Pressure Bottle6 — Battery
2 — Transmission Dipstick 7 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 8 — Washer Solvent
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 9 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 10 — Air Cleaner Filter
692 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of your
vehicle and also allow extended maintenance inter-
vals. Do not use chemical flushes in these compo-
nents as the chemicals can damage your engine,
transmission, power steering or air conditioning.
Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. If a flush is needed because of
component malfunction, use only the specified
fluid for the flushing procedure.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. Check
the oil level at regular intervals, such as every fuel stop. The best time to check the engine oil level is about five
minutes after a fully warmed up engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Always
maintain the oil level within the SAFE zone on the
dipstick. Adding one quart of oil when the reading is at
the bottom of the SAFE zone will result in a reading at the
top of the safe zone on these engines.
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will cause
oil aeration or loss of oil pressure. This could damage
your engine.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 697

Use the following procedure to check the transmission
fluid level properly:
1. Monitor the transmission temperature using the EVICdisplay, and operate the vehicle as required to reach
the normal operating temperature.
2. Park the vehicle on level ground.
3. Run the engine at normal idle speed for at least 60 seconds, and leave the engine running for the rest of
this procedure.
4. Fully apply the parking brake and press the brake pedal.
5. Place the shift lever momentarily into each gear posi- tion (allowing time for the transmission to fully en-
gage in each position), ending with the transmission in
PARK. 6. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean and reinsert it until
seated.
7. Remove the dipstick again and note the fluid level on both sides. The fluid level reading is only valid if there
is a solid coating of oil on both sides of the dipstick.
Note that the holes in the dipstick will be full of fluid
if the actual level is at or above the hole. The fluid level
should be between the “HOT” (upper) reference holes
on the dipstick at normal operating temperature. If the
fluid level is low, add fluid through the dipstick tube
to bring it to the proper level. Do not overfill.Use
ONLY the recommended fluid (see Fluids, Lubri-
cants, and Genuine Parts for fluid specifications).
After adding any quantity of oil through the dipstick
tube, wait a minimum of two minutes for the oil to
fully drain into the transmission before rechecking the
fluid level.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 723

•2500 – 3500 Models
• Under no circumstances should oil change intervals
exceed 8,000 miles (13,000 km) or twelve months on
2500 – 3500 trucks, whichever comes first.
• Severe Duty All Models
• Change Engine Oil at 4000 miles (6,500 km) if the
vehicle is operated in a dusty and off road environ-
ment. This type of vehicle use is considered Severe
Duty Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
•
Check engine oil level
• Check windshield washer fluid level
• Check tire pressure and look for unusual wear or
damage. Rotate tires at the first sign of irregular wear,
even if it occurs before the oil indicator system turns
on.
• Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir, brake
master cylinder, power steering (2500/3500 Models
Only) and automatic transmission (six-speed only) as
needed
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
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SMAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 765

Required Maintenance
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules on the following
pages for required maintenance.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By OilChange Indicator System:
•Change oil and filter.
• Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of irregu-
lar wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator
system turns on.
• Inspect battery and clean and tighten terminals as
required.
• Inspect automatic transmission fluid if equipped
with dipstick.
• Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses
and park brake.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil
Change Indicator System:
•Inspect engine cooling system protection and
hoses.
• Inspect exhaust system.
• Inspect engine air cleaner if using in dusty or
off-road conditions.
• Lube the front drive shaft fitting (2500/3500 (4x4)
models only).
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S766 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES