Ram 1500 2015 Owner's Manual

CAUTION!
Never use a floor jack directly under the differential
housing of a loaded truck or damage to your vehicle
may result.
JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURES
If your vehicle has a discharged battery it can be jump-
started using a set of jumper cables and a battery in
another vehicle or by using a portable battery booster
pack. Jump-starting can be dangerous if done improperly
so please follow the procedures in this section carefully.
NOTE:When using a portable battery booster pack
follow the manufacturer ’s operating instructions and
precautions.
CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any
other booster source with a system voltage greater
than 12 Volts or damage to the battery, starter motor,
alternator or electrical system may occur.
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump-starting if the battery is frozen.
It could rupture or explode and cause personal injury.
Preparations For Jump-Start
The battery in your vehicle is located in the front of the
engine compartment, behind the left headlight assembly.
NOTE:The positive battery post is covered with a
protective cap. Lift up on the cap to gain access to the
positive battery post. Do not jump off fuses. Only jump
directly off positive post.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 729

Battery (Gas Model Shown)
1 — Positive Battery Post2 — Fuses
Battery (Diesel Model Shown)
1 — Positive Battery Post2 — Fuses
730 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!
•Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan when-
ever the hood is raised. It can start anytime the
ignition switch is ON. You can be injured by
moving fan blades.
•Remove any metal jewelry such as rings, watch
bands and bracelets that could make an inadvertent
electrical contact. You could be seriously injured.
•Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your
skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas which is
flammable and explosive. Keep open flames or
sparks away from the battery.
1. Set the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission
into PARK and turn the ignition to LOCK.
2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal accessories.
3. If using another vehicle to jump-start the battery, park
the vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
Jump-Starting Procedure
WARNING!
Failure to follow this jump-starting procedure could
result in personal injury or property damage due to
battery explosion.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 731

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.
NOTE: Do not jump off fuses. Only jump directly off
positive post.
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.
732 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Do not connect jumper cable to any of the fuses on
the positive battery terminal. The resulting electrical
current will blow the fuse.
6. Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables
in 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.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 733

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 gently
pressing the accelerator. Use the least amount of accel-
erator pedal pressure that will maintain the rocking
motion, without spinning the wheels or racing the en-
gine.
NOTE:For trucks equipped with 8-speed automatic
transmission: Shifts between DRIVE and REVERSE can
only be achieved at wheel speeds of 5 mph (8 km/h) or
less. Whenever the transmission remains in NEUTRAL
for more than two seconds, you must press the brake
pedal to engage DRIVE or REVERSE.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL for at
least one minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce
the risk of transmission failure during prolonged
efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
NOTE:Press the#ESC Off#switch, to place the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system in#Partial Off#mode,
before rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake
Control” in “Starting And Operating” for further infor-
mation. Once the vehicle has been freed, press the#ESC
Off#switch again to restore#ESC On#mode.
734 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting be-
tween DRIVE/2nd gear and REVERSE, do not spin
the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drive-
train damage may result.
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure.
It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no trans-
mission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
EMERGENCY TOW HOOKS — IF EQUIPPED
Your vehicle may be equipped with emergency tow
hooks.
NOTE:For off-road recovery, it is recommended to use
both of the front tow hooks to minimize the risk of
damage to the vehicle.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 735

WARNING!
•Do not use a chain for freeing a stuck vehicle.
Chains may break, causing serious injury or death.
•Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow
hooks. Tow straps may become disengaged, caus-
ing serious injury.
CAUTION!
Tow hooks are for emergency use only to rescue a
vehicle stranded off-road. Do not use tow hooks for
tow truck hookup or highway towing. You could
damage your vehicle.
SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use one of the
following procedures to temporarily move the shift lever:
Column Shifter — If Equipped
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Tilt the steering wheel to the full up position.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Insert a screwdriver or similar tool, into the access port
(ringed circle) on the bottom of the steering column
and push and hold the override release lever up.
736 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

6. Move the shift lever to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
Center Console Shifter — If Equipped
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove the
shift lever override access cover (located to the right of
the shift lever).
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Insert the screwdriver or similar tool into the access
hole, and push and hold the override release lever
down.Shift Lever Override Access Port6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 737

6. Move the shift lever to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
8. Reinstall the shift lever override access cover.
MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 SPEED
TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying the
parking brake, before activating the Manual Park
Release. Activating the Manual Park Release will
allow your vehicle to roll away if it is not secured by
the parking brake or by proper connection to a tow
vehicle. Activating the Manual Park Release on an
unsecured vehicle could lead to serious injury or
death for those in or around the vehicle.
In order to push or tow the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (such as a dead
battery), a Manual Park Release is available.
Shift Lever Override Access Cover
738 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES