trunk Ram 1500 2015 Owner's Manual

Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO),
follow these safety tips:
•Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in
confined areas any longer than needed to move
your vehicle in or out of the area.
•If you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate/
rear doors open, make sure that all windows are
closed and the climate control BLOWER switch is
set at high speed. DO NOT use the recirculation
mode.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running, adjust your heating or cooling
controls to force outside air into the vehicle. Set the
blower at high speed.
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into
the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the com-
plete exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken,
damaged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open
seams or loose connections could permit exhaust fumes
to seep into the passenger compartment. In addition,
inspect the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace as required.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 115

•Turn Signal On
•Sound Horn with Remote Lock: Off; 1st Press; 2nd
Press
•Vehicle Not in Park
•Key in Ignition
•Key in Ignition Lights On
•Remote Start Active Key to Run
•Remote Start Active Push Start Button
•Remote Start Aborted Fuel Low
•Remote Start Aborted Too Cold
•Remote Start Aborted Door Open
•Remote Start Aborted Hood Open
•Remote Start Aborted Trunk Open
•Remote Start Aborted Time Expired
•Remote Start Disabled Start to Reset
•Service Airbag System
•Service Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Seatbelt Unbuckled
•Passenger Seatbelt Unbuckled
•Front Seatbelts Unbuckled
•Door Open
•Doors Open
•Gear Not Available
•Shift Not Allowed
•Shift to Neutral then Drive or Reverse
•Autostick Unavailable Service Required
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 309

•Remote Start Aborted Fuel Low
•Remote Start Aborted Too Cold
•Remote Start Aborted Door Open
•Remote Start Aborted Hood Open
•Remote Start Aborted Trunk Open
•Remote Start Aborted Time Expired
•Remote Start Disabled Start to Reset
•Service Airbag System
•Service Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Seatbelt Unbuckled
•Passenger Seatbelt Unbuckled
•Front Seatbelts Unbuckled
•Door Open
•Doors Open
•Gear Not Available
•Shift Not Allowed
•Shift to Neutral then Drive or Reverse
•Autostick Unavailable Service Required
•Automatic Unavailable Use Autostick Service Req.
•Transmission Getting Hot Press Brake
•Trans. Hot Stop Safely Shift to Park Wait to Cool
•Transmission Cool Ready to Drive
•Trailer Brake Disconnected
•Service Transmission
•Service Shifter
•Engage Park Brake to Prevent Rolling
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 321

•Sound Horn with Remote Lock: Off; 1st Press; 2nd
Press
•Vehicle Not in Park
•Key in Ignition
•Key in Ignition Lights On
•Remote Start Active Key to Run
•Remote Start Active Push Start Button
•Remote Start Aborted Fuel Low
•Remote Start Aborted Too Cold
•Remote Start Aborted Door Open
•Remote Start Aborted Hood Open
•Remote Start Aborted Trunk Open
•Remote Start Aborted Time Expired
•Remote Start Disabled Start to Reset
•Service Airbag System
•Service Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Seatbelt Unbuckled
•Passenger Seatbelt Unbuckled
•Front Seatbelts Unbuckled
•Door Open
•Doors Open
•Gear Not Available
•Shift Not Allowed
•Shift to Neutral then Drive or Reverse
•Autostick Unavailable Service Required
•Automatic Unavailable Use Autostick Service Req.
338 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Tree Trunk Protector:Typi-
cally made of tough, high-
quality nylon, it provides the
operator an attachment point
for the winch rope to a wide
variety of anchor points and
objects, as well as protect liv-
ing trees.
Operating Your Winch
WARNING!
Failure to observe any of these warnings regarding
proper winch usage may result in severe injury.
•Always use supplied hook strap to hold the hook
when spooling wire rope in or out.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Never use as a hoist.
•Never use to move persons.
•Never exceed winch or wire rope rated capacity.
•Always wear heavy leather gloves when handling
the wire rope.
•Never touch wire rope or hook while in tension or
under load.
•Never engage or disengage clutch if winch is under
load, wire rope is in tension, or wire rope drum is
moving.
•Always stand clear of wire rope and load and keep
others away during winching.
•Always keep hands and clothing clear of the wire
rope, hook and fairlead opening during operation
and when spooling.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 561

WARNING!(Continued)
•Never wrap wire rope back onto itself. Always use
a choker chain, wire choker rope or tree trunk
protector on the anchor.
•Never attach a recovery strap to the winch hook to
increase the length of a pull.
•Never attempt to tow a vehicle with the recovery
strap attached directly to the winch hook.
•Never use%bungee%straps that develop tremendous
and potentially dangerous amounts of force when
stretched.
•Always disconnect the remote control when not in
use.
•Never winch when there are less than five wraps of
wire rope around the winch drum.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Always pass remote control through a window to
avoid pinching lead in door, when using remote
inside a vehicle.
•Never leave the remote control plugged into the
winch while free spooling, rigging or sitting idle.
General Information
Practice using your winch before you get stuck. Some key
points to remember when using your winch are:
•Always take your time to assess the situation and plan
your pull carefully.
•Always take your time when using a winch.
•Use the right equipment for the situation.
562 STARTING AND OPERATING

6. Secure to the anchor point. Once you have established
your anchor point, secure the tree-trunk protector or
choker-chain around the object.
CAUTION!
Always be certain the anchor you select will with-
stand the load.
NOTE: How to choose an anchor point:A secure anchor
is critical to winching operations. An anchor must be
strong enough to hold while winching. Natural anchors
include trees, stumps and rocks. Hook the cable as low as
possible. If no natural anchors are available when recov-
ering another vehicle, your vehicle becomes the anchor
point. In this case, be sure to put the transmission in
NEUTRAL, apply the hand brake and block its wheels to
prevent your vehicle from moving. Ideally, you’ll want
an anchor point that will enable you to pull straight in the
direction the vehicle will move. This allows the wire rope
to wind tightly and evenly onto the spooling drum. An
anchor point as far away as possible will provide the
winch with its greatest pulling power.
Tree Trunk Protector
566 STARTING AND OPERATING

7. Attach the Clevis/D-shackle and Tree Trunk Protector.
Attach the shackle to the two ends of the strap or chain
and through the hook loop, being careful not to over
tighten (tighten and back-off 1/2 turn).
8. Lock the clutch. Lock the winch drum by rotating the
clutch lever on the winch to engage.
NOTE:Always ensure the clutch is fully engaged or
disengaged.
9. Connect the remote control to the winch control box,
located behind the front bumper. Be careful not to let
the remote control cord dangle in front of the winch. If
you choose to control the winch from inside your
vehicle, always pass the remote through a window to
avoid pinching the cord in the door. Always discon-
nect the remote control when not in use.
Clevis/D-Shackles
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 567

Double Line
Because pulling power decreases with the number of
layers of wire rope on the winch drum, you can use a
snatch block to double line out more wire rope. This
decreases the number of layers of wire rope on the drum,
and increases pulling power. Start by feeding out enough
wire rope to free the winch hook. Attach the hook to your
vehicle’s frame/tow hook and run the wire rope through
a snatch block. Disengage the clutch and, using the
snatch block, pull out enough wire to reach your anchor
point. Do not attach the hook to the mounting kit. Secure
to the anchor point with a tree trunk protector or choker
chain. Attach the clevis/shackle. Attach the shackle to the
two ends of the strap/chain, being careful not to over
tighten (tighten and back-off 1/2 turn).
POWER STEERING — 1500 MODELS
The electric power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will vary its assist to provide
light efforts while parking and good feel while driving. If
the electric steering system experiences a fault that
prevents it from providing assist, you will still have the
ability to steer the vehicle manually.
Wire Rope Routing
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 575

Washing
•Wash your vehicle regularly. Always wash your ve-
hicle in the shade using MOPAR® Car Wash, or a mild
car wash soap, and rinse the panels completely with
clear water.
•If insects, tar, or other similar deposits have accumu-
lated on your vehicle, use MOPAR® Super Kleen Bug
and Tar Remover to remove.
•Use a high quality cleaner wax, such as MOPAR®
Cleaner Wax to remove road film, stains and to protect
your paint finish. Take care never to scratch the paint.
•Avoid using abrasive compounds and power buffing
that may diminish the gloss or thin out the paint finish.
CAUTION!
•Do not use abrasive or strong cleaning materials
such as steel wool or scouring powder that will
scratch metal and painted surfaces.
•Use of power washers exceeding 1,200 psi (8 274 kPa)
can result in damage or removal of paint and decals.
Special Care
•If you drive on salted or dusty roads or if you drive
near the ocean, hose off the undercarriage at least once
a month.
•It is important that the drain holes in the lower edges
of the doors, rocker panels, and trunk be kept clear and
open.
•If you detect any stone chips or scratches in the paint,
touch them up immediately. The cost of such repairs is
considered the responsibility of the owner.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 791