tire pressure Ram 1500 2017 User Guide

Normal Ride Height (NRH)– This is the standard position
of the suspension and is meant for normal driving. It will
automatically adjust to maintain the rear ride height as
conditions change.
Alternate Trailer Height (ATH) – Lowers the vehicle
approximately 1 in (25 mm) for a level truck, to be used as
required while trailer towing. It will automatically adjust
to maintain the rear ride height as conditions change.
Trailer Decoupling/Unloading - The air suspension sys-
tem will load level (lower/exhaust only) for up to 10 min-
utes after the vehicle is turned off. This allows for easy
removal of a trailer and/or load from the back of the truck
by maintaining the ride height. After 10 minutes you will
need to turn the ignition to the run position for the air
suspension to maintain ride height. If the air suspension
system is disabled using the settings menu (Tire Jack Mode,
Transport Mode or Alignment Mode) the system will
remain disabled when the vehicle is turned off. Reactivat-
ing the air suspension can be accomplished via the settings
menu or driving the vehicle above 5 mph (8 km/h) for Tire
Jack Mode or Alignment Mode and 16 mph (26 km/h) for
Transport Mode. NOTE:
•
Most 3500 models will not lower to Alternate Trailer
Height (ATH) when unloaded.
• Refer to “Trailer Towing” in “Starting And Operating”
for further information.
Ignition OFF Behavior
For a predetermined amount of time after the ignition is off
the air suspension may adjust to maintain a proper appear-
ance.
WARNING!
The air suspension system uses a high pressure vol-
ume of air to operate the system. To avoid personal
injury or damage to the system, see your authorized
dealer for service.
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•Mud – Deep mud creates a great deal of suction around
the tires and is very difficult to get through. You should
use 4LO (Low Range) with a gear low enough to
maintain your momentum without shifting. If you start
to slow to a stop, try turning your steering wheel no
more than a ¼ turn quickly back and forth for additional
traction. Mud holes pose an increased threat of vehicle
damage and getting stuck. They are normally full of
debris from previous vehicles getting stuck. As a good
practice before entering any mud hole, get out and
determine how deep it is, if there are any hidden
obstacles and if the vehicle can be safely recovered if
stuck.
• Sand – Soft sand is very difficult to travel through with
full tire pressure. When crossing soft sandy spots in a
trail maintain your vehicle’s momentum and do not
stop. The key to driving in soft sand using the appro-
priate tire pressure, accelerating slowly, avoiding abrupt
maneuvers and maintaining the vehicle’s momentum. If
you are going to be driving on large soft sandy areas or
dunes, reduce your tire pressure to a minimum of 15 psi
(103 kPa) to allow for a greater tire surface area. Reduced
tire pressure will drastically improve your traction and
handling, while driving on the soft sand, but you must
return the tires to normal air pressure before driving on pavement or other hard surfaces. Be sure you have a
way to air the tires back up prior to reducing the
pressure.
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 maneuvers.
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 the throttle lightly
while holding a light brake pressure and ease the vehicle
up and over the object.
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•Crossing Ditches, Streams, Shallow Rivers Or Other
Flowing Water – Flowing water can be extremely dan-
gerous. Never attempt to cross a fast running stream or
river even in shallow water. Fast moving water can
easily push your vehicle downstream sweeping it out of
control. Even in very shallow water, a high current can
still wash the dirt out from around your tires putting
you and your vehicle in jeopardy. There is still a high
risk of personal injury and vehicle damage with slower
water currents in depths greater than the vehicle’s
running ground clearance. You should never attempt to
cross flowing water which is deeper than the vehicle’s
running ground clearance. Even the slowest current can
push the heaviest vehicle downstream out of control if
the water is deep enough to push on the large surface
area of the vehicle’s body. Before you proceed determine
the speed of the current, the water’s depth, approach
angle, bottom condition and if there are any obstacles,
then cross at an angle heading slightly upstream using
the low and slow technique.WARNING!
Never drive through fast moving deep water. It can
push your vehicle downstream, sweeping it out of
control. This could put you and your passengers at risk
of injury or drowning.
Airing Down For Off-Road Driving
Running lower tire pressure off-road can improve your
ride comfort and vehicle traction. Reducing the tire air
pressure allows the tire to bulge slightly, improving its
surface area for better flotation and ability to mold or form
to the ground contour. Different terrain, tires, and vehicles
require different tire pressure. Hard surfaces like rock and
heavier vehicles require higher pressures than softer sur-
faces such as sand and lighter vehicles. You will need to
experiment to determine what is right for your situation. It
is easier and faster to let air out than it is to replace it so,
start high and lower it as required. Remember you must
return the tires to normal air pressure before driving on
road or at highway conditions. Be sure you have a way to
return the tires to their normal on road air pressure.
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CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressure increases the risk of tire damage
and may cause tire unseating with total loss of air
pressure. To reduce the risk of tire unseating, while at
a reduced tire pressure, drive at slower speeds and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
Vehicle Recovery
If you drive off-road, you may encounter a situation where
you will need to recover your vehicle. Vehicle recovery
should always be given consideration before attempting a
questionable obstacle. You should never go off-road driv-
ing without the ability to recover your vehicle from a
situation. Having another vehicle with you usually works
best for most situations. The first thing to do is assess the
situation. Why are you stuck? Are you hung up on
something? Would it be easier to go forward or to go
backward? Can you still move the vehicle? Is there an
anchor point to winch to? Are you alone or do you have
another vehicle to help? Is there high risk of vehicle
damage during the recovery process? Answering these
questions will help you determine the best method of
recovery. If you can still move the vehicle slightly and the
only issue is slick ground, then rock cycling your vehiclewould be the first choice. If you have ample room, an
additional vehicle and there is low risk of vehicle impinge-
ment on the surroundings, then using a tow strap to the
vehicle tow hooks would be fast and easy. If the vehicle is
severely hung up or in a situation where great care needs
to be taken during the recovery, then nothing can do the job
better than a winch. If you are severely hung up on
something you should jack the vehicle up and stack
something under the wheels to allow the vehicle to roll off
the object without causing further damage. This should be
tried before attempting any recovery method.
CAUTION!
Pulling the vehicle off an obstacle, without first clear-
ing the object, may result in additional underbody
damage.
• Rock Cycling Your Vehicle – Rock cycling your vehicle
is one of the easiest, fastest and most commonly used
methods. This simply involves shifting your vehicle
from DRIVE to REVERSE, while applying throttle after
each shift. During this process, for additional traction,
try turning your steering wheel quickly left and right no
more than a ¼ turn. If you are stuck in mud, sand, or
snow try spinning your tires during this process to clean
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Failure to follow these warnings may result in inju-
ries that are serious or fatal to you, your passengers,
and others around you.
CAUTION!
• Always check the depth of the standing water before
driving through it. Never drive through standing
water that is deeper than the bottom of the tire rims
mounted on the vehicle.
• Determine the condition of the road or the path that
is under water and if there are any obstacles in the
way before driving through the standing water.
• Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through
standing water. This will minimize wave effects.
• Driving through standing water may cause damage
to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always in-
spect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, transmis-
sion, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e., fluid
that is milky or foamy in appearance) after driving
through standing water. Do not continue to operate
the vehicle if any fluid appears contaminated, as this
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
may result in further damage. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can cause
it to lock up and stall out, and cause serious internal
damage to the engine. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
OFF-ROAD DRIVING TIPS
Care should be taken when attempting to climb steep hills
or driving diagonally across a hill or slope. If natural
obstacles force you to travel diagonally up or down a hill,
choose a mild angle and keep as little side tilt as possible.
Keep the vehicle moving and make turns slowly and
cautiously.
If you must back down a hill, back straight down using
REVERSE gear. Never back down in NEUTRAL or diago-
nally across the hill.
When driving over sand, mud, and other soft terrain, shift
to low gear and drive steadily. Apply the accelerator slowly
to avoid spinning the wheels.
Do not reduce the tire pressures for this type of driving.
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TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION
Tire MarkingsNOTE:
•P (Passenger) — Metric tire sizing is based on U.S.
design standards. P-Metric tires have the letter “P”
molded into the sidewall preceding the size designation.
Example: P215/65R15 95H.
• European — Metric tire sizing is based on European
design standards. Tires designed to this standard have
the tire size molded into the sidewall beginning with the
section width. The letter Pis absent from this tire size
designation. Example: 215/65R15 96H.
• LT (Light Truck) — Metric tire sizing is based on U.S.
design standards. The size designation for LT-Metric
tires is the same as for P-Metric tires except for the letters
“LT” that are molded into the sidewall preceding the
size designation. Example: LT235/85R16.
• Temporary spare tires are designed for temporary emer-
gency use only. Temporary high pressure compact spare
tires have the letter “T” or “S” molded into the sidewall
preceding the size designation. Example: T145/80D18
103M.
• High flotation tire sizing is based on U.S. design stan-
dards and it begins with the tire diameter molded into
the sidewall. Example: 31x10.5 R15 LT.
1 — U.S. DOT Safety Standards
Code (TIN) 4 — Maximum Load
2 — Size Designation 5 — Maximum Pressure
3 — Service Description 6 — Treadwear, Traction and Temperature Grades
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EXAMPLE:
Service Description: 95= Load Index
– A numerical code associated with the maximum load a tire can carry
H = Speed Symbol
– A symbol indicating the range of speeds at which a tire can carry a load corresponding to its
load index under certain operating conditions
– The maximum speed corresponding to the speed symbol should only be achieved under speci-
fied operating conditions (i.e., tire pressure, vehicle loading, road conditions, and posted speed
limits)
Load Identification:
Absence of the following load identification symbols on the sidewall of the tire indicates a Standard Load (SL) tire:
•XL = Extra load (or reinforced) tire, or
•LL= Light load tire or
•C, D, E, F, G = Load range associated with the maximum load a tire can carry at a specified pressure
Maximum Load – Maximum load indicates the maximum load this tire is designed to carry
Maximum Pressure – Maximum pressure indicates the maximum permissible cold tire inflation pressure for this tire
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Tire Terminology And Definitions
TermDefinition
B-Pillar The vehicle B-Pillar is the structural member of the body located be-
hind the front door.
Cold Tire Inflation Pressure Cold tire inflation pressure is defined as the tire pressure after the
vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours, or driven less
than 1 mile (1.6 km) after sitting for a minimum of three hours. In-
flation pressure is measured in units of PSI (pounds per square inch)
or kPa (kilopascals).
Maximum Inflation Pressure The maximum inflation pressure is the maximum permissible cold
tire inflation pressure for this tire. The maximum inflation pressure is
molded into the sidewall.
Recommended Cold Tire Inflation Pressure Vehicle manufacturer’s recommended cold tire inflation pressure as
shown on the tire placard.
Tire Placard A label permanently attached to the vehicle describing the vehicle’s
loading capacity, the original equipment tire sizes and the recom-
mended cold tire inflation pressures.
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Tire Loading And Tire Pressure
Tire And Loading Information Placard Location
NOTE:The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed on
the driver ’s side B-Pillar or the rear edge of the driver’s
side door.
Check the inflation pressure of each tire, including the
spare tire (if equipped), at least monthly and inflate to the
recommended pressure for your vehicle.
Example Tire Placard Location (Door)
Example Tire Placard Location (B-Pillar)
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WARNING!
•Overloading of your tires is dangerous. Overloading
can cause tire failure, affect vehicle handling, and
increase your stopping distance. Use tires of the
recommended load capacity for your vehicle. Never
overload them.
• Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can
cause collisions. Under-inflation increases tire flex-
ing and can result in over-heating and tire failure.
Over-inflation reduces a tire’s ability to cushion
shock. Objects on the road and chuck holes can cause
damage that results in tire failure. Unequal tire
pressures can cause steering problems. You could
lose control of your vehicle. Over-inflated or under-
inflated tires can affect vehicle handling and can fail
suddenly, resulting in loss of vehicle control. Always
drive with each tire inflated to the recommended
cold tire inflation pressure.
Tire And Loading Information Placard
Tire And Loading Information Placard
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