Ram 1500 2020 Owner's Manual

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 499
5. Remove the filter cover by pushing in on the finger tabson each end of the filter cover.
Filter Cover Filter Cover Removal
1 — Finger Tabs
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500 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
6. Remove the cabin air filter by pulling it straight out of thehousing.
Cabin Air Filter
7. Install the cabin air filter with the arrow on the filter pointing toward the floor. When installing the filter
cover, press on each end until you hear an audible click. 8. Reinstall the glove compartment on the hinges.
9. Pull the tension tether outward and reinstall the glove
compartment past the travel stops by pushing in on the
glove compartment sides.
Glove Compartment
CAUTION!
The cabin air filter is identified with an arrow to indicate
airflow direction through the filter. Failure to properly
install the filter will result in the need to replace it more
often.
1 — Glove Compartment Travel Stop
2 — Glove Compartment Tension Tether
3 — Glove Compartment Door
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 501
NOTE:
Ensure the glove compartment door hinges and glove
compartment travel stops are fully engaged.
10. Reattach the glove compartment tension tether byinserting the tether clip in the glove compartment and
sliding the clip away from the face of the glove compart -
ment door.
Accessory Drive Belt Inspection
When inspecting accessory drive belts, small cracks that run
across the ribbed surface of a belt from rib to rib, are consid -
ered normal. These are not a reason to replace the belt.
However, cracks running along a rib (not across) are not
normal. Any belt with cracks running along a rib must be
replaced. Also have the belt replaced if it has excessive wear,
frayed cords or severe glazing.
Accessory Belt (Serpentine Belt)
WARNING!
• Do not attempt to inspect an accessory drive belt with vehicle running.
• When working near the radiator cooling fan, discon -
nect the fan motor lead. The fan is temperature
controlled and can start at any time regardless of igni -
tion mode. You could be injured by the moving fan
blades.
• You can be badly injured working on or around a motor vehicle. Only do service work for which you have the
knowledge and the proper equipment. If you have any
doubt about your ability to perform a service job, take
your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
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502 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Conditions that would require replacement:
• Rib chunking (one or more ribs has separated from beltbody)
• Rib or belt wear
• Longitudinal belt cracking (cracks between two ribs)
• Belt slips
• “Groove jumping" (belt does not maintain correct position on pulley)
• Belt broken
• Noise (objectionable squeal, squeak, or rumble is heard or felt while drive belt is in operation)
NOTE:
Identify and correct problem before new belt is installed.
NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with Stop/Start belt must be
replaced with an OEM grade Mopar belt.
Some conditions can be caused by a faulty component such
as a belt pulley. Belt pulleys should be carefully inspected for
damage and proper alignment. Belt replacement on some models requires the use of special
tools, we recommend having your vehicle serviced at an
authorized dealer.
Body Lubrication
Locks and all body pivot points, including such items as seat
tracks, door hinge pivot points and rollers, liftgate, tailgate,
decklid, sliding doors and hood hinges, should be lubricated
periodically with a lithium based grease, such as Mopar
Spray White Lube to assure quiet, easy operation and to
protect against rust and wear. Prior to the application of any
lubricant, the parts concerned should be wiped clean to
remove dust and grit; after lubricating excess oil and grease
should be removed. Particular attention should also be given
to hood latching components to ensure proper function.
When performing other underhood services, the hood latch
release mechanism, and safety catch should be cleaned and
lubricated.
The external lock cylinders should be lubricated twice a year,
preferably in the Fall and Spring. Apply a small amount of a
high quality lubricant, such as Mopar Lock Cylinder Lubri
-
cant directly into the lock cylinder.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 503
Windshield Wiper Blades
Clean the rubber edges of the wiper blades and the wind-
shield periodically with a sponge or soft cloth and a mild
nonabrasive cleaner. This will remove accumulations of salt
or road film.
Operation of the wipers on dry glass for long periods may
cause deterioration of the wiper blades. Always use washer
fluid when using the wipers to remove salt or dirt from a dry
windshield.
Avoid using the wiper blades to remove frost or ice from the
windshield. Keep the blade rubber out of contact with petro -
leum products such as engine oil, gasoline, etc.
NOTE:
Life expectancy of wiper blades varies depending on
geographical area and frequency of use. Poor performance of
blades may be present with chattering, marks, water lines or
wet spots. If any of these conditions are present, clean the
wiper blades or replace as necessary. The wiper blades and wiper arms should be inspected peri
-
odically, not just when wiper performance problems are
experienced. This inspection should include the following
points:
• Wear or uneven edges
• Foreign material
• Hardening or cracking
• Deformation or fatigue
If a wiper blade or wiper arm is damaged, replace the
affected wiper arm or blade with a new unit. Do not attempt
to repair a wiper arm or blade that is damaged.
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504 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Wiper Blade Removal/Installation
1. Lift the wiper arm to raise the wiper blade off of the glass,until the wiper arm is in the full up position.
Wiper Blade With Release Tab In Locked Position 2. To disengage the wiper blade from the wiper arm, press
the release tab on the wiper blade and while holding the
wiper arm with one hand, slide the wiper blade down
towards the base of the wiper arm.
Wiper Blade With Release Tab In Unlocked Position
3. With the wiper blade disengaged, remove the wiper blade from the wiper arm.
4. Gently lower the wiper arm onto the glass.
CAUTION!
Do not allow the wiper arm to spring back against the
glass without the wiper blade in place or the glass may
be damaged.
1 — Wiper Blade
2 — Wiper Arm
3 — Release Tab
1 — Wiper Blade
2 — Wiper Arm J Hook
3 — J Hook Retainer
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(Continued)
Installing The Front Wipers
1. Lift the wiper arm off of the glass, until the wiper arm isin the full up position.
2. Position the wiper blade near the hook on the tip of the wiper arm.
3. Slide the wiper blade up into the hook on the wiper arm, latch engagement will be accompanied by an audible
click.
4. Gently lower the wiper blade onto the glass.
Exhaust System
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into the
vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
If you notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system; or
if the exhaust fumes can be detected inside the vehicle; or
when the underside or rear of the vehicle is damaged; have
an authorized technician inspect the complete exhaust
system and adjacent body areas for broken, damaged, dete -
riorated, or mispositioned parts. Open seams or loose
connections could permit exhaust fumes to seep into the passenger compartment. In addition, have the exhaust
system inspected each time the vehicle is raised for lubrica
-
tion or oil change. Replace as required.
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 eventu -
ally poison you. To avoid breathing CO, refer to “Safety
Tips” in “Safety” for further information.
• A hot exhaust system can start a fire if you park over materials that can burn. Such materials might be grass
or leaves coming into contact with your exhaust system.
Do not park or operate your vehicle in areas where your
exhaust system can contact anything that can burn.
CAUTION!
• The catalytic converter requires the use of unleaded fuel only. Leaded gasoline will destroy the effective -
ness of the catalyst as an emissions control device and
may seriously reduce engine performance and cause
serious damage to the engine.
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506 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
(Continued)
Under normal operating conditions, the catalytic converter
will not require maintenance. However, it is important to
keep the engine properly tuned to assure proper catalyst
operation and prevent possible catalyst damage.
NOTE:
Intentional tampering with emissions control systems can
result in civil penalties being assessed against you.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may suggest severe and
abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, stop the
vehicle, turn off the engine and allow it to cool. Service,
including a tune-up to manufacturer's specifications, should
be obtained immediately.To minimize the possibility of catalytic converter damage:
• Do not interrupt the ignition when the transmission is in
gear and the vehicle is in motion.
• Do not try to start the vehicle by pushing or towing the vehicle.
• Do not idle the engine with any ignition components disconnected or removed, such as when diagnostic testing,
or for prolonged periods during very rough idle or
malfunctioning operating conditions.Cooling System
• Damage to the catalytic converter can result if yourvehicle is not kept in proper operating condition. In the
event of engine malfunction, particularly involving
engine misfire or other apparent loss of performance,
have your vehicle serviced promptly. Continued opera -
tion of your vehicle with a severe malfunction could
cause the converter to overheat, resulting in possible
damage to the converter and vehicle. CAUTION!
(Continued)
WARNING!
• You or others can be badly burned by hot engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If you
see or hear steam coming from under the hood, do not
open the hood until the radiator has had time to cool.
Never open a cooling system pressure cap when the
radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
• Keep hands, tools, clothing, and jewelry away from the radiator cooling fan when the hood is raised. The fan
starts automatically and may start at any time, whether
the engine is running or not.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 507
Engine Coolant Checks
Check the engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every
12 months (before the onset of freezing weather, where
applicable). If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty or rusty
in appearance, the system should be drained, flushed and
refilled with fresh coolant. Check the front of the A/C
condenser (if equipped) or radiator for any accumulation of
bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean by gently spraying water
from a garden hose vertically down the face of the A/C
condenser (if equipped) or the back of the radiator core.
Check the engine cooling system hoses for brittle rubber,
cracking, tears, cuts and tightness of the connection at the
coolant recovery bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire
system for leaks.
DO NOT REMOVE THE COOLANT PRESSURE CAP
WHEN THE COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT. Cooling System — Drain, Flush And Refill
NOTE:
Some vehicles require special tools to add coolant properly.
Failure to fill these systems properly could lead to severe
internal engine damage. If any coolant is needed to be added
to the system please contact an authorized dealer.
If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty or contains visible
sediment, have an authorized dealer clean and flush with
OAT coolant (antifreeze) (conforming to MS.90032).
Refer to the “Maintenance Plan” in this section for the proper
maintenance intervals.
Selection Of Coolant
Refer to “Fluids And Lubricants” in “Technical Specifica
-
tions” for further information.
NOTE:
• Mixing of engine coolant (antifreeze) other than specified Organic Additive Technology (OAT) engine coolant (anti -
freeze), may result in engine damage and may decrease
corrosion protection. Organic Additive Technology (OAT)
engine coolant is different and should not be mixed with
Hybrid Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) engine
coolant (antifreeze) or any “globally compatible” coolant
• When working near the radiator cooling fan, discon
-
nect the fan motor lead or turn the ignition to the OFF
mode. The fan is temperature controlled and can start at
any time the ignition is in the ON mode.
WARNING! (Continued)
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508 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
(antifreeze). If a non-OAT engine coolant (antifreeze) is
introduced into the cooling system in an emergency, the
cooling system will need to be drained, flushed, and
refilled with fresh OAT coolant (conforming to MS.90032),
by an authorized dealer as soon as possible.
• Do not use water alone or alcohol-based engine coolant (antifreeze) products. Do not use additional rust inhibitors
or antirust products, as they may not be compatible with
the radiator engine coolant and may plug the radiator.
• This vehicle has not been designed for use with propylene glycol-based engine coolant (antifreeze). Use of propylene
glycol-based engine coolant (antifreeze) is not recom -
mended.
• Some vehicles require special tools to add coolant prop -
erly. Failure to fill these systems properly could lead to
severe internal engine damage. If any coolant is needed to
be added to the system please contact an authorized
dealer.
Adding Coolant
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine coolant
(OAT coolant conforming to MS.90032) that allows extended
maintenance intervals. This engine coolant (antifreeze) can
be used up to 10 years or 150,000 miles (240,000 km) before
replacement. To prevent reducing this extended mainte -nance period, it is important that you use the same engine
coolant (OAT coolant conforming to MS.90032) throughout
the life of your vehicle.
Please review these recommendations for using Organic
Additive Technology (OAT) engine coolant (antifreeze) that
meets the requirements of FCA Material Standard MS.90032.
When adding engine coolant (antifreeze):

• We recommend using Mopar® Antifreeze/Coolant 10 Year/
150,000 Mile (240,000 km) Formula OAT (Organic Additive
Technology) that meets the requirements of FCA Material
Standard MS.90032.

• Mix a minimum solution of 50% OAT engine coolant that meets the requirements of FCA Material Standard
MS.90032 and distilled water. Use higher concentrations
(not to exceed 70%) if temperatures below −34°F (−37°C)
are anticipated. Please contact an authorized dealer for
assistance.
• Use only high purity water such as distilled or deionized water when mixing the water/engine coolant (antifreeze)
solution. The use of lower quality water will reduce the
amount of corrosion protection in the engine cooling
system.
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