spare tire RAM 1500 2021 Owners Manual

7
OFF-ROAD PAGES — IF EQUIPPED .................. 307 Off-Road Pages Status Bar .......................307
Vehicle Dynamics.......................................308
Accessory Gauge........................................308
Pitch & Roll .................................................308
Suspension ................................................309
RADIO OPERATION AND MOBILE PHONES.... 309
Regulatory And Safety Information........... 309
SAFETY
SAFETY FEATURES ............................................ 310 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ................. 310
Electronic Brake Control (EBC) System ...311
AUXILIARY DRIVING SYSTEMS ........................ 318
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) —
If Equipped ................................................318 Forward Collision Warning (FCW) With
Mitigation — If Equipped............................324 Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) ........................................................ 327
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS .................. 334
Occupant Restraint Systems Features ....334
Important Safety Precautions ...................334Seat Belt Systems ..................................... 335Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) ...342Child Restraints..........................................355 SAFETY TIPS ....................................................... 369
Transporting Passengers .......................... 369Transporting Pets ...................................... 369
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside
The Vehicle ................................................ 369 Periodic Safety Checks You Should
Make Outside The Vehicle ........................ 371 Exhaust Gas .............................................. 371
Carbon Monoxide Warnings ...................... 372IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS........................373
ASSIST AND SOS SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED .... 373
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING .......................377 Preparations For Jacking........................... 377
Jack Location ............................................. 378
Removal Of Jack And Tools ....................... 378
Removing The Spare Tire .......................... 380Jacking Instructions ................................... 381
To Stow The Flat Or Spare ........................ 384
Reinstalling The Jack And Tools ............... 385
JUMP STARTING ................................................ 386
Preparations For Jump Start ..................... 386Jump Starting Procedure .......................... 387
REFUELING IN EMERGENCY –
IF EQUIPPED ...................................................... 389
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS .........................389
MANUAL PARK RELEASE .................................. 390
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE .............................391 TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE ........................ 392
Two-Wheel Drive Models ........................... 393
Four-Wheel Drive Models .......................... 393
Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped ...... 394
ENHANCED ACCIDENT RESPONSE SYSTEM
(EARS) ................................................................ 394
EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) ....................... 394
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULED SERVICING — GASOLINE
ENGINE ............................................................... 395
Maintenance Plan ..................................... 395
SCHEDULED SERVICING — DIESEL ENGINE .. 399
Maintenance Plan — Diesel Fuel Up To
B5 Biodiesel .............................................. 400 Additional Maintenance — B6 To B20
Biodiesel..................................................... 403
ENGINE COMPARTMENT .................................. 404
3.6L Engine With Stop/Start .................... 404
5.7L Engine Without Stop/Start ............... 4055.7L Engine With Stop/Start..................... 406
3.0L Diesel Engine .................................... 407Checking Oil Level ..................................... 408
Adding Washer Fluid ................................. 408Maintenance-Free Battery ....................... 409Pressure Washing...................................... 409

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8
VEHICLE MAINTENANCE .................................. 409 Engine Oil — Gas Engine ...........................410
Engine Oil Filter ..........................................410Engine Air Cleaner Filter ............................411
Draining Fuel/Water Separator Filter —
Diesel Engine ............................................412 Underbody Mounted Fuel Filter
Replacement — Diesel Engine ..................413 Priming If The Engine Has Run Out Of
Fuel — Diesel Engine .................................414 Intervention Regeneration Strategy —
Message Process Flow (Diesel Engine) ....414 Diesel Exhaust Fluid ..................................415Air Conditioner Maintenance ....................415
Accessory Drive Belt Inspection................417Body Lubrication ........................................418
Windshield Wiper Blades ..........................418
Exhaust System ........................................420
Cooling System .........................................421
Charge Air Cooler — Inter-Cooler (Diesel
Engine)........................................................ 424 Brake System ............................................425
Automatic Transmission ...........................426
Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle
Fluid Level .................................................426 Transfer Case ............................................427
FUSES .........................................................427
BULB REPLACEMENT ................................437 TIRES....................................................................443
Tire Safety Information .............................. 443
Tires — General Information ..................... 449Tire Types ................................................... 454
Spare Tires — If Equipped ......................... 455
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care ..................... 456Snow Traction Devices .............................. 458
Tire Rotation Recommendations ............. 460
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADES .................. 460
Treadwear .................................................. 460
Traction Grades ......................................... 461
Temperature Grades ................................. 461
STORING THE VEHICLE ......................................461
BODYWORK ........................................................ 461
Protection From Atmospheric Agents....... 461
Body And Underbody Maintenance .......... 462Preserving The Bodywork .......................... 462
INTERIORS ......................................................... 464
Seats And Fabric Parts .............................. 464
Plastic And Coated Parts ........................... 465
Leather Surfaces ....................................... 465Glass Surfaces .......................................... 466
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ................ 467
BRAKE SYSTEM ................................................ 467
WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS ................................................ 467
Torque Specifications ............................... 467
FUEL REQUIREMENTS — GASOLINE
ENGINE ............................................................... 468
3.6L Engine ............................................... 468
5.7L Engine ................................................ 469
Reformulated Gasoline ............................. 469
Materials Added To Fuel ........................... 469
Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..................... 469
Do Not Use E-85 In Non-Flex Fuel
Vehicles ...................................................... 470 CNG And LP Fuel System Modifications .. 470Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese
Tricarbonyl (MMT) In Gasoline .................. 470 Fuel System Cautions................................ 470
FUEL REQUIREMENTS – DIESEL ENGINE ....... 471
Diesel Fuel Specifications......................... 471
Biodiesel Fuel Requirements.................... 472
FLUID CAPACITIES ............................................ 474
ENGINE FLUIDS AND LUBRICANTS ................ 475
CHASSIS FLUIDS AND LUBRICANTS ............... 478

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL131
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) OFF
Warning Light — If Equipped
This warning light indicates the ESC is
off.
Each time the ignition is turned to ON/RUN or
ACC/ON/RUN, the ESC system will be on, even
if it was turned off previously.
Service LaneSense Warning Light — If
Equipped
This warning light will illuminate when
the LaneSense system is not
operating and requires service.
Please contact an authorized dealer.
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light — If
Equipped
This warning light will illuminate when
the windshield washer fluid is low.
Low Fuel Warning Light
When the fuel level is less than a ¼
tank, and the Distance to Empty is
less than 50 miles, this light will turn
on and remain on until fuel is added. A single warning chime will sound with Low Fuel
Warning.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Warning Light
The warning light switches on and a
message is displayed to indicate that
the tire pressure is lower than the
recommended value and/or that slow
pressure loss is occurring. In these cases,
optimal tire duration and fuel consumption may
not be guaranteed.
Should one or more tires be in the condition
mentioned above, the display will show the
indications corresponding to each tire.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
CAUTION!
Do not continue driving with one or more flat
tires as handling may be compromised. Stop
the vehicle, avoiding sharp braking and
steering. If a tire puncture occurs, repair
immediately using the dedicated tire repair
kit and contact an authorized dealer as soon
as possible.
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STARTING AND OPERATING167
to Normal Height Mode, push the height
selector switch up once while in Entry/Exit or
drive the vehicle over 15 mph (24 km/h).
Entry/Exit mode may not be available due to
vehicle payload, an instrument cluster
message will be displayed when this occurs
Úpage 114.
NOTE:
Entry/Exit mode may be achieved using your
key fob for easier entry/loading Ú page 17.
The system requires that the ignition be in the
ON/RUN position or the engine running for all
user requested changes. When lowering the
vehicle, all of the doors must be closed. If a door
is opened at any time while the vehicle is
lowering, the change will not be completed until
the open door(s) is closed. This system uses a lifting and lowering pattern
which keeps the headlights from incorrectly
shining into oncoming traffic. When raising the
vehicle, the rear of the vehicle will move up first
and then the front. When lowering the vehicle,
the front will move down first and then the rear.
After the engine is turned off, it may be noticed
that the air suspension system operates briefly;
this is normal. The system is correcting the
position of the vehicle to ensure a proper
appearance.
To assist with changing a spare tire, the air
suspension system has a feature which allows
the automatic leveling to be disabled
Ú
page 114.
NOTE:
If equipped with a touchscreen radio, all
enabling/disabling of air suspension features
must be done through the radio Ú page 237.AIR SUSPENSION MODES
The air suspension system has multiple modes
to protect the system in unique situations. The
engine should be running to change between
Air Suspension Modes.
Automatic AERO Mode
To improve aerodynamics, the air suspension
system has a feature which will put the vehicle
into AERO height automatically Úpage 114.
Automatic Aero Mode may be disabled through
vehicle settings in the Uconnect Radio (if
equipped) Ú page 237.
Tire Jack Mode
To assist with changing a tire, the air
suspension system has a feature which allows
the automatic leveling to be disabled
Ú page 237.
Transport Mode
For towing your vehicle with four wheels off the
road, the air suspension system has a feature
which will put the vehicle into Entry/Exit height
and disable the automatic load leveling system
Ú page 237.
CAUTION!
When in ENTRY/EXIT setting, be aware of your
surroundings, you may not have the
clearance required for certain areas and
vehicle damage may occur.
WARNING!
The air suspension system uses a high
pressure volume of air to operate the system.
To avoid personal injury or damage to the
system, see an authorized dealer for service.
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STARTING AND OPERATING171
This system uses a lifting and lowering pattern
which keeps the headlights from incorrectly
shining into oncoming traffic. When raising the
vehicle, the rear of the vehicle will move up first
and then the front. When lowering the vehicle,
the front will move down first and then the rear.
After the engine is turned off, it may be noticed
that the air suspension system operates briefly;
this is normal. The system is correcting the
position of the vehicle to ensure a proper
appearance.
To assist with changing a spare tire, the air
suspension system has a feature which allows
the automatic leveling to be disabled
Úpage 237.
NOTE:
If equipped with a touchscreen radio, all
enabling/disabling of air suspension features
must be done through the radio Ú page 237.AIR SUSPENSION MODES
The Air Suspension system has multiple modes
to protect the system in unique situations:
AERO Mode
To improve aerodynamics, the air suspension
system has a feature which will put the vehicle
into AERO height automatically Úpage 114.
Tire Jack Mode
To assist with changing a tire, the air
suspension system has a feature which allows
the automatic leveling to be disabled
Ú page 237.
Transport Mode
For towing your vehicle with four wheels off the
road, the air suspension system has a feature
which will put the vehicle into Entry/Exit height
and disable the automatic load leveling system
Ú page 237.
Wheel Alignment Mode
Before performing a wheel alignment, this
mode must be enabled Ú page 237.Protection Strategy
In order to “protect” the air suspension system,
the vehicle will disable load leveling as required
(suspension overloaded, battery charge low,
etc.). Load leveling will automatically resume as
soon as system operation requirements are
met. See an authorized dealer if system does
not resume.
NOTE:
For towing with air suspension Ú
page 214.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY
M
ESSAGES
When the appropriate conditions exist, a
message will appear in the instrument cluster
display Ú page 114.
An audible chime will be heard whenever a
system error has been detected.
See an authorized dealer for system service if
normal operation does not resume.
WARNING!
The air suspension system uses a high
pressure volume of air to operate the system.
To avoid personal injury or damage to the
system, see an authorized dealer for service.
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222STARTING AND OPERATING
Towing Requirements — Tires
Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire.
Do not drive more than 50 mph (80 km/h)
when towing while using a full size spare tire.
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential
to the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle.
Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire
damage before towing a trailer.
Replacing tires with a higher load carrying
capacity will not increase the vehicle's GVWR
and GAWR limits.
For further information Ú page 443.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake
system or vacuum system of your vehicle
with that of the trailer.
An electronically actuated trailer brake
controller is required when towing a trailer
with electronically actuated brakes. When
towing a trailer equipped with a hydraulic
surge actuated brake system, an electronic
brake controller is not required.
Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers
over 1,000 lbs (453 kg) and required for
trailers in excess of 2,000 lbs (907 kg).
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked
on a grade. When parking, apply the
parking brake on the tow vehicle. Put the
tow vehicle transmission in PARK. For
four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure the
transfer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always,
block or "chock" the trailer wheels.
GCWR must not be exceeded.
Total weight must be distributed between
the tow vehicle and the trailer such that the
following four ratings are not exceeded :
GVWR
GTW
GAWR
Tongue weight rating for the trailer
hitch utilized.
WARNING! (Continued)WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your
vehicle's hydraulic brake lines. It can over -
load your brake system and cause it to fail.
You might not have brakes when you need
them and could have an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stop -
ping distance. When towing, you should
allow for additional space between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Failure to do so could result in an accident.
CAUTION!

If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs
(453 kg) loaded, it should have its own
brakes and they should be of adequate
capacity. Failure to do this could lead to
accelerated brake lining wear, higher brake
pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
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MULTIMEDIA249
Suspension/Air Suspension — If Equipped
When the Suspension/Air Suspension button is pressed on the touchscreen, the system will display settings related to the vehicle’s air suspension.Headlight Off Delay
This setting will allow you to set the amount of time the headlights remain
on after the vehicle has been turned off. The “+” will increase the amount
of time. The “-” will decrease the amount of time.
Auto Entry/Exit — If Equipped This setting will automatically lower the vehicle ride height for easier
entry and exit of the vehicle.
Setting Name
Description
Setting NameDescription
Sound Horn With Lower This setting will sound the horn when the Lower button is pressed on the
key fob.
Flash Lights With Lower This setting will flash the lights when the Lower button is pressed on the
key fob.
Display Suspension Messages This setting will display suspension messages in the Instrument Cluster
Display. The “All” setting will display all available messages. The
“Warnings Only” setting will only display warning messages.
Aero Mode
This setting will automatically adjust the vehicle ride height depending on
the vehicle speed.
Tire Jack Mode This setting will disable the air suspension system to assist in changing a
spare tire.
Transport Mode This setting will disable the air suspension system for flat towing.
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250MULTIMEDIA
AUX Switches — If Equipped
When the AUX Switches button is pressed on the touchscreen, the system displays the options related to the four vehicle AUX switches.Wheel Alignment Mode
This setting must be activated before performing a wheel alignment.
Refer to an authorized dealer for further information.
Four Corner Air Suspension Modes There are three air suspension modes designed to protect the system in
unique situations. Tire Jack Mode is selected to assist in changing a
spare tire. Transport Mode is selected to assist when the vehicle is being
flat bed towed. Wheel Alignment Mode is selected before performing a
wheel alignment. Refer to an authorized dealer for information.
Setting Name
Description
Setting NameDescription
AUX 1-4 This setting will adjust the type and power source for the four vehicle AUX
switches. There are two types: “Latching” and “Momentary”. The power
source for the AUX switches can either be set to run off the “Battery” or
from the “Ignition”. In addition to setting the type and power source, you
can set if the vehicle will recall the previous state at which the AUX
switches were set. The Recalled Last State setting can be set to “On” or
“Off”. Last state conditions are met only if the type is set to Latching and
the power source is set to Ignition.

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330SAFETY
Should this occur, you should stop as soon as
possible and inflate the tires with a low pressure
condition (those in a different color in the
instrument cluster graphic) to the vehicle’s
recommended cold placard pressure inflation
value as shown in the "Inflate to XX" message.
Once the system receives the updated tire
pressures, the system will automatically
update, the graphic display in the instrument
cluster will return to its original color, and the
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light
will turn off. The vehicle may need to be driven
for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h)
in order for the TPMS to receive this
information.
NOTE:
When filling warm tires, the tire pressure may
need to be increased up to an additional 4 psi
(28 kPa) above the recommended cold placard
pressure in order to turn the Tire Pressure Moni -
toring System Warning Light off.
Service TPMS Warning
If a system fault is detected, the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) Warning Light will
flash on and off for 75 seconds and then remain
on solid. The system fault will also sound a
chime. In addition, the instrument cluster will display a "SERVICE TPMS SYSTEM" message for
a minimum of five seconds and then display
dashes (--) in place of the pressure value to
indicate which sensor is not being received.
If the ignition switch is cycled, this sequence will
repeat, providing the system fault still exists. If
the system fault no longer exists, the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light will
no longer flash, and the "SERVICE TPMS
SYSTEM" message will no longer display, and a
pressure value will display in place of the
dashes. A system fault can occur due to any of
the following:
Signal interference due to electronic devices
or driving next to facilities emitting the same
radio frequencies as the Tire Pressure Moni
-
toring System sensors
Installing aftermarket window tinting that
contains materials that may block radio wave
signals
Accumulation of snow or ice around the
wheels or wheel housings
Using tire chains on the vehicle
Using wheels/tires not equipped with TPMS
sensors A system fault may occur due to an incorrect
TPMS sensor location condition. When a system
fault occurs due to an incorrect TPMS sensor
location, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) Warning Light will flash on and off for
75 seconds and then remain on solid. The
system fault will also sound a chime. In
addition, the instrument cluster will display a
Tire Pressure Temporarily Unavailable message
in place of the tire pressure display screen. If
the ignition switch is cycled, this sequence will
repeat, providing the system fault still exists. If
the system fault no longer exists, the “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light” will
no longer flash and the tire pressure display
screen will be displayed showing the tire
pressure values the correct locations.
Vehicles With Non-Matching Full Size Spare Or
Compact Spare
The non-matching full size spare or compact
spare tire does not have a TPMS sensor.
Therefore, the TPMS will not monitor the
pressure in the non-matching full size spare
or compact spare tire.
If you install the non-matching full size spare
or compact spare tire in place of a road tire
that has a pressure below the low-pressure

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SAFETY331
warning limit, upon the next ignition switch
cycle, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) Warning Light and a “LOW TIRE”
message will remain on and a chime will
sound. In addition, the graphic in the instru -
ment cluster will still display a pressure value
in a different color and an “Inflate to XX”
message.
After driving the vehicle for up to 20 minutes
above 15 mph (24 km/h), the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) Warning Light will
flash on and off for 75 seconds and then
remain on solid. In addition, the instrument
cluster will display a "SERVICE TPMS
SYSTEM" message for a minimum of five
seconds and then display dashes (--) in place
of the pressure value.
For each subsequent ignition switch cycle, a
chime will sound, the Tire Pressure Moni -
toring System (TPMS) Warning Light will flash
on and off for 75 seconds and then remain
on solid, and the instrument cluster will
display a "SERVICE TPMS SYSTEM" message
for a minimum of five seconds and then
display dashes (--) in place of the pressure
value.
Once you repair or replace the original road
tire and reinstall it on the vehicle in place of
the non-matching full size spare or compact
spare, the TPMS will update automatically. In
addition, the Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) Warning Light will turn off and
the graphic in the instrument cluster will
display a new pressure value instead of
dashes (--), as long as no tire pressure is
below the low-pressure warning limit in any of
the four active road tires. The vehicle may
need to be driven for up to 20 minutes above
15 mph (24 km/h) in order for the TPMS to
receive this information.
Tire Fill Alert
This feature notifies the user when the placard
tire pressure is attained while inflating or
deflating the tire.
You may choose to disable or enable the Tire Fill
Alert feature through use of the Uconnect
Settings in the radio.
NOTE:
Only one tire can be filled at a time when
using the Tire Fill Alert system.
The Tire Fill Alert feature cannot be entered if
an existing TPMS fault is set to “active” or if
the system is in deactivation mode (if
equipped).
The system will be activated when a positive
increase in tire pressure is detected by the
TPMS while inflating the tire. The ignition must
be in the RUN mode, with the transmission in
PARK.
NOTE:
It is not required to have the engine running to
enter Tire Fill Alert mode.
The hazard lamps will come on to confirm the
vehicle is in Tire Fill Alert mode.
When Tire Fill Alert mode is entered, the tire
pressure display screen will be displayed in the
instrument cluster.
If the hazard lamps do not come on while
inflating the tire, the TPMS sensor may be out of
range preventing the TPMS sensor signal from
being received. In this case, the vehicle may
need to be moved either forward or backward
slightly to exit the null spot.
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