Ram 2500 2013 Owner's Manual

passable in snow and ice and those that are sprayed on
trees and road surfaces during other seasons are highly
corrosive to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking,
which exposes your vehicle to airborne contaminants,
road surfaces on which the vehicle is operated, extreme
hot or cold weather and other extreme conditions will
have an adverse effect on paint, metal trim, and under-
body protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will enable
you to obtain maximum benefit from the corrosion
resistance built into your vehicle.
What Causes Corrosion?
Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of
paint and protective coatings from your vehicle.
The most common causes are:
•Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation.
• Stone and gravel impact. •
Insects, tree sap and tar.
• Salt in the air near seacoast localities.
• Atmospheric fallout/industrial pollutants.
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.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 669

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.
• If your vehicle is damaged due to a collision or similar
cause that destroys the paint and protective coating,
have your vehicle repaired as soon as possible. The
cost of such repairs is considered the responsibility of
the owner.
• If you carry special cargo such as chemicals, fertilizers,
de-icer salt, etc., be sure that such materials are well
packaged and sealed.
• If a lot of driving is done on gravel roads, consider
mud or stone shields behind each wheel.
• Use MOPAR® Touch Up Paint on scratches as soon as
possible. Your authorized dealer has touch up paint to
match the color of your vehicle.
670 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Wheel And Wheel Trim Care
•All wheels and wheel trim, especially aluminum and
chrome plated wheels, should be cleaned regularly
with a mild soap and water to prevent corrosion.
• To remove heavy soil and/or excessive brake dust, use
MOPAR® Wheel Cleaner.
CAUTION!
Do not use scouring pads, steel wool, a bristle brush,
or metal polishes. Do not use oven cleaner. These
products may damage the wheel’s protective finish.
Avoid automatic car washes that use acidic solutions
or harsh brushes that may damage the wheel’s pro-
tective finish. Only MOPAR® Wheel Cleaner or
equivalent is recommended.
Stain Repel Fabric Cleaning Procedure – If
Equipped
Stain Repel seats may be cleaned in the following man-
ner:
• Remove as much of the stain as possible by blotting
with a clean, dry towel.
• Blot any remaining stain with a clean, damp towel.
• For tough stains, apply MOPAR® Total Clean, or a
mild soap solution to a clean, damp cloth and remove
stain. Use a fresh, damp towel to remove soap residue.
• For grease stains, apply MOPAR® Multi-Purpose
Cleaner to a clean, damp cloth and remove stain. Use
a fresh, damp towel to remove soap residue.
• Do not use any harsh solvents or any other form of
protectants on Stain Repel products.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 671

Interior Care
Use MOPAR® Total Clean to clean fabric upholstery and
carpeting.
Use MOPAR® Total Clean to clean vinyl upholstery.
MOPAR® Total Clean is specifically recommended for
leather upholstery.
Your leather upholstery can be best preserved by regular
cleaning with a damp soft cloth. Small particles of dirt
can act as an abrasive and damage the leather upholstery
and should be removed promptly with a damp cloth.
Stubborn soils can be removed easily with a soft cloth
and MOPAR® Total Clean. Care should be taken to avoid
soaking your leather upholstery with any liquid. Please
do not use polishes, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents, deter-
gents, or ammonia-based cleaners to clean your leather
upholstery. Application of a leather conditioner is not
required to maintain the original condition.
WARNING!
Do not use volatile solvents for cleaning purposes.
Many are potentially flammable, and if used in
closed areas they may cause respiratory harm.
CAUTION!
Do not use Alcohol and Alcohol-based and/or Keton
based cleaning products to clean leather seats, as
damage to the seat may result.
Cleaning Headlights
Your vehicle is equipped with plastic headlights and fog
lights (if equipped) that are lighter and less susceptible to
stone breakage than glass headlights.
Plastic is not as scratch resistant as glass and therefore
different lens cleaning procedures must be followed.
672 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

To minimize the possibility of scratching the lenses and
reducing light output, avoid wiping with a dry cloth. To
remove road dirt, wash with a mild soap solution fol-
lowed by rinsing.
Do not use abrasive cleaning components, solvents, steel
wool or other aggressive material to clean the lenses.
Glass Surfaces
All glass surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis
with MOPAR® Glass Cleaner, or any commercial
household-type glass cleaner. Never use an abrasive type
cleaner. Use caution when cleaning the inside rear win-
dow equipped with electric defrosters or the right rear
quarter window equipped with the radio antenna. Do
not use scrapers or other sharp instrument that may
scratch the elements.When cleaning the rear view mirror, spray cleaner on the
towel or rag that you are using. Do not spray cleaner
directly on the mirror.
Cleaning Plastic Instrument Cluster Lenses
The lenses in front of the instruments in this vehicle are
molded in clear plastic. When cleaning the lenses, care
must be taken to avoid scratching the plastic.
1. Clean with a wet soft rag. A mild soap solution may be
used, but do not use high alcohol content or abrasive
cleaners. If soap is used, wipe clean with a clean damp
rag.
2. Dry with a soft cloth.
Seat Belt Maintenance
Do not bleach, dye or clean the belts with chemical
solvents or abrasive cleaners. This will weaken the fabric.
Sun damage can also weaken the fabric.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 673

If the belts need cleaning, use a mild soap solution or
lukewarm water. Do not remove the belts from the car to
wash them. Dry with a soft cloth.
Replace the belts if they appear frayed or worn or if the
buckles do not work properly.
Tri-Fold Soft Tonneau Cover Care
For cleaning and protecting the vinyl Tri-Fold Tonneau
cover, use MOPAR® Whitewall & Vinyl Top Cleaner and
MOPAR® Leather and Vinyl Conditioner/Protectant.
Spray-On Bedliner – If Equipped
During ownership, the shine and luster of the Spray-On
Bedliner can fade from oxidation, road dirt, heavy-duty
hauling and hard water stains. Weathering and UV
exposure will lead to fading, dulling, and loss of gloss
over time.
To help maintain the appearance of your Spray-On
Bedliner, the manufacturer recommends you periodicallyrinse all loose dirt from your truck bed and clean your
truck at least twice per year using the MOPAR®
Spray-On Bedliner Conditioner available at your local
authorized dealer.
To Help Maintain The Appearance Of Your Spray-On
Bedliner, Follow The Steps Below:
1. Rinse your truck bed out with water to remove any
loose dirt and debris.
2. Mix a mild soap or detergent with water with a soft cloth or brush.
3. Rinse bedliner with water.
4. Once dry, apply a small amount of MOPAR® Spray-On Bedliner Conditioner to a moist towel or
sponge and wipe over the entire surface of the truck
bedliner.
674 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
Do not use silicon-based protection products to clean
your bedliner. Silicon-based products can become
slippery and may result in personal injury.
Spray-On Bedliners are chemically-resistant to many
different types of chemicals (including gasoline, oil,
hydraulic fluids) for short periods of time. If a spill
occurs on your Spray-On Bedliner, rinse the truck out as
soon as possible to avoid permanent damage.
Repairing The Spray-On Bedliner
While extremely tough, it is possible to damage a
Spray-On Bedliner. One common condition is when
loading a heavy pallet and dragging that pallet across the
floor of the bed. If a nail or sharp point is exposed under
the weight of the pallet a scratch or tear is possible. While
not covered by your new vehicle warranty, a cosmetic fix to cover the metal exposed by the scratch is required. To
repair a tear or gouge, follow the directions provided in
the MOPAR® Quick Repair Kit.
FUSES
POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER
The Power Distribution Center is located in the engine
compartment near the battery. This center contains car-
tridge fuses, micro fuses, relays, and circuit breakers. A
description of each fuse and component may be stamped
on the inside cover, otherwise the cavity number of each
fuse is stamped on the inside cover that corresponds to
the following chart.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 675

Cavity Car-tridgeFuse Micro
Fuse Description
F01 80 Amp Red Rad Fan Control
Module – Ifequipped
F03 60 Amp Yellow Rad Fan – If
Equipped
F05 40 Amp Green Compressor for Air
Suspension – If Equipped
F06 40 Amp Green Antilock Brakes/
Electronic Stability Control Pump
F07 40 Amp Green Starter Solenoid
Power Distribution Center Location
676 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Cavity Car-tridgeFuse Micro
Fuse Description
F08 40 Amp Green Emissions Diesel –
If Equipped
F09 40 Amp Green Diesel Fuel Heater
– If Equipped
F10 40 Amp Green Body Controller /
Exterior Lighting #2
F10 50 Amp Red Body Controller /
Exterior Lighting #2 – If Equipped with Stop/Start
F11 30 Amp Pink Integrated Trailer
Brake Module – If EquippedCavity Car- tridgeFuse Micro
Fuse Description
F12 40 Amp Green Body Controller #3
/ Interior Lights
F13 40 Amp Green Blower Motor
F14 40 Amp Green Body Controller #4
/ Power Locks
F15 30 Amp Pink Electric Park Brake
Right Side – If Equipped
F19 30 Amp Pink SCR – If Equipped
F20 30 Amp Pink Passenger Door
Module
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 677

Cavity Car-tridgeFuse Micro
Fuse Description
F21 30 Amp Pink Drive Train Control
Module
F22 20 Amp Yellow Engine Control
Module
F23 30 Amp Pink Body Controller #1
F24 30 Amp Pink Driver Door Mod-
ule
F25 30 Amp Pink Front Wiper Low
Speed
F25 30 Amp Pink Front Wiper High
SpeedCavity Car- tridgeFuse Micro
Fuse Description
F26 30 Amp Pink Antilock Brakes/
Stability Control Module/Valves
F28 20 Amp Yellow Trailer Tow Backup
Lights – IfEquipped
F29 20 Amp Yellow Trailer Tow Parking
Lights – IfEquipped
F30 30 Amp Pink Trailer Tow Recep-
tacle
F32 30 Amp Pink Drive Train Control
Module – IfEquipped
678 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE