light Ram 2500 2015 Owner's Manual

WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you leave
the vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the
NEUTRAL (N) position without first fully engaging
the parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL (N)
position disengages both the front and rear drive-
shafts from the powertrain and will allow the vehicle
to roll, even if the transmission is in PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL (N) before
recreational towing to prevent damage to internal
parts.1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, with the engine
running. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
NOTE: If vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure
the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
•With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer
case lever into NEUTRAL (N).
• With electronic shift transfer case, press and hold the
transfer case NEUTRAL (N) button. Some models
have a small, recessed Nbutton (at the center of the
transfer case switches) that must be pushed using a
ballpoint pen or similar object. Other models have a
rectangular NEUTRAL switch, below the rotary
transfer case control knob. The NEUTRAL (N) indi-
cator light will blink while the shift is in progress.
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The light will stop blinking (stay on solid) when the
shift to NEUTRAL (N) is complete. After the shift is
completed and the NEUTRAL (N) light stays on,
release the NEUTRAL (N) button.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
7. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with automatic transmission in DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.
9. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL. Firmly apply the parking brake. Turn OFF the engine. For vehicles with
Keyless Enter-N-Go™, push and hold the ENGINE
START/STOP button until the engine shuts off. 10. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual
transmission in gear (NOT in Neutral). On 8-speed
transmissions the shifter will automatically select
PARK when the engine is turned off.
11. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position, then cycle the key or the Keyless Enter-N-Go™ button to
the RUN position and back to the OFF position.
Remove the key fob from the ignition switch.
12. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable tow bar.
13. Release the parking brake.
NOTE: With electronic shift transfer case:
• Steps 2 through 4 are requirements that must be met
before pushing the NEUTRAL (N) button, and must
continue to be met until the shift has been completed.
If any of these requirements are not met before push-
ing the NEUTRAL (N) button or are no longer met
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during the shift, the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will
flash continuously until all requirements are met or
until the NEUTRAL (N) button is released.
• The ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position
for a shift to take place and for the position indicator
lights to be operable. If the ignition switch is not in the
ON/RUN position, the shift will not take place and no
position indicator lights will be on or flashing.
• A flashing NEUTRAL (N) position indicator light
indicates that shift requirements have not been met.
• If the vehicle is equipped with air suspension, the
engine should be started and left running for a mini-
mum of 60 seconds (with all the doors closed) at least
once every 24 hours. This process allows the air
suspension to adjust the vehicle’s ride height to com-
pensate for temperature effects.Shifting Out Of NEUTRAL (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving it con- nected to the tow vehicle.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Start the engine. Shift the transmission into NEU- TRAL. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual trans-
mission.
• With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer
case lever to the desired position.
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•With electronic shift transfer case with rotary selector
switch, press and hold the transfer case NEUTRAL
(N) button until the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light
turns off. After the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light
turns off, release the NEUTRAL (N) button. After the
NEUTRAL (N) button has been released, the transfer
case will shift to the position indicated by the selec-
tor switch.
• With electronic shift transfer case with pushbutton
selector switch, press and hold the switch for the
desired transfer case position, until the NEUTRAL
(N) indicator light turns off and the desired position
indicator light turns on. NOTE:
When shifting out of transfer case NEUTRAL (N),
turning the engine OFF is not required, but may be
helpful to avoid gear clash. With the 8-speed automatic
transmission, the engine must remain running, since
turning the engine OFF will shift the transmission to
PARK (and the transmission must be in NEUTRAL for
the transfer case to shift out of NEUTRAL).
5. Turn the engine OFF. Shift automatic transmission into PARK. On 8-speed transmissions the shifter will auto-
matically select PARK when the engine is turned off.
6. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on a manual transmission).
7. Disconnect vehicle from the tow vehicle.
674 STARTING AND OPERATING

8. Start the engine.
9. Press and hold the brake pedal.
10. Release the parking brake.
11. Shift the transmission into gear, release the brakepedal (and clutch pedal on manual transmissions),
and check that the vehicle operates normally.
NOTE: With electronic shift transfer case:
• Steps 3 and 4 are requirements that must be met before
pressing the button to shift out of NEUTRAL (N), and
must continue to be met until the shift has been
completed. If any of these requirements are not met
before pressing the button or are no longer met during
the shift, the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will flash
continuously until all requirements are met or until the
button is released. •
The ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position
for a shift to take place and for the position indicator
lights to be operable. If the ignition switch is not in the
ON/RUN position, the shift will not take place and no
position indicator lights will be on or flashing.
• A flashing NEUTRAL (N) position indicator light
indicates that shift requirements have not been met.
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5. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel off. Onsingle rear-wheel (SRW) trucks, install the spare wheel
and wheel nuts with the cone shaped end of the wheel
nuts toward the wheel. On 3500 dual rear-wheel
models (DRW) trucks, if the outer tire is being re-
placed then leave the inner wheel on the vehicle. If the
inner wheel is being replaced remove the outer wheel
and replace the inner wheel. The wheel nuts are a
two-piece assembly with a flat face. Lightly tighten the
wheel nuts. To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off
the jack, do not fully tighten the wheel nuts until the
vehicle has been lowered.
Rear Inner Wheel Proper Placement (Dual Rear Wheel
Equipped)
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 717

CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any
other booster source with a system voltage greater
than 12 Volts or damage to the battery, starter motor,
alternator or electrical system may occur.
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump-starting if the battery is frozen.
It could rupture or explode and cause personal injury.
Preparations For Jump-Start
The battery in your vehicle is located in the front of the
engine compartment, behind the left headlight assembly.
NOTE:The positive battery post is covered with a
protective cap. Lift up on the cap to gain access to the
positive battery post. Do not jump off fuses. Only jump
directly off positive post.
Battery (Gas Model Shown)
1 — Positive Battery Post
2 — Fuses
726 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (OBD II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated onboard
diagnostic system called OBD II. This system monitors
the performance of the emissions, engine, and automatic
transmission control systems. When these systems are
operating properly, your vehicle will provide excellent
performance and fuel economy, as well as engine emis-
sions well within current government regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD II system
will turn on the “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL).” It
will also store diagnostic codes and other information to
assist your service technician in making repairs. Al-
though your vehicle will usually be drivable and not
need towing, see your authorized dealer for service as
soon as possible.
CAUTION!
•Prolonged driving with the MIL on could cause
further damage to the emission control system. It
could also affect fuel economy and driveability.
The vehicle must be serviced before any emissions
tests can be performed.
• If the MIL is flashing, while the engine is running,
severe catalytic converter damage and power loss
will soon occur. Immediate service is required.
Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message
If the vehicle diagnostic system determines
that the fuel filler cap is loose, improperly
installed, or damaged, a loose gascap indicator
will display in the EVIC/DID telltale display
area. Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)” or “Driver Information Display (DID)” in “Un-
derstanding Your Instrument Panel” for further informa-
tion. Tighten the fuel filler cap properly and press the
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 747

SELECT button to turn off the message. If the problem
continues, the message will appear the next time the
vehicle is started.
A loose, improperly installed, or damaged fuel filler cap
may also turn on the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL).
EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass
an inspection of your vehicle’s emissions control system.
Failure to pass could prevent vehicle registration.For states that require an Inspection and Mainte-
nance (I/M), this check verifies the “Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL)” is functioning and is not
on when the engine is running, and that the OBD II
system is ready for testing. Normally, the OBD II system will be ready. The OBD II
system may
notbe ready if your vehicle was recently
serviced, recently had a dead battery or a battery replace-
ment. If the OBD II system should be determined not
ready for the I/M test, your vehicle may fail the test.
Your vehicle has a simple ignition actuated test, which
you can use prior to going to the test station. To check if
your vehicle’s OBD II system is ready, you must do the
following:
1. Cycle the ignition switch to the ON position, but do not crank or start the engine.
NOTE: If you crank or start the engine, you will have to
start this test over.
2. As soon as you cycle the ignition switch to the ON position, you will see the Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) symbol come on as part of a normal bulb check.
748 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:To prevent dirt and water from entering the
transmission after checking or replenishing fluid, make
sure that the dipstick cap is properly reseated. It is
normal for the dipstick cap to spring back slightly from
its fully seated position, as long as its seal remains
engaged in the dipstick tube.
Fluid And Filter Changes — Eight-Speed
Transmission
Under normal operating conditions, the fluid installed at
the factory will provide satisfactory lubrication for the
life of the vehicle.
Routine fluid and filter changes are not required. How-
ever, change the fluid and filter if the fluid becomes
contaminated (with water, etc.), or if the transmission is
disassembled for any reason.
Fluid And Filter Changes
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
In addition, change the fluid and filters if the fluid
becomes contaminated (with water, etc.), or if the trans-
mission is disassembled for any reason.
Appearance Care And Protection From Corrosion
Protection Of Body And Paint From Corrosion
Vehicle body care requirements vary according to geo-
graphic locations and usage. Chemicals that make roads
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.
786 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE