transmission Ram 2500 2018 Workshop Manual

2. Rotate the Manual Park Release leverforward to its original position, until the
locking tab snaps into place to secure the
lever.
3. Pull gently on the tether strap to confirm that the lever is locked in its stowed
position.
4. Re-install the access cover.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand,
or snow, it can often be moved using a rock-
ing motion. Turn the steering wheel right and
left to clear the area around the front wheels.
Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE (with automatic transmission)
or SECOND GEAR and REVERSE (with
manual transmission), while gently pressing
the accelerator. Use the least amount of ac-
celerator pedal pressure that will maintain
the rocking motion, without spinning the
wheels or racing the engine. NOTE:
For trucks equipped with 8-speed automatic
transmission: Shifts between DRIVE and RE-
VERSE can only be achieved at wheel speeds
of 5 mph (8 km/h) or less. Whenever the
transmission remains in NEUTRAL for more
than two seconds, you must press the brake
pedal to engage DRIVE or REVERSE.
NOTE:
Push the "ESC Off" switch, to place the Elec-
tronic Stability Control (ESC) system in "Par-
tial Off" mode, before rocking the vehicle.
Refer to “Electronic Brake Control” in
“Safety” in the Owner’s Manual for further
information. Once the vehicle has been
freed, push the "ESC Off" switch again to
restore "ESC On" mode.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous.
Forces generated by excessive wheel
speeds may cause damage, or even failure,
of the axle and tires. A tire could explode
and injure someone. Do not spin your
vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph
(48 km/h) or for longer than 30 seconds
continuously without stopping when you
WARNING!
are stuck and do not let anyone near a
spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
CAUTION!
• Racing the engine or spinning the
wheels may lead to transmission over-
heating and failure. Allow the engine to
idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL
for at least one minute after every five
rocking-motion cycles. This will mini-
mize overheating and reduce the risk of
clutch or transmission failure during
prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shift- ing between DRIVE/2nd gear and RE-
VERSE, do not spin the wheels faster
than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain
damage may result.
• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast may lead to transmission
overheating and failure. It can also dam-
age the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear
(no transmission shifting occurring).
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
224

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing
a disabled vehicle using a commercial towing
service. If the transmission and drivetrain are
operable, disabled vehicles may also be
towed as described under “Recreational Tow-
ing” in the “Starting And Operating” section.NOTE:
Vehicles equipped with air suspension must
be placed in Transport mode, before tying
them down (from the body) on a trailer or
flatbed truck. Refer to "Air Suspension" in
"Starting And Operating" for more informa-
tion. If the vehicle cannot be placed in Trans-
port mode (for example, engine will not run),
tie-downs must be fastened to the axles (not
to the body). Failure to follow these instruc-
tions may cause fault codes to be set and/or
cause loss of proper tie-down tension.
Towing Condition Wheels OFF The Ground
2WD Models4WD Models
Flat Tow NONE If transmission is operable:
• Transmission in NEUTRAL
• 30 mph (48 km/h) max
• 15 miles (24 km) maxdistance •
Auto Transmission in PARK
• Manual Transmission in gear
(NOT NEUTRAL)
• Transfer Case in NEUTRAL
• Tow in FORWARDdirection
Wheel Lift Or Dolly Tow Front
NOT ALLOWED
Rear OK
NOT ALLOWED
Flatbed ALL
BEST METHOD BEST METHOD
CAUTION!
• Do not use sling type equipment when
towing. Vehicle damage may occur.
CAUTION!
•When securing the vehicle to a flat bed
truck, do not attach to front or rear sus-
CAUTION!
pension components. Damage to your ve-
hicle may result from improper towing.
225

Two-Wheel Drive Models
The manufacturer recommends towing your
vehicle with all four wheelsOFFthe ground
using a flatbed.
If flatbed equipment is not available, and the
transmission is operable, the vehicle may be
towed (with rear wheels on the ground) under
the following conditions:
• The transmission must be in NEUTRAL. Refer to "Manual Park Release" in this sec-
tion for instructions on shifting the
8–speed transmission to NEUTRAL when
the engine is OFF.
• The towing speed must not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h).
• The towing distance must not exceed 15 miles (24 km) for 6–speed transmis-
sion, or 30 miles (48 km) for 8–speed
transmission.
If the transmission is not operable, or the
vehicle must be towed faster than 30 mph
(48 km/h) or farther than 15 miles (24 km)
for 6–speed transmission, or 30 miles
(48 km) for 8–speed transmission, tow with
the rear wheels OFFthe ground. Acceptable methods are to tow the vehicle on a flatbed,
or with the front wheels raised and the rear
wheels on a towing dolly, or (when using a
suitable steering wheel stabilizer to hold the
front wheels in the straight position) with the
rear wheels raised and the front wheels on the
ground.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the
above requirements can cause severe en-
gine and/or transmission damage. Damage
from improper towing is not covered under
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Four-Wheel Drive Models
The manufacturer recommends towing with
all wheels
OFFthe ground. Acceptable meth-
ods are to tow the vehicle on a flatbed or with
one end of vehicle raised and the opposite
end on a towing dolly.
If flatbed equipment is not available, and the
transfer case is operable, the vehicle may be
towed (in the forward direction, with ALL
wheels on the ground), IFthe transfer case is
in NEUTRAL and the transmission is in PARK (for automatic transmissions) or in gear (NOT
in NEUTRAL, for manual transmissions). Re-
fer to “Recreational Towing” in “Starting And
Operating” for further information and de-
tailed instructions.
CAUTION!
• Front or rear wheel lifts must not be used
(if the remaining wheels are on the
ground). Internal damage to the trans-
mission or transfer case will occur if a
front or rear wheel lift is used when
towing.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the
above requirements can cause severe
transmission and/or transfer case dam-
age. Damage from improper towing is
not covered under the New Vehicle Lim-
ited Warranty.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
226

SCHEDULED SERVICING — GASOLINE
ENGINE
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
oil change indicator system. The oil change
indicator system will remind you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for scheduled
maintenance.
Based on engine operation conditions, the oil
change indicator message will illuminate.
This means that service is required for your
vehicle. Operating conditions such as fre-
quent short-trips, trailer tow, extremely hot or
cold ambient temperatures, and E85 fuel
usage will influence when the “Oil Change
Required” message is displayed. Severe Op-
erating Conditions can cause the change oil
message to illuminate as early as
3,500 miles (5,600 km) since last reset.
Have your vehicle serviced as soon as pos-
sible, within the next 500 miles (805 km).Your authorized dealer will reset the oil
change indicator message after completing
the scheduled oil change. If a scheduled oil
change is performed by someone other than
your authorized dealer, the message can be
reset by referring to the steps described un-
der “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Getting
To Know Your Instrument Panel”.
1500 Models Only
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change
intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km),
twelve months or 350 hours of engine run
time, whichever comes first. The 350 hours
of engine run or idle time is generally only a
concern for fleet customers.
2500 – 3500 Models Only
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change
intervals exceed 8,000 miles (13,000 km),
twelve months or 350 hours of engine run
time, whichever comes first. The 350 hours
of engine run or idle time is generally only a
concern for fleet customers. Severe Duty All Models
NOTE:
Change Engine Oil at 4,000 miles
(6,500 km) or 350 hours of engine run time
if the vehicle is operated in a dusty and off
road environment or is operated predomi-
nantly at idle, or only very low engine RPM’s.
This type of vehicle use is considered Severe
Duty.
Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
• Check engine oil level
• Check windshield washer fluid level
• Check tire pressure and look for unusual
wear or damage. Rotate tires at the first
sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs
before the oil indicator system turns on.
• Check the fluid levels of the coolant reser- voir, brake master cylinder, power steering
(2500/3500 Models Only) and automatic
transmission (six-speed only) and fill as
needed
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
230

Maintenance Plan — Gasoline
Engine
Required Maintenance
Refer to the Maintenance Plan on the follow-
ing pages for required maintenance.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By OilChange Indicator System:
• Change oil and filter.
• Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of
irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil
indicator system turns on.
• Inspect battery and clean and tighten ter- minals as required.
• Inspect automatic transmission fluid if equipped with dipstick.
• Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses and park brake.
• Inspect engine cooling system protection and hoses.
• Inspect exhaust system.
• Inspect engine air cleaner if using in dusty or off-road conditions.
• Lube the front drive shaft fitting (2500/ 3500 (4x4) models only).
231

Mileage or time passed (whichever comesfirst)
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
Or Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000
Replace engine air filter. XX X X X
Replace spark plugs. ** X
Flush and replace the engine coolant at
10 years or 150,000 miles (240,000 km)
whichever comes first. XX
Change automatic transmission fluid and
filter(s) (six-speed automatic only), if using
your vehicle for police, taxi, fleet, or fre-
quent trailer towing. XX
Change automatic transmission fluid and
filter(s) (six-speed automatic only). X
Inspect the transfer case fluid, change for
any of the following: police, taxi, fleet, or
frequent trailer towing. XX
Change the transfer case fluid. X
Inspect and replace PCV valve if necessary. X
** The spark plug change interval is mile-
age based only, yearly intervals do not
apply.
233

Once A Month
• Inspect the batteries, and clean andtighten the terminals as required.
• Check the fluid levels of the coolant reser- voir, brake master cylinder, and automatic
transmission (if equipped), and add as
needed.
At Each Oil Change
• Change the engine oil filter.
• Inspect the exhaust system.
• Inspect engine air filter.
• Check the coolant level, hoses, and clamps.
• Inspect front end, and lubricate — If equipped with serviceable fittings.
• Lube the front drive shaft fitting (4X4 mod- els only).
Inspection and service should also be per-
formed anytime a malfunction is observed or
suspected. Retain all receipts.Oil Change Indicator System —
Cummins Diesel
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil
change indicator system. This system will
alert you when it is time to change your
engine oil by displaying the words “Oil
Change Due” in your instrument cluster dis-
play. The oil change reminder will remind the
owner to change the engine oil every
15,000 miles or 500 hours, whichever
comes first, except for the Chassis Cab mod-
els and Pickup models configured with op-
tional B20 capability that are using B20 bio-
diesel, which are 12,500 miles or 400 hours,
whichever comes first. Failure to change the
engine oil per the maintenance schedule can
result in internal engine damage. Replace the engine oil and oil filter every
15,000 miles (24,000 km) or six months, or
sooner if prompted by the oil change indicator
system. Under no circumstances should oil
change intervals exceed 15,000 miles
(24,000 km) or six months, whichever comes
first.
NOTE:
• Under no circumstances should oil change
intervals exceed 15,000 miles
(24,000 km) or six months or 500 Hours,
whichever comes first.
• Replace the engine oil and oil filter every 12,500 miles (20 000 km) when running
B20 fuel (Chassis Cab Only).
If Chassis Cab models and Pickup models
configured with optional B20 capability are
operated with greater than 5% levels of bio-
diesel, the oil change interval must not exceed
12,500 miles (20 000 km) under any circum-
stances. See the Fuel Requirements section
for more information regarding operation of
Chassis Cab models and Pickup models con-
figured for use with biodiesel blend (B6-B20)
fuel meeting ASTM specification D-7467.SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
238

Mileage or time passed (whichever comes first):7,500
15,000
22,500
30,000
37,500
45,000
52,500
60,000
67,500
75,000
82,500
90,000
97,500
105,000
112,500
120,000
127,500
135,000
142,500
150,000
Or Months: 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 114 120
Or Kilometers:
12,000
24,000
36,000
48,000
60,000
72,000
84,000
96,000
108,000
120,000
132,000
144,000
156,000
168,000
180,000
192,000
204,000
216,000
228,000
240,000
Change automatic transmission fluid
(AS69RC transmission only). XX XX X
Change the automatic transmission fluid and
sump filter (AS69RC transmission only). XX
Change automatic transmission fluid and fil-
ter(s) if using your vehicle for any of the fol-
lowing: police, fleet, or frequent trailer towing
(68RFE transmission only). XX
Change automatic transmission fluid and fil-
ter(s). X
Change the manual transmission fluid if using
your vehicle for any of the following: police,
fleet, or frequent trailer towing. XX
Replace Crankcase Ventilation Filter (CCV). X X
Flush and replace power steering fluid. X
Flush and replace engine coolant. *** X
Adjust valve lash clearance. X
Inspection and service should also be per-
formed anytime a malfunction is observed or
suspected. Retain all receipts.* Inspect the front and rear axle surfaces
every 20,000 miles (32,000 km). If gear oil
leakage is suspected, check the fluid level.If using your vehicle for police, taxi, fleet,
off-road or frequent trailer towing change
the axle fluid every 20,000 miles
(32,000 km).
241

5.7L Engine
1 — Air Cleaner Filter6— Battery
2 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick (6-Speed Trans Only) 7 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 8 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 9 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 10 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
244

6.4L Engine
1 — Coolant Pressure Bottle7 — Battery
2 — Transmission Dipstick 8 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 9 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 10 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 11 — Air Cleaner Filter
6 — Aux Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
245