steering Ram 2500 2019 Repair Manual

492 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8–SPEED
TRANSMISSION
In order to push or tow the vehicle in cases where the trans-
mission will not shift out of PARK (such as a dead battery), a
Manual Park Release is available. Manual Park Release Pull Strap
Follow these steps to activate the Manual Park Release:
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove the Manual Park Release access cover, which is just above the
parking brake release handle, below and to the left of the
steering column.
3. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying the
parking brake before activating the Manual Park
Release. In addition, you should be seated in the driver’s
seat with your foot firmly on the brake pedal when
activating the Manual Park Release. Activating the
Manual Park Release will allow your vehicle to roll away
if it is not secured by the parking brake, or by proper
connection to a tow vehicle. Activating the Manual Park
Release on an unsecured vehicle could lead to serious
injury or death for those in or around the vehicle.

494 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or snow, it can
often be moved using a rocking 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,
while gently pressing the accelerator. Use the least amount ofaccelerator pedal pressure that will maintain the rocking
motion, without spinning the wheels or racing the engine.
NOTE:
• For trucks equipped with an 8–speed transmission, shifts
between DRIVE and REVERSE 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.
• Push the "ESC Off" switch, to place the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system in "Partial Off" mode, before rocking
the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake Control” in “Safety”
for further information. Once the vehicle has been freed,
push the "ESC Off" switch again to restore "ESC On" mode.
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 try to
open a cooling system pressure cap when the radiator or
coolant bottle is hot.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage your
vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads HOT (H), pull
over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the air
conditioner turned off until the pointer drops back into
the normal range. If the pointer remains on HOT (H),
and you hear continuous chimes, turn the engine off
immediately and call for service.
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 are stuck and do not let anyone
near a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 497
Two-Wheel Drive Models
The manufacturer recommends towing your vehicle with all
four wheels OFF the 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.
NOTE:
Refer to "Manual Park Release" in this section for instructions
on shifting the 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 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 30 miles (48 km) for 8–speed transmission, tow with the rear wheels
OFF the 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 posi
-
tion) with the rear wheels raised and the front wheels on the
ground.
Four-Wheel Drive Models
The manufacturer recommends towing with all wheels OFF
the ground. Acceptable methods 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), IF the transfer case is in
NEUTRAL (N) and the transmission is in PARK.
Refer to “Recreational Towing” in “Starting And Operating”
for further information and detailed instructions. CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above
requirements can cause severe transmission damage.
Damage from improper towing is not covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
6

500 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
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 reservoir, brake
master cylinder, power steering and automatic transmis -
sion (six-speed only) and fill as needed
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
Maintenance Plan
Required Maintenance
Refer to the Maintenance Plan on the following pages for required maintenance.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change 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 terminals as required.
• 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. If required, replace air cleaner filter.

504 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
6.4L Engine
1 — Engine Coolant Pressure Cap6 — Battery
2 — Engine Coolant Reservoir 7 — Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 8 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 9 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 10 — Air Cleaner Filter

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 541
(Continued)
Tires — General Information
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and satis-
factory operation of your vehicle. Four primary areas are
affected by improper tire pressure:
• Safety and Vehicle Stability
• Economy
• Tread Wear
• Ride Comfort
Safety
Both under-inflation and over-inflation affect the stability of
the vehicle and can produce a feeling of sluggish response or
over responsiveness in the steering.
NOTE:
• Unequal tire pressures from side to side may cause erraticand unpredictable steering response.
• Unequal tire pressure from side to side may cause the vehicle to drift left or right.
WARNING!
• Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can cause collisions.
• Underinflation increases tire flexing and can result in overheating and tire failure.
• Overinflation reduces a tire's ability to cushion shock. Objects on the road and chuckholes can cause damage
that result in tire failure.
• Overinflated or underinflated tires can affect vehiclehandling and can fail suddenly, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
• Unequal tire pressures can cause steering problems. You could lose control of your vehicle.
• Unequal tire pressures from one side of the vehicle to the other can cause the vehicle to drift to the right or
left.
• Always drive with each tire inflated to the recom -
mended cold tire inflation pressure.
WARNING! (Continued)
7

546 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
(Continued)
NOTE:
Wheel Valve Stem must be replaced as well when installing
new tires due to wear and tear in existing tires.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little expo-
sure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact with oil,
grease, and gasoline.
Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for wear
and correct cold tire inflation pressures. The manufacturer
strongly recommends that you use tires equivalent to the
originals in size, quality and performance when replacement
is needed. Refer to the paragraph on “Tread Wear Indica -
tors” in this section. Refer to the Tire and Loading Informa -
tion placard or the Vehicle Certification Label for the size
designation of your tire. The Load Index and Speed Symbol
for your tire will be found on the original equipment tire
sidewall.
See the Tire Sizing Chart example found in the “Tire Safety
Information” section of this manual for more information
relating to the Load Index and Speed Symbol of a tire. It is recommended to replace the two front tires or two rear
tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire can seriously affect
your vehicle’s handling. If you ever replace a wheel, make
sure that the wheel’s specifications match those of the orig
-
inal wheels.
It is recommended you contact an authorized tire dealer or
original equipment dealer with any questions you may have
on tire specifications or capability. Failure to use equivalent
replacement tires may adversely affect the safety, handling,
and ride of your vehicle.
WARNING!
• Do not use a tire, wheel size, load rating, or speed rating other than that specified for your vehicle. Some combi -
nations of unapproved tires and wheels may change
suspension dimensions and performance characteris -
tics, resulting in changes to steering, handling, and
braking of your vehicle. This can cause unpredictable
handling and stress to steering and suspension compo -
nents. You could lose control and have a collision
resulting in serious injury or death. Use only the tire
and wheel sizes with load ratings approved for your
vehicle.

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 553
Tire Rotation Recommendations
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving, and
braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at unequal
rates.
These effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires. The
benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with aggres-
sive tread designs such as those on all season type tires. Rota -
tion will increase tread life, help to maintain mud, snow and
wet traction levels and contribute to a smooth, quiet ride.
Refer to the “Maintenance Plan” for the proper maintenance
intervals. More frequent rotation is permissible if desired.
The reasons for any rapid or unusual wear should be
corrected prior to rotation being performed.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle or tires, observe the
following precautions:
• Because of restricted traction device clearance between tires and other suspension components, it is important
that only traction devices in good condition are used.
Broken devices can cause serious damage. Stop the
vehicle immediately if noise occurs that could indicate
device breakage. Remove the damaged parts of the
device before further use.
• Install device as tightly as possible and then retighten after driving about ½ mile (0.8 km).
• Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h).
• Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns and large bumps, especially with a loaded vehicle.
• Do not drive for a prolonged period on dry pavement.
• Observe the traction device manufacturer’s instruc -
tions on the method of installation, operating speed,
and conditions for use. Always use the suggested oper -
ating speed of the device manufacturer’s if it is less
than 30 mph (48 km/h).
• Do not use traction devices on a compact spare tire.
7

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 565
BRAKE SYSTEM
If power assist is lost for any reason (for example, repeated
brake applications with the engine off), the brakes will still
function. However, you will experience a substantial
increase in braking effort to stop the vehicle.
If either the front or rear hydraulic system loses normal
braking capability, the remaining system will still function
with some loss of overall braking effectiveness. This will be
evident by increased pedal travel during application, greater
pedal force required to slow or stop, and activation of the
“Brake Warning Light” and the “ABS Warning Light” (if
equipped) during brake use.
Hydraulic Brake Assist — 2500/3500 Models Only
(Except Power Wagon)
The brake system power assist is provided by a hydro-boost
unit which shares fluid with the power steering system. You
may experience some clicking or hissing noises from the
hydro-boost system during hard braking conditions.
NOTE:
Under cold temperatures, pedal effort will be higher than
normal until the power steering fluid reaches operating
temperature.
WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
Proper lug nut/bolt torque is very important to ensure that
the wheel is properly mounted to the vehicle. Any time a
wheel has been removed and reinstalled on the vehicle, the
lug nuts/bolts should be torqued using a properly calibrated
torque wrench using a high quality six sided (hex) deep wall
socket.
Torque Specifications
**Use only your authorized dealer recommended lug nuts/
bolts and clean or remove any dirt or oil before tightening.Lug Nut/Bolt
Torque
Lug Nut/Bolt
Type**Lug Nut/
Bolt SizeLug Nut/Bolt
Socket Size
130 Ft-Lbs
(176 N·m) Cone
M14 x 1.50 22 mm
140 Ft-Lbs
(190 N·m) Flanged8

574 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Chassis
ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or Genuine Part
Automatic Transmission – Eight-Speed Automatic (For
Diesel Engine see Diesel Supplement) Use only Mopar ZF 8&9 Speed ATF Automatic Transmission
Fluid, or equivalent. Failure to use the correct fluid may
affect the function or performance of your transmission.
Transfer Case We recommend you use Mopar Transfer Case Lubricant for
Borg Warner 44-44 and 44-45.
Front and Rear Axle We recommend you use SAE 75W-85 HD Ram GL-5
Synthetic Axle Lubricant in 9.25 Front & 11.5 Rear Axles. Use
Mopar Synthetic Gear Lubricant SAE 75W-140 (MS-8985) in
12.0 Rear axles. Limited slip additive is required for limited
slip axles.
Brake Master Cylinder We recommend you use Mopar DOT 3.
Power Steering Reservoir We recommend you use Mopar Power Steering Fluid +4 or
Mopar ATF+4 Automatic Transmission Fluid.