parking brake Ram 3500 2011 Diesel Supplement

Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL position into another gear range.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never use PARK while the vehicle is in motion. Apply
the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this range.
Always apply the parking brake first, then place the shift
lever into the PARK position. On four-wheel drive ve-
hicles be sure that the transfer case is in a drive position.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for
the parking brake. Always apply the parking
brake fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever back and forth without first
pulling it toward you after you have set it in
PARK. Make sure it is in PARK before leaving the
vehicle.
•It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake
pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward
or in reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle
and hit someone or something. Only shift into
gear when the engine is idling normally and when
your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
REVERSE
This range should be used only after the vehicle has come
to a complete stop.
64 STARTING AND OPERATING

NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Set the parking brake if you must
leave the vehicle.
DRIVE
This range provides underdrive first, second and third
gears, direct fourth gear and overdrive fifth and sixth
gears. The shift into overdrive fifth and sixth gear occurs
only after the transmission has completed the shift into
fourth gear. No other movement of the shift mechanism
is required to complete the 4–5 or 5–6 gear shifts.
Upshifts into both overdrive gears, fifth and sixth, will be
delayed when the transmission fluid temperature is
below 40°F (4.5°C) or above 240°F (115.5°C).NOTE:
Use caution when operating a heavily loaded
vehicle in second or first gear in high ambient tempera-
tures as torque converter slip can impose significant
additional heat load on the cooling system.
Overdrive Operation
The overdrive automatic transmission contains an elec-
tronically controlled fifth and sixth (Overdrive). The
transmission will automatically shift from DRIVE to
Overdrive if the following conditions are present:
•the shift lever is in DRIVE;
•the engine coolant has reached normal operating tem-
perature;
•vehicle speed is above approximately 30 mph
(48 km/h);
•the “TOW/HAUL” switch has not been activated;
4
STARTING AND OPERATING 65

PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never use PARK while the vehicle is in motion. Apply
the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this range.
Always apply parking brake first, then place the shift
lever in PARK position. On four-wheel drive vehicles be
sure that the transfer case is in a drive position.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for
the parking brake. Always apply the parking
brake fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever back and forth without first
pulling it toward you after you have set it in
PARK. Make sure it is in PARK before leaving the
vehicle.
•It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake
pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward
or in reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle
and hit someone or something. Only shift into
gear when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
70 STARTING AND OPERATING

REVERSE
This range should be used only after the vehicle has come
to a complete stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Set the parking brake if you must
leave the vehicle.
DRIVE
This range provides all forward gears, including fourth
gear direct, fifth and sixth. Use this range for most city
and highway driving. Upshifts into both overdrive gears,
fifth and sixth, will be delayed when the transmission
fluid temperature is between -4°F (-20°C) and 41°F (5°C).
During very cold conditions when the transmission fluid
is below -4°F (-20°C), the transmission will be limited to
third gear. Normal operation will return after the trans-
mission fluid warms up.NOTE:
Use caution when operating a heavily loaded
vehicle in second or first gear selections in high ambients
as torque converter slip can impose significant additional
heat load on the cooling system.
Overdrive Operation
The Overdrive automatic transmission contains an elec-
tronically controlled fifth and sixth gear. The transmis-
sion will automatically shift from DRIVE to fifth or sixth
gear if the following conditions are present:
•the shift lever is in DRIVE;
•the engine coolant has reached normal operating tem-
perature;
•vehicle speed is above approximately 38 mph
(61 km/h) for fifth gear and 50 mph (80 km/h) for
sixth gear;
•the “TOW/HAUL” switch has not been activated
(sixth gear is inhibited in “TOW/HAUL” mode);
4
STARTING AND OPERATING 71

NOTE:
•The torque converter clutch will not engage until the
transmission fluid and engine coolant are warm [usu-
ally after 1-3 miles (1.6 - 4.8 km) of driving]. Because
the engine speed is higher when the torque converter
clutch is not engaged, it may seem as if the transmis-
sion is not shifting into Overdrive when cold. This is
normal. Pressing the “TOW/HAUL” switch when the
transmission is sufficiently warm will demonstrate
that the transmission is able to shift into and out of
Overdrive.
•If the vehicle has not been driven in several days, the
first few seconds of operation after shifting the trans-
mission into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to the
fluid partially draining from the torque converter into
the transmission. This condition is normal and will not
cause damage to the transmission. The torque con-
verter will refill within five seconds of shifting from
PARK into any other gear position.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.
CAUTION!
Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch
pedal, or attempt to hold the vehicle on a hill with the
clutch pedal partially engaged, as this will cause
abnormal wear on the clutch.
NOTE: During cold weather, you may experience in-
creased effort in shifting until the transmission fluid
warms up. This is normal.
74 STARTING AND OPERATING

POWER TAKE OFF OPERATION — IF EQUIPPED
(CHASSIS CAB ONLY)
This vehicle when equipped with either the AS68RC
automatic six-speed or G-56 manual six-speed transmis-
sions, will allow for an aftermarket upfit with a transmis-
sion driven PTO (power take off). The customer will have
the ability to operate the PTO in either a “stationary” or
“mobile” mode. The vehicles will be factory set to the
“stationary” mode. In order to select the “mobile” mode
an authorized dealership is required to modify the vehi-
cle’s settings using their proprietary authorized dealer
service tool.
AS68RC Six-Speed Automatic Transmission Only
The PTO drive gear (part of the AS68RC) operates at
torque converter turbine speed. The turbine speed will be
less than engine speed when the torque converter clutch
is not engaged and will be same as engine speed when
the torque converter clutch is engaged.
Stationary Mode
To operate the PTO in this mode the vehicle must meet
the following conditions:
•Be in PARK position (vehicles equipped with auto-
matic transmission)
•Upfitter provider (on/off) switch has been activated
•Parking brake applied (vehicles equipped with
manual transmission)
•Brake pedal must not be applied
•Vehicle engine must be running
•No vehicle, brake or clutch switch faults present
•PTO must be correctly installed using the vehicle
provided circuits
78 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Vehicle must be in PARK or DRIVE position (vehicles
equipped with automatic transmission)
•Parking brake must not be applied
•Brake pedal must not be applied
•No vehicle, brake or clutch switch faults present
•Vehicle engine must be running
•PTO must be correctly installed using the vehicle
provided circuits
The customer may choose to use the PTO while the
vehicle is moving. To do so, the PTO function must be
activated prior to taking the vehicle out of PARK. This is
accomplished by activating the upfitter-provided PTO
on/off switch. At this point, the customer may place the
vehicle in a forward or reverse gear and have PTO
operation once the vehicle begins to move. To disengage PTO operation and return to “standard vehicle opera-
tion” simply turn the upfitter-provided on/off switch to
the OFF position.
NOTE:
For application specific information with respect
to PTO and pump requirements and additional vehicle
information (wiring schematics, preset idle values, en-
gine speed limits, and vehicle hardware and software
requirements) please refer to the Dodge Body Builders
Guide by accessing “www.dodge.com/bodybuilder” and
choosing the appropriate links.
Power Take Off – Aftermarket Installation
If you did not order the PTO (Power Take Off) Prep
Package from the factory and want to convert your
vehicle, refer to the Body Builders Guide at
www.dodge.com/bodybuilder or contact the manufac-
turer directly at [email protected] (e-mail) or
(866) 205–4102 (toll free).
80 STARTING AND OPERATING

JUMP STARTING
WARNING!
•To prevent personal injury or damage to clothing,
do not allow battery fluid to contact eyes, skin or
fabrics. Do not lean over a battery when connect-
ing jumper cables or allow cable clamps to touch
each other. Keep open flames or sparks away from
battery vent holes. Always wear eye protection
when working with batteries.
•Do not use a booster battery or any other booster
source that has a greater than 12 Volt system, i.e.,
do not use a 24 Volt power source.NOTE:
Replacement batteries should both be of equal
size to prevent damage to the vehicle’s charging system.
Your vehicle is equipped with two 12 Volt batteries. If it
becomes necessary to use a booster battery with jumper
cables to start a vehicle’s engine because its batteries are
discharged, the following procedure should be used:
Set the parking brake and place an automatic transmis-
sion in PARK (or NEUTRAL for a manual transmission).
Turn off lights, heater and other electrical loads. Observe
charge indicator (if equipped) in both batteries. If the
indicator (if equipped) is light or yellow on either battery,
replace that battery.
90 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Automatic Transmission – If Equipped
Lubricant Selection
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
Fluid Level Check – 68RFE (Ram Truck Only)
If your vehicle is equipped with a dipstick, use the
following procedure. If your vehicle has a capped dip-
stick tube, it is sealed and should not be tampered with.
Your authorized dealer has the proper tools to ensure that
the fluid level is set properly. The fluid level should be
checked when the engine is fully warmed up and the
fluid in the transmission is at normal operating tempera-
ture. Operation of the transmission with an improper
fluid level will greatly reduce the life of the transmission
and of the fluid. Check the fluid level whenever the
vehicle is serviced.
To properly check the automatic transmission fluid level,
the following procedure must be used:1. Operate the engine at idle speed and normal operating
temperature.
2. The vehicle must be on level ground.
3. Fully apply the parking brake and press the brake
pedal.
4. Place the shift lever momentarily into each gear posi-
tion ending with the shift lever in PARK.
5. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean and reinsert it until
seated.
6. Remove the dipstick again and note the fluid level on
both sides. The fluid level should be between the “HOT”
(upper) reference holes on the dipstick at normal operat-
ing temperature. Verify that solid coating of oil is seen on
both sides of the dipstick. If the fluid is low, add as
required into the dipstick tube.
Do not overfill.After
adding any quantity of oil through the oil fill tube, wait
a minimum of two minutes for the oil to fully drain into
the transmission before rechecking the fluid level.
122 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:If it is necessary to check the transmission below
the operating temperature, the fluid level should be
between the two “COLD” (lower) holes on the dipstick
with the fluid at approximately 70°F (21°C) (room tem-
perature). If the fluid level is correctly established at
room temperature, it should be between the “HOT”
(upper) reference holes when the transmission reaches
180°F (82°C). Remember it is best to check the level at the
normal operating temperature.
CAUTION!
Be aware that if the fluid temperature is below 50°F
(10°C) it may not register on the dipstick. Do not add
fluid until the temperature is elevated enough to
produce an accurate reading.
7. Check for leaks. Release parking brake. To prevent dirt and water from entering the transmission
after checking or replenishing fluid, make certain 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 Level Check – AS68RC (Chassis Cab Only)
Check the fluid level while the transmission is at normal
operating temperature. This occurs after at least 15 miles
(25 km) of driving. At normal operating temperature, the
fluid cannot be held comfortably between the fingertips.
To properly check the transmission fluid, the following
procedure must be used.
1. The vehicle must be on level ground.
2. Operate the engine at idle speed for a minimum of
60 seconds and normal operating temperature.
6
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 123