automatic transmission fluid Ram 3500 2014 User Guide

CAUTION!
•Towing with the rear wheels on the ground will
cause severe transmission damage. Damage from
improper towing is not covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• Do not disconnect the driveshaft because fluid may
leak from the transmission, causing damage to
internal parts.
Recreational Towing — Four-Wheel Drive Models
NOTE:Both the manual shift and electronic shift transfer
cases must be shifted into NEUTRAL (N) for recreational
towing. Automatic transmissions must be shifted into
PARK for recreational towing. Manual transmissions must
be placed in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL) for recreational
towing. Refer to the following for the proper transfer case
NEUTRAL (N) shifting procedure for your vehicle.
CAUTION!
• Front or rear wheel lifts must not be used. Internal
damage to the transmission or transfer case will
occur if a front or rear wheel lift is used when
recreational towing.
• Tow only in the forward direction. Towing this
vehicle backwards can cause severe damage to the
transfer case.
• Automatic transmissions must be placed in PARK
for recreational towing.
• Manual transmissions must be placed in gear (not
in Neutral) for recreational towing.
• Before recreational towing, perform the procedure
outlined under “Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)” to be
certain that the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL
(N). Otherwise, internal damage will result.
(Continued)
608 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Exhaust System ..................... .694
▫ Cooling System ..................... .697
▫ Brake System ....................... .704
▫ Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle Fluid
Level ............................. .706
▫ Transfer Case ....................... .708
▫ Automatic Transmission ................708
▫ Appearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion .......................... .712
 FUSES ............................. .720
▫ Power Distribution Center ...............721
 VEHICLE STORAGE ....................730 
REPLACEMENT BULBS .................730
 BULB REPLACEMENT ..................732
▫ Base Quad / Premium Bi-Halogen: Low Beam
Headlamp, High Beam Headlamp, Front Park
And Turn — If Equipped ...............732
▫ Fog Lamps — If Equipped ..............734
▫ Rear Tail/Stop, Turn Signal And Backup
Lamps ............................ .735
▫ Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)
With Cargo Lamp .....................736
▫ Cab Top Clearance Lamps — If Equipped . . . .738
▫ Rear Lamp Bar ID Marker (Dual Rear
Wheels) — If Equipped .................740
676 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 5.7L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick (6-Speed Trans Only) 8 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 9 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (2500/3500 Models Only)
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 10 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 11 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
6 — Battery
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 679

NOTE:When refilling an axle with a Limited Slip Differ-
ential, (which requires a Limited Slip Additive), the
Limited Slip Additive should be added before the gear
lubricant is added to insure proper additive fill.
Transfer Case
Drain And Refill
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
Lubricant Selection
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
Fluid Level Check
This fluid level can be checked by removing the filler
plug. The fluid level should be to the bottom edge of the
filler plug hole with the vehicle in a level position.
Automatic Transmission
Selection Of Lubricant
It is important to use the proper transmission fluid to
ensure optimum transmission performance and life. Use
only the manufacturer ’s specified transmission fluid.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in this
section for fluid specifications. It is important to maintain
the transmission fluid at the correct level using the
recommended fluid. No chemical flushes should be used
in any transmission; only the approved lubricant should
be used.
CAUTION!
Using a transmission fluid other than the manufac-
turer ’s recommended fluid may cause deterioration
in transmission shift quality and/or torque converter
(Continued)
708 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!(Continued)
shudder, and will require more frequent fluid and
filter changes. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and
Genuine Parts” in this section for fluid specifica-
tions.
Special Additives
The manufacturer strongly recommends against using
any special additives in the transmission. Automatic
Transmission Fluid (ATF) is an engineered product and
its performance may be impaired by supplemental addi-
tives. Therefore, do not add any fluid additives to the
transmission. The only exception to this policy is the use
of special dyes for diagnosing fluid leaks. Avoid using
transmission sealers as they may adversely affect seals.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your transmission as
the chemicals can damage your transmission compo-
nents. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Fluid Level Check — Eight-Speed Transmission
The fluid level is preset at the factory and does not require
adjustment under normal operating conditions. Routine
fluid level checks are not required, therefore the transmis-
sion has no dipstick. Your authorized dealer can check your
transmission fluid level using special service tools.
If you notice fluid leakage or transmission malfunction,
visit your authorized dealer immediately to have the
transmission fluid level checked. Operating the vehicle
with an improper fluid level can cause severe transmis-
sion damage.7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 709

ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or Genuine Part
Fuel Selection – 5.7L Engines 87 Octane Acceptable - 89 Octane Recommended
Fuel Selection – 6.4L Engines 87 Octane
Chassis
Component Fluid, Lubricant, or Genuine Part
Automatic Transmission –
Eight-Speed Automatic 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.
Automatic Transmission – Six-
Speed Automatic with Gaso-
line Engine (For Diesel Engine
see Diesel Supplement)We recommend you use only ATF+4® Automatic Transmission Fluid. Failure to use
ATF+4® fluid may affect the function or performance of your transmission. We
recommend MOPAR® ATF+4® fluid.
Transfer Case We recommend you use MOPAR® BW44–44 Transfer Case Fluid.
Front Axle – 1500 Four-
Wheel Drive Models We recommend you use MOPAR® GL-5 Synthetic Axle Lubricant SAE 75W-85.
746 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or Genuine Part
Rear Axle – 1500 Models We recommend you use MOPAR® Synthetic Gear Lubricant SAE 75W-140 (MS- 8985). Limited-Slip Rear Axles require the addition of 5 oz. (148 ml) MOPAR®
Limited Slip Additive (MS-10111).
Front and Rear Axle –
2500/3500 Models We recommend you use Synthetic, GL-5 SAE, 75W-90. Limited slip additive is not
required for Limited-Slip Rear Axles.
Brake Master Cylinder We recommend you use MOPAR® DOT 3. If DOT 3 brake fluid is not available, then DOT 4 is acceptable.
Power Steering Reservoir –
2500/3500 Models We recommend you use MOPAR® Power Steering Fluid +4 or MOPAR® ATF+4®
Automatic Transmission Fluid.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 747

Severe Duty All Models
•Change Engine Oil at 4000 miles (6,500 km) if the
vehicle is operated in a dusty and off road environ-
ment. 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 dam-
age. 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 (2500/3500 Models
Only) and automatic transmission (six-speed only) as
needed
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
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Required Maintenance
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules on the following
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 irregu-
lar wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator
system turns on.
• Inspect battery and clean and tighten terminals as
required.
• Inspect automatic transmission fluid if equipped
with dipstick.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil
Change Indicator System:
•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).
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S752 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES

Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first)
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 spark plugs (6.4L en-
gine).** 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 auto-
matic only), if using your vehicle
for police, taxi, fleet, or frequent
trailer towing. X
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SMAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 755