Ram 3500 2017 Diesel Supplement

Adding Diesel Exhaust Fluid
The DEF gauge (located on the instrument cluster) will
display the level of DEF remaining in the tank. Refer to
“Instrument Cluster” and “Instrument Cluster Descrip-
tions” in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for fur-
ther information.
NOTE:
•Driving conditions (altitude, vehicle speed, load, etc.)
will effect the amount of DEF that is used in your
vehicle.
• Another factor is that outside temperature can affect
DEF consumption. In cold conditions, 12° F (-11° C) and
below, the DEF gauge needle can stay on a fixed position
and may not move for extended periods of time. This is
a normal function of the system.
• There is an electric heater inside the DEF tank that
automatically works when necessary. And if the DEF
supply does freeze, the truck will operate normally until
it thaws.
DEF Fill Procedure
NOTE: Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for the correct fluid type.
1. Remove cap from DEF tank (located on drivers side of the vehicle or in fuel door).
DEF Filler Cap And Fuel Fill 1500/2500/3500 Models
1 — Diesel Exhaust Fluid Fill Location
2 — Fuel Fill Location
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STARTING AND OPERATING 49

2. Insert DEF fill adapter/nozzle into DEF tank filler neck.
NOTE:
•The DEF gauge may take up to five seconds to update
after adding a gallon or more of Diesel Exhaust Fluid
(DEF) to the DEF tank. If you have a fault related to the
DEF system, the gauge may not update to the new level.
See your authorized dealer for service.
• The DEF gauge may also not immediately update after a
refill if the temperature of the DEF fluid is below 12F
(-11C). The DEF line heater will possibly warm up the
DEF fluid and allow the gauge to update after a period
of run time. Under very cold conditions, it is possible
that the gauge may not reflect the new fill level for
several drives.CAUTION!
• To avoid DEF spillage, and possible damage to the
DEF tank from overfilling, do not “top off” the DEF
tank after filling.
• DO NOT OVERFILL. DEF will freeze below 12ºF
(-11ºC). The DEF system is designed to work in
temperatures below the DEF freezing point, how-
ever, if the tank is overfilled and freezes, the system
could be damaged.
• When DEF is spilled, clean the area immediately
with water and use an absorbent material to soak up
the spills on the ground.
• Do not attempt to start your engine if DEF is acci-
dentally added to the diesel fuel tank as it can result
in severe damage to your engine, including but not
limited to failure of the fuel pump and injectors.
(Continued)
50 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Never add anything other than DEF to the tank –
especially any form of hydrocarbon such as diesel
fuel, fuel system additives, gasoline, or any other
petroleum-based product. Even a very small amount
of these, less than 100 parts per million or less than
1 oz. per 78 gallons (295 liters) will contaminate the
entire DEF system and will require replacement. If
owners use a container, funnel or nozzle when refill-
ing the tank, it should either be new or one that is
has only been used for adding DEF. MOPAR pro-
vides an attachable nozzle with its DEF for this
purpose.
3. Stop filling the DEF tank immediately when any of the following happen: DEF stops flowing from the fill bottle
into the DEF tank, DEF splashes out the filler neck, or a
DEF pump nozzle automatically shuts off.
4. Reinstall cap onto DEF tank. Filling The Def Tank In Cold Climates
Since DEF will begin to freeze at 12°F (-11°C), your vehicle
is equipped with an automatic DEF heating system. This
allows the DEF injection system to operate properly at
temperatures below 12°F (-11°C). If your vehicle is not in
operation for an extended period of time with tempera-
tures below 12°F (-11°C), the DEF in the tank may freeze. If
the tank is overfilled and freezes, it could be damaged.
Therefore, do not overfill the DEF tank.
Extra care should be taken when filling with portable
containers to avoid overfilling. Note the level of the DEF
gauge in your instrument cluster. You may safely add a
maximum of 2 gallons (7.5 Liters) of DEF from portable
containers when your DEF gauge is reading ½ full.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 51

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.0L DIESEL ......54
 MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES .............55
▫ Engine Oil ............................55
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ..................57
▫ Draining Fuel/Water Separator Filter .........60
▫ Underbody Mounted Fuel Filter Replacement ....61
▫ Priming If The Engine Has Run Out Of Fuel ....62
▫ Intervention Regeneration Strategy — Message
Process Flow ..........................64 ▫
Maintenance-Free Batteries ................64
▫ Cooling System ........................65
▫ Charge Air Cooler — Inter-Cooler ...........69
▫ Brake System ..........................69
 FLUID CAPACITIES ......................71
 FLUIDS, LUBRICANTS AND GENUINE PARTS . . .72
▫ Engine ...............................72
▫ Chassis ..............................75
5

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.0L DIESEL
1 — Air Cleaner Filter5 — Battery
2 — Engine Oil Dipstick 6 — Power Distribution Center (PDC)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Engine Coolant
54 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain therequiredmaintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides those maintenance items specified in the fixed
maintenance schedule, there are other components which
may require servicing or replacement in the future.
CAUTION!
• Failure to properly maintain your vehicle or perform
repairs and service when necessary could result in
more costly repairs, damage to other components or
negatively impact vehicle performance. Immediately
have potential malfunctions examined by an autho-
rized dealership or qualified repair center.
• Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of your
vehicle and also allow extended maintenance inter-
vals. Do not use chemical flushes in these compo-
nents as the chemicals can damage your engine,
transmission, power steering or air conditioning.
Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
Limited Warranty. If a flush is needed because of
component malfunction, use only the specified fluid
for the flushing procedure.
Engine Oil
Engine Oil Selection
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacturer recom-
mends engine oils that meet the requirements of FCA
Material Standard MS-10902, and that are API CJ-4 certified
and meet the requirements of FCA LLC.
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. Check
the oil level at regular intervals. The best time to check the
oil level is before starting the engine after it has been
parked overnight. When checking oil after operating the
engine, first ensure the engine is at full operating tempera-
ture, then wait for five minutes after engine shutdown to
check the oil.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 55

1 — MAX Mark
2 — MIN Mark
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Add oil only
when the level on the dipstick is below the “MIN” mark.
The total capacity from the MIN mark to the MAX mark is
1.3 qts (1.2 L).
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will cause oil
aeration or loss of oil pressure. This could damage your
engine.
NOTE: It is possible for your oil level to be slightly higher
than a previous check. This would be due to diesel fuel that
may temporarily be in the crankcase due to operation of
the diesel particulate filter regeneration strategy. This fuel
will evaporate out under normal operation.
Never operate the engine with oil level below the “MIN”
mark or above the upper “MAX” mark.
Change Engine Oil
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper main-
tenance intervals.
Engine Oil Viscosity (SAE Grade)
CAUTION!
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced technology
Diesel Engine and an emission device designed to
limit Diesel Particulate Emissions from being released
(Continued)
Engine Oil Dipstick
56 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!(Continued)
into the atmosphere. The durability of your engine and
life expectancy of this diesel particulate filter emission
device is highly dependent on the use of the correct
engine oil.
We recommend you use 5W-40 syntheticengine oil such as
MOPAR or Shell Rotella that meets FCA Material Standard
MS-10902 and the API CJ-4 engine oil category is required.
Materials Added To Engine Oil
The manufacturer strongly recommends against the addi-
tion of any additives (other than leak detection dyes) to the
engine oil. Engine oil is an engineered product and its
performance may be impaired by supplemental additives.
Engine Oil Filter
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in “Main-
taining Your Vehicle” for further information. The engine
oil filter should be changed at every engine oil change.
Disposing Of Used Engine Oil And Oil Filters
Care should be taken in disposing of used engine oil and
oil filters from your vehicle. Used oil and oil filters,
indiscriminately discarded, can present a problem to the environment. Contact your authorized dealer, service sta-
tion or governmental agency for advice on how and where
used oil and oil filters can be safely discarded in your area.
Engine Air Cleaner Filter
WARNING!
The air induction system (air cleaner, hoses, etc.) pro-
vides a measure of protection. Do not remove the air
induction system (air cleaner, hoses, etc.) unless such
removal is necessary for repair or maintenance. Make
sure that no one is near the engine compartment before
starting the vehicle with the air induction system (air
cleaner, hoses, etc.) removed. Failure to do so can result
in serious personal injury.
CAUTION!
All air entering the engine intake must be filtered. The
abrasive particles in unfiltered air will cause rapid
wear to engine components.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper main-
tenance intervals.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 57

CAUTION!
Many aftermarket performance air filter elements do
not adequately filter the air entering the engine. Use of
such filters can severely damage your engine.
Engine Air Cleaner Filter Selection
The quality of replacement engine air cleaner filters varies
considerably. Only high quality filters should be used to
assure most efficient service. MOPAR engine air cleaner
filters are a high quality filter and are recommended.
Engine Air Cleaner Filter Inspection and
Replacement
Inspect engine air cleaner filter for dirt and or debris, if you
find evidence of either dirt or debris you should change
your air cleaner filter.
Engine Air Cleaner Filter Removal
1. Release the spring clips from the air cleaner cover.2. Lift the air cleaner cover to access the air cleaner filter.
3.0 Diesel Air Cleaner Filter Cover
1 — Air Cleaner Filter Cover
2 — Spring Clips
58 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE