engine Ram 3500 Chassis Cab 2018 Owner's Manual

WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this could
establish a ground connection and personal injury
could result.
Jump Starting Procedure
WARNING!
Failure to follow this jump starting procedure could
result in personal injury or property damage due to
battery explosion.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
Connecting The Jumper Cables
1. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
NOTE: Do not jump off fuses. Only jump directly off
positive post. 2. Connect the opposite end of the positive
(+)jumper
cable to the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative (-)end of the jumper cable to the
negative (-)post of the booster battery.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-)jumper
cable to a good engine ground (exposed metal part of
the discharged vehicle’s engine) away from the battery
and the fuel injection system.
WARNING!
Do not connect the jumper cable to the negative (-) post
of the discharged battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode and could result in
personal injury. Only use the specific ground point, do
not use any other exposed metal parts.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then start
the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 345

CAUTION!
Do not connect jumper cable to any of the fuses on the
positive battery terminal. The resulting electrical cur-
rent will blow the fuse.
6. Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in the reverse sequence:
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables
1. Disconnect the negative (-)end of the jumper cable from
the engine ground of the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
2. Disconnect the opposite end of the negative (-)jumper
cable from the negative (-)post of the booster battery.
3. Disconnect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable from
the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
4. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable from the positive (+)post of the vehicle with the
discharged battery.
If frequent jump starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at an authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle power outlets
draw power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not
in use (i.e., cellular devices, etc.). Eventually, if plugged
in long enough without engine operation, the vehicle’s
battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery
life and/or prevent the engine from starting.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate action.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission in
NEUTRAL, but do not increase the engine idle speed
while preventing vehicle motion with the brakes.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down an
impending overheat condition:
• If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
346 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

•You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control to
high. This allows the heater core to act as a supplement
to the radiator and aids in removing heat from the
engine cooling system.
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.
GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the gear selector cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the following
procedure to temporarily move the gear selector:
1. Turn the engine OFF.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Tilt the steering wheel to the full up position.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Insert a screwdriver or similar tool into the access port (ringed circle) on the bottom of the steering column, and
push and hold the override release lever up.
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 347

6. Move the gear selector to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
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. Next, 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
accelerator pedal pressure that will maintain the rocking
motion, without spinning the wheels or racing the engine.
NOTE:Push the ESC Off switch, to place the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system in Partial Offmode, before
rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake Control
System” in “Safety” for further information. Once the
vehicle has been freed, push the ESC Offswitch again to
restore ESC On mode.
Gear Selector Override Access Port
348 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

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.
CAUTION!
•Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead
to transmission overheating 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 minimize overheating and
reduce the risk of clutch or transmission failure
during prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting between
DRIVE/SECOND GEAR and REVERSE, do not spin
the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drive-
train damage may result.
• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure. It
can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no transmis-
sion shifting occurring).
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 349

CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe engine 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 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 ALLwheels 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). Refer to “Recreational Towing”
in “Starting And Operating” for further information and
detailed instructions.
CAUTION!
• Front or rear wheel lifts must not be used (if the
remaining wheels are on the ground). Internal dam-
age to the transmission or transfer case will occur if
a front or rear wheel lift is used when towing.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage. Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped
Your vehicle may be equipped with emergency tow hooks.
NOTE: For off-road recovery, it is recommended to use
both of the front tow hooks to minimize the risk of damage
to the vehicle.
WARNING!
• Do not use a chain for freeing a stuck vehicle. Chains
may break, causing serious injury or death.
• Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow hooks.
Tow straps may become disengaged, causing serious
injury.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
CONTENTS
SCHEDULED SERVICING .................357
▫ Maintenance Plan ..................... .358
▫ Heavy Duty Use Of The Vehicle ............361
 ENGINE COMPARTMENT .................362
▫ 6.4L Engine ......................... .362
▫ Checking Oil Level — Gas Engine ...........363
▫ Adding Washer Fluid ...................363
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery .................363
 DEALER SERVICE ...................... .364
▫ Engine Oil — Gas Engine .................365
▫ Engine Oil Filter ...................... .366
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter .................366
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance ..............369▫
Front Driveshaft Lubrication — 2500/3500
(Four-Wheel Drive Models Only) ............374
▫ Accessory Drive Belt Inspection ............375
▫ Body Lubrication ..................... .376
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades .................377
▫ Exhaust System ....................... .380
▫ Cooling System ....................... .382
▫ Brake System ........................ .386
▫ Automatic Transmission ..................387
▫ Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle
Fluid Level .......................... .390
▫ Transfer Case ........................ .391
 HOISTING ........................... .391
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SCHEDULED SERVICING
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
frequent 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 Operating 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
possible, 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 under “Instrument Cluster
Display” in “Getting To Know Your Instrument Panel” for
further information.Gasoline Engines:
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:
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 predominately at idle or
very low engine RPM’s. This type of vehicle use is consid-
ered Severe Duty.
Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
•
Check engine oil level
• Check windshield washer fluid level
• Check the tire inflation pressures and look for unusual
wear or damage
• Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir, brake
master cylinder, power steering and automatic transmis-
sion, and fill as needed
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 357

Maintenance Plan
Required Maintenance
Refer to the maintenance plan 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 irregular
wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator
system turns on.
• Inspect engine cooling system protection and hoses.
• Inspect exhaust system.
• Inspect engine air cleaner if using in dusty or
off-road conditions.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil
Change Indicator System:
•Inspect battery and clean and tighten terminals as
required.
• Inspect automatic transmission fluid if equipped
with dipstick.
• Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses and
park brake.
• Inspect front end, and lubricate — If equipped with
serviceable fittings.
• Lube the front drive shaft fitting (4X4 models only).
358 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

Mileage or time passed (whichevercomes 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
Additional Inspections
Inspect the CV/Universal joints. XX X XX
Inspect front suspension, tie rod ends,
and replace if necessary. XXX X X X X
Inspect the front and rear axle surfaces.
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 axle fluid. XXX X X X X
Inspect the brake linings, parking brake
function. XXX X X X X
Additional Maintenance
Replace engine air filter. XX X XX
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 the automatic transmission fluid
(AS66RC Transmission Only). XX X
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 359