Ram 5500 Chassis Cab 2011 Owner's Manual

HOISTING
A conventional floor jack may be used at the jacking
locations. Refer to the graphics that show jacking loca-
tions. However, a floor jack or frame hoist must never be
used on any other parts or the underbody.
CAUTION!
Never use a floor jack directly under the differential
housing of a loaded truck or damage to your vehicle
may result.
JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURES
If your vehicle has a discharged battery it can be jump-
started using a set of jumper cables and a battery in
another vehicle or by using a portable battery booster
pack. Jump-starting can be dangerous if done improperly
so please follow the procedures in this section carefully.NOTE:
When using a portable battery booster pack
follow the manufacturer ’s operating instructions and
precautions.
CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any
other booster source with a system voltage greater
than 12 Volts or damage to the battery, starter motor,
alternator or electrical system may occur.
WARNING!
When temperatures are below the freezing point,
electrolyte in a discharged battery may freeze. Do not
attempt jump-starting because the battery could rup-
ture or explode and cause personal injury. Battery
temperature must be brought above the freezing
point before attempting a jump-start.
370 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Preparations for Jump-Start
The battery in your vehicle is located in the front of the
engine compartment, behind the left headlight assembly.
NOTE:The positive battery post is covered with a
protective cap. Lift up on the cap to gain access to the
positive battery post.WARNING!
•Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan when-
ever the hood is raised. It can start anytime the
ignition switch is on. You can be injured by
moving fan blades.
•Remove any metal jewelry such as watch bands or
bracelets that might make an inadvertent electrical
contact. You could be seriously injured.
•Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your
skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas which is
flammable and explosive. Keep open flames or
sparks away from the battery.
1. Set the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission
into PARK and turn the ignition to LOCK.
2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal accessories.
Positive Battery Post
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 371

3. If using a another vehicle to jump-start the battery,
park the vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
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 procedure could result in per-
sonal injury or property damage due to battery ex-
plosion.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
1. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
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.
372 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!
Do not connect the 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.
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.
Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in
the reverse sequence:
6. Disconnect the negative (-)jumper cable from the
engine ground of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
7. Disconnect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable
from the negative (-)post of the booster battery. 8. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive
(+)jumper
cable from the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
9. Disconnect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable
from the positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle
power outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.).
Eventually, if plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s
battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery
life and/or prevent the engine from starting.6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 373

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, sand, or mud, it can
often be moved by a rocking motion. Move the shift lever
rhythmically between DRIVE and REVERSE while ap-
plying slight pressure to the accelerator.
In general, the least amount of accelerator pedal pressure
to maintain the rocking motion without spinning the
wheels or racing the engine, is most effective. Racing the
engine or spinning the wheels, due to the frustration of
not freeing the vehicle, may lead to transmission over-
heating and failure. Allow the engine to idle with the
shift lever in NEUTRAL for at least one minute after
every five rocking-motion cycles. This will minimize
overheating and reduce the risk of transmission failure
during prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving be-
tween 1st and REVERSE, do not spin the wheels
faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain 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).
374 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated 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 vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
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!
•Chains are not recommended for freeing a stuck
vehicle. Chains may break, causing serious injury
or death.
•Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow
hooks. Tow straps and chains may break, causing
serious injury.
CAUTION!
Tow hooks are for emergency use only to rescue a
vehicle stranded off-road. Do not use tow hooks for
tow truck hookup or highway towing. You could
damage your vehicle.6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 375

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to prevent
damage to your vehicle. Use only tow bars and other
equipment designed for the purpose, following equip-
ment manufacturer’s instructions. Use of safety chains is
mandatory. Attach a tow bar or other towing device to
the main structural members of the vehicle—not to
bumpers or associated brackets. State and local laws
applying to vehicles under tow must be observed.
Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to the transfer case while towing,
always use one of the following methods.NOTE:
The transfer case must be in the NEUTRAL
position, and the transmission must be in PARK (auto-
matic transmission), or in gear (manual transmission) to
tow a four-wheel drive vehicle, unless all its wheels are
OFF the ground.
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.
Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles
Provided that the transmission is operable, tow with the
transmission in NEUTRAL and the ignition key in the
OFF position along with the front wheels raised and the
rear wheels on the ground. Speed must not exceed
30 mph (50 km/h) and the distance must not exceed
15 miles (25 km).
376 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Towing faster than 30 mph (50 km/h) or for more than
15 miles (25 km) can cause severe damage to the
transmission. Such damage is not covered by the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
If the vehicle is to be towed faster than 30 mph (50 km/h)
or more than 15 miles (25 km) the vehicle must be towed
with the rear wheels OFF the ground. It may be towed on
a flatbed, or with the front wheels raised and the rear
wheels on a dolly, or (when using a suitable steering
wheel stabilizer to hold the front wheels in the straight
position) with the rear wheels raised and the front wheels
on the ground.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 377

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Engine Compartment — 5.7L ............. 381
 Onboard Diagnostic System (OBD II) ....... 382
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ........... 382
 Emissions Inspection And Maintenance
Programs ............................ 383
 Replacement Parts ..................... 384
 Dealer Service ........................ 385
 Maintenance Procedures ................. 385
▫ Engine Oil ......................... 386 ▫
Engine Oil Filter ..................... 388
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ............... 388
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery .............. 389
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance ............ 390
▫ Front Prop Shaft Lubrication – Four-Wheel
Drive Models ....................... 391
▫ Body Lubrication .................... 392
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ............... 392
▫ Adding Washer Fluid ................. 393
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