Ram 5500 Chassis Cab 2012 Manual Online

WARNING!
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
•It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seri-
ously injured or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO),
follow these safety tips:
Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in confined
areas any longer than needed to move your vehicle in or
out of the area.
If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the engine
running, adjust your heating or cooling controls to force
outside air into the vehicle. Set the blower at high speed.
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into
the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the com-
plete exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken,
damaged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open
seams or loose connections could permit exhaust fumes
to seep into the passenger compartment. In addition,
inspect the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace as required.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after
a collision if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor,
torn webbing, etc.). If there is any question regarding belt
or retractor condition, replace the belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for four to eight
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned ON. If the light is not lit during starting, see your
authorized dealer. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes
on while driving, have the system checked by an autho-
rized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is
inoperable.
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that they
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals
or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
WARNING!
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of
vehicle control and increase the risk of serious per-
sonal injury.
•Always make sure that floor mats are properly
attached to the floor mat fasteners.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Never place or install floor mats or other floor
coverings in the vehicle that cannot be properly
secured to prevent them from moving and inter-
fering with the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
•Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on
top of already installed floor mats. Additional
floor mats and other coverings will reduce the size
of the pedal area and interfere with the pedals.
•Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Al-
ways properly reinstall and secure floor mats that
have been removed for cleaning.
(Continued)
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81

WARNING! (Continued)
•Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the
driver footwell while the vehicle is moving. Ob-
jects can become trapped under the brake pedal
and accelerator pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
•If required, mounting posts must be properly
installed, if not equipped from the factory.
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or
mounting can cause interference with the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal operation causing loss
of control of the vehicle.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objectslodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires
(including spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid, or
brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause should be
located and corrected immediately.
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Mirrors .............................. 87
▫Inside Day/Night Mirror................ 87
▫Automatic Dimming Mirror — If Equipped . . . 87
▫Outside Mirrors...................... 88
▫Outside Mirrors Folding Feature.......... 89
▫Power Mirrors — If Equipped............ 90
▫Heated Mirrors — If Equipped............ 91
▫Illuminated Vanity Mirror — If Equipped.... 91▫“Slide-On-Rod” Features Of Sun Visor —
If Equipped......................... 92
▫Trailer Towing Mirrors — If Equipped...... 92
Uconnect™ Phone — If Equipped........... 93
▫Operation.......................... 96
▫Phone Call Features.................. 103
▫Uconnect™ Phone Features............. 106
▫Advanced Phone Connectivity............111
▫Things You Should Know About Your
Uconnect™ Phone.................... 113
3

▫General Information.................. 124
Voice Command — If Equipped........... 124
▫Voice Command System Operation........ 124
▫Commands........................ 125
▫VoiceTraining ...................... 129
Seats.............................. 129
▫Driver’s Power Seat — If Equipped....... 129
▫Passenger ’s Power Seat — If Equipped..... 131
▫Power Lumbar — If Equipped........... 133
▫Heated Seats — If Equipped............ 133
▫Ventilated Seats — If Equipped.......... 136
▫Manual Seat Adjuster — If Equipped...... 137
▫Manual Reclining Seats — If Equipped..... 138▫Head Restraints..................... 139
▫40-20-40 Front Bench Seat — If Equipped . . . 141
Driver Memory Seat — If Equipped........ 141
▫Setting Memory Positions And Linking RKE
Transmitter To Memory................ 142
▫Memory Position Recall................ 143
▫To Disable A RKE Transmitter Linked To
Memory........................... 144
▫Easy Entry/Exit Seat.................. 144
To Open And Close The Hood............ 145
Lights............................. 147
▫Headlights......................... 148
▫Automatic Headlights — If Equipped...... 148
84 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

▫Headlights On With Wipers (Available With
Automatic Headlights Only)............ 149
▫Headlight Delay..................... 149
▫Parking Lights And Panel Lights......... 150
▫Fog Lights — If Equipped.............. 150
▫Interior Lights...................... 151
▫CargoLight ........................ 152
▫Lights-On Reminder.................. 152
▫Battery Saver....................... 152
▫Daytime Running Lights — If Equipped.... 153
▫Multifunction Lever.................. 153
Windshield Wipers And Washers.......... 154
▫Windshield Wipers................... 154
▫Windshield Wiper Operation............ 155▫Intermittent Wiper System.............. 155
▫Windshield Washers.................. 156
▫Mist Feature........................ 156
Tilt Steering Column................... 157
Driver Adjustable Pedals — If Equipped..... 158
Heated Steering Wheel — If Equipped...... 159
Electronic Speed Control................ 160
▫To Activate......................... 161
▫To Set A Desired Speed................ 162
▫To Deactivate....................... 162
▫To Resume Speed.................... 162
▫To Vary The Speed Setting.............. 162
▫To Accelerate For Passing.............. 163
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 85

Overhead Console — If Equipped.......... 163
▫Courtesy/Reading Lights.............. 164
Electrical Power Outlets................. 165
Cigar Lighter And Ash Receiver —
If Equipped.......................... 169
Power Inverter — If Equipped............ 170
Cupholders.......................... 172
▫Front Instrument Panel Cupholders —
(40–20–40 Seats)..................... 172
▫Front Instrument Panel Cupholders —
Floor Storage Bin.................... 172
▫Rear Cupholder — Crew Cab........... 173
Storage............................. 173
▫Glove Box Storage................... 173▫Door Storage....................... 175
▫Center Storage Compartment —
If Equipped........................ 176
▫Seatback Storage..................... 178
▫Storage (Regular Cab)................. 178
▫Storage And Seats (Crew Cab)........... 179
▫Plastic Grocery Bag Retainers
(Regular Cab Models)................. 180
Rear Window Features.................. 180
▫Rear Window Defroster................ 180
▫Power Sliding Rear Window —
If Equipped........................ 181
▫Manual Sliding Rear Window —
If Equipped........................ 181
86 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

MIRRORS
Inside Day/Night Mirror
A two-point pivot system allows for horizontal and
vertical adjustment of the mirror. Adjust the mirror to
center on the view through the rear window. The mirror
should be adjusted while set in the day position (toward
the windshield).
Headlight glare can be reduced by moving the small
control lever under the mirror to the night position (lever
flipped toward the rear of vehicle).
Automatic Dimming Mirror — If Equipped
This mirror automatically adjusts for headlight glare
from vehicles behind you. You can turn the feature on or
off by pressing the button at the base of the mirror. A light
Adjusting Rearview Mirror
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 87

to the left of the button will illuminate to indicate when
the dimming feature is activated. The sensor to the right
of the button does not illuminate.CAUTION!
To avoid damage to the mirror during cleaning, never
spray any cleaning solution directly onto the mirror.
Apply the solution onto a clean cloth and wipe the
mirror clean.
Outside Mirrors
To receive maximum benefit, adjust the outside mirror(s)
to center on the adjacent lane of traffic with a slight
overlap of the view obtained on the inside mirror.
Automatic Dimming Mirror
88 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE