ignition Ram 5500 Chassis Cab 2012 Manual Online

When the parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch ON, the “Brake Warning Light” in the instrument
cluster will illuminate.
NOTE:
•When the parking brake is applied and the automatic
transmission is placed in gear, the “Brake Warning
Light” will flash. If vehicle speed is detected, a chime
will sound to alert the driver. Fully release the parking
brake before attempting to move the vehicle.
•This light only shows that the parking brake is ap-
plied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. For vehicles equipped
with an automatic transmission, apply the parking brake
before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load
on the transmission locking mechanism may make it
difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK.The parking brake should always be applied whenever
the driver is not in the vehicle.
WARNING!
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured.
•Do not leave the key fob in the vehicle. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and a collision.
(Continued)
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STARTING AND OPERATING 311

Materials Added To Fuel
All gasolines sold in the United States are required to
contain effective detergent additives. Use of additional
detergents or other additives is not needed under normal
conditions and would result in unnecessary cost. There-
fore, you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
Fuel System Cautions
CAUTION!
Follow these guidelines to maintain your vehicle’s
performance:
•The use of leaded gas is prohibited by Federal law.
Using leaded gasoline can impair engine perfor-
mance, damage the emission control system.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•An out-of-tune engine, or certain fuel or ignition
malfunctions, can cause the catalytic converter to
overheat. If you notice a pungent burning odor or
some light smoke, your engine may be out of tune
or malfunctioning and may require immediate
service. Contact your authorized dealer for service
assistance.
•When pulling a heavy load or driving a fully-
loaded vehicle when the humidity is low and the
temperature is high, use a premium unleaded fuel
to help prevent spark knock. If spark knock per-
sists, lighten the load, or engine piston damage
may result.
(Continued)
344 STARTING AND OPERATING

The trailer and the vehicle’s brake lamps will come on
when either vehicle braking or manual trailer brakes are
applied.
Trailer Brake Status Indicator Light
This light indicates the trailer electrical connection status.
If no electrical connection is detected after the ignition is
turned on, pressing the GAIN adjustment button or
sliding the manual brake control lever will display the
GAIN setting for 10 seconds and the “Trailer Brake Status
Indicator Light” will not be displayed.
If a fault is detected in the trailer wiring or the Integrated
Trailer Brake Module (ITBM), the “Trailer Brake Status
Indicator Light” will flash.
GAIN Adjustment Buttons (+/-)
Pressing these buttons will adjust the brake control
power output to the trailer brakes in 0.5 increments. TheGAIN setting can be increased to a maximum of 10 or
decreased to a minimum of 0 (no trailer braking).
GAIN
The GAIN setting is used to set the trailer brake control
for the specific towing condition and should be changed
as towing conditions change. Changes to towing condi-
tions include trailer load, vehicle load, road conditions
and weather.
Adjusting GAIN
NOTE:This should only be performed in a traffic free
environment at speeds of approximately 20–25 mph
(30–40 km/h).
1. Make sure the trailer brakes are in good working
condition, functioning normally, and properly adjusted.
See your trailer dealer if necessary.
2. Hook up the trailer and make the electrical connec-
tions according to the trailer manufacturer’s instructions.
360 STARTING AND OPERATING

Recreational Towing – Two-Wheel Drive Models
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.
Recreational towing (for two-wheel drive models) is
allowed ONLY if the rear wheels are OFF the ground.
This may be accomplished using a tow dolly or vehicle
trailer. If using a tow dolly, follow this procedure:
1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow vehicle, following
the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly.
3. Firmly set the parking brake. Place automatic trans-
mission in PARK, manual transmission in gear (not in
Neutral).
4. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following
the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Remove the key fob from the ignition switch.6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for tow-
ing, to secure the front wheels in the straight position.
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 trans-
fer cases must be shifted into NEUTRAL (N) for recre-
ational towing. Automatic transmissions must be shifted
into PARK for recreational towing. Manual transmissions
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STARTING AND OPERATING 369

8. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual
transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with automatic transmission in
DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.
10. Turn OFF the engine.
11. Firmly apply the parking brake.
12. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual
transmission in gear (not in NEUTRAL).
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the trans-
mission is shifted into PARK with the transfer case in
NEUTRAL (N) and the engine running. With the
transfer case in NEUTRAL (N) ensure that the engine
is OFF prior to shifting the transmission into PARK.13. Remove the key fob from the ignition switch.
14. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable
tow bar.
15. Release the parking brake.
Shifting Out Of NEUTRAL (N) – Manual Shift
Transfer Case (If Equipped)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving it con-
nected to the tow vehicle.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position, but
do not start the engine.
4. Press and hold the brake pedal.
5. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
372 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL before recre-
ational towing to prevent damage to internal parts.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Shift automatic
transmission into PARK.
2. Turn OFF the engine.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position, but
do not start the engine.
4. Press and hold the brake pedal.
5. Shift the automatic transmission into NEUTRAL or
press the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
6. Press and hold the transfer case NEUTRAL button
(located by the selector switch). The NEUTRAL indicatorlight will blink while the shift is in progress. The light
will stop blinking (stay on solid) when the shift to
NEUTRAL is complete.
7. After the shift is completed and the NEUTRAL light
stays on, release the NEUTRAL button.
8. Start the engine.
9. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
10. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual
transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 with automatic transmission in
DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.
12. Turn OFF the engine.
13. Firmly apply the parking brake.
374 STARTING AND OPERATING

14. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual
transmission in gear (not in Neutral).
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the trans-
mission is shifted into PARK with the transfer case in
NEUTRAL and the engine running. With the transfer
case in NEUTRAL, ensure that the engine is OFF
prior to shifting the transmission into PARK.
15. Remove the key fob from the ignition switch.
16. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable
tow bar.
17. Release the parking brake.
NOTE:
•The transfer case cannot be shifted into NEUTRAL
from the 4WD AUTO (if equipped) position.
•Steps 1 through 5 are requirements that must be met
prior to pressing the NEUTRAL button, and must
continue to be met until the shift has been completed.
If any of these requirements are not met prior to
pressing the NEUTRAL button or are no longer met
during the shift, the NEUTRAL indicator light will
flash continuously until all requirements are met or
until the NEUTRAL button is released.
•The ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position
for a shift to take place and for the position indicator
lights to be operable. If the ignition switch is not in the
ON/RUN position, the shift will not take place and no
position indicator lights will be on or flashing.
•A flashing NEUTRAL indicator light indicates that
shift requirements have not been met.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 375

Shifting Out Of NEUTRAL – Electronic Shift
Transfer Case (If Equipped)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage:
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving it con-
nected to the tow vehicle.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position, but
do not start the engine.
4. Press and hold the brake pedal.
5. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
6. Press and hold the transfer case NEUTRAL button
(located by the selector switch) until the NEUTRAL
indicator light turns off.
7. After the NEUTRAL indicator light turns off, release
the NEUTRAL button.8. After the NEUTRAL button has been released, the
transfer case will shift to the position indicated by the
selector switch.
NOTE:When shifting out of transfer case NEUTRAL,
turning the engine OFF may be required to avoid gear
clash.
9. Shift the automatic transmission into PARK, or place
manual transmission in NEUTRAL.
10. Release the brake pedal.
11. Disconnect vehicle from the tow vehicle.
12. Start the engine.
13. Press and hold the brake pedal.
14. Release the parking brake.
376 STARTING AND OPERATING

15. Shift the transmission into gear, release the brake
pedal (and clutch pedal on manual transmissions), and
check that the vehicle operates normally.
NOTE:
•Steps 1 through 5 are requirements that must be met
prior to pressing the transfer case NEUTRAL button
and must continue to be met until the shift has been
completed. If any of these requirements are not met
prior to pressing the NEUTRAL button, or are no
longer met during the shift, the NEUTRAL indicator
light will flash continuously until all requirements are
met or until the NEUTRAL button is released.
•The ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position
for a transfer case shift to take place and for the
position indicator lights to be operable. If the ignition
switch is not in the ON/RUN position, the shift will
not take place and no position indicator lights will be
on or flashing.
•A flashing NEUTRAL position indicator light indicates
that shift requirements have not been met.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 377

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flashers................ 380
Jacking And Tire Changing............... 380
▫3500 Models — If Equipped............. 381
▫Preparations For Jacking............... 382
▫Jacking Instructions................... 383
Hoisting ............................ 392
Jump-Starting Procedures................ 392
▫Preparations For Jump-Start............. 393▫Jump-Starting Procedure............... 394
FreeingAStuckVehicle ................. 396
Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped...... 397
Shift Lever Override................... 398
Towing A Disabled Vehicle............... 399
▫Towing Without The Ignition Key Fob..... 400
▫Two-Wheel Drive Models.............. 401
▫Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles.............. 402
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