Ram 5500 Chassis Cab 2014 Owner's Manual

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING PROCEDURES ................294
▫ Normal Starting ...................... .294
▫ Automatic Transmission ................295
▫ Extreme Cold Weather
(Below –20°F or 29°C) .................295
▫ If Engine Fails To Start .................295
▫ After Starting ....................... .296
 ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED . . . .297
 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ............297
▫ Key Ignition Park Interlock ...............299 ▫
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . .300
▫ Six–Speed Automatic Transmission —
If Equipped ........................ .300
 FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION — IF
EQUIPPED ...........................311
▫ Manually Shifted Transfer Case —
If Equipped ......................... .312
▫ Shifting Procedure — Manually Shifted Transfer
Case ............................. .314
▫ Transfer Case Position Indicator Light ......315
5

▫Electronically Shifted Transfer Case (Four-Position
Switch) — If Equipped .................316
▫ Shifting Procedure .....................320
 LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL .............322
 DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES .........323
▫ Acceleration ........................ .323
▫ Traction ........................... .323
 DRIVING THROUGH WATER .............324
▫ Flowing/Rising Water ..................324
▫ Shallow Standing Water .................324
 POWER STEERING .....................326
▫ Power Steering Fluid Check ..............327
 PARKING BRAKE ..................... .328
BRAKE SYSTEM ...................... .330
▫ Four-Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System ........331
▫ Hydraulic Brake Assist ..................332
 ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .333
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............333
▫
Traction Control System (TCS) — If Equipped . .334
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) — If Equipped .......334
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) —
If Equipped ........................ .338
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And
ESC OFF Indicator Light ................341
▫ Trailer Sway Control (TSC) — If Equipped . . .343
 TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............344
▫ Tire Markings ....................... .344
290 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........348
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........349
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........351
 TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION ........356
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... .356
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................357
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .359
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... .359
▫ Tire Types .......................... .360
▫ Run Flat Tires — If Equipped .............361
▫ Spare Tires — If Equipped ...............362
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... .364
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ..................365 ▫
Life Of Tire ........................ .365
▫ Replacement Tires .....................366
 SUPPLEMENTAL TIRE PRESSURE INFORMATION
— IF EQUIPPED ...................... .367
 TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES) .......368
 TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS .....370
▫ Dual Rear Wheels .....................371
 TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) . .372
▫ Base System — If Equipped ..............375
▫ Premium System — If Equipped ...........375
▫ Tire Pressure Information System (TPIS) Chassis
Cab — If Equipped ....................379
▫ General Information ...................380
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STARTING AND OPERATING 291

FUEL REQUIREMENTS ..................380
▫ 5.7L Engines ........................ .380
▫ 6.4L Engine ......................... .381
▫ Reformulated Gasoline .................381
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............382
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles .......382
▫ MMT In Gasoline .....................383
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ................383
▫ Fuel System Cautions ...................384
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings .............385
 ADDING FUEL ....................... .385
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............386
VEHICLE LOADING ....................387
▫ Certification Label ....................387
 TRAILER TOWING .....................389
▫ Common Towing Definitions .............389
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification ...............393
▫ Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight
Ratings) ........................... .394
▫ Trailer And Tongue Weight ..............395
▫ Towing Requirements ..................396
▫ Towing Tips ........................ .405
 SNOWPLOW ........................ .406
▫ Before Plowing ...................... .407
▫ Snowplow Prep Package Model Availability . . .408
292 STARTING AND OPERATING

▫Over The Road Operation With Snowplow
Attached ........................... .408
▫ Operating Tips ...................... .409
▫ General Maintenance ...................409
 RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.) ...................410
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle . .410 ▫
Recreational Towing — Two-Wheel Drive
Models .............................411
▫ Recreational Towing — Four-Wheel Drive
Models ............................ .412
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STARTING AND OPERATING 293

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belt.
The starter should not be operated for more than 15-
second intervals. Waiting a few seconds between such
intervals will protect the starter from overheating.
WARNING!
Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Leaving children in a
vehicle unattended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seriously or
fatally injured. Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the shift
lever. Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle,
or in a location accessible to children, and do not
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
leave the ignition of a vehicle equipped with keyless
Enter-N-Go in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a warm or cold engine is
obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator
pedal. Cycle the ignition to the START position and
release when the engine starts. If the engine fails to start
within 10 seconds, cycle the ignition to the OFF position,
wait five seconds, then repeat the “Normal Starting”
procedure.
294 STARTING AND OPERATING

Automatic Transmission
Start the engine with the shift lever in the NEUTRAL or
PARK. Apply the brake before shifting into any driving
range.
NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transmission
shift interlocking system. The brake pedal must be
pressed to shift out of PARK.
Tip Start Feature
Do notpress the accelerator. Cycle the ignition switch
briefly to the START position and release it. The starter
motor will continue to run but will automatically disen-
gage when the engine is running.
Extreme Cold Weather (Below –20°F or 29°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails To Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” procedure, it may be flooded. Push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it
there while cranking the engine. This should clear any
excess fuel in case the engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 295

WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
• Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
mission cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel
could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine has started, ignite and damage the converter
and vehicle.
• If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster
cables may be used to obtain a start from a booster
battery or the battery in another vehicle. This type
of start can be dangerous if done improperly. Refer
to “Jump Starting” in “What To Do In Emergen-
cies” for further information. If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the igni-
tion button/key is released. If this occurs, continue
cranking with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to
the floor. Release the accelerator pedal and the ignition
button/key once the engine is running smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15-
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “Normal Starting” procedure should
be repeated.
After Starting
The idle speed is automatically controlled and will de-
crease as the engine warms up.
296 STARTING AND OPERATING

ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
Gasoline Engine Only
The engine block heater cord is routed through the grille
by the right front tow hook.
It includes a removable cap that is secured by a tethered
strap. It also has a c-clip that is used for storage when not
in use for the winter months. During winter months,
remove the heater cord wiring assembly from itself on
the c-clip.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
• Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the vehicle
has come to a complete stop and the engine is at
idle speed.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 297

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
WARNING!
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
the engine is idling normally and your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
(Continued)
298 STARTING AND OPERATING