cooling Ram 5500 Chassis Cab 2014 Owner's Manual

WARNING!(Continued)
•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 you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate/
rear doors open, make sure that all windows are
closed and the climate control BLOWER switch is
set at high speed. DO NOT use the recirculation
mode.
• 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. 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 seat belt system periodically, checking for
cuts, frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be
replaced immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the
system.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 111

NOTE:•The “ESC Off Indicator Light” and the “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” come on
momentarily each time the ignition switch is turned
to ON/RUN.
• Each time the ignition is turned to ON/RUN, the
ESC system will be ON, even if it was turned off
previously.
• The ESC system will make buzzing or clicking
sounds when it is active. This is normal; the sounds
will stop when ESC becomes inactive following the
maneuver that caused the ESC activation.
24. Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tempera-
ture. Any reading within the normal range indicates that
the engine cooling system is operating satisfactorily. The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tempera-
ture when driving in hot weather, up mountain grades,
or when towing a trailer. It should not be allowed to
exceed the upper limits of the normal operating range.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads
“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 the “H” and you hear continuous chimes,
turn the engine off immediately and call an autho-
rized dealer for service.4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 209

WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call an authorized dealer
for service if your vehicle overheats. If you decide to
look under the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your
Vehicle.” Follow the warnings under the “Cooling
System Pressure Cap” paragraph.
25. Stop/Start – If Equipped Press and release the UP or DOWN arrow
button until the Stop/Start icon is highlighted
in the EVIC. Press and release the SELECT/
RIGHT arrow button to display the Stop/Start
status. 26. Electric Power Steering Malfunction Warning Light
This telltale is on when the Electric Power
Steering is not operating and needs service.
27. Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) Light This light informs you of a problem with the
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system. The
light will come on when the ignition is first
turned ON and remain on briefly as a bulb
check. If the light does not come on during starting, have
the system checked by an authorized dealer.
If a problem is detected, the light will come on while the
engine is running. Cycle the ignition key when the
vehicle has completely stopped and the shift lever is
placed in the PARK position. The light should turn off.
210 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

MAX A/C
For maximum cooling, when MAX A/C is selected the
A/C is turned on automatically and the air is
recirculated.
NOTE:A/C cannot be deselected when in MAX A/C
position. The LED will blink three times if the A/C
button is pushed. If your air conditioning performance
seems lower than expected, check the front of the A/C
condenser (located in front of the radiator), for an accu-
mulation of dirt or insects. Clean with a gentle water
spray from behind the radiator and through the con-
denser. Fabric front fascia protectors may reduce airflow
to the condenser, reducing air conditioning performance.
Mode Control (Air Direction)
Mode control allows you to choose
from several patterns of air distribu-
tion. You can select either a primary
mode, as identified by the symbols, or
a blend of two of these modes. The
closer the control is to a particular
mode, the more air distribution you
receive from that mode.
Panel Mode
Air is directed through the outlets in the instru-
ment panel. These outlets can be adjusted to direct
airflow.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 271

7. Blower Control
Blower control is used to regulate the amount of air
forced through the climate system. There are seven
blower speeds available. Adjusting the blower will cause
automatic mode to switch to manual operation. The
speeds can be selected using either hard-keys or soft-keys
as follows:
Hard-Key
The blower speed increases as you turn the control
clockwise from the lowest blower setting. The blower
speed decreases as you turn the knob counterclockwise.
Soft-Key
Use the small blower icon to reduce the blower setting
and the large blower icon to increase the blower setting.
Blower can also be selected by pressing the blower bar
area between the icons.8. Climate Control OFF Button
Press and release this button to turn the Climate Control
ON/OFF.
9. Temperature Control Down Button
Push the button for cooler temperature settings. On the
touchscreen, slide the temperature bar towards the blue
arrow soft-key for cooler temperature settings.
10. Temperature Control Up Button
Push the button for warmer temperature settings. On the
touchscreen, slide the temperature bar towards the blue
arrow soft-key for cooler temperature settings.
Recirculation Control
When outside air contains smoke, odors, or
high humidity, or if rapid cooling is desired,
you may wish to recirculate interior air by
pressing the RECIRCULATION control button.
278 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

To provide you with maximum comfort in the Automatic
mode, during cold start-ups the blower fan will remain
on low until the engine warms up. The blower will
increase in speed and transition into Auto mode.
Recirculation Control
When outside air contains smoke, odors, or
high humidity, or if rapid cooling is desired,
you may wish to recirculate interior air by
pressing the RECIRCULATION control button.
Recirculation mode should only be used temporarily. The
recirculation LED will illuminate on the soft and hard
keys when either button is selected. Push either soft or
hard key a second time to turn off the Recirculation mode
LED and allow outside air into the vehicle.
NOTE:
In cold weather, use of Recirculation mode may
lead to excessive window fogging. The recirculation feature
may be unavailable (soft-key button greyed out) if condi-
tions exist that could create fogging on the inside of the windshield. On systems with Manual Climate Controls, the
recirculation mode is not allowed in Defrost mode to
improve window clearing operation. Recirculation will be
disabled automatically if this mode is selected. Attempting
to use Recirculation while in this mode will cause the LED
in the control button to blink and then turn off.
Summer Operation
The engine cooling system must be protected with a
high-quality antifreeze coolant to provide proper corro-
sion protection and to protect against engine overheating.
OAT coolant (conforming to MS-12106) is recommended.
Refer to “Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your
Vehicle” for proper coolant selection.
Winter Operation
To ensure the best possible heater and defroster perfor-
mance, make sure the engine cooling system is function-
ing properly and the proper amount, type, and concen-
tration of coolant is used. Refer to “Maintenance
286 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operat-
ing limits, the powertrain controller will modify the
transmission shift schedule and expand the range of
torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to
prevent transmission damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot or is in danger
of overheating, the “Transmission Temperature Warning
Light” may illuminate and the transmission may operate
differently until the transmission cools down.
NOTE:Use caution when operating a heavily loaded
vehicle at low speeds (such as towing a trailer up a steep
grade, or in stop-and-go traffic) during hot weather. In
these conditions, torque converter slip can impose a
significant additional heat load on the cooling system.
Downshifting the transmission to the lowest possible
gear (when climbing a grade), or shifting to NEUTRAL
(when stopped in heavy traffic) can help to reduce this
excess heat generation. During cold temperatures, transmission operation may
be modified depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature im-
proves warm up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency. Engagement of the torque
converter clutch is inhibited until the transmission fluid
is warm (refer to the “Note” under “Torque Converter
Clutch” in this section). On models with 66RFE transmis-
sion, top overdrive gear is also inhibited until the trans-
mission fluid is warm, and during extremely cold tem-
peratures (-16°F [-27°C] or below), operation may briefly
be limited to first and direct gears only. On trucks with
AS66RC transmission, fifth and sixth gears may be
inhibited briefly on cold starts below 41°F (5°C), and
during very cold temperatures (-4°F [-20°C] or below),
operation may briefly be limited to third gear only.
During this condition, the ability of the vehicle to accel-
erate under heavily loaded conditions may be reduced.
306 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:Check the automatic transmission fluid level
before towing.
Tow/Haul Mode
To reduce potential for automatic transmission overheat-
ing, turn the “TOW/HAUL” feature ON when driving in
hilly areas, or select a lower gear range (using the
Electronic Range Select (ERS) switches) on more severe
grades.
Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped
• Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
• When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
• Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
SNOWPLOW
Snowplow Prep Packages are available as a factory
installed option. These packages include components
necessary to equip your vehicle with a snowplow.
406 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 rings, watch
bands and bracelets that could 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
432 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

▫Cooling System ..................... .461
▫ Brake System ....................... .469
▫ Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle Fluid
Level ............................. .471
▫ Transfer Case ....................... .473
▫ Automatic Transmission — Aisin F21-250 HD
Transmission — If Equipped .............474
▫ Appearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion .......................... .477
 FUSES ............................. .484
▫ Power Distribution Center ...............485
 VEHICLE STORAGE ....................494
 REPLACEMENT BULBS .................495 
BULB REPLACEMENT ..................496
▫ Base Quad / Premium Bi-Halogen: Low Beam
Headlamp, High Beam Headlamp, Front Park
And Turn — If Equipped ...............496
▫ Fog Lamps — If Equipped ..............498
▫ Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) With
Cargo Lamp ........................ .499
▫ Cab Top Clearance Lamps — If Equipped . . . .501
 FLUID CAPACITIES ....................503
 FLUIDS, LUBRICANTS AND GENUINE
PARTS ............................. .504
▫ Engine ............................ .504
▫ Chassis ........................... .506
444 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE