air condition Ram Cargo Van 2015 Owner's Guide

WARNING!
•Battery fluid is a corrosive acid solution and can
burn or even blind you. Do not allow battery fluid
to contact your eyes, skin, or clothing. Do not lean
over a battery when attaching clamps. If acid
splashes in eyes or on skin, flush the area imme-
diately with large amounts of water. Refer to
“Jump-Starting Procedures” in “What To Do In
Emergencies” for further information.
• Battery gas is flammable and explosive. Keep
flame or sparks away from the battery. Do not use
a booster battery or any other booster source with
an output greater than 12 Volts. Do not allow cable
clamps to touch each other.
• Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. Wash hands
after handling.
CAUTION!
• It is essential when replacing the cables on the
battery that the positive cable is attached to the
positive post and the negative cable is attached to
the negative post. Battery posts are marked positive
(+) and negative (-) and are identified on the
battery case. Cable clamps should be tight on the
terminal posts and free of corrosion.
• If a “fast charger” is used while the battery is in the
vehicle, disconnect both vehicle battery cables be-
fore connecting the charger to the battery. Do not
use a “fast charger” to provide starting voltage.
Air Conditioner Maintenance
For best possible performance, your air conditioner
should be checked and serviced by an authorized dealer
at the start of each warm season. This service should
include cleaning of the condenser fins and a performance
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 587

test. Drive belt tension should also be checked at this
time.
WARNING!
•Use only refrigerants and compressor lubricants
approved by the manufacturer for your air condi-
tioning system. Some unapproved refrigerants are
flammable and can explode, injuring you. Other
unapproved refrigerants or lubricants can cause the
system to fail, requiring costly repairs. Refer to
Warranty Information Book, located on the DVD,
for further warranty information.
• The air conditioning system contains refrigerant
under high pressure. To avoid risk of personal
injury or damage to the system, adding refrigerant
or any repair requiring lines to be disconnected
should be done by an experienced technician.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your air conditioning
system as the chemicals can damage your air condi-
tioning components. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Refrigerant Recovery And Recycling
R-134a Air Conditioning Refrigerant is a hydrofluoro-
carbon (HFC) that is endorsed by the Environmental
Protection Agency and is an ozone-saving product. How-
ever, the manufacturer recommends that air conditioning
service be performed by authorized dealer or other
service facilities using recovery and recycling equipment.
NOTE: Use only manufacturer approved A/C system
PAG compressor oil and refrigerants.
588 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

•If frequent engine coolant (antifreeze) additions are
required, the cooling system should be pressure tested
for leaks.
• Maintain engine coolant (antifreeze) concentration at
a minimum of 50% OAT coolant (conforming to
MS.90032) and distilled water for proper corrosion
protection of your engine which contains aluminum
components.
• Make sure that the coolant expansion bottle overflow
hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
• Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is
equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean.
•
Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install ONLY
the correct type thermostat. Other designs may result in
unsatisfactory engine coolant (antifreeze) performance,
poor gas mileage, and increased emissions.
Brake System
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly a collision. Driving with your foot resting or
riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You would not have your full
braking capacity in an emergency.
598 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
Using a transmission fluid other than the manufac-
turer’s recommended fluid may cause deterioration
in transmission shift quality and/or torque converter
shudder, and will require more frequent fluid and
filter changes. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and
Genuine Parts” in this section for fluid specifica-
tions.
Special Additives
The manufacturer strongly recommends against using
any special additives in the transmission.
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is an engineered
product and its performance may be impaired by supple-
mental additives. Therefore, do not add any fluid addi-
tives to the transmission. The only exception to this
policy is the use of special dyes for diagnosing fluidleaks. Avoid using transmission sealers as they may
adversely affect seals.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your transmission as
the chemicals can damage your transmission compo-
nents. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Fluid Level Check
The fluid level is preset at the factory and does not
require adjustment under normal operating conditions.
Routine fluid level checks are not required, therefore the
transmission filler tube is capped and no dipstick is
provided. Your authorized dealer can check your trans-
mission fluid level using a special service dipstick. If you
notice fluid leakage or transmission malfunction, visit7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 601

your authorized dealer immediately to have the trans-
mission fluid level checked. Operating the vehicle with
an improper fluid level can cause severe transmission
damage.
CAUTION!
If a transmission fluid leak occurs, visit your autho-
rized dealer immediately. Severe transmission dam-
age may occur. Your authorized dealer has the proper
tools to adjust the fluid level accurately.
Fluid And Filter Changes
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
In addition, change the fluid and filter if the fluid
becomes contaminated (with water, etc.), or if the trans-
mission is disassembled for any reason.
Appearance Care And Protection From Corrosion
Protection Of Body And Paint From Corrosion
Vehicle body care requirements vary according to geo-
graphic locations and usage. Chemicals that make roads
passable in snow and ice and those that are sprayed on
trees and road surfaces during other seasons are highly
corrosive to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking,
which exposes your vehicle to airborne contaminants,
road surfaces on which the vehicle is operated, extreme
hot or cold weather and other extreme conditions will
have an adverse effect on paint, metal trim, and under-
body protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will enable
you to obtain maximum benefit from the corrosion
resistance built into your vehicle.
602 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Cavity Cartridge FuseMini-FuseDescription
M35 –10 Amp Red Heated Mirrors
M36 –20 Amp Yellow Power Outlet #3 (Instrument Panel or with
Console Center)
M37 –10 Amp Red Antilock Brakes, Stability Control, Stop Lamp,
Fuel Pump
M38 –25 Amp Clear Door Lock/Unlock Motors, Liftgate Lock/
Unlock Motors
The power windows are fused by a 25 Amp circuit
breaker located in the Totally Integrated Power Module.
VEHICLE STORAGE
If you are leaving your vehicle dormant for more than 21
days, you may want to take steps to protect your battery.
You may do the following:
•
Remove the 60 Amp cartridge in the Totally Integrated
Power Module (TIPM) labeled Ignition-Off Draw (IOD).
• Or, disconnect the negative cable from the battery.
• Anytime you store your vehicle, or keep it out of
service for two weeks or more, run the air conditioning
system at idle for about five minutes in the fresh air
and high blower setting. This will ensure adequate
system lubrication to minimize the possibility of com-
pressor damage when the system is started again.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 617

•Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir, brake
master cylinder, and power steering and fill as needed.
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights. Required Maintenance Intervals.
Refer to the maintenance schedules on the following
page for the required maintenance intervals.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change Indicator System:
•
Change oil and filter.
• Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator system
turns on.
• Inspect battery and clean and tighten terminals as required.
• Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses and park brake.
• Inspect engine cooling system protection and hoses.
• Inspect exhaust system.
• Inspect engine air cleaner if using in dusty or off-road conditions. 8
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 631

Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first)
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
Or Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000
Additional Maintenance
Replace engine air filter. XX X X X
Replace cabin/air conditioning
filter. XXX X X X X
Replace spark plugs
(3.6L engine). ** X
Flush and replace the engine
coolant at 10 years or
150,000 miles (240,000 km)
whichever comes first. XX
8
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 633

About Your Brakes....................... .462
Adding Engine Coolant (Antifreeze) ............594
Adding Fuel ............................ .519
Adding Washer Fluid ..................... .591
Additives, Fuel .......................... .514
Adjustable Pedals ........................ .210
Airbag.................................78
Air Bag Advance Front Air Bag ....................79
Air Bag Components .....................78
Air bag Operation .......................81
Air Bag Warning Light ....................90
Driver Knee Air Bag ......................83
Enhanced Accident Response ................89
Event Data Recorder (EDR) .................92
FrontAirBag...........................78
If A Deployment Occurs ...................88
Knee Impact Bolsters .....................82
Maintaining Your Air Bag System ............92Side Air Bags
...........................83
Air bag Deployment ........................78
Air bag Light .............................90
Air bag Maintenance ........................92
Air Cleaner, Engine (Engine Air Cleaner Filter) . . . .583
Air Conditioner Maintenance .................587
Air Conditioning ......................... .412
Air Conditioning Controls ...................412
Air Conditioning Filter .....................432
Air Conditioning, Operating Tips ..............431
Air Conditioning, Rear Zone .................417
Air Conditioning Refrigerant .................587
Air Conditioning System ....................412
Air Conditioning System, Zone Control ..........412
Air Pressure, Tires ........................ .488
Alarm (Security Alarm) ......................17
Alterations/Modifications, Vehicle ...............7
Antenna, Satellite Radio .....................352
Antifreeze (Engine Coolant) ..................593
648 INDEX

Checking Oil Level..................... .580
Compartment ......................... .575
Compartment Identification ................575
Coolant (Antifreeze) .....................592
Cooling ............................. .592
Exhaust Gas Caution .....................106
Flooded, Starting ...................... .440
Fuel Requirements ......................511
Oil................................. .580
Oil Selection .......................... .581
Oil Synthetic ......................... .583
Overheating .......................... .540
Starting ............................. .439
Engine Oil Viscosity ...................... .582
Engine Oil Viscosity Chart ...................582
Enhanced Accident Response Feature ............89
Entry System, Illuminated ....................20
Ethanol ............................... .512
Event Data Recorder ........................92 Exhaust Gas Caution
...................... .106
Exhaust System .......................... .106
Exterior Lights ...........................110
Fabric Care ............................. .606
Filler Location Fuel ....................... .289
Filters Air Cleaner .......................... .583
Air Conditioning ...................... .432
Engine Oil ........................... .583
Engine Oil Disposal .....................583
Flashers Hazard Warning ....................... .540
Turn Signal ............................110
Flash-To-Pass ........................... .204
Flexible Fuel Vehicles Cruising Range ........................ .518
Engine Oil ........................... .517
Fuel Requirements ..................... .516
10
INDEX 653