brake Ram Cargo Van 2015 Repair Manual

Recreational Towing — All Models
Recreational towing is allowed ONLY if the front 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, followingthe dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Drive the front wheels onto the tow dolly.
3. Firmly apply the parking brake. Place the transmis- sion in PARK.
4. Properly secure the front wheels to the dolly, follow- ing the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Release the parking brake.
CAUTION!
• DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the
drivetrain will result. If this vehicle requires tow-
ing, make sure the drive wheels are OFF the
ground.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above re-
quirements can cause severe transmission damage.
Damage from improper towing is not covered un-
der the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
538 STARTING AND OPERATING

4. Stand the tire/cover assembly upright and remove thewheel spacer by squeezing the winch retaining tabs
together. Push the retainer through the spare tire to
release it from the wheel.Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface. Avoid ice orslippery areas.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic, pull far enough off
the road to avoid being hit when operating the jack
or changing the wheel.
2. Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Place the shift lever into PARK.
5. Turn OFF the ignition.
Removing Wheel Spacer
550 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

6. Block both the front and rear of the wheel diagonallyopposite of the jacking position. For
example, if changing the right front
tire, block the left rear wheel.
NOTE: Passengers should not remain in the vehicle
when the vehicle is being jacked.Jacking Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to
help prevent personal injury or damage to your
vehicle:
• Always park on a firm, level surface as far from the
edge of the roadway as possible before raising the
vehicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to
be raised.
• Set the parking brake firmly and set an automatic
transmission in PARK; a manual transmission in
REVERSE.
• Never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a
jack.
(Continued)
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 551

Preparations For Jump-Start
The battery in your vehicle is located on the left side of
the engine compartment.
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
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 563

3. If using another vehicle to jump-start the battery, parkthe vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
Jump-Starting Procedure
WARNING!
Failure to follow this jump-starting procedure could
result in personal injury or property damage due to
battery explosion.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
Connecting The Jumper Cables
1. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+)post of the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable to the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative (-)end of the jumper cable to the
negative (-)post of the booster battery.
564 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle power outlets
draw power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not
in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.). Eventually, if
plugged in long enough without engine operation,
the vehicle’s battery will discharge sufficiently to
degrade battery life and/or prevent the engine from
starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE while gently pressing the accelerator. Use
the least amount of accelerator pedal pressure that willmaintain the rocking motion, without spinning the
wheels or racing the engine.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL for at
least one minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce
the risk of transmission failure during prolonged
efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
NOTE: Press the ESC Off switch, to place the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system in Partial Offmode
before rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake
Control System” in “Starting and Operating” for further
information. Once the vehicle has been freed, press the
ESC Off switch again to restore ESC Onmode.
566 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting be-
tween DRIVE and REVERSE, do not spin the
wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain
damage may result.
• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure.
It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no trans-
mission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the
following procedure to temporarily move the shift lever:
1. Turn the engine OFF.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 567

3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove theshift lever override access cover (located near the top
right of the shift lever in the instrument panel). 4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Insert the screwdriver or similar tool into the access
hole, and push and hold the override release lever
forward.
6. Move the shift lever to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
8. Reinstall the shift lever override access cover.
Shift Lever Override Access Cover
568 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L ..........575

ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM — OBD II . . .576
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............576

EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS ......................... .577
REPLACEMENT PARTS ..................579
 DEALER SERVICE ..................... .579
 MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ...........580
▫ Engine Oil ......................... .580
▫ Engine Oil Filter ..................... .583▫
Engine Air Cleaner Filter ................583
▫ Exhaust System ..................... .584
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery ...............586
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance .............587
▫ Body Lubrication .....................590
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ...............590
▫ Cooling System ..................... .592
▫ Brake System ....................... .598
▫ Automatic Transmission ................600
7

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L
1 — Air Filter6 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
2 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir 7 — Engine Oil Dipstick
3 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Engine Oil Fill
4 — Battery 9 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Totally Integrated Power Module (Fuses) 10 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 575