transmission fluid RAM CHASSIS CAB 2017 User Guide

CAUTION!• DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle. Towing with
only one set of wheels on the ground (front or rear)
will cause severe transmission and/or transfer case
damage. Tow with all four wheels either ON the
ground, or OFF the ground (using a vehicle trailer).
• Tow only in the forward direction. Towing this
vehicle backwards can cause severe damage to the
transfer case.
• Before recreational towing, the transfer case must be
in NEUTRAL. To be certain the transfer case is fully
in NEUTRAL, perform the procedure outlined under
“Shifting Into NEUTRAL”. Internal transmission
damage will result, if the transfer case is not in
NEUTRAL during towing.
• Automatic transmissions must be placed in PARK,
and manual transmissions must be placed in gear
(not in Neutral) for recreational towing.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage. Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. (Continued) CAUTION! (Continued)• Do not disconnect the rear driveshaft because fluid
will leak from the transfer case, causing damage to
internal parts.
• Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on tow bar on
your vehicle. The bumper face bar will be damaged.
Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing.
WARNING!You or others could be injured or killed if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the NEU-
TRAL (N) position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL (N) position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from the
powertrain, and will allow the vehicle to roll, even if the
automatic transmission is in PARK (or manual transmis-
sion is in gear). The parking brake should always be
applied when the driver is not in the vehicle. 5STARTING AND OPERATING 421

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLECONTENTS  ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.4L .......... .447
 ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (OBD II) . . . .448
▫ Onboard Diagnostic System (OBD II)
Cybersecurity ........................ .448
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............ .449
 EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS ............. .449
 REPLACEMENT PARTS .................. .450
 DEALER SERVICE ...................... .450
 MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ............ .451
▫ Engine Oil .......................... .451
▫ Engine Oil Filter ...................... .453
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ................ .454
▫ Accessory Drive Belt Inspection ........... .456
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery ................ .458 ▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance ............. .459
▫ Front Prop Shaft Lubrication —
Four-Wheel Drive Models ................ .465
▫ Body Lubrication ..................... .466
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ................ .466
▫ Adding Washer Fluid .................. .469
▫ Exhaust System ....................... .470
▫ Cooling System ....................... .471
▫ Brake System ........................ .475
▫ Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle
Fluid Level .......................... .476
▫ Transfer Case ........................ .477
▫ Automatic Transmission — If Equipped ..... .478
▫ Appearance Care And Protection From
Corrosion ........................... .4807

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.4L
1 — Coolant Pressure Bottle 6 — Battery
2 — Transmission Dipstick 7 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 8 — Washer Solvent
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 9 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 10 — Air Cleaner Filter 7MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 447

WARNING!You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Only do service work for which you
have the knowledge and the proper equipment. If you
have any doubt about your ability to perform a service
job, take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain the required maintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides those maintenance items specified in the fixed
“Maintenance Schedule”, there are other components
which may require servicing or replacement in the future.
CAUTION!• Failure to properly maintain your vehicle or perform
repairs and service when necessary could result in
more costly repairs, damage to other components or
negatively impact vehicle performance. Immediately (Continued) CAUTION! (Continued)have potential malfunctions examined by an autho-
rized dealer or qualified repair center.
• Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of your
vehicle and also allow extended maintenance inter-
vals. Do not use chemical flushes in these compo-
nents as the chemicals can damage your engine,
transmission, or air conditioning. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. If a
flush is needed because of component malfunction,
use only the specified fluid for the flushing proce-
dure.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. Check
the oil level at regular intervals, such as every fuel stop.
The best time to check the engine oil level is about five
minutes after a fully warmed up engine is shut off. 7MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 451

Fluid Level Check
This fluid level can be checked by removing the filler plug.
The fluid level should be to the bottom edge of the filler
plug hole with the vehicle in a level position.
Automatic Transmission — If Equipped
Selection Of Lubricant
It is important to use the proper transmission fluid to
ensure optimum transmission performance and life. Use
only the manufacturer ’s specified transmission fluid. Refer
to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in this section
for fluid specifications. It is important to maintain the
transmission fluid at the correct level using the recom-
mended fluid. No chemical flushes should be used in any
transmission; only the approved lubricant should be used.
CAUTION!Using a transmission fluid other than the manufactur-
er ’s recommended fluid may cause deterioration in
transmission shift quality and/or torque converter
shudder, and will require more frequent fluid and CAUTION! (Continued)filter changes. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genu-
ine Parts” in “Technical Specifications” for fluid speci-
fications.
Special Additives
The manufacturer strongly recommends against using any
special additives in the transmission. Automatic Transmis-
sion Fluid (ATF) is an engineered product and its perfor-
mance may be impaired by supplemental additives. There-
fore, do not add any fluid additives to the transmission.
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.478 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Fluid Level Check
Check the fluid level when the engine is fully warmed up
and the transmission fluid is at normal operating tempera-
ture. Driving with an improper fluid level will greatly
reduce the life of the transmission and of the fluid. Check
the fluid level whenever the vehicle is serviced.
Fluid Level Check — Procedure
It is best to check the fluid level when the transmission is
at normal operating temperature (170-180°F / 77-82°C for
66RFE transmission, or 158–176°F / 70–80°C for AS66RC
transmission). This normally occurs after at least 15 miles
(25 km) of driving. At normal operating temperature the
fluid cannot be held comfortably between the fingertips.
You can read the transmission sump temperature in the
instrument cluster display (refer to  Instrument Cluster
Display” in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for
further information).
Use the following procedure to check the transmission
fluid level properly:
1. Monitor the transmission temperature using the instru-
ment cluster display, and operate the vehicle as required
to reach the normal operating temperature. If the trans-
mission is not functioning properly, or the vehicle cannot be driven, see the NOTE and CAUTION below
about checking the fluid level at colder temperatures.
2. Park the vehicle on level ground.
3. Run the engine at normal idle speed for at least 60
seconds, and leave the engine running for the rest of this
procedure.
4. Fully apply the parking brake and press the brake pedal.
5. Place the gear selector momentarily into each gear
position (allowing time for the transmission to fully
engage in each position), ending with the transmission
in PARK.
6. Wipe the area around the dipstick clean to prevent dirt
from entering the transmission.
7. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean and reinsert it until
seated.
8. Remove the dipstick again and note the fluid level on
both sides. The fluid level reading is only valid if there
is a solid coating of oil on both sides of the dipstick.
Note that the holes in the dipstick will be full of fluid if
the actual level is at or above the hole. The fluid level
should be between the “HOT” (upper) reference holes
on the dipstick at normal operating temperature. If the 7MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 479

fluid level is low, add fluid through the dipstick tube to
bring it to the proper level. Do not overfill. Use ONLY
the specified fluid (see  Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts  for fluid specifications). After adding any quan-
tity of oil through the dipstick tube, wait a minimum of
two minutes for the oil to fully drain into the transmis-
sion before rechecking the fluid level.
NOTE: If it is necessary to check the transmission below
the operating temperature, the fluid level should be be-
tween the two “COLD” (lower) holes on the dipstick with
the fluid at 60-70°F / 16-21°C for 66RFE transmission, or
68-86°F / 20-30°C for AS66RC transmission. Only use the
COLD region of the dipstick as a rough reference when
setting the fluid level after a transmission service or fluid
change. Re-check the fluid level, and adjust as required,
once the transmission reaches normal operating tempera-
ture.
CAUTION!If the fluid temperature is below 50°F (10°C) it may not
register on the dipstick. Do not add fluid until the
temperature is elevated enough to produce an accurate
reading. Run the engine at idle, in PARK, to warm the
fluid. 9. Reinsert the dipstick. Check for leaks. Release the park-
ing brake.
NOTE: To prevent dirt and water from entering the trans-
mission after checking or replenishing fluid, make sure that
the dipstick cap is properly reseated. It is normal for the
dipstick cap to spring back slightly from its fully seated
position, as long as its seal remains engaged in the dipstick
tube.
Fluid And Filter Changes — Six Speed Transmission
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper main-
tenance intervals.
In addition, change the fluid and filter(s) if the fluid
becomes contaminated (with water, etc.), or if the transmis-
sion 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 chemicals 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, road480 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Chassis
Component Fluid, Lubricant, or Genuine Part
Automatic Transmission (6.4L Engine
with 66RFE Transmission) (For Diesel
Engine See Diesel Supplement) Use only ATF+4 Automatic Transmission Fluid. Failure to use ATF+4 fluid
may affect the function or performance of your transmission. We recom-
mend MOPAR ATF+4 fluid.
Automatic Transmission (6.4L Engine
with AS66RC Transmission) Use only MOPAR ASRC Automatic Transmission Fluid or equivalent. Fail-
ure to use the proper fluid may affect the function or performance of your
transmission.
Transfer Case We recommend you use MOPAR BW44-44 Transfer Case Fluid.
Front and Rear Axle Fluid (4500/5500) We recommend you use GL-5 SAE 75W-90 Synthetic (MS-9763). Limited
slip additive is not required for Limited-Slip Rear Axles.
Brake Master Cylinder We recommend you use MOPAR DOT 3 and SAE J1703. If DOT 3 brake
fluid is not available, then DOT 4 is acceptable.
Power Steering Reservoir We recommend you use MOPAR Power Steering Fluid +4, MOPAR ATF+4
Automatic Transmission Fluid. 7MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 503

Maintenance Chart
Required Maintenance
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules on the following pages
for required maintenance.
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. At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil
Change Indicator System:
• Inspect automatic transmission fluid if equipped
with dipstick.
• 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.
• Lube the front drive shaft fitting.
8MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 507

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
150,000Or Years: 23456789101112131415
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
240,000Additional Inspections
Inspect the CV/Universal joints. XXXXX
Inspect front suspension, tie rod ends,
and replace if necessary. XXXXXXX
Inspect the front and rear axle surfaces.
If gear oil leakage is suspected, check
the fluid level. If using your vehicle for
police, taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent
trailer towing, change axle fluid. XXXXXXX
Inspect the brake linings, parking brake
function. XXXXXXX
Additional Maintenance
Replace engine air filter. XXXXX
Replace spark plugs. ** X
Flush and replace the engine coolant at
10 years or 150,000 miles (240,000 km)
whichever comes first. XX
Change the automatic transmission fluid
(AS66RC Transmission Only). XXX508 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES