RAM CHASSIS CAB 2021 Owners Manual

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY339
(Continued)
Automatic SOS — If Equipped
Automatic SOS is a hands-free safety service
that can immediately connect you with help in
the event that your vehicle’s airbags deploy.
Please refer to your provided radio supplement
for complete information.
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
4500/5500 MODELS
These vehicles do not come equipped with a
jack.
NOTE:

Jacking and tire changing on 4500/5500 models
should be performed by an authorized dealer, or
knowledgeable service personnel with the appro -
priate heavy duty equipment, like a tire service
company.

PREPARATIONS FOR JACKING

1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface. Avoid ice or slippery areas.

2. Place the gear selector into PARK. On four-wheel drive vehicles, shift the
transfer case to the 4WD Low position.
3. Turn on the Hazard Warning Flashers.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Turn the ignition OFF.
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 the danger
of being hit when operating the jack or
changing the wheel.
Being under a jacked-up vehicle is
dangerous. The vehicle could slip off the
jack and fall on you. You could be crushed.
Never put any part of your body under a
vehicle that is on a jack. If you need to get
under a raised vehicle, take it to a service
center where it can be raised on a lift.
Never start or run the engine while the
vehicle is on a jack.
The jack is designed to be used as a tool for
changing tires only. The jack should not be
used to lift the vehicle for service purposes.
The vehicle should be jacked on a firm level
surface only. Avoid ice or slippery areas.
WARNING! (Continued)
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.
7

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340IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
(Continued)
6. Block both the front and rear of the wheel diagonally opposite the jacking position.
For example, if the driver’s front wheel is
being changed, block the passenger’s rear
wheel.

Wheel Blocked

NOTE:
Passengers should not remain in the vehicle
when the vehicle is being jacked.JACKING INSTRUCTIONS 4500 AND
5500 S
ERIES

Jack Warning Label

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 Flashers.
Apply the parking brake firmly and set the
transmission in PARK.
Block the wheel diagonally opposite the
wheel to be raised.
Never start or run the engine with the
vehicle on a jack.
Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it
is on a jack.
Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a
jack. If you need to get under a raised
vehicle, take it to a service center where it
can be raised on a lift.
Only use the jack in the positions indicated
and for lifting this vehicle during a tire
change.
If working on or near a roadway, be
extremely careful of motor traffic.
To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated,
are securely stowed, spares must be
stowed with the valve stem facing the
ground.
WARNING! (Continued)

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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY341

1. If equipped, remove the spare wheel, jack,
and tools from storage.

2. Using the lug wrench, loosen, but do not remove, the lug nuts by turning them
counterclockwise one turn while the wheel
is still on the ground.
3. When changing the front wheel, assemble the jack driver to the jack and connect the
jack driver to the extension tube. Place the
jack under the axle as close to the tire as
possible with the jack driver extending to
the front. Connect the extension tubes and
lug wrench.
Front Jacking Locations

When changing a rear wheel, assemble the
jack driver to the jack and connect the jack
driver to the extension tubes. Securely
place the jack under the sway bar bracket
(unless both tires are flat on one side, then
place jack under shock bracket) facing for -
ward in vehicle. Connect the extension
tubes and lug wrench.
Rear Jacking Location

Before raising the wheel off the ground,
make sure that the jack will not damage
surrounding truck parts and adjust the jack
position as required.
NOTE:
If the jack will not lower by turning the dial
(thumbwheel) by hand, it may be necessary to
use the jack driver in order to lower the jack.
4. By rotating the lug wrench clockwise, raise the vehicle until the wheel just clears the
surface.
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to raise the vehicle by jacking
on locations other than those indicated in the
Jacking Instructions for this vehicle.
7

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342IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
5. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel off.
Install the spare wheel and lug nuts with the
cone shaped end of the nuts toward the
wheel on Single Rear-Wheel (SRW) models.
On Dual Rear-Wheel models (DRW) the lug
nuts are a two-piece assembly with a flat
face. Lightly tighten the nuts. To avoid risk
of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not
fully tighten the nuts until the vehicle has
been lowered.
6. Using the lug wrench, finish tightening the nuts using a crisscross pattern
Úpage 432. If in doubt about the correct
tightness, have them checked with a torque
wrench by an authorized dealer or at a
service station. 7. Install wheel center cap (if equipped) and
remove wheel blocks. Do not install chrome
or aluminum wheel center caps on the
spare wheel. This may result in cap damage.
8. Lower the jack to its fully closed position. If the jack will not lower by turning the dial
(thumbwheel) by hand, it may be necessary
to use the jack driver in order to lower the
jack. Stow the replaced tire, jack, and tools
as previously described.
9. Adjust the tire pressure when possible.
10. After 25 miles (40 km), check the lug nut torque Úpage 432 with a torque wrench to
ensure that all lug nuts are properly seated
against the wheel.
Dual Rear Wheels
Slots in the wheels will assist in properly
orienting the inner and outer wheels. Align
these slots when assembling the wheels
for best access to the tire valve on the inner
wheel. The tires of both dual wheels must be
completely off the ground when tightening to
ensure wheel centering and maximum wheel
clamping.
Dual wheel models require a special heavy-duty
lug nut tightening adapter (included with the
vehicle) to correctly tighten the lug nuts. Also,
when it is necessary to remove and install dual
rear wheels, use a proper vehicle lifting device.
NOTE:
When installing a spare tire (if equipped) as part
of a dual rear wheel end combination, the tire
diameter of the two individual tires must be
compared. If there is a significant difference,
the larger tire should be installed in a front loca-
tion. The correct direction of rotation for dual
tire installations must also be observed.
It is recommended that wheel stud nuts be kept
torqued to specifications at all times. Torque
wheel stud nuts to specifications at each
lubrication interval Ú page 432.WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can
make the vehicle less stable. It could slip off
the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the
vehicle only enough to remove the tire.
WARNING!

A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision
or hard stop, could endanger the occupants of
the vehicle. Always stow the jack parts and the
spare tire in the places provided.

21_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 342

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY343
(Continued)
Wheel Nuts

All wheel nuts should be tightened occasionally
to eliminate the possibility of wheel studs being
sheared or the bolt holes in the wheels becoming
elongated. This is especially important during the
first few hundred miles/kilometers of operation
to allow the wheel nuts to become properly set.
All wheel nuts should first be firmly seated
against the wheel. The wheel nuts should then
be tightened to recommended torque. Tighten
the wheel nuts to final torque in increments.
Progress around the bolt circle, tightening the
wheel nut opposite to the wheel nut just
previously tightened until final torque is achieved

Ú
page 432.

TO STOW THE FLAT OR SPARE — IF
E
QUIPPED
Refer to Upfitters Body Builder’s Guide for
information on stowing your spare tire
(if equipped).
HUB CAPS/WHEEL COVERS — IF
E
QUIPPED
The hub caps must be removed before raising
the vehicle off the ground. For 3500 Single Rear-Wheel (SRW) models, use
the flat end of the lug wrench to hook and pull
off the hub cap. Find the opening in the hub cap,
insert the lug wrench, and pull off the cap. If you
need to pry against the wheel, protect the wheel
surface.

Lug Wrench Insertion Location — Hub Cap
On 3500 models with Dual Rear-Wheels (DRW),
you must first remove the hub caps—use the
procedure noted for the single rear wheel. For
the wheel covers (wheel skins), insert the flat
end of the lug wrench between the outer edge
of the wheel cover and the wheel. Pry against
the wheel to remove the wheel cover. Repeat
this procedure around the wheel until the cover
pops off.

Lug Wrench Insertion Location — Wheel Cover

CAUTION!

Use extreme caution when removing the front and
rear wheel covers. Damage can occur to the
center cap and/or the wheel if screwdriver type
tools are used. A pulling motion, not a pry off
motion, is recommended to remove the caps.

CAUTION!
Use a pulling motion to remove the hub
cap. Do not use a twisting motion when
removing the hub cap, damage to the hub
cap; finish may occur.
7

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344IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
Replace the wheel covers using a rubber mallet
to ease the installation. Align the wheel cover
vent holes to the wheel vent holes. Tap on the
wheel cover as needed to firmly seat it evenly
around the wheel.
JUMP STARTING
If your vehicle has a discharged battery, it can
be jump started using a set of jumper cables
and a battery in another vehicle, or by using a
portable battery booster pack. Jump starting
can be dangerous if done improperly, so please
follow the procedures in this section carefully. NOTE:
When using a portable battery booster pack,
follow the manufacturer's operating instruc
-
tions and precautions.
PREPARATIONS FOR JUMP START
The battery in your vehicle is located in the front
of the engine compartment, behind the left
headlight assembly.

Battery Location
If you have a diesel engine, you may have two
batteries, however jump start off the driver side
battery.
The positive battery post may be covered with a
protective cap if equipped. Lift up on the cap to
gain access to the positive battery post. Do not
jump off fuses. Only jump directly off positive
post which has a positive
(+) symbol on or
around the post.

Positive (+) Battery Post

NOTE:

1. Apply the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission into PARK and
turn the ignition OFF.

2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all electrical accessories.
The rear hub caps on the dual rear wheel
has two pull off notches. Make sure that the
hook of the jack handle driver is located
squarely in the cap notch before attempting
to pull off.
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump starting if the battery is
frozen. It could rupture or explode and cause
personal injury.
CAUTION! (Continued)CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack or
any other booster source with a system
voltage greater than 12 Volts or damage to
the battery, starter motor, alternator or
electrical system may occur.

21_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 344

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY345
3. If using another vehicle to jump start the
battery, park the vehicle within the jumper
cables reach, apply the parking brake, and
make sure the ignition is OFF.JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE
NOTE:
Make sure at all times that unused ends of
jumper cables are not contacting each other or
either vehicle while making connections.
Connecting The Jumper Cables

1. Connect the positive
(+) end of the jumper
cable to the positive (+)
post of the
discharged vehicle.

NOTE:
Do not jump off fuses. Only jump directly off
positive post. 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.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-)
jumper cable to a good engine ground.
A “ground” is an exposed metallic/
unpainted part of the engine, frame or
chassis, such as an accessory bracket or
large bolt. The ground must be away from
the battery and fuel injection system.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster battery, let the engine idle a few
minutes, and then start the engine in the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
WARNING!
Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan
whenever 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.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as
this could establish a ground connection and
personal injury could result.
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.
WARNING!
Do not connect the jumper cable to the
negative (-) post of the discharged battery.
The resulting electrical spark could cause the
battery to explode and could result in
personal injury.7

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346IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
6. Once the engine is started, follow the
disconnecting procedure below.
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables

1. Disconnect the negative
(-)
end of the
jumper cable from the engine ground of
the vehicle with the discharged battery.

2. Disconnect the opposite end of the negative (-) jumper cable from the
negative (-) post of the booster battery.
3. Disconnect the positive (+) end of the
jumper cable from the positive (+) post of
the booster battery.
4. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive (+) jumper cable from the
positive (+) post of the vehicle with the
discharged battery.
If frequent jump starting is required to start your
vehicle you should have the battery and charging
system inspected at an authorized dealer.

IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can
reduce the potential for overheating by taking
the appropriate action.
On the highways — slow down.
In city traffic — while stopped, place the trans
-
mission in NEUTRAL, but do not increase the
engine idle speed while preventing vehicle
motion with the brakes. NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
If your Air Conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off.
The A/C system adds heat to the engine
cooling system and turning the A/C off can
help remove this heat.
You can also turn the temperature control to
maximum heat, the mode control to floor and
the blower control to high. This allows the
heater core to act as a supplement to the
radiator and aids in removing heat from the
engine cooling system.
CAUTION!
Do not connect jumper cable to any of the
fuses on the positive battery terminal. The
resulting electrical current will blow the fuse.
CAUTION!

Accessories plugged into the vehicle power
outlets draw power from the vehicle’s battery,
even when not in use (i.e., cellular devices,
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.

WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming
from under the hood, do not open the hood
until the radiator has had time to cool. Never
try to open a cooling system pressure cap
when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.

21_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 346

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY347
GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE — 6–SPEED
TRANSMISSION
In order to move the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (P) (such
as a depleted battery), a Manual Park Release
is available.

1. Turn the engine OFF.

2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Tilt the steering wheel to the full up position.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the
brake pedal. 5. Insert a screwdriver or similar tool into the
access port (ringed circle) on the bottom of
the steering column, and push and hold the
override release lever up.

Gear Selector Override Access Port Location Gear Selector Override Access Port Engaging The Access Port

6. Move the gear selector to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If the temperature
gauge reads HOT (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 HOT (H), and you hear continuous
chimes, turn the engine off immediately and
call for service.
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348IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 – SPEED
TRANSMISSION
In order to move the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (P) (such
as a depleted battery), a Manual Park Release
is available. Follow these steps to activate the Manual Park
Release:

1. Firmly apply the parking brake.

2. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool,
remove the Manual Park Release access
cover, which is just above the parking brake
release handle, below and to the left of the
steering column.

Manual Park Release Cover

3. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
4. Using the screwdriver or similar tool, push the Manual Park Release lever locking tab
(just below the middle of the lever) upwards.
Manual Park Release Pull Strap

5. While holding the locking tab in the disengaged position, pull the tether strap to
rotate the lever rearward, until it locks in
place pointing towards the driver's seat.
Release the locking tab and verify that the
Manual Park Release lever is locked in the
released position.
6. The vehicle is now out of PARK and can be towed. Release the parking brake only when
the vehicle is securely connected to a tow
vehicle.
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying
the parking brake before activating the
Manual Park Release. In addition, you should
be seated in the driver’s seat with your foot
firmly on the brake pedal when activating the
Manual Park Release. Activating the Manual
Park Release will allow your vehicle to roll
away if it is not secured by the parking brake,
or by proper connection to a tow vehicle.
Activating the Manual Park Release on an
unsecured vehicle could lead to serious injury
or death for those in or around the vehicle.

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