Ram ProMaster 2016 Diesel Supplement

Engine Idling
Avoid prolonged idling, long periods of idling may be
harmful to your engine because combustion chamber
temperatures can drop so low that the fuel may not burn
completely. Incomplete combustion allows carbon and
varnish to form on piston rings, cylinder head valves,
and injector nozzles. Also, the unburned fuel can enter
the crankcase, diluting the oil and causing rapid wear to
the engine.
Stopping The Engine
Idle the engine a few minutes before routine shutdown.
After full load operation, idle the engine three to five
minutes before shutting it down. This idle period will
allow the lubricating oil and coolant to carry excess heat
away from the combustion chamber, bearings, internal
components, and turbocharger. This is especially impor-
tant for turbocharged diesel engines.
NOTE:Refer to the following chart for proper engine
shutdown.
Driving
Condition LoadTurbo-
charger
Tempera- ture Idle Time
(min.)
Before
Engine
Shutdown
Stop and Go Empty Cool Less than
One
Stop and Go Medium
One
Highway Speeds Medium Warm Two
City Traffic Maximum GCWR Three
Highway Speeds Maximum
GCWR Four
Uphill Grade Maximum
GCWR Hot Five
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Cooling System Tips — Automated Manual
Transmission
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating in high ambient temperature conditions, take the
following actions:
•City Driving
— When stopped, shift the transmis-
sion into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle
speed.
• Highway Driving— Reduce your speed.
•Up Steep Hills— Select a lower transmission gear.
•Air Conditioning— Turn it off temporarily. Do Not Operate The Engine With Low Oil
Pressure
If the low oil pressure warning light turns on while
driving, stop the vehicle and shut down the engine as
soon as possible. A chime will sound when the light turns
on.
NOTE:
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is
corrected. This light does not show how much oil is in the
engine. The engine oil level must be checked under the
hood.
CAUTION!
If oil pressure falls to less than normal readings, shut
the engine off immediately. Failure to do so could
result in immediate and severe engine damage.
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Do Not Operate The Engine With Failed Parts
All engine failures give some warning before the parts
fail. Be on the alert for changes in performance, sounds,
and visual evidence that the engine requires service.
Some important clues are:
•Engine misfiring or vibrating severely.
• Sudden loss of power.
• Unusual engine noises.
• Fuel, oil or coolant leaks.
• Sudden change, outside the normal operating range, in
the engine operating temperature.
• Excessive smoke.
• Oil pressure drop.
ENGINE BLOCK/TRANSMISSION HEATER — IF
EQUIPPED
To ensure reliable starting/operating at these tempera-
tures, use of an externally powered electric engine block/
transmission heater (available from your authorized
dealer) is recommended.
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. The transmission
heaters warm gearbox oil and hydraulic actuation system
oil to operate in cold weather. Connect the heater cord to
a ground-fault interrupter protected 110–115 Volt AC
electrical outlet with a grounded, three-wire extension
cord.
Its use is recommended for environments that routinely
fall below -10°F (-23°C). It should be used when the
vehicle has not been running overnight or longer periods
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STARTING AND OPERATING 61

and should be plugged in two hours prior to start. Its use
is required for cold starts with temperatures under -17°F
(-27°C).
In the case of LOW temperature after Starting, the
Automated Manual Transmission may not be able to
engage first gear. In this case a messageShift not
allowed appears. In this situation use the engine block
heater.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110–115 Volt electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
NOTE: The block heater will require 110 Volts AC and
6.5 Amps to activate the heater element.
AUTOMATED MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without fully applying the park-
ing brake. The parking brake should always be
applied when the driver is not in the vehicle.
The automated manual transmission is a conventional
six-speed manual transmission with an electronically-
controlled hydraulic system that controls the clutch and
gear shifting. In forward gears, this transmission offers
two modes of operation:
• MANUAL (M) Mode — where the driver controls the
transmission shifting.
• Automatic Mode (the DRIVE [D] position)
— where
the electronic system controls the gear shifts.
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NOTE:In either mode, there is no clutch pedal; the
electronic system always controls the clutch operation.
Shift Lever/Transmission Gear Position
The transmission shift lever has REVERSE (R), NEU-
TRAL (N), DRIVE (D) and MANUAL (M) positions.
In the MANUAL (M) position, the lever can be toggled
rearward or forward (+/-) to upshift or downshift the
transmission to the next gear.
With the key ON and the engine OFF the shift lever can
be moved freely from NEUTRAL (N) to DRIVE (D) or
REVERSE (R), however the transmission will not actually
shift unless the brake pedal is pressed. Therefore, the
shift lever and the Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC) display may not correspond to the actual trans-
mission gear range. With the engine running transmis-
sion shifts are allowed even if the brake pedal is not
pressed. NOTE:
•
The Automated Manual Transmission must be in
NEUTRAL (N) to start the vehicle.
• The actual transmission gear range (R, N, D, 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, or 6) is displayed in the EVIC whenever the engine
is running.
• When the key is turned OFF the transmission remains
in its previous gear position, regardless of the shift
lever position.
• When the key is turned ON (engine off), the EVIC
display may indicate the shift lever position rather
than the actual transmission gear position.
To shift the transmission to a particular gear range (with
key ON/engine off), press and hold the brake pedal,
move the shift lever to NEUTRAL (N), then move the
shift lever to the desired position.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 63

To drive, press the brake pedal and start the engine, then
move the shift lever from NEUTRAL (N) to the DRIVE
(D) position for automatic mode, the MANUAL (M)
position for manual mode or the REVERSE (R) position.Only shift into DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R) when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped. It
is necessary to keep your foot on the brake pedal when
shifting between these gears.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from NEUTRAL
into another gear range.
NOTE:
After selecting any gear range, wait to allow the
selected gear to engage before accelerating. This is espe-
cially important when the engine is cold.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
To engage REVERSE (R):
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Move the shift lever to the REVERSE (R) position.Shift Lever
64 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:If the vehicle is moving, REVERSE engagement
will only occur if the vehicle speed is less than 2 mph
(3 km/h). Otherwise, a chime will sound, a Shift not
allowed message will be displayed in the EVIC, the
transmission will shift to NEUTRAL, and the REVERSE
request must then be repeated by returning the lever to
NEUTRAL then back into REVERSE one the vehicle has
come to a complete stop.
• Release the brake pedal and gently press the accelera-
tor pedal.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine can only be
started in this range. Apply the parking brake, shift the
transmission into gear, and turn the engine OFF if you
must leave the vehicle. With the engine running, you may shift to NEUTRAL (N)
at any time if the accelerator pedal is released. Attempt-
ing to shift to NEUTRAL when the accelerator pedal is
depressed will display a
Shift not allowedmessage in
the EVIC, and will activate a continuous chime until the
shift lever is returned to its previous position.
DRIVE (D) (Automatic Mode)
This range may be used for both city and highway
driving. The transmission will shift gears automatically,
based on vehicle speed, engine RPM and accelerator
pedal position. There are some instances where this mode
may be necessary (climbing slippery slopes).
NOTE: Do not press the brake and accelerator pedals at
the same time. Use only one foot to operate the brake and
accelerator.5
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To operate in DRIVE (D) (Automatic mode):
•Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Move the shift lever to the DRIVE (D) position.
NOTE: If the vehicle is moving, DRIVE engagement will
only occur if the vehicle speed is less than 2 mph
(3 km/h). Otherwise, a chime will sound, the transmis-
sion will shift to NEUTRAL, and the DRIVE request must
then be repeated by returning the lever to NEUTRAL and
then back into DRIVE once the speed has been suffi-
ciently reduced.
• To drive, release the brake pedal and press the accel-
erator pedal.
When in DRIVE (D) the transmission will shift gears
automatically, the Automated Manual Transmission uses a geartrain and clutch similar to a other manual trans-
missions. Therefore, you should become familiar with
some of the normal operational characteristics of the
Automated Manual Transmission:
•
Engine torque will be interrupted briefly during the
transmission upshifts, making these shifts more abrupt
than with a typical automatic transmission. This is
normal.
• Although transmission shifting is performed auto-
matically, the vehicle will not creepwhen the brake
pedal is released, and may in fact roll down on an
incline. Leaving from a stop, the accelerator pedal
must be pressed to transmit driving torque to the
wheels.
• In Automatic Mode, the Automated Manual Transmis-
sion adapts the gear changing strategy evaluating the
road condition such as slopes in the road.
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•During low-speed driving conditions in first gear,
vehicle momentum changes may feel exaggerated in
response to changes in accelerator pedal position. This
behavior is normal and is similar to other vehicles
equipped with manual transmissions.
• At low speeds you may hear mechanical noises similar
to a manual transmission as the transmission changes
gears. These noises are normal and will not damage
the transmission.
• Very aggressive driving may result in some clutch
odor. A warning message will display in the EVIC if
cool down actions are needed.
• Before and after the engine is started, you may hear a
hydraulic pump for a short period of time. This noise
is normal and will not damage the transmission. •
During extremely cold temperatures, the transmission
will not operate if the oil temperature is -22°F (-30°C)
or below. When transmission actuation oil temperature
is lower than -22°F (-30°C), engine start will not be
allowed by PCM. For this reason the block heater is
recommended below -17°F (-27°C). Normal operation
will resume once the transmission temperature has
risen to a suitable level.
Manual (M) (Manual Mode)
In the MANUAL (M) position the driver is responsible
for choosing the best gear ratio to engage, depending on
driving conditions.
NOTE: Do not press the brake and accelerator pedals at
the same time. Use only one foot to operate the brake and
accelerator.
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To operate in MANUAL (M) mode:
•Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Move the shift lever to the MANUAL (M) position.
The current gear will be displayed in the EVIC.
• To drive, release the brake pedal and press the accel-
erator pedal.
• Tap the shift lever towards the (+) to engage a higher
gear.
• Tap the shift lever towards the (–) position to engage a
lower gear.
• The accelerator pedal need not be released during gear
changes in MANUAL mode.
• You can shift between DRIVE (D) and MANUAL (M)
positions at any speed, without taking your foot off the
accelerator pedal. •
The system will shift down through the gears auto-
matically (to prevent engine lugging) during closed-
throttle decelerations.
• The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver
should manually upshift (+) the transmission as the
vehicle is accelerated.
• You can start out, from a stop, in first or second gear.
Tap (+) (at a stop) to select second gear. Starting out in
second gear may be helpful in snowy or icy conditions.
• The system will ignore shift commands that would
cause engine lugging or overspeed. An audible beep
will sound and a Shift not allowed message will
display in the EVIC if an inappropriate gear is re-
quested.
NOTE: Avoid keeping your hand on the lever when you
are not requesting a gear shift.
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