overheating Ram ProMaster 2018 User Guide

NOTE:
• If fog or mist appears on the windshield orside glass, select Defrost mode and in-
crease blower speed if needed.
• If your air conditioning performance seems lower than expected, check the front of the
A/C condenser (located in front of the ra-
diator), for an accumulation of dirt or in-
sects. Clean with a gentle water spray from
the front of the radiator and through the
condenser.
Recirculation
When outside air contains smoke, odors, or
high humidity, or if rapid cooling is desired,
you may wish to recirculate interior air by
pressing the Recirculation control button.
The recirculation indicator will illuminate
when this button is selected. Press the button
a second time to turn off the Recirculation
mode and allow outside air into the vehicle. NOTE:
In cold weather, use of recirculation mode
may lead to excessive window fogging. On
systems with Manual Climate Controls, the
Recirculation mode is not allowed in Defrost
mode to improve window clearing operation.
Recirculation will be disabled automatically
if this mode is selected. Attempting to use
Recirculation while in this mode will cause
the LED in the control button to blink and
then turn off.
Operating Tips
Summer Operation
The engine cooling system must be protected
with a high-quality antifreeze coolant to pro-
vide proper corrosion protection and to pro-
tect against engine overheating. A solution of
50% OAT (Organic Additive Technology) cool-
ant that meets the requirements of FCA Ma-
terial Standard MS.90032 and 50% water is
recommended. Refer to “Dealer Service” in
“Servicing And Maintenance” for proper
coolant selection.
Winter Operation
Use of the air Recirculation mode during
winter months is not recommended because
it may cause window fogging.
Vacation Storage
Any time you store your vehicle or keep it out
of service (i.e., vacation) 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 ad-
equate system lubrication to minimize the
possibility of compressor damage when the
system is started again.
Window Fogging
Interior fogging on the windshield can be
quickly removed by turning the mode selector
to Defrost. The Defrost/Floor mode can be
used to maintain a clear windshield and pro-
vide sufficient heating. If side window fog-
ging becomes a problem increase blower
speed. Vehicle windows tend to fog on the
inside in mild but rainy or humid weather.
23

STARTING THE ENGINE — GAS
ENGINE
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat,
adjust both inside and outside mirrors, and
fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle,or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
• Allowing children to be in a vehicle un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission
gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle (or in a location accessible to
children). A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
Normal Starting
NOTE:
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or press-
ing the accelerator pedal.
Turn the ignition switch to the AVV (START)
position and release it when the engine
starts. If the engine fails to start within
10 seconds, turn the ignition switch to the
STOP (OFF/LOCK) position, wait 10 to
15 seconds, then repeat the “Normal Start-
ing” procedure.
STARTING THE ENGINE — DIESEL
ENGINE
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat,
both inside and outside mirrors, and fasten
your seat belts.
The starter is allowed to crank for up to
10-second intervals. Waiting a few minutes
between such intervals will protect the starter
from overheating.
WARNING!
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle,or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
• Allowing children to be in a vehicle un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission
gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle (or in a location accessible to
children). A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
NOTE:
Engine start up in very low ambient tempera-
ture could result in evident white smoke. This
condition will disappear as the engine warms
up.
STARTING AND OPERATING
74

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.
To operate in MANUAL (M) mode:
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Move the gear selector to the MANUAL (M)position. The current gear will be displayed
in the instrument cluster.
• To drive, release the brake pedal and press the accelerator pedal.
• Tap the gear selector towards the (+) to engage a higher gear.
• Tap the gear selector towards the (–) posi- tion 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, with-
out taking your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
• The system will shift down through the gears automatically (to prevent engine lug-
ging) during closed-throttle decelerations.
• The transmission will automatically down- shift 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 appear in the instru-
ment cluster if an inappropriate gear is
requested.
NOTE:
Avoid keeping your hand on the lever when
you are not requesting a gear shift.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer,
carrying a heavy load, etc., and frequent
transmission shifting occurs, press the TOW/
HAUL switch to activate TOW/HAUL mode.
This will improve performance and reduce
the potential for transmission overheating or
failure due to excessive shifting. When oper-
ating in TOW/HAUL mode, the transmission
shift calibration is modified to accommodate
steep grades in the smoothest possible man-
ner. TOW/HAUL mode is only applicable in
the DRIVE (D) position.
Parking The Vehicle
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave
the vehicle unattended without fully ap-
plying the parking brake. The parking
brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.
To ensure proper parking performance, it is
essential to engage MANUAL (1st) gear,
DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R) gear while your
foot is on the brake pedal. Once MANUAL
STARTING AND OPERATING
84

Instrument Cluster Messages
Messages will be displayed in the instrument
cluster to alert the driver when certain un-
usual conditions occur. These messages are
described below.
MESSAGEDESCRIPTION
Service Transmission When the ignition key is turned to ON/RUN/MAR, the Transmission Fault Indicator light turns on and
should go off after a few seconds.
The Transmission Fault Indicator illuminates either steady or blinking (together with this message and a buzzer) to indicate a transmission fault.
Contact your authorized dealer if the message continues to appear.
Reduce Gear Changes This message indicates that the driver is operating the transmission incorrectly.
Incorrect use (by the driver) could automatically activate a procedure for protecting the system. Contact you authorized dealer if the message continues to appear.
Manual Unavailable MANUAL (M) mode is not available, due to a fault or other condition. Use the DRIVE (D) position to op-
erate the vehicle.
Contact your authorized dealer if the message continues to appear.
Automatic Unavailable Automatic (DRIVE) mode is not available due to a fault or other condition. Use MANUAL (M) mode to
operate the vehicle.
Contact your authorized dealer if the message continues to appear.
Transmission Temperature High This message appears, together with a buzzer, when the clutch overheats.
In this situation, limit stop and go driving and gear shifts or if necessary stop the vehicle and turn the engine off to allow the clutch to cool.
If the message continues to appear, contact your authorized dealer.
To avoid clutch malfunction, do not use the accelerator to keep the vehicle at a standstill (for example
holding on a hill); the clutch could be damaged by overheating. Use the brake pedal instead and operate the accelerator only when you are ready to drive away.
STARTING AND OPERATING
86

3. Disconnect the positive end(+)of the
jumper cable from the positive (+)post of
the booster battery.
4. Disconnect the opposite end of the posi- tive (+)jumper cable from the remote
positive (+)post of the discharged
vehicle.
5. Close the cover of the Front Power Distri- bution Center.
If frequent jump starting is required to start
your vehicle you should have the battery and
charging system inspected at your authorized
dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle
power outlets draw power from the vehi-
cle’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 dis-
charge sufficiently to degrade battery life
and/or prevent the engine from starting.
Battery Location
There are two remote jump starting posts
under the hood which is the recommended
jump start location. If access to the battery is
needed, an access panel on the driver’s side
floor will allow for battery access.
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 transmission in NEUTRAL, but do not in-
crease the engine idle speed while prevent-
ing 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.
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.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
118

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.
GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE (GASOLINE
ENGINE ONLY)
If a malfunction occurs and the gear selector
cannot be moved out of the PARK position,
you can use the following procedure to tem-
porarily move the gear selector:
1. Turn the engine OFF.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool,remove the gear selector override access
cover which is located below the gear
selector. 4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the
brake pedal.
5. Insert the screwdriver or similar tool into the access port, and push and hold the
override release lever forward.
6. Move the gear selector to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
8. Reinstall the gear selector override access cover.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand,
or snow, it can often be moved using a rock-
ing motion. Turn the steering wheel right and
left to clear the area around the front wheels.
Shift back and forth between DRIVE and
REVERSE, while gently pressing the accel-
erator. Use the least amount of accelerator
pedal pressure that will maintain the rocking
motion, without spinning the wheels or racing
the engine. NOTE:
Vehicles with diesel engine (automated
manual transmission) cannot be rocked in
this manner, because the transmission will
not allow shifts between forward and RE-
VERSE gears while the wheels are turning.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels
may lead to transmission overheating and
failure. Allow the engine 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 dur-
ing prolonged efforts to free a stuck ve-
hicle.
119

NOTE:
Push the "ESC Off" switch, to place
the Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system in "Partial Off" mode, before
rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic
Brake Control System” in “Safety” in the
Owner’s Manual at www.mopar.com/
en-us/care/owners-manual.html (U.S. Resi-
dents) or www.owners.mopar.ca (Canadian
Residents) for further information. Once the
vehicle has been freed, push the "ESC Off"
switch again to restore "ESC On" mode.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous.
Forces generated 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
vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph
(48 km/h) or for longer than 30 seconds
continuously without stopping when you
are stuck and do not let anyone near a
spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
CAUTION!
• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shift-ing between DRIVE and REVERSE, do
not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph
(24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
• 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 transmission shifting
occurring).
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
120

WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is dangerous.
Overloading can cause tire failure, affect
vehicle handling, and increase your stop-
ping distance. Use tires of the recom-
mended load capacity for your vehicle.
Never overload them.
Tires — General Information
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to
the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle. Four primary areas are affected by
improper tire pressure:
• Safety and Vehicle Stability
• Economy
• Tread Wear
• Ride ComfortSafety
WARNING!
• Improperly inflated tires are dangerous
and can cause collisions.
• Underinflation increases tire flexing and
can result in overheating and tire failure.
• Overinflation reduces a tire's ability to cushion shock. Objects on the road and
chuckholes can cause damage that re-
sult in tire failure.
• Overinflated or underinflated tires can
affect vehicle handling and can fail sud-
denly, resulting in loss of vehicle con-
trol.
• Unequal tire pressures can cause steer-
ing problems. You could lose control of
your vehicle.
• Unequal tire pressures from one side of
the vehicle to the other can cause the
vehicle to drift to the right or left.
• Always drive with each tire inflated to
the recommended cold tire inflation
pressure. Both under-inflation and over-inflation affect
the stability of the vehicle and can produce a
feeling of sluggish response or over respon-
siveness in the steering.
NOTE:
• Unequal tire pressures from side to side
may cause erratic and unpredictable steer-
ing response.
• Unequal tire pressure from side to side may cause the vehicle to drift left or right.
Fuel Economy
Underinflated tires will increase tire rolling
resistance resulting in higher fuel consump-
tion.
Tread Wear
Improper cold tire inflation pressures can
cause abnormal wear patterns and reduced
tread life, resulting in the need for earlier tire
replacement.
Ride Comfort And Vehicle Stability
Proper tire inflation contributes to a comfort-
able ride. Over-inflation produces a jarring
and uncomfortable ride.
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
142

Disturb....................176
Door Ajar ....................35
Door Ajar Light ................35
Driver's Seat Back Tilt ............13
Electric Parking Brake ............78
Electronic Speed Control (Cruise Control) ..............89
Electronic Throttle Control Warning Light ...............35
Emergency, In Case Of Freeing Vehicle When Stuck .....119
Jacking ..............108, 134
Jump Starting ..............115
Engine .................132, 133
Break-In Recommendations ......77
Compartment ...........132, 133
Compartment Identification ......132
Coolant (Antifreeze) .......156, 157
Exhaust Gas Caution ...........69
Fuel Requirements ...........155
Identification ..............133
Jump Starting ..............115
Oil ..............155, 156, 157
Oil Filler Cap ..............132
Oil Selection ..............155
Overheating ...............118 Starting
..................74
Enhanced Accident Response Feature. .122
Exhaust Gas Caution .............69
Exhaust System ................69
Exterior Lighting ...............17
Exterior Lights ..............16, 72
Filters Air Conditioning .............24
Engine Oil ............156, 157
Flashers Turn Signal ..............41, 72
Fluid Capacities ...............155
Fluid Leaks ...................72
Fluids And Lubricants ........156, 157
Folding Rear Seat ...............13
Freeing A Stuck Vehicle ..........119
Fuel .......................92
Adding ...................92
Additives .................92
Diesel ................92, 157
Filler Cap (Gas Cap) ...........91
Filter ...................157
Materials Added .............92
Octane Rating ..............156
Requirements ..............155
Tank Capacity ..............155 Fuses
.....................102
Gas Cap (Fuel Filler Cap) ..........91
Gear Ranges ..................82
Gear Select Lever Override ........119
General Information .............47
Hands-Free Phone (Uconnect) ......171
Headlights High Beam ................17
High Beam/Low Beam Select Switch. .17
Switch ...................17
Head Restraints ................14
Heated Seats .................13
High Beam/Low Beam Select (Dimmer) Switch ....................17
Hood Prop ...................24
Hood Release .................24
Ignition Key .....................12
Instrument Cluster ..............41
Intermittent Wipers (Delay Wipers) ....18
Introduction ...................1
iPod/USB/MP3 Control Bluetooth Streaming Audio ......171
INDEX
190

Jacking And Tire ChangingInstructions ................111
Jack Operation ............108, 134
Jump Starting ................115
Keys .......................12
Lane Change Assist ..............17
Lap/Shoulder Belts ..............49
Latches .....................72
Hood ....................24
Leaks, Fluid ..................72
Life Of Tires .................145
Light Bulbs ...............72, 100
Lights ......................72
AirBag .............34, 55, 70
Brake Warning ..............34
Bulb Replacement ...........100
Cruise ...................41
Dimmer Switch, Headlight . . . .16, 17
Engine Temperature Warning .....36
Exterior ..................72
Headlights .................17
High Beam ................17
Malfunction Indicator
(Check Engine) ..............38
Park ..................17, 41 Service
..................100
Tire Pressure Monitoring
(TPMS) ................37, 44
Turn Signal ...........16, 41, 72
Warning (Instrument
Cluster Description) ........36, 41
Loading Vehicle Tires ...................139
Low Tire Pressure System ..........44
Lug Nuts ...................154
Maintenance Schedule .......124, 128
Malfunction Indicator Light (Check Engine) ...................38
Manual, Service ...............188
Media Center Radio .............182
Memory Feature (Memory Seat) ......13
Memory Seat ..................13
Memory Seats And Radio ..........13
Monitor, Tire Pressure System .......44
Mopar .....................160
Mopar Accessories .............160
Multi-Function Control Lever ........
16
Navigation ..................168
New Vehicle Break-In Period ........77Occupant Restraints
.............47
Oil, Engine ...............156, 157
Capacity .................155
Filter ................156, 157
Pressure Warning Light .........36
Recommendation ............155
Viscosity .................155
Oil Pressure Light ...............36
Onboard Diagnostic System .........42
Operating Precautions ............42
Overheating, Engine ............118
Owner's Manual (Operator Manual) . . .188
Parking Brake .................78
Pets .......................69
Phone, Hands-Free (Uconnect) ......171
Phone (Pairing) ...............172
Phone (Uconnect) ..............171
Placard, Tire And Loading Information. .139
Power Steering Fluid .........157, 159
Pregnant Women And Seat Belts ......52
Preparation For Jacking ..........111
Pretensioners Seat Belts .................53
Radial Ply Tires ...............144
Radio ..................163, 182
191