
New Vehicle “Break-In” - 3500 HD Model 
If you have a 3500 HD model, your parking brake requires a special 
break-in  procedure.  See “Parking  Brake” 
in the Index. 
Ignition Switch 
Use  your  key to start your  vehicle.  The key lets you turn the ignition switch 
to  five  different positions: 
2 
5 
1. OFF 
2. RUN 
3. START 
4. ACC 
5. LOCK 
ACC  (Accessory): 
ACC lets you use things like the radio, power  windows 
and the windshield  wipers when the engine is off. To get into ACC, push in 
the key and turn it toward you.  Your steering  wheel  will  remain locked,  just 
as it was before you inserted  the key. 
LOCK: This  position  locks your ignition,  steering wheel and  transmission. 
It’s 
a theft deterrent  feature. You will only  be able  to remove  your key  when 
the ignition 
is turned  to LOCK. 
OFF: This position  lets  you turn  off the  engine  but still  turn the steering 
wheel.  It  doesn’t lock the  steering wheel like  LOCK. Use 
OFF if  you must 
have  your  vehicle 
in motion while the  engine is off (for example, if your 
vehicle  is  being pushed). 
RUN: This is the position  for  driving. 
START:  This  starts  your engine. 
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key in START  for no more  than ten seconds.  This  clears  the extra 
gasoline  from  the engine. 
If  the  engine  still  doesn’t  start,  wait another 
15 seconds and  do  Step 4 
again. 
When the  engine  starts,  let  go 
of the key  and the accelerator  pedal. 
NOTICE: 
Your  engine  is  designed  to  work  with  the  electronics  in  your 
vehicle. 
If you add  electrical  parts  or  accessories,  you could 
change  the 
way the  fuel  injection  system  operates.  Before  adding 
electrical  equipment,  check  with  your  dealer. 
If you  don’t,  your 
engine  might  not  perform  properly. 
If you  ever  have  to  have  your  vehicle  towed,  see  t,he part of this 
manual  that  tells  how to  do  it  without  damaging  your  vehicle. 
See  “Towing  Your  Vehicle” in  the  Index. 
To start your 5.7 Liter  (Code K) or 7.4 Liter  (Code N) V8 engine: 
1. Without pushing the accelerator  pedal,  turn your ignition key to 
START.  When the  engine  starts,  let  go  of the  key.  The  idle  speed will 
go  down  as your  engine gets warm. 
NOTICE: 
Holding  your  key in  START for longer  than 15 seconds  at a time 
will  cause  your  battery  to  be  drained  much  sooner.  And  the 
excessive  heat  can  damage  your  starter  motor. 
2. If it doesn’t  start right away, hold your key  in  START.  If it doesn’t start 
in three  seconds,  push the accelerator  pedal about  one-quarter of the 
way  down  for 
12 more seconds,  or until it starts. 
3. If your  engine  still won’t  start (or starts  but then  stops), it could  be 
flooded  with too much  gasoline.  Try this: 
4. Wait 15 seconds to let the starter  motor cool down.  Then push your 
accelerator  pedal 
all the way to the floor. Hold it there.  Then hold the 
key 
in START  for  no  more  than ten seconds.  This  clears  the extra 
gasoline  from 
the engine. If the  engine  still doesn’t  start,  wait another 
15 seconds  and do  Step 4 again. 
When 
the engine  starts,  let  go of the key and the  accelerator  pedal. 
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Hot  Engine  Restart (Vehicles With 5.7L LO5 Engine  and  Over 8500 lbs. 
GVWR): 
If your  engine  is already hot  and then  stalls,  turn your ignition  key to OFF. 
Then turn your  key to RUN and wait 20 seconds before  you restart your 
engine.  When the engine 
starts, let go of the key  and the accelerator pedal. 
NOTICE: 
Your  engine is designed  to  work  with the  electronics  in  your 
vehicle. 
If you  add  electrical  parts  or  accessories,  you  could 
change  the 
way the  fuel  injection  system  operates.  Before adding 
electrical  equipment,  check  with  your  dealer. 
If you  don’t,  your 
engine  might  not  perform  properly. 
If you ever have  to  have  your  vehicle  towed, see the  part of this 
manual  that  tells  how to  do  it  without  damaging  your  vehicle. 
See  “Towing  Your  Vehicle” in  the  Index. 
Driving  Through  Deep  Standing  Water 
NOTICE: 
If you drive  too  quickly  through  deep  puddles  or  standing  water, 
water  can  come  in  through  your  engine’s air  intake  and  badly 
damage  your  engine.  Never  drive  through  water  that  is  slightly \
lower  than  the  underbody  of your  vehicle. 
If you  can’t  avoid 
deep  puddles  or  standing  water,  drive  through  them  very 
slowly. 
Driving  In Snow (Diesel  Engines) 
When driving in a heavy snowstorm  or in swirling snow  with a diesel 
engine,  snow  can get into the air  intake system.  If  you keep driving 
in these 
conditions 
the air cleaner  may get plugged, causing black  smoke  and loss of 
power. In an emergency,  if the  air cleaner gets plugged  with  snow,  you can 
remove  the air cleaner.  Then,  drive  to 
a place of safety as soon as possible 
and 
put the  air cleaner back on. 
Starting  Your Diesel  Engine 
Your diesel  engine  starts  differently than a gasoline  engine. 
1. Automatic transmission: Move your shift lever  to PARK (P) or 
NEUTRAL 
(N). Your  engine  won’t start in any  other position - that’s 
a safety  feature. To restart  when you’re already  moving, use 
NEUTRAL  (N) only. 
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Your vehicle has a brake-transmission  shift  interlock. With  the ignition in 
the RUN  position,  you  must fully apply your regular brakes before  you can 
shift from  PARK (P). 
If you cannot  shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure  on the shift lever  and 
push  the 
shift lever  all  the  way  into PARK (P) as you continue pressing the 
brake pedal. 
Then move the shift lever into the  gear  you want. If you  still 
cannot  shift the shift lever out  of 
PARK (P), see ”Shifting Out of PARK (P)” 
later in this section. 
REVERSE (R) - Use  this gear  to  back  up. 
NOTICE: 
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while  your  vehicle is moving  forward 
could  damage  your  transmission.  Shift  to  REVERSE 
(R) only 
after  your  vehicle  is  stopped. 
To rock your vehicle back  and forth to get out  of snow, ice or sand 
without  damaging  your transmission,  see 
“If You‘re Stuck: In Sand, 
Mud,  Ice or  Snow” 
in the Index. 
a NEUTRAL  (N) - In this position, your  engine doesn’t connect with 
the wheels. To restart when you’re already moving,  use NEUTRAL (N) 
only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when  your vehicle is being towed. 
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A CAUTION: 
Shifting out of PARK (f) or NEUTRAL (N) while  your engine is 
“racing”  (running at high speed) is dangerous.  Unless your foot 
is firmly  on  the brake pedal, your  vehicle could move  very 
rapidly. 
You could  lose control  and hit people  or objects.  Don’t 
shift out  of 
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while  your engine is 
racing. 
NOTICE: 
Damage  to  your transmission caused  by shifting out of PARK 
(P) or NEUTRAL (N) with  the engine racing  isn’t  covered  by 
your warranty. 
AUTOMATIC  OVERDRIVE (a) - This  position  is for  normal 
driving.  If  you need more power  for passing,  and you’re: 
- Going  less  than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your accelerator 
pedal  about  halfway  down. 
the  way  down. 
You’ll  shift down to the next  gear and have  more power. 
- Going  about 35 mph (56 kdh)  or more, push the  accelerator all 
0 should not be used  when  towing  a  trailer, carrying a heavy load, 
driving  on steep hills,  or for  off-road  driving.  Select  THIRD 
GEAR 
(3) when  operating  the  vehicle under any  of these 
conditions. 
THIRD  GEAR (3) - This is like 63, but you never  go into  Overdrive. 
You  should  use 
THIRD GEAR (3) when towing a trailer. carrying  a 
heavy  load,  driving on steep  hills,  or 
for off-road  driving. 
0 SECOND  GEAR (2) - This position  gives  you more power  but lower 
fuel  economy.  You can use 
SECOND GEAR (2) on hills.  It can  help 
control 
your speed  as you go down  steep  mountain roads, but then  you 
would also want 
to use your brakes  off and  on. 
If you  manually  select  SECOND GEAR (2), the transmission will drive 
in second gear. You may use this  feature  for  reducing  torque  to the  rear 
wheels  when  you are trying 
to start  your  vehicle from a stop on 
slippery road  surfaces. 
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NOTICE: 
Driving with the  parking  brake  on  can  cause  your  rear  brakes to 
overheat.  You may  have  to  replace  them,  and  you could  also 
damage  other  parts  of your  vehicle.  Always  check  to  be  sure 
your  parking  brake  is fully  released  before  you drive. 
If you  are towing  a  trailer  and  are  parking  on  any  hill:  See “Towing a 
Trailer” in the Index.  That section  shows what to do first  to keep the trailer 
from moving. 
Propshaft  Brake  Burnish  Procedure 
If you have  a 3500 HD model, it is  recommended  that  the  propshaft  mounted 
parking  brake  be  burnished 
as part  of  the  new  vehicle  break in. The  parking 
brake  will  work  best  after 
it has  been  burnished  following  these  instructions. 
Make 
10 (ten)  stops,  using the parking brake  foot pedal, from  20 mph (32 
km/h)  about 
2 1/2 miles (4 km) apart.  In between  stops, drive the vehicle  at 
20  mph  (32  km/h). 
Torque  Lock 
When parking,  the weight  of the vehicle  may  put  too  much force on the 
parking  pawl 
in the transmission.  It  may  be difficult to pull the selector 
lever out  of 
PARK (P). This is called ”torque  lock.” To find out how  to 
avoid torque  lock, see “Torque Lock” later  in this  section. 
Shifting  lnto PARK (P) (Automatic 
Transmission  Models  Only) 
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I. Hold the brake 
pedal down 
with 
your  right  foot 
and  set  the 
parking brake. 
2. Move the shift lever  into PARK (P) position  like this: 
0 Pull  the  lever toward you. 
0 Move  the lever  up as  far  as it will go. 
3. If you  have four-wheel  drive, be sure  the transfer  case is in a  drive  gear 
- not in NEUTRAL (N) 
4. Move the ignition  key to LOCK. 
5. Remove  the key  and take it with  you. If you can walk away from your 
vehicle 
with the ignition  key in your hand,  your vehicle  is in PARK (P). 
Shifting  Out  of PARK (P) 
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission  shift interlock  system. You have  to 
fully apply your regular brakes before  you can shift  from PARK  (P). See 
“Automatic  Transmission” 
in the Index. 
If you  cannot  shift out  of  PARK  (P), ease  pressure on the shift lever  and 
push the  shift lever all the  way  up  into PARK  (P) as you maintain brake 
application.  Then,  move the shift lever  into the gear  you want. 
If you ever  hold the brake  pedal down  but still can’t shift out  of  PARK (P), 
try this: 
1. Turn the key to OFF. 
2. Apply and hold  the  brake until the end  of Step 4. 
3. Shift  to  NEUTRAL (N). 
3. Start  the vehicle  and then  shift to the  drive gear you want. 
5. Have  the brake-transmission  shift interlock system fixed as soon as 
you can. 
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Leaving Your  Vehicle  With  the  Engine  Running 
(Automatic  Transmission  Models 
Only) 
A CAUTION: 
It  can  be dangerous to leave your  vehicle with the  engine 
running.  Your  vehicle  could  move  suddenly if the  shift  lever 
is 
not fully  in PARK (P) with the  parking  brake firmly set. If you 
have  four-wheel  drive with a manual  transfer case  shift  lever 
and  your  transfer  case  is in 
NEUTRAL  (N), your vehicle  will  be 
free to  roll,  even  if your shift lever  is  in PARK 
(P). So be sure  the 
transfer  case 
is in a drive gear - not  in NEUTRAL  (N). And, if 
you  leave  the vehicle  with  the engine running, it  could overheat 
and  even  catch  fire. 
You or others  could be injured.  Don’t leave 
your  vehicle  with  the engine  running  unless you have  to. 
If you  have to leave your vehicle with the engine  running,  be sure your 
vehicle  is  in  PARK  (P) and your parking brake  is firmly set before  you leave 
it. After  you’ve  moved the shift lever into the  PARK (P) position, hold the 
regular  brake pedal down. Then.  see 
if you can move the shift lever away 
from  PARK  (P) without first pulling 
it toward  you. 
If 
you can, it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked  into  PARK (P). 
Torque  Lock  (Automatic  Transmission) 
If you  are parking  on a hill and you don’t shift your transmission  into  PARK 
(P) properly, the weight of the vehicle  may put too much  force on the 
parking pawl  in the transmission. 
You may  find it difficult to pull the shift 
lever  out of  PARK  (P). This  is called  “torque lock.” To prevent torque  lock, 
set the parking brake and then shift  into PARK  (P) properly  before  you 
leave  the driver’s  seat. 
To find out  how, see “Shifting Into  PARK (P)” in the 
Index. 
When  you are ready to  drive, move the shift lever out 
of PARK  (P) before 
you release  the parking brake. 
If  “torque  lock” does occur, you  may need to have  another vehicle push 
yours 
a little uphill to take  some of the pressure from the transmission, so 
you  can pull the shift  lever out of  PARK (P). 
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