Keys............................................................ 115
Remote Keyless Entry System.................. 116
Remote Keyless Entry System
Operation............................................... 117
Doors and Locks........................................ 120
Door Locks................................................ 120
Power Door Locks..................................... 121
Delayed Locking........................................ 122
Programmable Automatic Door Locks........ 123
Rear Door Security Locks (Crew Cab)....... 126
Lockout Protection..................................... 126
Rear Doors............................................... 126
Tailgate..................................................... 127
Windows...................................................... 129
Manual Windows....................................... 129
Power Windows........................................ 130
Swing-Out Windows.................................. 131
Sliding Rear Window................................. 131
Sun Visors................................................ 131Theft-Deterrent Systems............................. 131
Content Theft-Deterrent............................. 131
Passlock
®.................................................. 133
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle......... 134
New Vehicle Break-In................................ 134
Ignition Positions....................................... 135
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)............. 137
Starting the Engine.................................... 137
Engine Coolant Heater.............................. 139
Automatic Transmission Operation............. 140
Tow/Haul Mode......................................... 147
Manual Transmission Operation................. 149
Four-Wheel Drive...................................... 153
Parking Brake........................................... 169
Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)....................... 170
Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)....................... 172
Parking Over Things That Burn................. 173
Engine Exhaust......................................... 174
Running the Engine While Parked............. 175
Section 2 Features and Controls
113
Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition switch, you can turn it
to four different positions.
Notice:Using a tool to force the key from the
ignition switch could cause damage or break
the key. Use the correct key and turn the key
only with your hand. Make sure the key is all the
way in. If it is, turn the steering wheel left and
right while you turn the key hard. If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.A (LOCK):This position locks your ignition when
the key is removed. The steering locks when
equipped with a manual transmission. It is
a theft-deterrent feature. You will only be able to
remove your key when the ignition is turned
to LOCK.
B (ACCESSORY):This position allows you to use
things like the radio, power windows and the
windshield wipers when the engine is off.
{CAUTION:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning
the key to LOCK will lock the steering
column and result in a loss of ability to
steer the vehicle. This could cause a
collision. If you need to turn the engine
off while the vehicle is moving, turn the
key only to ACCESSORY. Do not press
the key release button while the vehicle is
moving.
135
See “Range Selection Mode” later in this section.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It
is the best position to use when you start your
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily. If
your vehicle has the Allison Transmission
®, with the
Power Take-Off (PTO), use PARK (P) when
starting. The Allison Transmission
®has a park pawl
that is designed to hold the weight of commercial
medium duty trucks. Therefore, the Allison
Transmission
®uses larger parts than other
automatic transmissions. These larger parts may
sometimes make a clunking noise when the
selector lever is moved from DRIVE (D) or
REVERSE (R) to PARK (P). This is normal and
there is no damage occurring during these shifts.
When parked on a hill, especially with a heavy load,you may notice an increase in the effort to shift out
of Park. See Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
underShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 170for more information.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P).
SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 170. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 429.
Allison Transmission®
141
{CAUTION:
If you have four-wheel drive, your vehicle
will be free to roll — even if your shift
lever is in PARK (P) — if your transfer
case is in NEUTRAL. So, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear, two-wheel
high (2H) or four-wheel high (4H) or
four-wheel low (4L) — not in NEUTRAL.
SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 170.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up. If your
vehicle has the Allison Transmission
®,theRonthe
shift display, may blink if the shift inhibitor is active.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. 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, seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 406.NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is
being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running at
high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) with the engine running at high
speed may damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting your vehicle.
142
MANUAL MODE (M):This position, is available
on vehicles with the Allison Transmission®.It
lets drivers select the range of gears appropriate
for current driving conditions. If your vehicle
has this feature, see Range Select Mode (Allison
Transmission
®) later in this section.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving. However, it reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
You might choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D)
when driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between
gears and when going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than THIRD (3) without using your
brakes. You can use SECOND (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 (2) in an
automatic transmission, the transmission will start
in second gear. You can use this feature for
reducing the speed of the rear wheels when you
are trying to start your vehicle from a stop on
slippery road surfaces.For an Allison Transmission
®, see Low Traction
Mode later in this section.
FIRST (1):For an automatic transmission, this
position reduces vehicle speed even more than
SECOND (2) without using your brakes. You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If
the shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is
moving forward, the transmission will not shift into
rst gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
For an Allison Transmission
®, This position reduces
vehicle speed, without using your brakes. You can
use it for major/sever downgrades and off-road
driving where the vehicle would otherwise
accelerate due to steepness of grade. When you
shift to FIRST (1) it will provide the lowest gear
appropriate to your current road speed and will
continue to downshift as the vehicle slows,
eventually downshifting to FIRST (1) gear.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the
transmission. The repair will not be covered by
your warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin
the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
144
Low Traction Mode
(Allison Transmission®)
If your vehicle has the DURAMAX®diesel engine
and the Allison Transmission®,ithasaLow
Traction Mode that assists in vehicle acceleration
when road conditions are slippery, such as
with ice or snow. While at a stop, selecting the
second gear range using the Range Selection
system, will allow the Allison Transmission
®to limit
torque to the wheels after it detects wheel slip,
preventing the tires from spinning.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the
transmission. The repair will not be covered by
your warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin
the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Cold Weather Operation
(Allison Transmission®)
On cold days, approximately 32°F (0°C) or colder,
your automatic transmission is designed to shift
differently. The transmission uses a warm-up mode
shift schedule until the engine reaches normal
operating temperature. While the transmission is
in warm-up mode it is normal for transmission
upshifts to be delayed or held longer. This feature
improves heater performance by giving quicker
vehicle warm-ups.
When temperatures are below−13°F (−25°C), the
transmission will prevent certain operations to
protect against damage. When active the DIC will
display the message “Trans in Warm-up”.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 270for
more information.
146
When this light comes on, you can shift to the next
higher gear if weather, road and traffic conditions
allow. For the best fuel economy, accelerate slowly
and shift when the light comes on.
While you accelerate, it is normal for the light to
go on and off if you quickly change the position of
the accelerator.
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive and has a
manual transmission, disregard the shift light when
the transfer case is in Four-Wheel Low.
Ignore the shift light when you downshift.
Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send
your engine’s driving power to all four wheels
for extra traction. To get the most satisfaction out
of four-wheel drive, you must be familiar with
its operation. Read the part that follows before
using four-wheel drive. See the appropriate text for
the transfer case in your vehicle.
While driving on clean dry pavement and during
tight turns, you may experience a vibration in
the steering system.
Front Axle Locking Feature
The front axle locks and unlocks automatically
when you shift the transfer case. Some delay for
the axle to lock or unlock is normal.
Manual Transfer Case
The transfer case shift lever is located on the oor
to the right of the driver. Use this lever to shift
into and out of four-wheel drive.
153
A 4WD indicator light
comes on when you
shift into four-wheel
drive and the front axle
engages. See
Four-Wheel-Drive Light
on page 263.
Some delay between shifting and when the
indicator light comes on is normal.
Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Driving ConditionsTransfer Case Settings
2H 4H 4L N
Normal YES
Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in Tow* YES
*SeeRecreational Vehicle Towing on page 424or
Towing Your Vehicle on page 423for further
information.
An indicator light near the lever shows you the
transfer case settings:
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
four-wheel drive for an extended period of time
may cause premature wear on your vehicle’s
powertrain. Do not drive on clean, dry
pavement in four-wheel drive for extended
periods of time.
4L (Four-Wheel Low):This setting also engages
the front axle and delivers extra torque. You
may never need 4L. It sends maximum power to
all four wheels. You might choose 4L if you
are driving off-road in deep sand, deep mud, deep
snow, and while climbing or descending steep
hills. When operating in 4L, the gear ratio provides
additional torque when compared to 4H. The
transmission gear shift feel will be exaggerated.
154