2008 DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL oil

NOTE:Perchlorate Material ± special handling may apply,
refer to www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
The recommended replacement battery is CR2032 bat-
tery.
NOTE:Do not touch the battery terminals that are on
the back housing or the printed circuit board.
1. With the transmitter buttons facing down, remove the
small screw, and separate the two halves of the transmit-
ter. Make sure not to damage the rubber gasket during
removal.
2. Remove and replace the battery. When replacing the
battery, match the + sign on battery to the + sign on the
inside of the battery clip, located on back cover. Avoid
touching the new battery with your fingers. Skin oils may
cause battery deterioration. If you touch a battery, clean it
with rubbing alcohol.3. To reassemble the transmitter case, snap the two
halves of the case together. Make sure there is an even
ªgapº between the two halves. If equipped, install and
tighten the screw until snug. Test transmitter operation.
DOOR LOCKS
Manual Door Locks Ð If Equipped
Front and rear doors may be locked by moving the lock
plunger up or down.
All doors may be opened with the inside door handle
without lifting the lock plunger. Doors locked before
closing will remain locked when closed.
The ignition key will unlock all the locks on your vehicle.
26 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

²Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
²The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
²Check belt fit periodically. A child's squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position.
If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. Never allow a
child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind
their back.
Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision. Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in
pet harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
NEW ENGINE BREAK-IN
Your Cumminst24-Valve Turbo Diesel engine does not
require a break-in period due to its construction. Normal
operation is allowed, provided the following recommen-
dations are followed:
NOTE:Light duty operation such as light trailer towing
or no load operation will extend the time before the
engine is at full efficiency. Reduced fuel economy and
power may be seen at this time.
²Warm up the engine before placing it under load.
²Do not operate the engine at idle for prolonged
periods.
²Use the appropriate transmission gear to prevent
engine lugging.
²Observe vehicle oil pressure and temperature indica-
tors.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

²Check the coolant and oil levels frequently.
²Vary throttle position at highway speeds when carry-
ing or towing significant weight.
Because of the construction of the CumminstDiesel
engine, engine run-in is enhanced by loaded operating
conditions which allow the engine parts to achieve final
finish and fit during the first 6,000 mi (10 000 km).
CAUTION!
²During the first 500 mi (805 km) that your vehicle
is driven, do not tow a trailer. Doing so may
damage your vehicle.
²Limit your speed to 50 mph (80 km/h) during the
first 500 mi (805 km) of towing.
SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
This vehicle is designed to carry passengers in the cab
only. For safety reasons, NEVER TRANSPORT PASSEN-
GERS IN THE CARGO AREA.
WARNING!
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed.
Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat belts.
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75
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Lock Your Vehicle
Always remove the key from the ignition and lock all
doors when leaving the vehicle unattended, even in your
own driveway or garage. Try to park your vehicle in a
well-lighted area and never invite theft by leaving ar-
ticles of value exposed.
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, a potentially
toxic gas that, by itself, is colorless and odorless. To
avoid inhaling these gases, the following precautions
should be observed:
²Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in confined
areas any longer than needed to move your vehicle in
or out of the area.
²If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running for more than a short period, adjust
your climate control system to force outside air into
the vehicle. Set the blower at high speed and the
controls in any position except OFF or MAX A/C.
²The best protection against carbon monoxide entry
into the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine
exhaust system.
Be aware of changes in the sound of the exhaust system,
exhaust fumes detected inside the vehicle, or damage to
the underside or rear of the vehicle. Have a competent
authorized mechanic inspect the complete exhaust sys-
tem and adjacent body areas for broken, damaged,
deteriorated or mispositioned parts. Open seams or loose
connections could permit exhaust fumes to seep into the
passenger compartment. In addition, inspect the exhaust
system each time the vehicle is raised for lubrication or
oil change. Replace or adjust as required.
76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Safety Checks You Should Make Outside The
Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for tread wear or uneven wear patterns.
Check for stones, nails, glass or other objects lodged in
the tread.
Inspect for tread cuts or sidewall cracks. Check wheel
nuts for tightness and tires for proper pressure.
Lights
Check the operation of all exterior lights. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under the vehicle after overnight parking for
fuel, water, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if fuel fumes are
detected, the cause should be located and corrected.
78 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

will continue until the vehicle runs out of fuel. Adding
a significant amount of fuel to the vehicle will turn off
the9LOW FUEL9text and a new DTE value will
display.
System Status (EVIC Displays)
When the appropriate conditions exist, the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) displays the following
messages:
²TURN SIGNALS ON (with a continuous warning
chime)
²PERSONAL SETTINGS NOT AVAILABLE ± Vehicle
Not in Park or Vehicle in Motion (manual transmis-
sions only)
²LEFT/RIGHT FRONT DOOR AJAR (one or more,
with a single chime if speed is above 1 mph (1.6 km/h)
²LEFT/RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR (one or more, with
a single chime if speed is above 1 mph (1.6 km/h)
²DOOR(S) AJAR (with a single chime if vehicle is in
motion)
²LOW WASHER FLUID (with a single chime)
²OIL CHANGE REQUIRED (with a single chime)
²CATALYST FULL SEE OWNER MANUAL
²CATALYST STAT lllllll 90%
²CATALYST FULL SERVICE REQUIRED
²SERVICE AIR FILTER
²PERFORM SERVICE
OIL CHANGE REQUIRED Ð If Equipped
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil change
indicator system. The ªOil Change Requiredº message
will flash in the EVIC display for approximately 10
seconds after a single chime has sounded to indicate the
next scheduled oil change interval. The engine oil change
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 145
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indicator system is duty cycle based, which means the
engine oil change interval may fluctuate, dependent
upon your personal driving style.
Unless reset, this message will continue to display each
time you turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN
position. To turn off the message temporarily, press and
release the Menu button. To reset the oil change indicator
system (after performing the scheduled maintenance) use
the following procedure.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position(Do not
start the engine).
2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal slowly three times
within 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
NOTE:If the indicator message illuminates when you
start the vehicle, the oil change indicator system did not
reset. If necessary, repeat this procedure.PERFORM SERVICE
Your vehicle will require emissions maintenance at a set
interval. To help remind you when this maintenance is
due, the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)
will display ªPerform Serviceº. When the ªPerform Ser-
viceº message is displayed on the EVIC it is necessary to
have the emissions maintenance performed. Emissions
maintenance includes replacing the Closed Crankcase
Ventilation (CCV) filter element, cleaning of the EGR
Cooler, and cleaning of the EGR Valve. The procedure for
clearing and resetting the9Perform Service9indicator
message is located in the appropriate Service Informa-
tion.
Personal Settings (Customer Programmable
Features)
Personal Settings allows the driver to set and recall
features when the transmission is in PARK. If the trans-
mission is not in PARK, the EVIC will display NOT
AVAILABLE and VEHICLE NOT IN PARK.
146 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DESCRIPTION
1. Check Gauges
This light illuminates when the Voltmeter, Engine
Oil Pressure or Engine Coolant Temperature
gauges indicate a reading either too high or too low.
Examine the gauges carefully, and follow the instructions
contained below for each indicated problem.
NOTE:When the ignition switch is turned to OFF, the
Fuel Gauge, Voltmeter, Oil Pressure and Engine Coolant
Temperature gauges may not show accurate readings.
When the engine is not running, turn the ignition switch
to ON to obtain accurate readings.
2. Voltmeter
When the engine is running, the gauge indicates
the electrical system voltage. The pointer should
stay within the normal range if the battery is charged. Ifthe pointer moves to either extreme left or right and
remains there during normal driving, the electrical sys-
tem should be serviced.
NOTE:If the gauge pointer moves to either extreme of
the gauge, the ªCheck Gaugesº indicator will illuminate
and a single chime will sound.
NOTE:
²The voltmeter may show a gauge fluctuation at vari-
ous engine temperatures. This cycling operation is
caused by the post-heat cycle of the intake manifold
heater system. The number of cycles and the length of
the cycling operation is controlled by the engine
control module. Post-heat operation can run for sev-
eral minutes, and then the electrical system and volt-
meter needle will stabilize.
²The cycling action will cause temporary dimming of
the headlights, interior lights, and also a noticeable
reduction in blower motor speed.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 189
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