2008 DODGE RAM 2500 POWER WAGON brake

mLimited-Slip Differential Ð If Equipped.......275
mDriving On Slippery Surfaces..............276
mAxle Locker System.....................276
mStabilizer/Sway Bar System...............279
mPower Wagon ± Safe Off-Road Driving.......281
NOff-Road Driving Tips And Vehicle
Characteristics.......................281
NDriving In Snow, Mud And Sand..........286
NCrossing Obstacles (Rocks And Other High
Points).............................288
NHill Climbing........................291
NDriving Through Water.................294
NAiring Down For Off-Road Driving........296
NVehicle Recovery......................297NAfter Driving Off-Road.................301
mWinch Usage ± If Equipped...............302
NThings To Know Before Using Your Winch . . . 302
NUnderstanding The Features Of Your Winch . . 304
NWinch Accessories.....................306
NOperating Your Winch..................307
NRigging Techniques....................318
mParking Brake.........................321
mBrake System..........................322
NBrake Noise.........................323
NFour-Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ±
If Equipped.........................323
mPower Steering........................325
254 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES ± GAS ENGINES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
The starter should not be operated for more than 15-
second intervals. Waiting a few seconds between such
intervals will protect the starter from overheating.
WARNING!
Be sure to turn off the engine and remove the key
from the ignition switch if you want to rest or sleep
in your car. Accidents can be caused by inadvertently
moving the gear selection lever or by pressing the
accelerator pedal. This may cause excessive heat in
the exhaust system, resulting in overheating and
vehicle fire which may cause serious or fatal injuries.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
Manual Transmission ± If Equipped
Apply the parking brake, place the gearshift control lever
in NEUTRAL and depress the clutch pedal to the floor
before starting the vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with
a clutch interlocking ignition system. It will not start
unless the clutch is fully depressed.
Automatic Transmission ± If Equipped
Start the engine with the selector lever in NEUTRAL or
PARK position. Apply the brake before shifting to any
driving range.
258 STARTING AND OPERATING

Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a warm or cold engine is
obtained without pumping or depressing the accelerator
pedal. Turn the key to the START position and release
when the engine starts. If the engine fails to start within
10 seconds, turn the key to the OFF position, wait 5
seconds, then repeat the starting procedure.
NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transmission
shift interlocking system. The brake pedal must be
depressed to shift out of Park (P).
Tip Start Feature Ð Automatic Transmission Only
Do notpress the accelerator. Turn the ignition key briefly
to START position, and release it. The starter motor will
continue to run, but will automatically disengage itself
when the engine is running.
If Engine Fails To Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
normal starting procedure, it may be flooded. Push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there
while cranking the engine. This should clear any excess
fuel in case the engine is flooded.
Ignition Key Positions
STARTING AND OPERATING 259
5

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
²Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
²Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
²Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
²Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of ªPº or
ªNº if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle
could accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the engine is
idling normally and when your right foot is firmly on
the brake pedal.
Automatic Transmission with Overdrive
The gear shift selector display, located in the instrument
panel cluster, indicates the transmission gear range (the
selector is illuminated for night driving). The selector
lever is mounted on the right side of the steering column.
You must depress the brake pedal, to pull the selector
lever out of park (P) position (Brake Interlock System). To
262 STARTING AND OPERATING

drive, move the selector lever from Park or Neutral to the
desired drive position. Pull the selector lever toward you
when shifting into Reverse, Second, First or Park, or
when shifting out of Park.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from Park or
Neutral position into another gear range.
ªPº Park
This gear position supplements the parking brake by
locking the transmission. The engine can be started in
this range. Never use Park while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this
range. Always apply parking brake first, then place the
selector in Park position. On 4-wheel-drive vehicles be
sure that the transfer case is in a drive position!
WARNING!
Never use Park position on an automatic transmis-
sion as a substitute for the parking brake. Always
apply parking brake fully when parked to guard
against vehicle movement and possible injury or
damage.
WARNING!
Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not completely in P (Park). Check by trying to
move the gearshift lever back and forth without first
pulling it toward you after you have set it in P. Make
sure it is in Park before leaving the vehicle.
STARTING AND OPERATING 263
5

WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of ªPº or
ªNº if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle
could accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the engine is
idling normally and when your right foot is firmly on
the brake pedal.
ªRº Reverse
Use this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.ªNº Neutral
Shift to Neutral when the vehicle is standing for pro-
longed periods with the engine running. The engine may
be started in this range. Set the parking brake if you must
leave the vehicle.
NOTE:Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving, with
the transmission in neutral (N) position, can cause severe
damage to the transmission.
ªDº Drive
This position provides all forward gears, including 3rd
gear direct and 4th and 5th (if equipped) gear overdrive
(see Overdrive Operation). Use this range for most city
and highway driving.
264 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:If the vehicle has not been driven in several
days, the first few seconds of operation after shifting the
transmission into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to
the fluid partially draining from the torque converter into
the transmission. This condition is normal and will not
cause damage to the transmission. The torque converter
will refill within five seconds of shifting from Park into
any other gear position.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.Truck models with manual transmission are equipped
with a clutch interlocking ignition system. The clutch
pedal must be fully depressed to start the vehicle.
Fully depress the clutch pedal before shifting gears. As
you release the clutch pedal, lightly depress the accelera-
tor pedal.
To shift into Reverse, come to a complete stop. Depress
the clutch and pause briefly to allow the gear train to
stop. Move the shift lever from the Neutral position
straight across and back into Reverse.
Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, or
attempt to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal
partially engaged, as this will cause abnormal wear on
the clutch.
268 STARTING AND OPERATING

Downshifting ± All Manual Transmissions
Moving from a high gear down to a lower gear is
recommended to preserve brakes when driving down
steep hills. In addition, downshifting at the right time
provides better acceleration when you desire to resume
speed. For acceleration at speeds less than 20 mph (30
km/h), 2nd gear is recommended.
CAUTION!
When descending a hill, be very careful to downshift
one gear at a time to prevent overspeeding the engine
which can cause valve damage.
To prevent clutch and transmission damage, your vehicle
should be downshifted at speeds no greater than those
listed in the Maximum Recommended Downshifting
Speed chart.Maximum Recommended Downshifting Speeds
Gear
Selec-
tion1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Maxi-
mum
Speed16 mph
(25
km/h)30 mph
(48
km/h)50 mph
(80
km/h)76 mph
(122
km/h)105
mph
(168
km/h)
CAUTION!
Failure to follow the recommended downshifting
speeds may cause the engine to over speed and / or
damage the clutch disc even if the clutch pedal is
depressed.
270 STARTING AND OPERATING