2008 DODGE RAM 3500 GAS warning

Radial Ply Tires
WARNING!
Combining radial ply tires with other types of tires
on your vehicle will cause your vehicle to handle
poorly. The instability could cause an accident. Al-
ways use radial ply tires in sets of four (or six, in case
of trucks with dual rear wheels). Never combine
them with other types of tires.
Cuts and punctures in radial tires are repairable only in
the tread area because of sidewall flexing. Consult your
authorized tire dealer for radial tire repairs.
Compact Spare Tire Ð If Equipped
The compact spare is for temporary emergency use with
radial tires. It is engineered to be used on your stylevehicle only. Since this tire has limited tread life, the
original tire should be repaired (or replaced) and rein-
stalled at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
²Temporary use spare tires are for emergency use
only. With these tires, DO NOT drive more than 50
mph (80 km/h).
²Temporary-use spare tires have limited tread life.
When the tread is worn to the tread wear indica-
tors, the temporary use spare tire needs to be
replaced.
²Be sure to follow the warnings, which apply to
your spare. Failure to do so could result in spare
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
STARTING AND OPERATING 351
5

DO NOT install a wheel cover or attempt to mount a
conventional tire on the compact spare wheel, since the
wheel is designed specifically for the compact spare.
DO NOT install more than one compact spare tire/wheel
on the vehicle at any given time.
CAUTION!
Because of the reduced ground clearance, DO NOT
take your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
the compact spare installed. Damage to the vehicle
may result.
Limited-Use Spare Ð If Equipped
The limited-use spare tire is for temporary emergency
use on your vehicle. This tire is identified by a limited-
use spare tire warning label located on the limited-use
spare tire and wheel assembly. This tire may look like theoriginal equipped tire on the front or rear axle of your
vehicle, but it is not. Installation of this limited-use spare
tire affects vehicle handling. Since it is not the same tire,
replace (or repair) the original tire and reinstall on the
vehicle at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
The limited-use spare tires are for emergency use
only. Installation of this limited-use spare tire affects
vehicle handling. With this tire, DO NOT drive more
than 50 mph (80 km/h). Keep inflated to the cold tire
inflation pressure listed on either your tire placard or
limited-use spare tire and wheel assembly. Replace
(or repair) the original tire at the first opportunity
and reinstall it on your vehicle. Failure to do so could
result in loss of vehicle control.
352 STARTING AND OPERATING

Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, DO
NOT spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph (48
km/h) or for longer than 30 seconds continuously with-
out stopping when you are stuck.
For additional information, refer to ªFreeing A Stuck
Vehicleº in Section 6.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire dam-
age or failure. A tire could explode and injure some-
one. DO NOT spin your vehicle's wheels faster than
30 mph (48 km/h) or for more than 30 seconds
continuously when you are stuck, and don't let
anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the
speed.
Tread Wear Indicators
Tread wear indicators are in the original equipment tires
to help you in determining when your tires should be
replaced.
STARTING AND OPERATING 353
5

These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread
grooves. They will appear as bands when the tread depth
becomes 1/16 in (2 mm). When the tread is worn to the
tread wear indicators, the tire should be replaced.
Many states have laws requiring tire replacement at this
point.
Life of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon varying
factors including, but not limited to:
²Driving style
²Tire pressure
²Distance driven
WARNING!
Tires and the spare tire should be replaced after six
years, regardless of the remaining tread. Failure to
follow this warning can result in sudden tire failure.
You could lose control and have an accident resulting
in serious injury or death.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
354 STARTING AND OPERATING

Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed. (Refer to the paragraph on
ªTread Wear Indicatorsº). Refer to the ªTire and Loading
Informationº placard for the size designation of your tire.
The service description and load identification will be
found on the original equipment tire. Failure to use
equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect the
safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend
that you contact your original equipment or an autho-
rized tire dealer with any questions you may have on tire
specifications or capability.WARNING!
DO NOT use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combinations of
unapproved tires and wheels may change suspension
dimensions and performance characteristics, result-
ing in changes to steering, handling, and braking of
your vehicle. This can cause unpredictable handling
and stress to steering and suspension components.
You could lose control and have an accident resulting
in serious injury or death. Use only the tire and
wheel sizes with load ratings approved for your
vehicle.
STARTING AND OPERATING 355
5

WARNING!
²NEVER use a tire with a smaller load index or
capacity, other than what was originally equipped
on your vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load
index could result in tire overloading and failure.
You could lose control and have an accident.
²Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size
may result in false speedometer and odometer
readings.
Alignment And Balance
Poor suspension alignment may result in:
²Fast tire wear.
²Uneven tire wear, such as feathering and one-sided
wear.
²Vehicle pull to right or left.
Tires may also cause the vehicle to pull to the left or right.
Alignment will not correct this condition. See your
authorized dealer for proper diagnosis.
Improper alignment will not cause vehicle vibration.
Vibration may be a result of tire and wheel out-of-
balance. Proper balancing will reduce vibration and
avoid tire cupping and spotty wear.
356 STARTING AND OPERATING

TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) Ð IF
EQUIPPED
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) will warn
the driver of a low tire pressure based on the vehicle
recommended cold tire inflation placard pressure. The
placard pressure is defined on the Tire and Loading
Information label. The Tire and Loading Information
label is located on the drivers side B-pillar. Vehicles
equipped to be operated in either the ªmax load inflation
pressureº condition described on the Tire and Loading
Information label or the alternative ªlight load inflation
pressureº condition described on the Supplemental Tire
Pressure Information label, may also be equipped with a
reset switch to choose the appropriate TPMS low pres-
sure warning threshold levels based upon the vehicle
load condition. The Supplemental Tire Pressure Informa-
tion label is located on the rear face of the driver door.
Operation of the ªLight Loadº reset switch is described
later in this manual section.The tire pressure will vary with temperature by approxi-
mately 1 psi (6.9 kPa) for every 12ÉF (6.5ÉC). This means
that when the outside temperature decreases, the tire
pressure will decrease. Tire pressure should always be set
based on cold inflation tire pressure. This is defined as
the tire pressure after a vehicle has not been driven for
more than 3 hours, or driven less than 1 mile after a 3
hour period. For information on how to properly inflate
the vehicle's tires, refer to ºTire Pressureº under ªTires ±
General Informationº in this section. The tire pressure
will also increase as the vehicle is driven - this is normal
and there should be no adjustment for this increased
pressure.
The TPM System will warn the driver of a low tire
pressure if the tire pressure falls below the low pressure
warning threshold for any reason, including low tem-
perature effects, or natural pressure loss through the tire.
362 STARTING AND OPERATING

The TPM System will continue to warn the driver of low
tire pressure as long as the condition exists, and will not
turn off until the tire pressure is at or above recom-
mended cold placard pressure. Once the low tire pressure
warning has been illuminated, the tire pressure must be
increased to the recommended cold placard pressure in
order for the TPMS warning lamp to be turned off. The
system will automatically update and the TPMS warning
lamp will extinguish once the updated tire pressures
have been received. The vehicle may need to be driven
for up to 10 minutes above 15 mph (25 km/h) to receive
this information.
As an example, assume your vehicle has a recommended
cold tire inflation placard pressure (parked for more than
3 hours) of 35 psi (241 kPa). If the ambient temperature is
68ÉF (20ÉC) and the measured tire pressure is 30 psi (207
kPa), a temperature drop to 20ÉF (-7ÉC) will decrease the
tire pressure to approximately 26 psi (179 kPa). This tire
pressure is sufficiently low enough to turn ON the TirePressure Monitoring lamp. Driving the vehicle may cause
the tire pressure to rise to approximately 30 psi (207 kPa),
but the Tire Pressure Monitoring lamp will still be ON. In
this situation, the Tire Pressure Monitoring lamp will
turn OFF only after the tires have been inflated to the
vehicle's recommended cold tire placard pressure value.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures have
been established for the tire size equipped on your
vehicle. Undesirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using replacement equip-
ment that is not of the same size, type, and/or style.
After-market wheels can cause sensor damage. Do
not use aftermarket tire sealants or balance beads if
your vehicle is equipped with a TPMS, as damage to
the sensors may result.
STARTING AND OPERATING 363
5