2008 DODGE RAM 5500 CHASSIS CAB brake

If One or More Shift Conditions are not Met
1. The indicator light for the current position will remain
ON.
2. The newly selected position indicator light will con-
tinue to flash.
3. The transfer casewill notshift.
NOTE:Before retrying a selection, make certain that all
the necessary requirements for selecting a new transfer
case position have been met. To retry the selection, turn
the control knob back to the current position, wait five (5)
seconds, and retry selection. To find the shift require-
ments, refer to the9Shifting Procedure9for your transfer
case, located in this section of the owner's manual.The ªSERVICE 4WDº warning light monitors the electric
shift 4WD system. If this light remains on after engine
start up or illuminates during driving, it means that the
4WD system is not functioning properly and that service
is required.
WARNING!
Always engage the parking brake when powering
down the vehicle if the(Service 4WD(light is illu-
minated. Not engaging the parking brake may allow
the vehicle to roll which may cause personal injury.
NOTE:Do not attempt to make a shift while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning, as this can cause
damage to driveline components.
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When operating your vehicle in 4WD LOW, the engine
speed is approximately three times that of the 2WD or
4WD LOCK positions at a given road speed. Take care
not to overspeed the engine and do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).
Proper operation of 4 wheel drive vehicles depends on
tires of equal size, type and circumference on each wheel.
Any difference in tire size can cause damage to the
transfer case.
Because 4 wheel drive provides improved traction, there
is a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping speeds.
Do not go faster than road conditions permit.WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the
Neutral (N) position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case Neutral (N) position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from
the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to move
regardless of the transmission position. The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position see the information below:
2WD
Rear Wheel Drive High Range - Normal street and
highway driving. Dry hard surfaced roads.
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5

LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL Ð IF EQUIPPED
The limited-slip differential provides additional traction
on snow, ice, mud, sand and gravel, particularly when
there is a difference between the traction characteristics
of the surface under the right and left rear wheels. During
normal driving and cornering, the limited-slip unit per-
forms similarly to a conventional differential. On slip-
pery surfaces, however, the differential delivers more of
the driving effort to the rear wheel having the better
traction.
The limited-slip differential is especially helpful during
slippery driving conditions. With both rear wheels on a
slippery surface, a slight application of the accelerator
will supply maximum traction. When starting with only
one rear wheel on an excessively slippery surface, slight
momentary application of the parking brake may be
necessary to gain maximum traction.WARNING!
On vehicles equipped with a limited-slip differen-
tial, never run the engine with one rear wheel off the
ground, since the vehicle may drive through the rear
wheel remaining on the ground. You could lose
control of the vehicle.
Care should be taken to avoid sudden accelerations when
both rear wheels are on a slippery surface. This could
cause both rear wheels to spin, and allow the vehicle to
slide sideways on the crowned surface of a road or in a
turn.
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5

POWER TAKE OFF OPERATION ± IF EQUIPPED
The Dodge Chassis Cab vehicle, when equipped with
either the automatic 6 speed or manual G-56 6 speed
transmissions, will allow for an aftermarket upfit with a
transmission driven PTO (power take off). The customer
will have the ability to operate the PTO in either a
ªstationaryº or ªmobileº mode. The vehicles will be
factory set to the ªstationaryº mode. In order to select the
ªmobileº mode a DaimlerChrysler Dealership is required
to modify the vehicles settings using their proprietary
Dealer service tool.
Stationary Mode
To operate the PTO in this mode the vehicle must meet
the following conditions:
²Be in ªparkº position (vehicles equipped with auto-
matic transmission)
²Upfitter provider (on/off) switch has been activated
²Parking brake applied (vehicles equipped with
manual transmission)
²Vehicle must be running
²No vehicle, brake or clutch switch faults present
²PTO must be correctly installed using the vehicle
provided circuits
The customer has the choice to operate the PTO by
utilizing the cruise control switches or by utilizing a
remote control (provided by the PTO supplier). To oper-
ate the feature using the cruise control switches the
customer must first activate the up fitter provided on/off
switch. Next, the cruise control ªonº switch is selected.
Following this step the ªsetº switch must be depressed.
The vehicle is now in the PTO mode and is ready for use.
In order to increase or decrease the engine idle speed, to
optimize the PTO function, the ªaccelº and ªdecelº cruise
switches can be used respectively. To disengage PTO
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operation and return to ªstandard vehicle operationº
simply turn the up fitter provided on/off switch to the off
position or press the ªcancelº cruise switch.
To operate the PTO via a remote switch the customer
must make sure the above conditions are met. It is vital
for proper operation that the PTO and remote have been
installed correctly paying special attention to ensure the
vehicle provided wiring has been connected properly.
This is the responsibility of the installer of the PTO and
switches/remote system. It is the responsibility of the
PTO manufacturer to ensure that their electrical (switches
and remote) system is compatible with the vehicle's
electrical architecture and software functionality.
Mobile Mode
To operate the PTO in this mode the vehicle must meet
the following conditions:
²Dealer selected ªmobileº mode activated via Dealer
proprietary service tool
²Upfitter provider (on/off) switch has been activated
²Vehicle must be in ªparkº or ªdriveº position (vehicles
equipped with automatic transmission)
²Parking brake must not be applied
²No vehicle, brake or clutch switch faults present
²Vehicle must be running
²PTO must be correctly installed using the vehicle
provided circuits
The customer may choose to use the PTO while the
vehicle is moving. To do so the PTO function must be
activated prior to taking the vehicle out of ªparkº. This is
accomplished by activating the up fitter provided PTO
on/off switch. At this point the customer may place the
vehicle in a forward or reverse gear and have PTO
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5

CAUTION!
²Always check the depth of the standing water before
driving through it. Never drive through standing water
that is deeper than the bottom of the tire rims mounted
on the vehicle.
²Determine the condition of the road or the path that is
under water and if there are any obstacles in the way
before driving through the standing water.
²Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through
standing water. This will minimize wave effects.
²Driving through standing water may cause damage to
your vehicle's drivetrain components. Always inspect
your vehicle's fluids (i.e. engine oil, transmission, axle,
etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e. fluid that is milky or
foamy in appearance) after driving through standing
water. Do not continue to operate the vehicle if any fluid
appears contaminated, as this may result in further
damage. Such damage is not covered by the new vehicle
limited warranty.
²Getting water inside your vehicle's engine can cause it to
lockup and stall out and cause serious internal damage to
the engine. Such damage is not covered by the new
vehicle limited warranty.
WARNING!
²Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle's traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph (8
km/h) when driving through standing water.
²Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle's braking capabilities, which increases stop-
ping distances. Therefore, after driving through
standing water, drive slowly and lightly press on
the brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
²Getting water inside your vehicle's engine can
cause it to lockup and stall out and leave you
stranded.
²Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
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DRIVING OFF-ROAD
Care should be taken when attempting to climb steep
hills or driving diagonally across a hill or slope. If natural
obstacles force you to travel diagonally up or down a hill,
choose a mild angle and keep as little side tilt as possible.
Keep the vehicle moving and make turns slowly and
cautiously.
If you must back down a hill, back straight down using
REVERSE gear. Never back down in NEUTRAL, or
diagonally across the hill.
When driving over sand, mud, and other soft terrain,
shift to low gear and drive steadily. Apply the accelerator
slowly to avoid spinning the wheels.
DO NOT REDUCE the tire pressures for this type of
driving.NOTE:After off-road usage, particularly in sand or
mud, inspect the underside of the vehicle for accumu-
lated dirt at the propeller shaft, axles, U-joints, brake
rotors and calipers.
Use a hose to clean off any accumulation of dirt or mud.
Check the exhaust system and all exposed components
for any sign of damage.
If you experience unusual vibration after driving in mud,
slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for im-
pacted material. Impacted foreign material can cause a
wheel imbalance. Removing the foreign material from
the wheels will correct the situation.
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5

PARKING BRAKE
The foot operated parking brake is positioned below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel. To release the
parking brake, pull the parking brake release handle.
NOTE:The instrument cluster red brake warning light
will come on and flash to indicate that the parking brake
is applied. You must be sure that the parking brake is
fully applied before leaving the vehicle.
Be sure the parking brake is firmly set when parked and
the gear shift lever is in the PARK position. When
parking on a hill you should apply the parking brake
before placing the gear shift lever in PARK, otherwise the
load on the transmission locking mechanism may make it
difficult to move the selector out of PARK.
Parking Brake Release
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