2009 DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL heating

Air Conditioning and Heating — If EquippedAir Conditioning Operation
To turn on the Air Conditioning, set the fan
control at any speed and press the snowflake
button located at the right of the control panel.
Conditioned air will be directed through the
outlets selected by the mode control. A light in the
snowflake button shows that the air conditioning is on.
Press the button a second time to turn the air condition-
ing off.
Slight changes in engine speed or power may be noticed
when the air conditioning compressor is on. This is a
normal occurrence as the compressor will cycle on and
off to maintain comfort and increase fuel economy.
Air Conditioning And Heating
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 237
4

edges of the instrument panel. The demisters also pro-
vide extra air ducts for circulation. They are in operation
whenever the Floor, Mix or Defrost modes are in use. To
remove frost from the side windows, it is best to use the
full defrost mode.
NOTE:When you turn off the engine you may hear a
hissing sound from under the hood for a short period of
time. This is a normal condition that occurs if the air
conditioning system has been on. It is not an indication of
a problem with the air conditioning system.Air Conditioning with Dual Zone Temperature
Control — If EquippedWith the Dual Zone Temperature Control System, each
front seat occupant can independently control the tem-
perature of air coming from the outlets on their side of
the vehicle.
Air Conditioning and Heating OperationTo turn on the Air Conditioning, set the fan control at any
speed and press the snowflake button located on the
control panel. Conditioned air will be directed through
the outlets selected by the mode control. A light in the
snowflake button shows that the air conditioning is on.
Press the button a second time to turn the air condition-
ing off.
Dual Zone Control Head
240 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Summer OperationAir conditioned vehicles must be protected with a high
quality antifreeze coolant during summer to provide
proper corrosion protection and to raise the boiling point
of the coolant for protection against overheating. A 50 %
concentration is recommended. For proper coolant type,
refer to “Recommended Fluids and Genuine Parts” in
Section 7.
When using the air conditioner in extremely heavy traffic
in hot weather, especially when towing a trailer, addi-
tional engine cooling may be required. If this situation is
encountered, operate the transmission in a lower gear to
increase engine RPM, coolant flow and fan speed. When
stopped in heavy traffic, it may be necessary to shift into
NEUTRAL and depress the accelerator slightly for fast
idle operation to increase coolant flow and fan speed.NOTE:
On models equipped with Diesel engines, the
idle speed will automatically increase to 1000 rpm at
elevated coolant temperatures to improve engine cooling.
Your air conditioning system is also equipped with an
automatic recirculation system. When the system senses
a heavy load or high heat conditions, it may use partial
Recirculation A/C mode to provide additional comfort.
Winter OperationWhen operating the system during the Winter months,
make sure the air intake, located directly in front of the
windshield, is free of ice, slush, snow, or other obstructions.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 245
4

STARTING PROCEDURESBefore 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!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat buildup may
cause serious injury or death.Normal StartingNormal 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 five
seconds, then repeat the starting procedure.
Automatic TransmissionStart the engine with the shift lever in the NEUTRAL or
PARK position. Apply the brake before shifting to any
driving range.
NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transmission
shift interlocking system. The brake pedal must be
depressed to shift out of PARK.Tip Start FeatureDo 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 when
the engine is running.If Engine Fails To StartIf 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.
252 STARTING AND OPERATING

This will improve performance and reduce the potential
for transmission overheating or failure due to excessive
shifting. When operating in “TOW HAUL” mode, 5th
gear (if equipped) is disabled and 2-3 and 3-4 shift
patterns are modified. Shifts into Overdrive (4th gear) are
allowed during steady cruise (for improved fueleconomy) and automatic closed-throttle downshifts to
3rd gear are performed (for improved braking) when
driving conditions warrant. Pressing the “TOW HAUL
O/D OFF” button a second time to select O/D OFF will
disable 4th and 5th gear completely, which should elimi-
nate any excessive transmission shifting.
The “TOW HAUL” or “O/D OFF” light will illuminate in
the instrument cluster to indicate when the switch has
been activated. Pressing the switch a third time restores
normal operation. If the “TOW HAUL” or “O/D OFF”
modes are desired, the button must be pressed each time
the engine is started.
Torque Converter ClutchA feature, designed to improve fuel economy, has been
included in the automatic transmission on your vehicle.
A clutch within the torque converter engages automati-
cally at calibrated speeds. This may result in a slightly
different feeling or response during normal operation in
Tow Haul O/D Off Switch
STARTING AND OPERATING 259
5

NOTE:•
Avoid overheating the winch motor. For extended
winching, stop at reasonable intervals to allow the
winch motor to cool down.
•
What to look for under load:The wire rope must
always spool onto the drum as indicated by the drum
rotation decal on the winch. As you power-in, make
sure the wire rope winds evenly and tightly on the
drum. This prevents the outer wire wraps from draw-
ing into the inner wraps, binding and damaging the
wire rope. Avoid shock loads by using the control
switch intermittently to take up wire rope slack. Shock
loads can momentarily far exceed the winch and wire
rope ratings. During side pulls the wire rope tends to
stack up at one end of the drum. This stack can become large enough to cause serious damage to the winch.
So, line up pulls as straight ahead as possible and stop
winching if the wire rope comes close to the tie rods or
mounting plate. To fix an uneven stack, spool out that
section of the rope and reposition it to the opposite end
of the drum, which will free up space for continued
winching.
16. Secure vehicle. Once recovery of the vehicle’s is
complete, be sure to secure the vehicle’s brakes and put
the transmission in PARK. Release tension in the wire
rope.
17. Disconnect the wire rope, and disconnect from the
anchor.
STARTING AND OPERATING 323
5

a hill, you should apply the parking brake before placing
the shift lever in PARK, otherwise, the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK.
WARNING!
•
Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission
in PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to
roll and cause damage or injury.
•
Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Do not leave the key in
the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•
Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving, failure to do so can lead to brake
problems due to excessive heating of the rear
brakes.
When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels toward the
curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an
uphill grade.
The parking brake should always be applied whenever
the driver is not in the vehicle.
BRAKE SYSTEMIf power assist is lost for any reason (for example,
repeated brake applications with the engine off), the
brakes will still function. However, you will experience a
substantial increase in braking effort to stop the vehicle.
330 STARTING AND OPERATING

Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped

Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.

When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.

Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
Cooling SystemTo reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
NOTE: Engine power may be temporarily reduced in
order to maintain oil and coolant temperatures under
extreme trailer tow operating conditions.
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, put transmission
in neutral and increase engine idle speed.

Highway Driving
Reduce speed.

Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
SNOWPLOWSnowplow Prep Packages are available as a factory-
installed option. These packages include components
necessary to equip your vehicle with a snowplow.
NOTE: Before installation of a snowplow, it is highly
recommended that the owner/installer obtain and follow
the recommendations contained within the current
Dodge Body Builder’s Guide. See your authorized dealer,
installer or snowplow manufacturer for this information.
There are unique electrical systems that must be con-
nected to properly assure operator safety, and to prevent
overloading vehicle systems.
396 STARTING AND OPERATING