2009 Ram 1500 sensor

WARNING!
Electronic Speed Control can be dangerous where the
system cannot maintain a constant speed. Your ve-
hicle could go too fast for the conditions, and you
could lose control. An accident could be the result.
Do not use Electronic Speed Control in heavy traffic
or on roads that are winding, icy, snow-covered, or
slippery.
REAR PARK ASSIST — IF EQUIPPED
The Rear Park Assist provides visible and audible indi-
cations of the distance between the rear fascia and the
detected obstacle when backing up. Refer to the Warning
Section and Note Section for limitations of this system
and recommendations.The Rear Park Assist can be active only when the shift
lever is in REVERSE. If the Rear Park Assist is enabled at
this shift lever position, the system will be active until the
vehicle speed is increased to approximately 11 mph
(18 km/h) or above. The system will be active again if the
vehicle speed is decreased to speeds less than approxi-
mately 10 mph (16 km/h).
Rear Park Assist Sensors
The four Rear Park Assist sensors, located in the rear
bumper, monitor the area behind the vehicle that is
within the sensors field of view.
The sensors can detect obstacles from approximately 12
to 79 in (30 to 200 cm) from the rear fascia in the
horizontal direction, depending on the location, type and
orientation of the obstacle.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 163

WARNING!
•Drivers must be careful when backing up, even
when using the Rear Park Assist. Always check
carefully behind your vehicle, look behind you,
and be sure to check for pedestrians, animals,
other vehicles, obstructions, and blind spots be-
fore backing up. You are responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your surround-
ings. Failure to do so can result in serious injury or
death.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Before using the Rear Park Assist, it is strongly
recommended that the ball mount and hitch ball
assembly is disconnected from the vehicle when
the vehicle is not used for towing. Failure to do so
can result in injury or damage to vehicles or
obstacles because the hitch ball will be much
closer to the obstacle than the rear fascia when the
warning display turns the red LEDs ON. Also, the
sensors could detect the ball mount and hitch ball
assembly, depending on its size and shape, giving
a false indication that an obstacle is behind the
vehicle.
166 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
•The Rear Park Assist is only a parking aid and it is
unable to recognize every obstacle, including
small obstacles. Parking curbs might be tempo-
rarily detected or not detected at all. Obstacles
located above or below the sensors will not be
detected when they are in close proximity.
•The vehicle must be driven slowly when using the
Rear Park Assist to be able to stop in time when
the obstacle is detected. It is recommended that the
driver look over his/her shoulder when using the
Rear Park Assist.
NOTE:
•Ensure that the rear bumper is free of dirt and debris
to keep the system operating properly.
•Jackhammers, large trucks, and other vibrations could
affect the performance of the system.
Enable/Disable The Rear Park Assist
There are times when you may want to disable the Rear
Park Assist, such as when towing a trailer.
The system can be turned on or off by the Park Assist
switch, located in the switch bank on the center of the
instrument panel.
Park Assist Switch
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 167

On vehicles equipped with an Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC) the message “Park Assist Dis-
abled” will be displayed on the EVIC when the system
has been disabled. Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC) — If Equipped” in Section 4.
Service The Rear Park Assist
When the Rear Park Assist is defective, the EVIC will
display the “SERVICE PARK ASSIST SYSTEM” message
along with a single chime once per ignition cycle. The
Park Assist display will also light the red LEDs indicating
a problem. Under this condition the Rear Park Assist will
not operate.
If “SERVICE PARK ASSIST SYSTEM” appears in the
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) after mak-
ing sure the rear bumper is clean, please see your
authorized dealer.
Cleaning The Rear Park Assist
Clean the Rear Park Assist sensors with water, car wash
soap and a soft cloth. Do not use rough or hard cloths.
Do not scratch or poke the sensors, you could damage the
sensors.
REAR BACKUP CAMERA — IF EQUIPPED
The Rear Camera system allows you to see an on-screen
image (located in the screen of your uconnect™ tunes
radio) of the rear of your vehicle whenever it is put into
REVERSE. The camera is located next to the tailgate
handle on the rear of the vehicle.
168 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result when using re-
placement equipment that is not of the same size,
type, and/or style. Aftermarket wheels can cause
sensor damage. Do not use tire sealant from a can, or
balance beads if your vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors may result.
NOTE: The TPMS telltale is also accompanied by a
“Low Tire” message in the odometer (Base Cluster), or in
the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) screen
indicating “Low Tire” for EVIC enabled clusters. 26. Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is part of
an onboard diagnostic (OBDII) system which
monitors the emissions and engine control sys-
tem. If the vehicle is ready for emissions testing, the light
will come on when the ignition is first turned on and
remain on, as a bulb check, until the engine is started. If
the vehicle is not ready for emissions testing the light will
come on when the ignition is first turned on and remain
on for 15 seconds, then blink for 5 seconds, and remain
on until the vehicle is started. If the bulb does not come
on during starting, have the condition investigated
promptly.
If this light comes on and remains on while driving, it
suggests a potential engine control problem and the need
for system service.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 239

Manual Compass Calibration
If the compass appears erratic and the CAL indicator
does not appear in the EVIC display, you must put the
compass into the Calibration Mode manually, as follows:
1. Turn ON the ignition switch.
2. Press the UP or DOWN button until the Setup
(Customer-Programmable Features) menu is reached,
then press the SELECT button.
3. Press the DOWN button until “Calibrate Compass” is
displayed in the EVIC.
4. Press and release the SELECT button to start the
calibration. The “CAL” indicator will be displayed in the
EVIC.
5. Complete one or more 360–degree turns (in an area
free from large metal or metallic objects) until the “CAL”
indicator turns off. The compass will now function
normally.
Compass Variance
Compass Variance is the difference between Magnetic
North and Geographic North. To compensate for the
differences the variance should be set for the zone where
the vehicle is driven, per the zone map. Once properly
set, the compass will automatically compensate for the
differences, and provide the most accurate compass
heading. For the most accurate compass performance, the
compass must be set using the following steps.
NOTE:Keep magnetic materials away from the top of
the instrument panel, such as iPod’s, Cell Phones, Lap-
tops and Radar Detectors. This is where the compass
module is located, and it can cause interference with the
compass sensor, and it may give false readings.
254 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

ESP uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle
path intended by the driver and compares it to the actual
path of the vehicle. When the actual path does not match
the intended path, ESP applies the brake of the appropri-
ate wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer or
understeer condition.
•Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
•Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
ESP/TCS Indicator Light
The “ESP/TCS Indicator Light” located in the
instrument cluster, starts to flash as soon as the
tires lose traction and the ESP system becomes
active. The “ESP/TCS Indicator Light” also
flashes when TCS is active. If the “ESP/TCS Indicator
Light” begins to flash during acceleration, ease up on the accelerator and apply as little throttle as possible. Be sure
to adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing road
conditions.
WARNING!
•ESP cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road conditions.
•ESP cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on
slippery surfaces or hydroplaning. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
•The capabilities of an ESP-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s safety
or the safety of others.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 357

running. If the “ESP/BAS Warning Light” comes on
continuously with the engine running, a malfunction has
been detected in either the ESP or BAS system or both. If
this light remains on after several ignition cycles and the
vehicle has been driven several miles/kilometers at
speeds greater than 30 mph (48 km/h), see your autho-
rized dealer as soon as possible to have the problem
diagnosed and corrected.
NOTE:
•The “ESP Indicator Light” and the “ESP/BAS Warning
Light” will come on momentarily each time the igni-
tion switch is turned ON.
•Each time the ignition is turned ON, the ESP will be
ON even if it was turned off previously.
•The ESP will make buzzing or clicking sounds when it
is active. This is normal. The sounds will stop when
ESP becomes inactive following the maneuver that
caused the ESP activation.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
The TSC system uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize
an excessively swaying trailer and will take the appro-
priate actions to attempt to stop the sway. The system
may reduce engine power and apply the brake of the
appropriate wheel(s) to counteract the sway of the trailer.
TSC will become active automatically once an excessively
swaying trailer is recognized. No driver action is re-
quired. Note that TSC cannot stop all trailers from
swaying. Always use caution when towing a trailer and
follow the trailer tongue weight recommendations. Refer
to “Trailer Towing” in this section.. When TSC is func-
tioning, the “ESP/TCS Indicator Light” will flash, the
engine power may be reduced and you may feel the
brakes being applied to individual wheels to attempt to
stop the trailer from swaying. TSC is disabled when the
ESP system is in the “Partial Off” or “Full Off” modes.
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