2009 Ram 1500 engine

Children Too Large for Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend
over the front of the seat when their back is against the
seat back should use the lap/shoulder belt in a rear seat.
•Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
•The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
•Check belt fit periodically. A child’s squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position.
If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. Never allow a
child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind
their back.
Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision. Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in
pet harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine in
your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or
55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws, contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental and should be avoided.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with anticipated climate
conditions under which vehicle operations will occur.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81

The recommended viscosity and quality grades are
shown in Section 7 of this manual. NON-DETERGENT
OR STRAIGHT MINERAL OILS MUST NEVER BE
USED.
A new engine may consume some oil during its first few
thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This should be
considered a normal part of the break-in and not inter-
preted as an indication of difficulty.
SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE CARGO
AREA.
WARNING!
•It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seri-
ously injured or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO)
follow these safety tips:
Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in confined
areas any longer than needed to move your vehicle in or
out of the area.
If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the engine
running, adjust your heating or cooling controls to force
outside air into the vehicle. Set the blower at high speed. If you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate open,
make sure that all windows are closed and the climate
control BLOWER switch is set at high speed. DO NOT
use the recirculation mode.
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into
the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the com-
plete exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken,
damaged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open
seams or loose connections could permit exhaust fumes
to seep into the passenger compartment. In addition,
inspect the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace as required.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83

Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid, or
brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause should be
located and corrected immediately.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 85

Things You Should Know About Your uconnect
phone
uconnectphone Tutorial
To hear a brief tutorial of the system features, press the
PHONE button and say “uconnect Tutorial.”
Voice Training
For users experiencing difficulty with the system recog-
nizing their voice commands or numbers, the uconnect
phone Voice Training feature may be used. To enter this
training mode, follow one of the two following proce-
dures:
From outside the uconnectphone mode (e.g., from radio
mode):
•Press and hold the VOICE RECOGNITION button for
five seconds until the session begins, or,
•Press the VOICE RECOGNITION button and say the
Setup, Voice Training command. Repeat the words and phrases when prompted by the
uconnect
phone. For best results, the Voice Training
session should be completed when the vehicle is parked
with the engine running, all windows closed, and the
blower fan switched off.
This procedure may be repeated with a new user. The
system will adapt to the last trained voice only.
To restore the Voice Recognition system to factory default
settings, enter the Voice Training session via the above
procedure and follow the prompts.
Voice Recognition (VR)
•
For best performance, adjust the rearview mirror to
provide at least12in (1 cm) gap between the overhead
console (if equipped) and the mirror.
•Always wait for the beep before speaking.
•Speak normally, without pausing, just as you would
speak to a person sitting a few feet/meters away from
you.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 119

NOTE:Keep in mind that you have to press the VR
button first and wait for the beep before speaking the
“Barge In” commands.
Voice Training
For users experiencing difficulty with the system recog-
nizing their voice commands or numbers, uconnect
phone Voice Training feature may be used.
1. Press the VR button, say “System Setup” and once you
are in that menu then say “Voice Training.” This will train
your own voice to the system and will improve recogni-
tion.
2. Repeat the words and phrases when prompted by
uconnect phone. For best results, the Voice Training
session should be completed when the vehicle is parked,
engine running, all windows closed, and the blower fan
switched off. This procedure may be repeated with a new
user. The system will adapt to the last trained voice only.
SEATS
Seats are a primary part of the Occupant Restraint System
of the vehicle. They need to be used properly for safe
operation of the vehicle.
WARNING!
•It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seri-
ously injured or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
132 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:The engine must be running for the heated seats
to operate.
The heated seats switch from High to Low and from Low
to Off automatically, based on time and temperature of
the seat. The heated seats can operate on High heat for as
little as 4 minutes and up to 30 minutes before switching
to Low heat. Once a seat has switched to the Low heat
setting it may operate for an additional 60 minutes before
automatically shutting Off. The heated seats can shut Off
early or may not turn on when the seat is already warm.
NOTE: The drivers heated seat can be programmed to
come on during a remote start. Refer to “Remote Starting
System — If Equipped” in Section 2 for further informa-
tion.WARNING!
•Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes,
spinal cord injury, medication, alcohol use, ex-
haustion or other physical condition must exercise
care when using the seat heater. It may cause burns
even at low temperatures, especially if used for
long periods of time.
•Do not place anything on the seat that insulates
against heat, such as a blanket or cushion. This
may cause the seat heater to overheat.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 139

Ventilated Seats — If Equipped
Located in the seat cushion and seatback are small fans
that draw the air from around the occupant and exhaust
it underneath the seat and into the passenger compart-
ment. The fans draw this air across the surface of the seat
using air ducts and fine perforations in the covering to
help keep the driver cooler in higher ambient tempera-
tures.
The ventilated seat switches are located in the switch
bank in the center stack of the instrument panel, just
below the climate controls. The fans operate at two
speeds, High and Low.Press the switch once to choose High,
press it a second time to choose Low.
Pressing the switch a third time will
turn the ventilated seat Off. When
High speed is selected both lights on the switch will be illuminated. When Low speed is
selected one light will be illuminated.
NOTE:
•The engine must be running for the ventilated seats to
operate.
•The drivers ventilated seat can be programmed to
come on during a remote start. Refer to “Remote
Starting System — If Equipped” in Section 2 for
further information.
40-20-40 Front Bench Seat — If Equipped
The seat is divided into three segments. The outboard
seat portions are each 40% of the total width of the seat.
The back of the center portion (20%) easily folds down to
provide an armrest/center storage compartment (if
equipped).
140 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE