2009 Ram 1500 heating

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 System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, put the trans-
mission in NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
SNOWPLOW
NOTE: Do not use this model vehicle for snowplow
applications.
WARNING!
Snowplows and other aftermarket equipment should
not be added to the front end of your vehicle. The
airbag crash sensors may be affected by the change in
the front end structure. The airbags could deploy
unexpectedly or could fail to deploy during a colli-
sion resulting in serious injury or death.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 411

CAUTION!
It is very important that the starting unit operating
voltage does not exceed 12-Volts DC or damage to the
battery, starter motor, alternator or electrical system
may occur.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, sand or mud, it can
often be moved by a rocking motion. Move the shift lever
rhythmically between DRIVE and REVERSE while ap-
plying slight pressure to the accelerator.
CAUTION!
Revving the engine and shifting aggressively be-
tween forward and reverse may damage the vehicle
and lead to extensive repair.In general, the least amount of accelerator pedal pressure
to maintain the rocking motion without spinning the
wheels or racing the engine is most effective.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels due to the
frustration of not freeing the vehicle may lead to
transmission overheating and failure.
Allow the engine to idle with the transmission shift lever
in NEUTRAL for at least one minute after every five
rocking-motion cycles. This will minimize overheating
and reduce the risk of transmission failure during pro-
longed efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
436 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Damage to the catalytic converter can result if your
vehicle is not kept in proper operating condition. In
the event of engine malfunction, particularly involv-
ing engine misfire or other apparent loss of perfor-
mance, have your vehicle serviced promptly. Contin-
ued operation of your vehicle with a severe
malfunction could cause the converter to overheat,
resulting in possible damage to the converter and the
vehicle.
NOTE: Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
WARNING!
A hot exhaust system can start a fire if you park over
materials that can burn. Such materials might be
grass or leaves coming into contact with your exhaust
system. Do not park or operate your vehicle in areas
where your exhaust system can contact anything that
can burn.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may indicate severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, the
vehicle should be stopped, the engine shut off and the
vehicle allowed to cool. Thereafter, service, including a
tune-up to manufacturer’s specifications, should be ob-
tained immediately.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 457

Operator Manual (Owner’s Manual)............ 4
Outside Rearview Mirrors .................. 94
Overdrive .......................... 317,324
Overdrive OFF Switch .................317,324
Overhead Console ....................... 171
Overheating, Engine ...................... 228
Owner’s Manual (Operator Manual) .........4,517
Panic Alarm ............................ 24
Park Sense System, Rear ................... 163
Parking Brake .......................... 346
Passing Light ........................... 153
Pedals, Adjustable ....................... 158
Personal Settings ........................ 255
Pets .................................. 81
Pets, Transporting ........................ 81
Phone, Cellular .......................... 99
Phone, Hands-Free (uconnect) ............... 99
Pickup Box ............................ 203 Placard, Tire and Loading Information
......... 367
Power Door Locks ........................... 30
Mirrors .............................. 96
Outlet (Auxiliary Electrical Outlet) .......183,188
Seats ............................... 136
Sliding Rear Window ................... 200
Steering .......................... 343,345
Sunroof ............................. 180
Windows ............................. 34
Power Steering Fluid ..................... 490
Pregnant Women and Seat Belts .............. 52
Programmable Electronic Features ............ 255
Programming Transmitters
(Remote Keyless Entry) .................... 20
Radial Ply Tires ......................... 374
Radiator Cap (Coolant Pressure Cap) .......459,461
Radio, Satellite (uconnect studios)........... 285
10
INDEX 533