2009 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual

Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected.
This light does not show how much oil is in the engine.
The engine oil level must be checked under the hood.
•Charging System LightThis light shows the status of the electrical charg-
ing system. The light should come on when the
ignition switch is first turned ON and remain on briefly
as a bulb check. If the light stays on or comes on while
driving, turn off some of the vehicle’s non-essential
electrical devices or increase engine speed (if at idle). If
the charging system light remains on, it means that the
vehicle is experiencing a problem with the charging
system. Obtain SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. See an autho-
rized dealer.
If jump starting is required, refer to “Jump Starting
Procedures” in section 6 of this manual.
•Electronic Speed Control Light This light will turn on when the electronic
speed control is ON.
•Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) LightThis light informs you of a problem with the
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system. The
light will come on when the ignition is first
turned ON and remain on briefly as a bulb
check. If the light does not come on during starting, have
the system checked by an authorized dealer.
If a problem is detected, the light will come on while the
engine is running. Cycle the ignition key when the
vehicle has completely stopped and the shift lever is
placed in the PARK position. The light should turn off.
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If the light remains lit with the engine running your
vehicle, will usually be drivable, however, see an autho-
rized dealer for service as soon as possible. If the light is
flashing when the engine is running, immediate service is
required and you may experience reduced performance,
an elevated/rough idle or engine stall and your vehicle
may require towing.
•Engine Temperature Warning LightThis light warns of an overheated engine condi-
tion. As temperatures rise and the gauge ap-
proaches H,this indicator will illuminate and a
single chime will sound after reaching a set threshold.
Further overheating will cause the temperature gauge to
pass H,the indicator will continuously flash and a
continuous chime will occur until the engine is allowed
to cool.
If the light turns on while driving, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is on, turn it off. Also, shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and idle the ve-
hicle. If the temperature reading does not return to
normal, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service. Refer to “If Your Engine Overheats” in Section 6
for more information.
•SERV 4WD
The SERV 4WD light monitors the electric shift
4WD system. If the SERV 4WD light stays on or
comes on during driving, it means that the
4WD system is not functioning properly and
that service is required.
•Electronic Stability Program (ESP) Indicator Light /
Brake Assist System (BAS) Warning Light The malfunction light for the Electronic Stabil-
ity Program (ESP) is combined with Brake
Assist System (BAS). The yellow ESP/BAS
Warning Light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position. They should go out
248 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

with the engine running. If the ESP/BAS Warning Light
comes on continuously with the engine running, a mal-
function has been detected in either the ESP or the BAS
system. If this light remains on after several ignition
cycles and the vehicle has been driven several miles at
speeds greater than 30 mph (48 km/h), see an authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
•Transmission Temperature LightThis light indicates that there is excessive trans-
mission fluid temperature that might occur
with severe usage such as trailer towing. It may
also occur when operating the vehicle in a high
torque converter slip condition, such as 4-wheel-drive
operation (e.g., snow plowing, off- road operation). If this
light comes on, stop the vehicle and run the engine at idle
or faster, with the transmission in NEUTRAL until the
light goes off.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Indicator illuminated will eventually cause se-
vere transmission damage or transmission failure.
WARNING!
In some circumstances a Transmission Temperature
Indicator, under continued operation, could cause the
fluid to boil over, come in contact with hot engine or
exhaust components and cause a fire.
Oil Change Required
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil change
indicator system. The Oil Change Required message will
flash in the EVIC display for approximately 10 seconds
after a single chime has sounded to indicate the next
scheduled oil change interval. The engine oil change
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 249

indicator system is duty-cycle based, which means the
engine oil change interval may fluctuate dependent upon
your personal driving style.
Unless reset, this message will continue to display each
time you turn the ignition switch to the ON position. To
turn off the message temporarily, press and release the
RETURN button. To reset the oil change indicator system
(after performing the scheduled maintenance) perform
the following steps.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. (Do not
start the engine)
2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal slowly three times
within 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.
NOTE:If the indicator message illuminates when you
start the engine, the oil change indicator system did not
reset. If necessary, repeat these steps.Distance To Empty (DTE)
Shows the estimated distance that can be traveled with
the fuel remaining in the tank. This estimated distance is
determined by a weighted average of the instantaneous
and average fuel economy, according to the current fuel
tank level. DTE cannot be reset through the RETURN
button.
NOTE: Significant changes in driving style or vehicle
loading will greatly affect the actual drivable distance of
the vehicle, regardless of the DTE displayed value.
When the DTE value is less than 30 miles (48 km)
estimated driving distance, the DTE display will change
to a text display of LOW FUEL.This display will
continue until the vehicle runs out of fuel. Adding a
significant amount of fuel to the vehicle will turn off the
LOW FUEL text and a new DTE value will display.
250 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Average Fuel Economy / Fuel Saver Mode — If
Equipped
Shows the average fuel economy since the last reset.
When the fuel economy is reset, the display will read
“RESET” or show dashes for two seconds. Then, the
history information will be erased, and the averaging will
continue from the last fuel average reading before the
reset.
The FUEL SAVER MODE message will display above the
average fuel economy in the EVIC display. This message
will appear whenever MDS (if equipped) allows the
engine to operate on four cylinders, or if you are driving
in a fuel efficient manner.This feature allows you to monitor when you are driving
in a fuel efficient manner, and it can be used to modify
driving habits in order to increase fuel economy.
Fuel Saver Mode — On
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Trip Functions
Press and release the ODOMETER/TRIP ODOMETER
button until one of the following Trip Functions displays
in the EVIC:
•Trip A
•Trip B
•Elapsed Time
Press the ODOMETER/TRIP ODOMETER button to
cycle through all the Trip Computer functions.
The Trip Functions mode displays the following informa-
tion.
•Trip A
Shows the total distance traveled for Trip A since the last
reset.
•Trip B
Shows the total distance traveled for Trip B since the last
reset.
•Elapsed Time
Shows the total elapsed time of travel since the last reset
when the ignition switch is in the ACC position. Elapsed
time will increment when the ignition switch is in the ON
or START position.
To Reset The Display
Reset will only occur while a resettable function is being
displayed. Press and release the ODOMETER/TRIP
ODOMETER button once to clear the resettable function
being displayed. To reset all resettable functions, press
and release the ODOMETER/TRIP ODOMETER button a
second time within three seconds of resetting the
currently-displayed function. (Reset ALL will display
during this three-second window).
252 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

System (Customer Information Features)
Press and release the UP or DOWN button until “SYS-
TEM” displays in the EVIC and press the SELECT button.
Press the UP and DOWN button to scroll through the
available information displays, then press SELECT to
display anyone of the following choices.
•Coolant Temp
Displays the actual coolant temperature.
•Oil Temperature
Displays the actual oil temperature.
•Oil Pressure
Displays the actual oil pressure.
•Trans Temperature
Displays the actual transmission temperature.
•Engine Hours
Displays the hours of engine operation.
Compass Display
The compass readings indicate the direction
the vehicle is facing. Press and release the
compass button to display one of eight com-
pass readings and the outside temperature.
Automatic Compass Calibration
This compass is self-calibrating, which eliminates the
need to manually reset the compass. When the vehicle is
new, the compass may appear erratic and the EVIC will
display CAL until the compass is calibrated. You may
also calibrate the compass by completing one or more
360–degree turns (in an area free from large metal or
metallic objects) until the CAL indicator displayed in the
EVIC turns off. The compass will now function normally.
NOTE: A good calibration requires a level surface and
an environment free from large metallic objects such as
buildings, bridges, underground cables, railroad tracks,
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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.
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