2009 Ram 1500 wiring

airbag inflation. These airborne particles may irritate
the skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye
irritation, rinse the area with cool water. For nose or
throat irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation
continues, see your doctor. If these particles settle on
your clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s in-
structions for cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the airbags have de-
ployed. If you are involved in another collision, the
airbags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the airbags,
seat belt pretensioners, and the front passenger seat
belt retractor assembly replaced by an authorized
dealer as soon as possible. Also, have the Occupant
Restraint Controller (ORC) system serviced as well.
Maintaining Your Airbag System
WARNING!
•Modifications to any part of the airbag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured if the airbag system is not there to
protect you. Do not modify the components or
wiring, including adding any kind of badges or
stickers to the steering wheel hub trim cover or the
upper right side of the instrument panel. Do not
modify the front bumper, vehicle body structure,
or add aftermarket side steps or running boards.
•It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the
airbag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has an airbag system. (Continued)
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65

Turn Signals
Move the lever up or down to signal a right-hand or
left-hand turn.
The arrow on either side of the instrument cluster flashes
to indicate the direction of the turn, and proper operation
of the front and rear turn signal lights. If a defective bulb
or wiring circuit is detected for the turn signal system, the
arrow indicators will flash at a faster rate. If an indicator
fails to light when the lever is moved, it would suggest
that the switch or indicator lamp is defective.
Lane Change Assist
Tap the lever up or down once and the turn signal (left or
right) will flash three times then automatically turn off.
Turn Signal Lever
152 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

2. Remove the connector bracket from the sill by press-
ing inward in the locking tab.
3. Disconnect the chassis wiring harness, ensuring the
connector bracket does not fall into the sill.4. Connect the chassis plug and bracket (provided in the
glove box) to the chassis wiring harness and insert the
bracket back into the sill.
5. Connect the tailgate plug (provided in the glove box)
to the tailgate wiring harness to ensure that the terminals
do not corrode.
6. Tape the tailgate harness and bracket against the
forward-facing surface of the tailgate. This will prevent
damaging the connector and bracket when storing or
reinstalling the tailgate.
Removing the Tailgate
1. Disconnect the wiring harness for the rear camera (if
equipped), refer to “Disconnecting the Rear Camera — If
Equipped” above.
Locking Tab
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 217

If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15-
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “Normal Starting” procedure should
be repeated.
After Starting
The idle speed is automatically controlled and will de-
crease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the passenger side of the vehicle near the right head lamp
assembly. It is located between the front grill and the
radiator, but underneath the black upper seal.
It includes a removable cap that is secured by a tethered
strap. It also has a c-clip that is used for storage when not
in use for the winter months. During winter months,
remove the heater cord wiring assembly from itself on
the c-clip.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 Volt electrical cord could cause
electrocution.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 311

CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (454 kg)
loaded, it should have its own brakes and they
should be of adequate capacity. Failure to do this
could lead to accelerated brake lining wear, higher
brake pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
WARNING!
•Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle’s
hydraulic brake lines. It can overload your brake
system and cause it to fail. You might not have
brakes when you need them and could have an
accident.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Towing any trailer will increase your stopping
distance. When towing you should allow for addi-
tional space between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front of you. Failure to do so could result in an
accident.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights and Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stop lights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package will include a four and seven-
pin wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer har-
ness and connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicle’s
wiring harness.
408 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Any work done to the vehicle’s electrical system or
wiring should be performed by a qualified automo-
tive technician. If done improperly it may cause
damage to the electrical system wiring and could
result in serious or fatal injury.
Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer up in an area away from heavy
traffic.
Automatic Transmission
The “DRIVE” range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, select
“TOW/HAUL” mode (if equipped) or select a lower gear
using the Electronic Range Select (ERS) feature.NOTE:
Using “TOW/HAUL” mode or a lower gear
range while operating the vehicle under heavy operating
conditions will improve performance and extend trans-
mission life by reducing excessive shifting and heat build
up. This action will also provide better engine braking.
The automatic transmission fluid and filter should be
changed if you regularly tow a trailer for more than
45 minutes of continuous operation. Refer to the “Main-
tenance Schedule” in Section 8 for the proper mainte-
nance intervals.
NOTE: Check the automatic transmission fluid level
before towing.Tow/Haul
To reduce potential for automatic transmission overheat-
ing, turn the “TOW/HAUL” feature ON when driving in
hilly areas, or select a lower gear range (using the
Electronic Range Select (ERS) feature) on more severe
grades.
410 STARTING AND OPERATING

10. Disconnect electrical connectors.
11. Replace bulb(s) as necessary.
CAUTION!
•Do not contaminate the bulb glass by touching it
with your fingers or by allowing it to contact other
oily surfaces. Shortened bulb life will result.
•Always use the correct bulb size and type for
replacement. An incorrect bulb size or type may
overheat and cause damage to the lamp, the bulb
socket, or the lamp wiring.
NOTE: There are access covers over both headlamp
bulb access holes in the quad front lamp unit housing (if
equipped). These covers MUST be reinstalled after the
bulb has been replaced.
Fog Lamps
1. Reach under and behind the front bumper to access
the back of the front fog lamp housing.
2. Disconnect the fog lamp wiring harness connector
from the fog lamp bulb.
3. Rotate the bulb counterclockwise
14turn to unlock the
bulb from the housing.
4. Pull the bulb straight out from the housing.
CAUTION!
Do not contaminate the bulb glass by touching it
with your fingers or by allowing it to contact other
oily surfaces. Shortened bulb life will result.7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 483

3. Disconnect the wiring harness connector from the
bulb socket.
4. Rotate the bulb socket counterclockwise 1/4 turn to
unlock it from the housing.
5. Pull the bulb straight out of the socket.
CAUTION!
Do not contaminate the bulb glass by touching it
with your fingers or by allowing it to contact other
oily surfaces. Shortened bulb life will result.
6. Reverse the procedure to install the bulb and housing.
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) With
Cargo Lamp
1. Remove the two screws holding the housing/lens to
the body as shown.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 485