2012 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab display

•Engine Power Reduced Up To 2 Min (Minutes)
During Warmup- This message will display during
start up when the ambient temperature is -25° F
(-32° C) and below.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Warning Messages –
Chassis Cab Only
Your vehicle will begin displaying warning messages
when the DEF level reaches a driving range of approxi-
mately 1,000 miles (1 609 km). If the following warning
message sequence is ignored, your vehicle will not start
unless DEF is added.
•Low DEF Refill Soon – This message will display
when the low level is reached, during vehicle start up,
and with increased frequency during vehicle opera-
tion. It will be accompanied by a single chime. Ap-
proximately 6 gallons (23 Liters) of DEF is required to
refill the tank when this message is initially displayed.
•Refill DEF Engine Will Not Restart In XXX Miles –
This message will continuously display if the “Low
DEF Refill Soon” message is ignored, and the fre-
quency of occurance of the chime will increase unless
up to 2 gallons (7.5 Liters) of DEF is added to the tank.
The engine will not restart if the mileage counter
reaches zero.
•Refill DEF Engine Will Not Start – This message will
continuously display when the counter reaches zero,
and will be accompanied by a periodic chime. The
engine will not start after it has been turned off unless
up to 2.5 gallons (9.5 Liters) of DEF is added to the
tank.
NOTE: A minimum of up to 2.5 gallons (9.5 Liters) may
be required to restart the engine. Although the vehicle
will continue to operate while this warning message is
initially displayed, the engine will not restart the next
time the vehicle is shut off.
28 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Fault Warning
Messages – Chassis Cab Only
There are three different messages which are displayed if
the vehicle detects that the DEF system has been filled
with a fluid other than DEF, has experienced component
failures, or when tampering has been detected. The
vehicle will not start if the DEF system is not serviced
within less than 250 miles (402 km) of the fault being
detected.
When the DEF system needs to be serviced the following
warnings will display:
•Service DEF System – See Dealer— This message
will display when the fault is initially detected, each
time the vehicle is started, and periodically during
driving. The message will be accompanied by a single
chime. We recommend you drive to your nearest
authorized dealer and have your vehicle serviced as
soon as possible.
•Service DEF System Engine Will Not Start In
200 Miles – See Dealer — This message will display if
the DEF system has not been serviced after the “Ser-
vice DEF System – See Dealer” message is displayed.
This message will continuously display until the mile-
age counter reaches zero, and will be accompanied by
a periodic chime. The message will continue to count-
down until it reaches zero unless the vehicle is ser-
viced. We recommend you drive to your nearest
authorized dealer and have your vehicle serviced
immediately.
NOTE: Under some circumstances this mileage counter
may start with a value of less than 200 miles (322 km). For
example, if recurring faults are detected in a time interval
of less than 40 hours, the counter may restart at the value
where it stopped when a previous fault was temporarily
remedied, or at a minimum of 50 miles (80 km).
3
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 29

•Service DEF System Engine Will Not Start – See
Dealer— This message will continuously display
when the mileage counter reaches zero, and will be
accompanied by a periodic chime. The engine will not
restart after it has been turned off, your vehicle will
require towing, see your authorized dealer for service.
NOTE: When this message is displayed, the engine will
no longer start after it has been turned off.
Vehicle Information (Customer Information
Features)
Press and release the UP or DOWN button until “Vehicle
Info” 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.
•DEF Fluid Level – Chassis Cab Only
Displays the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) fluid level.
•Coolant Temp
Displays the actual coolant temperature.
•Oil Pressure
Displays the actual oil pressure.
•Trans Temperature
Displays the actual transmission sump temperature.
•Engine Hours
Displays the hours of engine operation.
30 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Starting Procedure – Engine Manifold Air
Temperature 0°F To 66°F (–18°C to 19°C)
NOTE:The temperature displayed in the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) does not necessarily
reflect the engine manifold air temperature. Refer to
“Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)” in “Un-
derstanding Your Instrument Panel” for further informa-
tion. When engine temperatures fall below 66°F (19°C)
the “Wait To Start Light” will remain on indicating the
intake manifold heater system is active.
Follow the steps in the “Normal Starting” procedure
except:
1. The “Wait To Start Light” will remain on for a period
of time (length of time depends on engine temperature).
CAUTION!
If the “Water in Fuel Indicator Light” remains on, DO
NOT START engine before you drain the water from
the fuel filter to avoid engine damage. Refer to
“Maintenance Procedures/Draining Fuel/Water Sepa-
rator Filter” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for fur-
ther information.
2. After the “Wait To Start Light” goes off, turn the
ignition switch to the START position. Do not press the
accelerator during starting.
4
STARTING AND OPERATING 37

Six-Speed Automatic Transmission – If Equipped
(Ram Truck Only)
The shift lever position display (located in the instrument
panel cluster) indicates the transmission gear range. The
shift lever is mounted on the right side of the steering
column. You must press the brake pedal to move the shift
lever out of the PARK position (refer to “Brake/
Transmission Shift Interlock System” in this section). To
drive, move the shift lever from PARK or NEUTRAL to
the DRIVE position. Pull the shift lever toward you when
shifting into REVERSE or PARK, or when shifting out of
PARK.
The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles (kilometers).Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be
done only after the accelerator pedal is released and the
vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake
pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears.
The transmission shift lever has only Park, Reverse,
Neutral, and Drive shift positions. Manual downshifts
can be made using the Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift
control (described later). Pressing the ERS (-/+) buttons
while in the DRIVE position will select the highest
available transmission gear, and will display that gear in
the instrument cluster as 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
54 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
•Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you
must turn the ignition switch from the LOCK/OFF
position to the ON/RUN position, and also press
the brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the shift
lever could result.
•DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as
this can damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the shift lever into the PARK position:
•When shifting into PARK, pull the shift lever toward
you and move it all the way counterclockwise until it
stops.
•Release the shift lever and make sure it is fully seated
in the PARK gate.
•Look at the shift lever position display and verify that
it indicates the PARK position.
•With brake pedal released, verify that the shift lever
will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Set the parking brake and shift the
transmission into PARK if you must leave the vehicle.
4
STARTING AND OPERATING 57

You can switch between DRIVE and ERS mode at any
vehicle speed. When the shift lever is in the DRIVE
position, the transmission will operate automatically,
shifting between all available gears. Tapping the ERS (-)
switch will activate ERS mode, display the current gear in
the instrument cluster, and maintain that gear as the top
available gear. Once in ERS mode, tapping the ERS (-) or
(+) switch will change the top available gear.To exit ERS mode, simply press and hold the ERS (+)
switch until “D” is once again displayed in the shift lever
position indicator in the instrument cluster.
Column Shift Lever
4
STARTING AND OPERATING 61

WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing an accident
or personal injury.
Screen Display12 3456D
Actual Gear(s)
Allowed 1 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5 1-6 1-6
NOTE: To select the proper gear position for maximum
deceleration (engine braking), simply press and hold the
ERS (-) switch down. The transmission will shift to the
range from which the vehicle can best be slowed down.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (fifth and sixth gears). The trans-
mission will automatically shift into the Overdrive gear if
the following conditions are present:
•the shift lever is in the DRIVE position,
•the transmission fluid has reached an adequate tem-
perature,
•the engine coolant has reached an adequate tempera-
ture,
•vehicle speed is sufficiently high, and
•the TOW/HAUL switch has not been activated.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting oc-
curs, press the TOW/HAUL switch to select TOW/
HAUL mode. This will improve performance and reduce
the potential for transmission overheating or failure due
to excessive shifting. When operating in TOW/HAUL
mode, transmission upshifts are delayed, and the trans-
mission will automatically downshift (for engine brak-
ing) during steady braking maneuvers.
62 STARTING AND OPERATING