2012 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab lock

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
The starter should not be operated for more than 15-
second intervals. Waiting a few minutes between such
intervals will protect the starter from overheating.
WARNING!
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
•Leaving children in a vehicle unattended is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be seriously or fatally injured. Children
should be warned not to touch the parking brake,
brake pedal or the shift lever. Do not leave the key
in the ignition. A child could operate power win-
dows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
Manual Transmission – If Equipped
Apply the parking brake, place the shift lever in NEU-
TRAL and press the clutch pedal to the floor before
starting the vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a
clutch interlocking ignition system. It will not start unless
the clutch is fully pressed.
Automatic Transmission – If Equipped
Start the engine with the shift lever in NEUTRAL or
PARK position. Apply the brake before shifting to any
driving range.
Tip Start Feature
Do notpress the accelerator. Turn the ignition switch
briefly to the START position and release it. The starter
motor will continue to run but will automatically disen-
gage when the engine is running.
34 STARTING AND OPERATING

Extreme Cold Weather
The Cumminsdiesel engine is equipped with several
features designed to assist cold weather starting and
operation:
•The engine block heater is a resistance heater installed
in the water jacket of the engine just above and behind
the oil filter. It requires a 110–115 Volt AC electrical
outlet with a grounded, three-wire extension cord.
NOTE: The engine block heater cord is a factory in-
stalled option. If your vehicle is not equipped, heater
cords are available from your authorized MOPAR
dealer.
•A 12 Volt heater built into the fuel filter housing aids in
preventing fuel gelling. It is controlled by a built-in
thermostat.
•A heated intake air system both improves engine
starting and reduces the amount of white smoke
generated by a warming engine.
Normal Starting Procedure – Engine Manifold Air
Temperature Above 66°F (19°C)
Observe the instrument panel cluster lights when starting
the engine.
1. Always apply the parking brake.
2. Shift into PARK for an automatic transmission. For
vehicles equipped with a manual transmission, fully
press and hold the clutch pedal and shift into NEUTRAL.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position and watch
the instrument panel cluster lights.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 35

Do Not Operate The Engine With Failed Parts
Practically all failures give some warning before the parts
fail. Be on the alert for changes in performance, sounds,
and visual evidence that the engine requires service.
Some important clues are:
•engine misfiring or vibrating severely
•sudden loss of power
•unusual engine noises
•fuel, oil or coolant leaks
•sudden change, outside the normal operating range, in
the engine operating temperature
•excessive smoke
•oil pressure drop
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the heater
cord to a ground-fault interrupter protected 110–115 Volt
AC electrical outlet with a grounded, three-wire exten-
sion cord.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood to
the right side and can be located just behind the grille
near the headlamp.
NOTE:The engine block heater cord is a factory in-
stalled option. If your vehicle is not equipped, heater
cords are available from your authorized MOPAR
dealer.
The block heater must be plugged in at least one hour to
have an adequate warming effect on the coolant.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 49

WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110–115 Volt electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
NOTE: The block heater will require 110 Volts AC and
6.5 Amps to activate the heater element.
Block Heater Usage
For ambient temperatures below 0°F (-18°C), engine
block heater usage is recommended.
For ambient temperatures below –20°F (-29°C), engine
block heater usage is required.
DIESEL EXHAUST BRAKE (ENGINE BRAKING) —
IF EQUIPPED
The exhaust brake feature will only function when the
driver turns the exhaust brake switch to the ON position. Once the switch is in the ON position and the vehicle is
moving faster than 5 mph (8 km/h); the exhaust brake
will automatically operate when the driver removes
pressure from the accelerator pedal. Exhaust braking is
most effective when the engine RPM is higher. The
automatic transmission has been programmed in TOW/
Exhaust Brake Switch
50 STARTING AND OPERATING

be in the ON position, and the coolant temperature must
be below 180°F (82°C) and ambient temperature below
60°F (16°C).
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE into any forward gear when the
engine is above idle speed.(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing on the brake pedal.
WARNING!
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in and near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, apply the park-
ing brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and
remove the key fob. Once the key fob is removed,
the shift lever is locked in the PARK position,
securing the vehicle against unwanted movement.
Furthermore, you should never leave unattended
children inside a vehicle.(Continued)
52 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING! (Continued)
•Leaving children in a vehicle unattended is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be seriously or fatally injured. Children
should be warned not to touch the parking brake,
brake pedal or the shift lever. Do not leave the key
fob in the vehicle. A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
•It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing on
the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or some-
thing. Only shift into gear when the engine is
idling normally and when your right foot is firmly
pressing on the brake pedal.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK
before the ignition switch can be turned to the LOCK/
OFF position. The key fob can only be removed from the
ignition when the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position
and once removed the shift lever is locked in PARK.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock System (BTSI) that holds the shift lever in the
PARK position when the ignition switch is in the LOCK/
OFF position. To move the shift lever out of the PARK
position, the ignition switch must be turned to the
ON/RUN position (engine running or not) and the brake
pedal must be pressed.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 53

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

Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may place the shift
lever in the PARK position first, and then apply the
parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for
the parking brake. Always apply the parking
brake fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
•Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever clockwise without first pull-
ing it toward you after you have placed it in PARK.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK before
leaving the vehicle.(Continued)
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STARTING AND OPERATING 55