2012 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab brake

JUMP STARTING
WARNING!
•To prevent personal injury or damage to clothing,
do not allow battery fluid to contact eyes, skin or
fabrics. Do not lean over a battery when connect-
ing jumper cables or allow cable clamps to touch
each other. Keep open flames or sparks away from
battery vent holes. Always wear eye protection
when working with batteries.
•Do not use a booster battery or any other booster
source that has a greater than 12 Volt system, i.e.,
do not use a 24 Volt power source.
NOTE: Replacement batteries should both be of equal
size to prevent damage to the vehicle’s charging system.
Your vehicle is equipped with two 12 Volt batteries. If it
becomes necessary to use a booster battery with jumper cables to start a vehicle’s engine because its batteries are
discharged, the following procedure should be used:
Set the parking brake and place an automatic transmis-
sion in PARK (or NEUTRAL for a manual transmission).
Turn off lights, heater and other electrical loads. Observe
charge indicator (if equipped) in both batteries. If the
indicator (if equipped) is light or yellow on either battery,
replace that battery.
CAUTION!
Use the jump start procedure only when the charge
indicator (if equipped) in both batteries is dark in the
center. Do not attempt jump starting when either
battery charge indicator (if equipped) is bright or
yellow. If the charge indicator (if equipped) has a
green dot in the center, failure to start is not due to a
discharged battery and cranking system should be
checked.
92 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Engine Compartment — 6.7L Diesel ......... 99
 Maintenance Procedures ................. 100
▫ Engine Oil ......................... 100
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ............... 104
▫ Draining Fuel/Water Separator Filter ...... 106
▫ Fuel Filter Replacement ................ 108
▫ Priming If The Engine Has Run Out Of
Fuel .............................. 110
▫ Intervention Regeneration Strategy – EVIC
Message Process Flow ..................111 ▫
Diesel Exhaust Fluid – Chassis Cab Only . . . 114
▫ Maintenance-Free Batteries ............. 114
▫ Cooling System ..................... 115
▫ Charge Air Cooler – Inter-Cooler ......... 121
▫ Brake System ....................... 121
▫ Clutch Hydraulic System ............... 123
▫ Transfer Case – If Equipped ............. 123
▫ Manual Transmission – If Equipped ....... 124
▫ Automatic Transmission – If Equipped ..... 124
6

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.7L DIESEL
1 — Battery6 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Engine Coolant Reservoir 7 — Integrated Power Module
3 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick (If Equipped) 8 — Engine Oil Fill
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 9 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 10 — Air Cleaner Filter
6
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 99

•Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is
equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean.
•Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs may
result in unsatisfactory cooling performance, poor gas
mileage, and increased emissions.
Charge Air Cooler – Inter-Cooler
The charge air cooler is positioned between the radiator
and the air conditioner condenser. Air enters the engine
through the air cleaner and passes through the turbo-
charger, where it is pressurized. This pressurized air
rapidly reaches high temperature. The air is then directed
through a hose to the charge air cooler and through
another hose to the intake manifold of the engine. The air
entering the engine has been cooled by about 50° to 100°F(10° to 38°C). This cooling process enables more efficient
burning of fuel resulting in fewer emissions.
To guarantee optimum performance of the system, keep
the surfaces of the charge air cooler, condenser and
radiator clean and free of debris. Periodically check the
hoses leading to and from the charge air cooler for cracks
or loose clamps resulting in loss of pressure and reduced
engine performance.
Brake System
Brake Master Cylinder – Brake Fluid Level Check
The fluid level of the master cylinder should be checked
when performing under the hood service, or immedi-
ately if the “Brake System Warning Light” indicates
system failure.6
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 121

The brake master cylinder has a translucent plastic
reservoir. On the outboard side of the reservoir, there is a
“MAX” mark and an “MIN” mark. The fluid level must
be kept within these two marks. Do not add fluid above
the full mark because leakage may occur at the cap.
With disc brakes, the fluid level can be expected to fall as
the brake linings wear. However, an unexpected drop in
fluid level may be caused by a leak and a system check
should be conducted.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.WARNING!
•Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake
fluid. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information. Using the wrong type of brake fluid
can severely damage your brake system and/or
impair its performance. The proper type of brake
fluid for your vehicle is also identified on the
original factory installed hydraulic master cylin-
der reservoir.(Continued)
122 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)
•To avoid contamination from foreign matter or
moisture, use only new brake fluid or fluid that
has been in a tightly closed container. Keep the
master cylinder reservoir cap secured at all times.
Brake fluid in a open container absorbs moisture
from the air resulting in a lower boiling point.
This may cause it to boil unexpectedly during hard
or prolonged braking, resulting in sudden brake
failure. This could result in a accident.
•Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts, causing
the brake fluid to catch fire. Brake fluid can also
damage painted and vinyl surfaces, care should be
taken to avoid its contact with these surfaces.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not allow petroleum based fluid to contami-
nate the brake fluid. Brake seal components could
be damaged, causing partial or complete brake
failure. This could result in an accident.
Clutch Hydraulic System
The clutch hydraulic system is a sealed maintenance-free
system. In the event of leakage or other malfunction, the
system must be replaced.
Transfer Case – If Equipped
Drain And Refill
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
Lubricant Selection
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
6
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 123

2. The vehicle must be on level ground.
3. Fully apply the parking brake and press the brake
pedal.
4. Place the shift lever momentarily into each gear posi-
tion ending with the shift lever in PARK.
5. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean and reinsert it until
seated.
6. Remove the dipstick again and note the fluid level on
both sides. The fluid level should be between the “HOT”
(upper) reference holes on the dipstick at normal operat-
ing temperature. Verify that solid coating of oil is seen on
both sides of the dipstick. If the fluid is low, add as
required into the dipstick tube.Do not overfill.After
adding any quantity of oil through the oil fill tube, wait
a minimum of two minutes for the oil to fully drain into
the transmission before rechecking the fluid level. NOTE:
If it is necessary to check the transmission below
the operating temperature, the fluid level should be
between the two “COLD” (lower) holes on the dipstick
with the fluid at approximately 70°F (21°C) (room tem-
perature). If the fluid level is correctly established at
room temperature, it should be between the “HOT”
(upper) reference holes when the transmission reaches
180°F (82°C). Remember it is best to check the level at the
normal operating temperature.
CAUTION!
Be aware that if the fluid temperature is below 50°F
(10°C) it may not register on the dipstick. Do not add
fluid until the temperature is elevated enough to
produce an accurate reading.
7. Check for leaks. Release parking brake.6
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 125

To prevent dirt and water from entering the transmission
after checking or replenishing fluid, make certain that the
dipstick cap is properly reseated. It is normal for the
dipstick cap to spring back slightly from its fully seated
position, as long as its seal remains engaged in the
dipstick tube.
Fluid Level Check – Chassis Cab Only
Check the fluid level while the transmission is at normal
operating temperature. This occurs after at least 15 miles
(25 km) of driving. At normal operating temperature, the
fluid cannot be held comfortably between the fingertips.
To properly check the transmission fluid, the following
procedure must be used.
1. The vehicle must be on level ground.
2. Operate the engine at idle speed for a minimum of
60 seconds and normal operating temperature.3. Fully apply the parking brake and press the brake
pedal.
4. Place the shift lever momentarily into each gear posi-
tion ending with the shift lever in PARK. Make sure the
engine is running at idle speed.
5. Remove the dipstick and determine if the fluid is hot
or cold. Hot fluid is approximately 160°F to 175°F (70°C
to 82°C). This is the normal operating temperature after
the vehicle has been driven at least 15 miles (25 km). The
fluid cannot be comfortably held between the fingertips.
Only use the cold region of the dipstick as a rough
reference when doing initial oil level set after transmis-
sion rebuild or transmission refill.
6. Wipe the dipstick clean and reinsert it until seated.
126 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE