2013 Ram 1500 Get to Know Guide 

Center Console Shifter
• Firmly set the parking brake.
•
Turn the Key Fob to the ACC or ON/RUN
position without starting the engine.
• Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
• Using a screwdriver, press and hold the override tab through the access
port on the center console.
• Move the shift lever into the NEUTRAL position and start the vehicle.
• Release the parking brake.
MANUAL PARK RELEASE — EIGHT SPEED TRANSMISSION
• In order to push or tow the vehicle in cases where the transmission will not shift out of PARK (such as a dead battery), a Manual Park Release is available.
• Follow these steps to use the Manual Park Release: • Firmly apply the parking brake.
• Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove the Manual Park Release
access cover, which is just above the parking brake release handle, below and to
the left of the steering column.
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• Using the screwdriver or similar tool, push the Manual Park Release leverlocking tab (just below the middle of the lever) to the right.
• While holding the locking tab in the disengaged position, pull the tether
strap to rotate the lever rearward,
until it locks in place pointing to-
wards the driver's seat. Release the
locking tab and verify that the
Manual Park Release lever is locked
in the released position.
• The vehicle is now out of PARK and can be towed. Release the parking
brake only when the vehicle is se-
curely connected to a tow vehicle.
To Reset The Manual Park Release:
• Push the locking tab to the right, to unlock the lever.
• Rotate the Manual Park Release lever forward to its original position, until
the locking tab snaps into place to
secure the lever.
• Pull gently on the tether strap to con- firm that the lever is locked in its
stowed position.
• Re-install the access cover.
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying the parking brake, before activating
the Manual Park Release. Activating the Manual Park Release will allow your
vehicle to roll away if it is not secured by the parking brake or by proper connection
to a tow vehicle. Activating the Manual Park Release on an unsecured vehicle
could lead to serious injury or death for those in or around the vehicle.
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TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Towing Condition Wheels OFF the Ground2WD Models4WD Models
Flat Tow NONEIf transmission is operable:
• Transmission in NEUTRAL
• 30 mph (48 km/h) max
• 15 miles (24 km) maxdistance •
Auto Transmission in PARK
• Manual Transmission in gear
(NOT NEUTRAL)
• Transfer Case in NEUTRAL
• Tow in FORWARD direction
Wheel Lift or Dolly Tow Front
NOT ALLOWED
Rear OK
NOT ALLOWED
Flatbed ALL
BEST METHOD BEST METHOD
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FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
• If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it can often be moved by arocking motion. Turn your steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then, move the shift lever back and forth between REVERSE and
DRIVE. Using minimal accelerator pedal pressure to maintain the rocking motion,
without spinning the wheels, is most effective.
• Allow the engine to idle with the transmission shift lever in NEUTRAL for at least one minute after every five rocking-motion cycles. This will minimize overheating
and reduce the risk of transmission failure during prolonged efforts to free a stuck
vehicle.
NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) then press the
"ESC Off" switch, to place the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system in "Partial
Off" mode, before rocking the vehicle.
CAUTION!
Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast may lead to transmission
overheating and failure. It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels above
30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces generated by excessive wheel speeds
may cause tire damage or failure. A tire could explode and injure someone. Do not
spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) when you are stuck. Do
not let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
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EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR)
•This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an
EDR is to record, in certain crash or near crash-like situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding how a
vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR is designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record such data as:
• How various systems in your vehicle were operating.
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were buckled/fastened.
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator and/or brake pedal.
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
• These data can help provide a better understanding of the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE:
EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation occurs; no
data are recorded by the EDR under normal driving conditions and no personal data
(e.g. name, gender, age, and crash location) are recorded. However, other parties,
such as law enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired during a crash investigation.
• To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties
such as law enforcement, that have the special equipment, can read the informa-
tion if they have access to the vehicle or the EDR.
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OPENING THE HOOD
• Pull the hood release lever locatedbelow the steering wheel at the base of
the instrument panel.
• Reach into the opening beneath the center of the hood and move the safety
latch lever while lifting the hood at the
same time.
WARNING!
Be sure the hood is fully latched before driving your vehicle. If the hood is not fully
latched, it could open when the vehicle is in motion and block your vision. Failure
to follow this warning could result in serious injury or death.
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ENGINE COMPARTMENT3.6L Engine
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4.7L Engine
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