2013 Ram 1500 instrument panel

Maintaining Your Air Bag System
WARNING!
•Modifications to any part of the air bag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured if the air bag 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 air
bag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has an air bag system.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not attempt to modify any part of your air bag
system. The air bag may inflate accidentally or may
not function properly if modifications are made.
Take your vehicle to an authorized dealer for any
air bag system service. If your seat, including your
trim cover and cushion, needs to be serviced in any
way (including removal or loosening/tightening of
seat attachment bolts), take the vehicle to your
authorized dealer. Only manufacturer approved
seat accessories may be used. If it is necessary to
modify the air bag system for persons with dis-
abilities, contact your authorized dealer.
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires
(including spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid
(2500,3500,4500,5500 Models Only), or brake fluid leaks
are suspected, the cause should be located and corrected
immediately.
124 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

▫Closing Sunroof — Express ...............205
▫ Pinch Protect Feature ...................206
▫ Venting Sunroof — Express ..............206
▫ Sunshade Operation ....................206
▫ Wind Buffeting ...................... .206
▫ Sunroof Maintenance ...................207
▫ Ignition Off Operation ..................207
 ELECTRICAL POWER OUTLETS ...........207
 CIGAR LIGHTER AND ASH RECEIVER — IF
EQUIPPED ...........................211
 POWER INVERTER — IF EQUIPPED ........212
 CUPHOLDERS ....................... .213
▫ Front Seat Cupholders — (40–20–40 Seats) . . . .213 ▫
Front Instrument Panel Cupholders — Floor
Mounted Shifter ..................... .214
▫ Rear Cupholder — Quad Cab® ............214
▫ Rear Cupholder — Crew Cab .............215
 STORAGE ........................... .215
▫ Glove Box Storage .....................215
▫ Door Storage ........................ .217
▫ Center Storage Compartment — If Equipped . .218
▫ Second Row In-Floor Storage Bin — If
Equipped .......................... .220
▫ Seatback Storage ..................... .221
▫ Storage (Regular Cab) ..................222
▫ Storage and Seats (Crew Cab) .............222
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 129

WARNING!
•Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes,
spinal cord injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaus-
tion or other physical condition must exercise care
when using the seat heater. It may cause burns
even at low temperatures, especially if used for
long periods of time.
• Do not place anything on the seat or seatback that
insulates against heat, such as a blanket or cushion.
This may cause the seat heater to overheat. Sitting
in a seat that has been overheated could cause
serious burns due to the increased surface tempera-
ture of the seat.
Front Heated Seats
There are two heated seat switches as well as soft-keys in
the radio that allow the driver and passenger to operate the seats independently. The controls for each seat are
located near the bottom center of the instrument panel
(below the climate controls) or in the radio unit.
You can choose from HIGH, LOW or OFF heat settings.
Amber indicator lights in each switch indicate the level of
heat in use. Two indicator lights will illuminate for
HIGH, one for LOW and none for OFF.
Press the switch once to select HIGH-
level heating. Press the switch a sec-
ond time to select LOW-level heating.
Press the switch a third time to shut
the heating elements OFF. This is the
same procedure for the soft-keys in the
radio.
NOTE:
• Once a heat setting is selected, heat will be felt within
two to five minutes.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 145

•The engine must be running for the heated seats to
operate.
When the HIGH-level setting is selected, the heater will
provide a boosted heat level during the first four minutes
of operation. Then, the heat output will drop to the
normal HIGH-level. If the HIGH-level setting is selected,
the system will automatically switch to LOW-level after a
maximum of 60 minutes of continuous operation. At that
time, the number of illuminated LEDs changes from two
to one, indicating the change. The LOW-level setting will
turn OFF automatically after a maximum of 45 minutes.
Ventilated Seats — If Equipped
On some models, both the driver and passenger seats are
ventilated. Located in the seat cushion is a small fan that
draws air from the passenger compartment and pulls the
air through fine perforations in the seat cover to help
keep the driver and front passenger cooler in higher
ambient temperatures. The ventilated seat switches are located in the switch
bank in the center stack of the instrument panel just
below the climate controls as well as soft-keys located in
the radio screen. The fans operate at two speeds, HIGH
and LOW.
Press the switch once to choose HIGH,
press it a second time to choose LOW.
Pressing the switch a third time will
turn the ventilated seat OFF. When
HIGH speed is selected both lights on
the switch will be illuminated. When
LOW speed is selected one light will
be illuminated.
NOTE: The engine must be running for the ventilated
seats to operate.
Vehicles Equipped With Remote Start
On models equipped with remote start, the drivers
ventilated seat can be programmed to come on during a
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 147

Information Center (EVIC)/Customer-Programmable
Features” in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel”
for further information.
Linking And Unlinking The Remote Keyless Entry
Transmitter To Memory
Your RKE transmitters can be programmed to recall one
of two pre-programmed memory profiles by pressing the
UNLOCK button on the RKE transmitter.
NOTE:Before programming your RKE transmitters you
must select the “Remote Linked to Memory” feature
through the Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC), refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)/Customer-Programmable Features” in “Under-
standing Your Instrument Panel” for further information. To program your RKE transmitters, perform the follow-
ing:
1. Remove the Key Fob from the ignition (or change the
ignition to OFF, for vehicles equipped with Keyless
Enter-N-Go).
2. Select desired memory profile (1) or (2).
NOTE: If a memory profile has not already been set,
refer to Programming The Memory Feature for instruc-
tions on how to set a memory profile.
3. Once the profile has been recalled, press and release the SET (S) button on the memory switch, then press
and release button (1) or (2) accordingly. “Memory
Profile Set” (1 or 2) will display in the instrument
cluster on vehicles equipped with the EVIC.
158 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HOOD
To open the hood, two latches must be released.
1. Pull the hood release lever located below the steeringwheel at the base of the instrument panel. 2. Reach into the opening beneath the center of the hood
and push the safety latch lever to the left to release it,
before raising the hood.
Hood Release
Safety Latch Location (1500 Series Shown)
160 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
To prevent possible damage, do not slam the hood to
close it. Use a firm downward push at the front center
of the hood to ensure that both latches engage.
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.
LIGHTS
The headlight switch is located on the left side of the
instrument panel, next to the steering wheel. The head-
light switch controls the operation of the headlights,
parking lights, instrument panel lights, cargo lights and
fog lights (if equipped).
Headlight Switch Location
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 161