2013 Ram 1500 battery

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter5 — Battery
2 — Engine Oil Dipstick 6 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
3 — Engine Oil Fill 7 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
630 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 4.7L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter6 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
2 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick 7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
3 — Engine Oil Dipstick 8 — Engine Oil Fill
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 9 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Battery 10 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 631

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 5.7L
1 — Air Cleaner Filter7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick 8 — Power Distribution Center (Fuses)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 9 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (2500/3500 Models Only)
4 — Engine Oil Dipstick 10 — Coolant Pressure Cap
5 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 11 — Engine Coolant Reservoir
6 — Battery 632 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further in-
formation. Tighten the fuel filler cap properly and press
the SELECT button to turn off the message. If the
problem continues, the message will appear the next time
the vehicle is started.
A loose, improperly installed, or damaged fuel filler cap
may also turn on the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL).
EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass
an inspection of your vehicle’s emissions control system.
Failure to pass could prevent vehicle registration.For states that require an Inspection and Mainte-
nance (I/M), this check verifies the “Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL)” is functioning and is not
on when the engine is running, and that the OBD II
system is ready for testing. Normally, the OBD II system will be ready. The OBD II
system may
notbe ready if your vehicle was recently
serviced, recently had a dead battery or a battery replace-
ment. If the OBD II system should be determined not
ready for the I/M test, your vehicle may fail the test.
Your vehicle has a simple ignition key-actuated test,
which you can use prior to going to the test station. To
check if your vehicle’s OBD II system is ready, you must
do the following:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position, but do not crank or start the engine.
2. If you crank or start the engine, you will have to start this test over.
3. As soon as you turn the ignition switch to the ON position, you will see the MIL symbol come on as part
of a normal bulb check.
634 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

4. Approximately 15 seconds later, one of two things willhappen:
• The MIL will flash for about 10 seconds and then
return to being fully illuminated until you turn OFF
the ignition or start the engine. This means that your
vehicle’s OBD II system is not readyand you should
not proceed to the I/M station.
• The MIL will not flash at all and will remain fully
illuminated until you turn OFF the ignition or start the
engine. This means that your vehicle’s OBD II system
is ready and you can proceed to the I/M station.
If your OBD II system is not ready,you should see your
authorized dealer or repair facility. If your vehicle was
recently serviced or had a battery failure or replacement,
you may need to do nothing more than drive your
vehicle as you normally would in order for your OBD II
system to update. A recheck with the above test routine
may then indicate that the system is now ready. Regardless of whether your vehicle’s OBD II system is
ready or not, if the MIL is illuminated during normal
vehicle operation you should have your vehicle serviced
before going to the I/M station. The I/M station can fail
your vehicle because the MIL is on with the engine
running.
REPLACEMENT PARTS
Use of genuine MOPAR® parts for normal/scheduled
maintenance and repairs is highly recommended to en-
sure the designed performance. Damage or failures
caused by the use of non-MOPAR® parts for mainte-
nance and repairs will not be covered by the manufac-
turer’s warranty.
DEALER SERVICE
Your authorized dealer has the qualified service person-
nel, special tools, and equipment to perform all service
operations in an expert manner. Service Manuals are
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 635

Maintenance-Free Battery
Your vehicle is equipped with a maintenance-free battery.
You will never have to add water, nor is periodic main-
tenance required.
WARNING!
•Battery fluid is a corrosive acid solution and can
burn or even blind you. Do not allow battery fluid
to contact your eyes, skin, or clothing. Do not lean
over a battery when attaching clamps. If acid
splashes in eyes or on skin, flush the area imme-
diately with large amounts of water. Refer to
“Jump-Starting Procedures” in “What To Do In
Emergencies” for further information.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Battery gas is flammable and explosive. Keep
flame or sparks away from the battery. Do not use
a booster battery or any other booster source with
an output greater than 12 Volts. Do not allow cable
clamps to touch each other.
• Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. Wash hands
after handling.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 641

CAUTION!
•It is essential when replacing the cables on the
battery that the positive cable is attached to the
positive post and the negative cable is attached to
the negative post. Battery posts are marked positive
(+) and negative (-) and are identified on the
battery case. Cable clamps should be tight on the
terminal posts and free of corrosion.
• If a “fast charger” is used while the battery is in the
vehicle, disconnect both vehicle battery cables be-
fore connecting the charger to the battery. Do not
use a “fast charger” to provide starting voltage.
Air Conditioner Maintenance
For best possible performance, your air conditioner
should be checked and serviced by an authorized dealer
at the start of each warm season. This service should
include cleaning of the condenser fins and a performance
test. Drive belt tension should also be checked at this
time.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your air conditioning
system as the chemicals can damage your air condi-
tioning components. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
642 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Spray-On Bedliners are chemically-resistant to many
different types of chemicals (including gasoline, oil,
hydraulic fluids) for short periods of time. If a spill
occurs on your Spray-On Bedliner, rinse the truck out as
soon as possible to avoid permanent damage.
Repairing The Spray-On Bedliner
While extremely tough, it is possible to damage a
Spray-On Bedliner. One common condition is when
loading a heavy pallet and dragging that pallet across the
floor of the bed. If a nail or sharp point is exposed under
the weight of the pallet a scratch or tear is possible. While
not covered by your new vehicle warranty, a cosmetic fix
to cover the metal exposed by the scratch is required. To
repair a tear or gouge, follow the directions provided in
the MOPAR® Quick Repair Kit.FUSES
POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER
The Power Distribution Center is located in the engine
compartment near the battery. This center contains car-
tridge fuses, micro fuses, relays, and circuit breakers. A
description of each fuse and component may be stamped
on the inside cover, otherwise the cavity number of each
fuse is stamped on the inside cover that corresponds to
the following chart.
668 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE