2013 Ram 1500 steering

WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to a collision. Follow these
guidelines to make your trailer towing as safe as
possible:
•Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have a collision.
• When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance or dam-
age to brakes, axle, engine, transmission, steering,
suspension, chassis structure or tires.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to
the hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
• Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a
grade. When parking, apply the parking brake on
the tow vehicle. Put the tow vehicle transmission in
PARK. For four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure
the transfer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always,
block or chockthe trailer wheels.
• GCWR must not be exceeded.
(Continued)
546 STARTING AND OPERATING

Adjusting GAIN
NOTE:This should only be performed in a traffic free
environment at speeds of approximately 20–25 mph
(30–40 km/h).
1. Make sure the trailer brakes are in good working condition, functioning normally, and properly ad-
justed. See your trailer dealer if necessary.
2. Hook up the trailer and make the electrical connec- tions according to the trailer manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
3. When a trailer with electric/EOH brakes is plugged in, the trailer connected message should appear in the
EVIC (if the connection is not recognized by the ITBM,
braking functions will not be available), the GAIN
setting will illuminate and the correct type of trailer
must be selected from the EVIC options. 4. Press the UP or DOWN button on the steering wheel
until “VEHICLE SETTINGS” appears on the screen.
5. Press the RIGHT arrow on the steering wheel to enter “VEHICLE SETTINGS”.
6. Press the UP or DOWN buttons until Trailer Brake Type appears on the screen.
NOTE:1500 Models Only– Light Electric and Heavy
Electric will only be available due to the tow capacities of
the vehicle.
7. Press the RIGHT arrow and then press the UP or DOWN buttons until the proper Trailer Brake Type
appears on the screen.
8. In a traffic-free environment, tow the trailer on a dry, level surface at a speed of 20–25 mph (30–40 km/h)
and squeeze the manual brake control lever com-
pletely.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 551

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or snow, it
can often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or 2nd gear
and REVERSE (with manual transmission), while gently
pressing the accelerator. Use the least amount of accel-
erator pedal pressure that will maintain the rocking
motion, without spinning the wheels or racing the en-
gine.
NOTE:For trucks equipped with 8-speed automatic
transmission, shifts between DRIVE and REVERSE can
only be achieved at wheel speeds of 5 mph or less.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the transmission 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: Press the ESC Off switch, to place the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system in Partial Offmode,
before rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake
Control” in “Starting And Operating” for further infor-
mation. Once the vehicle has been freed, press the ESC
Off switch again to restore ESC Onmode.
616 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Column Shifter — If Equipped
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Tilt the steering wheel to the full up position.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Using a screwdriver or similar tool, press and hold theoverride tab into the access port (ringed circle) on the
bottom of the steering column. Push and hold the
override release lever up.
6. Move the shift lever to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
Shift Lever Override Access Port6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 619

2. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove theManual Park Release access cover, which is just above
the parking brake release handle, below and to the left
of the steering column.
3. Using the screwdriver or similar tool, push the Manual Park Release lever locking tab (just below the
middle of the lever) to the right.
4. While holding the locking tab in the disengaged position, pull the tether strap to rotate the lever
rearward, until it locks in place pointing towards the
driver’s seat. Release the locking tab and verify that
the Manual Park Release lever is locked in the released
position. 5. The vehicle is now out of PARK and can be towed.
Release the parking brake only when the vehicle is
securely connected to a tow vehicle.
To Reset The Manual Park Release:
1. Push the locking tab to the right, to unlock the lever.
2. Rotate the Manual Park Release lever forward to its original position, until the locking tab snaps into place
to secure the lever.
3. Pull gently on the tether strap to confirm that the lever is locked in its stowed position.
4. Re-install the access cover.
622 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

If you must use the accessories (wipers, defrosters, etc.)
while being towed, the ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position, not the ACC position.
If the key fob is unavailable or the vehicle’s battery is
discharged, see ”Manual Park Release” or “Shift Lever
Override” in “What To Do In Emergencies” for instruc-
tions on shifting the automatic transmission out of PARK
for towing.
CAUTION!
Do not use sling type equipment when towing.
When securing the vehicle to a flat bed truck, do not
attach to front or rear suspension components. Dam-
age to your vehicle may result from improper towing.
Two-Wheel Drive Models
The manufacturer recommends towing your vehicle with
all four wheelsOFFthe ground using a flatbed. If flatbed equipment is not available, and the transmis-
sion is operable, the vehicle may be towed (with rear
wheels on the ground) under the following conditions:
•
The transmission must be in NEUTRAL.
• The towing speed must not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h).
• The towing distance must not exceed 15 miles (24 km)
for 6-speed transmission, or 30 miles (48 km) for
8-speed transmission.
If the transmission is not operable, or the vehicle must be
towed faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or farther than 15
miles (24 km), for 6-speed transmission, or 30 miles
(48 km) for 8-speed transmission, tow with the rear
wheels OFFthe ground. Acceptable methods are to tow
the vehicle on a flatbed, or with the front wheels raised
and the rear wheels on a towing dolly, or (when using a
suitable steering wheel stabilizer to hold the front wheels
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 625

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

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Your vehicle has been built with improved fluids
that protect the performance and durability of your
vehicle and also allow extended maintenance inter-
vals. Do not use chemical flushes in these compo-
nents as the chemicals can damage your engine,
transmission, power steering or air conditioning.
Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. If a flush is needed because of
component malfunction, use only the specified
fluid for the flushing procedure.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. Check
the oil level at regular intervals, such as every fuel stop. The best time to check the engine oil level is about five
minutes after a fully warmed up engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Always
maintain the oil level within the SAFE zone on the
dipstick. Adding one quart of oil when the reading is at
the bottom of the SAFE zone will result in a reading at the
top of the safe zone on these engines.
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will cause
oil aeration or loss of oil pressure. This could damage
your engine.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 637