2013 Ram 1500 trunk

Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO),
follow these safety tips:
•Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in
confined areas any longer than needed to move
your vehicle in or out of the area.
• If you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate
open, make sure that all windows are closed and
the climate control BLOWER switch is set at high
speed. DO NOT use the recirculation mode.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running, adjust your heating or cooling
controls to force outside air into the vehicle. Set the
blower at high speed.
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into
the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the com-
plete exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken,
damaged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open
seams or loose connections could permit exhaust fumes
to seep into the passenger compartment. In addition,
inspect the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace as required.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 121

•Brake Fluid Low
• Service Electronic Braking System
• Engine Temperature Hot
• Battery Voltage Low
• Service Electronic Throttle Control
• Lights On
• Right Turn Signal Light Out
• Left Turn Signal Light Out
• Turn Signal On
• Vehicle Not in Park
• Key in Ignition
• Key in Ignition Lights On
• Remote Start Active Key to Run •
Remote Start Active Push Start Button
• Remote Start Aborted Fuel Low
• Remote Start Aborted Too Cold
• Remote Start Aborted Door Open
• Remote Start Aborted Hood Open
• Remote Start Aborted Trunk Open
• Remote Start Aborted Time Expired
• Remote Start Disabled Start to Reset
• Service Airbag System
• Service Airbag Warning Light
• Driver Seatbelt Unbuckled
• Passenger Seatbelt Unbuckled
• Front Seatbelts Unbuckled
274 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Clevis/D-Shackles:The
D-Shackle is a safe means of
connecting the looped ends of
cables, straps and snatch
blocks. The shackle’s pin is
threaded to allow easy re-
moval. Tree Trunk Protector:
Typi-
cally made of tough, high-
quality nylon, it provides the
operator an attachment point
for the winch rope to a wide
variety of anchor points and
objects, as well as protect liv-
ing trees.
Operating Your Winch
WARNING!
Failure to observe any of these warnings regarding
proper winch usage may result in severe injury.
(Continued)
450 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!(Continued)
•Always use supplied hook strap to hold the hook
when spooling wire rope in or out.
• Never use as a hoist.
• Never use to move persons.
• Never exceed winch or wire rope rated capacity.
• Always wear heavy leather gloves when handling
the wire rope.
• Never touch wire rope or hook while in tension or
under load.
• Never engage or disengage clutch if winch is under
load, wire rope is in tension, or wire rope drum is
moving.
• Always stand clear of wire rope and load and keep
others away during winching.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Always keep hands and clothing clear of the wire
rope, hook and fairlead opening during operation
and when spooling.
• Never wrap wire rope back onto itself. Always use
a choker chain, wire choker rope or tree trunk
protector on the anchor.
• Never attach a recovery strap to the winch hook to
increase the length of a pull.
• Never attempt to tow a vehicle with the recovery
strap attached directly to the winch hook.
• Never use bungeestraps that develop tremendous
and potentially dangerous amounts of force when
stretched.
• Always disconnect the remote control when not in
use.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 451

6. Secure to the anchor point. Once you have establishedyour anchor point, secure the tree-trunk protector or
choker-chain around the object.
CAUTION!
Always be certain the anchor you select will with-
stand the load.
Tree Trunk Protector
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 455

NOTE: How to choose an anchor point:A secure anchor
is critical to winching operations. An anchor must be
strong enough to hold while winching. Natural anchors
include trees, stumps and rocks. Hook the cable as low as
possible. If no natural anchors are available when recov-
ering another vehicle, your vehicle becomes the anchor
point. In this case, be sure to put the transmission in
NEUTRAL, apply the hand brake and block its wheels to
prevent your vehicle from moving. Ideally, you’ll want
an anchor point that will enable you to pull straight in the
direction the vehicle will move. This allows the wire rope
to wind tightly and evenly onto the spooling drum. An
anchor point as far away as possible will provide the
winch with its greatest pulling power.
7. Attach the Clevis/D-shackle and Tree Trunk Protector. Attach the shackle to the two ends of the strap or chain
and through the hook loop, being careful not to over
tighten (tighten and back-off 1/2 turn). 8. Lock the clutch. Lock the winch drum by rotating the
clutch lever on the winch to engage.
NOTE: Always ensure the clutch is fully engaged or
disengaged.
Clevis/D-Shackles
456 STARTING AND OPERATING

Double Line
Because pulling power decreases with the number of
layers of wire rope on the winch drum, you can use a
snatch block to double line out more wire rope. This
decreases the number of layers of wire rope on the drum,
and increases pulling power. Start by feeding out enoughwire rope to free the winch hook. Attach the hook to your
vehicle’s frame/tow hook and run the wire rope through
a snatch block. Disengage the clutch and, using the
snatch block, pull out enough wire to reach your anchor
point. Do not attach the hook to the mounting kit. Secure
to the anchor point with a tree trunk protector or choker
chain. Attach the clevis/shackle. Attach the shackle to the
two ends of the strap/chain, being careful not to over
tighten (tighten and back-off 1/2 turn).
POWER STEERING
The standard power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will provide mechanical
steering capability if power assist is lost.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 465

CAUTION!
•Do not use abrasive or strong cleaning materials
such as steel wool or scouring powder that will
scratch metal and painted surfaces.
• Use of power washers exceeding 1,200 psi (8 274
kPa) can result in damage or removal of paint and
decals.
Special Care
• If you drive on salted or dusty roads or if you drive
near the ocean, hose off the undercarriage at least once
a month.
• It is important that the drain holes in the lower edges
of the doors, rocker panels, and trunk be kept clear and
open. •
If you detect any stone chips or scratches in the paint,
touch them up immediately. The cost of such repairs is
considered the responsibility of the owner.
• If your vehicle is damaged due to a collision or similar
cause that destroys the paint and protective coating,
have your vehicle repaired as soon as possible. The
cost of such repairs is considered the responsibility of
the owner.
• If you carry special cargo such as chemicals, fertilizers,
de-icer salt, etc., be sure that such materials are well
packaged and sealed.
• If a lot of driving is done on gravel roads, consider
mud or stone shields behind each wheel.
• Use MOPAR® Touch Up Paint on scratches as soon as
possible. Your authorized dealer has touch up paint to
match the color of your vehicle.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 663