2013 Ram 2500 Owner's Manual

The vehicle is close to the obstacle when the warning
display shows one flashing arc and sounds a continuous
tone. The following chart shows the warning alert opera-
tion when the system is detecting an obstacle:
Fast ToneContinuous Tone
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 183

WARNING ALERTS
Rear Distance (in/cm) Greater than
79 in (200 cm) 79-45 in
(200-115 cm) 45-31 in
(115-80 cm) 31-18 in
(80-45 cm) Less than
18 in (45 cm)
Audible Alert Chime None
Single 1/2
Second Tone Slow
FastContinuous
Arc None4th Solid 3rd
Solid 2nd
Flashing 1st
Flashing
Radio Volume Reduced No
Yes YesYes Yes
NOTE: ParkSense® will reduce the volume of the radio,
if on, when the system is sounding an audio tone.
Enabling And Disabling ParkSense®
ParkSense® can be enabled and disabled with the
ParkSense® switch.
When the ParkSense switch is pressed to dis-
able the system, the instrument cluster will
display the “PARKSENSE OFF” message for
184 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

approximately five seconds. Refer to “Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information. When the
shift lever is moved to REVERSE and the system is
disabled, the EVIC will display the “PARKSENSE OFF”
message for as long as the vehicle is in REVERSE.
NOTE:The ParkSense® system will automatically dis-
able when the system detects that a trailer with trailer
brakes has been connected to the Integrated Trailer Brake
Module. The EVIC will display “PARKSENSE OFF”
message for as long as the vehicle is in reverse.
The ParkSense® switch LED will be ON when
ParkSense® is disabled or defective. The ParkSense®
switch LED will be OFF when the system is enabled.
Service The ParkSense® Rear Park Assist
System
When the ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System is mal-
functioning, the instrument cluster will actuate a single chime, once per ignition cycle, and it will display the
PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS

or the PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE RE-
QUIRED message. Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your Instrument
Panel” for further information. When the shift lever is
moved to REVERSE and the system has detected a
faulted condition, the EVIC will display the
PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS 
or the PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE RE-
QUIRED message for as long as the vehicle is in RE-
VERSE. Under this condition, ParkSense® will not oper-
ate.
If PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS
appears in the Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC) make sure the outer surface and the underside of
the rear fascia/bumper is clean and clear of snow, ice,
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 185

mud, dirt or other obstruction, and then cycle the igni-
tion. If the message continues to appear, see an autho-
rized dealer.
IfPARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED
appears in the EVIC, see your authorized dealer.
Cleaning The ParkSense® System
Clean the ParkSense® sensors with water, car wash soap
and a soft cloth. Do not use rough or hard cloths. Do not
scratch or poke the sensors. Otherwise, you could dam-
age the sensors.
ParkSense® System Usage Precautions
NOTE:
• Ensure that the rear bumper is free of snow, ice, mud,
dirt and debris to keep the ParkSense® system oper-
ating properly. •
Jackhammers, large trucks, and other vibrations could
affect the performance of ParkSense® .
• When you turn ParkSense® off, the instrument cluster
will display PARKSENSE OFF. Furthermore, once
you turn ParkSense® off, it remains off until you turn
it on again, even if you cycle the ignition key.
• When you move the shift lever to the REVERSE
position and ParkSense® is turned off, the instrument
cluster will display PARKSENSE OFF message for as
long as the vehicle is in REVERSE.
• ParkSense® , when on, will reduce the volume of the
radio when it is sounding a tone.
• Clean the ParkSense® sensors regularly, taking care
not to scratch or damage them. The sensors must not
be covered with ice, snow, slush, mud, dirt or debris.
Failure to do so can result in the system not working
properly. The ParkSense® system might not detect an
186 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

obstacle behind the fascia/bumper, or it could provide
a false indication that an obstacle is behind the fascia/
bumper.
• Objects such as bicycle carriers, trailer hitches, etc.,
must not be placed within 12 in (30 cm) from the rear
fascia/bumper while driving the vehicle. Failure to do
so can result in the system misinterpreting a close
object as a sensor problem, causing the PARKSENSE
UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED message to be
displayed in the instrument cluster.
• On vehicles equipped with a tailgate, ParkSense®
should be disabled when the tailgate is in the lowered
or open position and the vehicle is in REVERSE. A
lowered tailgate could provide a false indication that
an obstacle is behind the vehicle.CAUTION!
• ParkSense® is only a parking aid and it is unable to
recognize every obstacle, including small obstacles.
Parking curbs might be temporarily detected or not
detected at all. Obstacles located above or below
the sensors will not be detected when they are in
close proximity.
• The vehicle must be driven slowly when using
ParkSense® in order to be able to stop in time
when an obstacle is detected. It is recommended
that the driver looks over his/her shoulder when
using ParkSense®.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 187

WARNING!
•Drivers must be careful when backing up even
when using ParkSense®. Always check carefully
behind your vehicle, look behind you, and be sure
to check for pedestrians, animals, other vehicles,
obstructions, and blind spots before backing up.
You are responsible for safety and must continue to
pay attention to your surroundings. Failure to do so
can result in serious injury or death.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Before using ParkSense®, it is strongly recom-
mended that the ball mount and hitch ball assem-
bly is disconnected from the vehicle when the
vehicle is not used for towing. Failure to do so can
result in injury or damage to vehicles or obstacles
because the hitch ball will be much closer to the
obstacle than the rear fascia when the loudspeaker
sounds the continuous tone. Also, the sensors
could detect the ball mount and hitch ball assem-
bly, depending on its size and shape, giving a false
indication that an obstacle is behind the vehicle.
188 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

PARKVIEW® REAR BACK UP CAMERA — IF
EQUIPPED
Your vehicle may be equipped with the ParkView® Rear
Back Up Camera that allows you to see a image of the
rear surroundings of your vehicle whenever the shift
lever is put into REVERSE. The image will be displayed
in the rearview mirror — if equipped or Uconnect®
screen — if equipped along with a caution note to “check
entire surroundings” across the top of the screen. After
five seconds this note will disappear. The ParkView®
camera is located to the left of the tailgate handle.
When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE, the rear
camera mode is exited.Active guide lines are overlaid on the image to illustrate
the width of the vehicle and its projected backup path
based on the steering wheel position. The active guide
lines will show separate zones that will help indicate the
distance to the rear of the vehicle.
The following table shows the approximate distances for
each zone:
Zones
Distance to the rear of
the vehicle
Red 0 - 1 ft (0 - 30 cm)
Yellow 1 ft - 3 ft (30 cm-1m)
Green 3 ft or greater
(1 m or greater)
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 189

WARNING!
Drivers must be careful when backing up even when
using the ParkView® Rear Back Up Camera. Always
check carefully behind your vehicle, and be sure to
check for pedestrians, animals, other vehicles, ob-
structions, or blind spots before backing up. You are
responsible for the safety of your surroundings and
must continue to pay attention while backing up.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury or death.
CAUTION!
•To avoid vehicle damage, ParkView® should only
be used as a parking aid. The ParkView® camera is
unable to view every obstacle or object in your
drive path.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•To avoid vehicle damage, the vehicle must be
driven slowly when using ParkView® to be able to
stop in time when an obstacle is seen. It is recom-
mended that the driver look frequently over his/her
shoulder when using ParkView®.
NOTE: If snow, ice, mud, or any foreign substance builds
up on the camera lens, clean the lens, rinse with water,
and dry with a soft cloth. Do not cover the lens.
Turning ParkView® On Or Off — With Uconnect® 5.0
1. Press the “Settings” button.
2. Press the “Safety & Assistance” soft-key.
3. Press the check box soft key next to “Parkview® Backup Camera” to enable/disable.
190 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE