2014 Ram 1500 Get to Know Guide 

DIESEL EXHAUST FLUID
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) sometimes known simply by the name of its active
component, UREA – is a key component of selective catalytic reduction (SCR)
systems, which help diesel vehicles meet stringent emission regulations. DEF is a
liquid reducing agent that reacts with engine exhaust in the presence of a catalyst to
convert smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) into harmless nitrogen and water vapor.
Your vehicle is equipped with a Selective Catalytic Reduction system in order to meet
the very stringent diesel emissions standards required by the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency. Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) is the first and only technology in
decades to be as good for the environment as it is good for business and vehicle
performance.
The purpose of the SCR system is to reduce levels of NOx (oxides of nitrogen emitted
from engines) that are harmful to our health and the environment to an almost near-zero
level. Small quantities of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) are injected into the exhaust
upstream of a catalyst where, when vaporized, convert smog-forming nitrogen oxides
(NOx) into harmless nitrogen (N2) and water vapor (H2O), two natural components of
the air we breathe. You can operate with the comfort that your vehicle is contributing to
a cleaner, healthier world environment for this and generations to come.
System Overview
This vehicle is equipped with a Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) injection system and a
Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst to meet the emission requirements.
The DEF injection system consists of the following components:
• DEF tank
• DEF pump
• DEF injector
• Electronically-heated DEF lines
• NOx sensors
• Temperature sensors
• SCR catalyst
The DEF injection system and SCR catalyst enable the achievement of diesel emissions
requirements; while maintaining outstanding fuel economy, drivability, torque and
power ratings.
NOTE:
• Your vehicle is equipped with a DEF injection system. You may occasionally hearan audible clicking noise. This is normal operation.
• The DEF pump will run for a period of time after engine shutdown to purge the DEF system. This is normal operation.
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Adding Diesel Exhaust Fluid
• The DEF gauge (located in the instrument panel) will display the level of DEFremaining in the tank.
• Completely fill the DEF tank through the diesel exhaust fluid fill location (located behind the fuel door) at every maintenance interval or before if prompted by the
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC).
NOTE:
• Driving conditions (altitude, vehicle speed, load, etc.) will effect the amount of DEF that is used in your vehicle.
• Since DEF will begin to freeze at 12°F (-11°C), your vehicle is equipped with an automatic DEF heating system. This allows the DEF injection system to operate
properly at temperatures below 12°F (-11°C). If your vehicle is not in operation for
an extended period of time with temperatures below 12°F (-11°C), the DEF in the
tank may freeze. If the tank is overfilled and freezes, it could be damaged.
Therefore, do not overfill the DEF tank. Extra care should be taken when filling
with portable containers to avoid overfilling. Note the level of the DEF gauge in
your instrument cluster. On pickup applications, you may safely add a maximum of
2 gallons of DEF from portable containers when your DEF gauge is reading ½ full.
DEF Fill Procedure
• Remove cap from DEF tank (located behind the fuel door on drivers side of thevehicle).
• Insert DEF container or fill nozzle into DEF fill location and fill DEF tank.
NOTE:
•
The DEF gauge may take up to five
seconds to update after adding a gal-
lon or more of Diesel Exhaust Fluid
(DEF) to the DEF tank. If you have a
fault related to the DEF system, the
gauge may not update to the new
level. See your authorized dealer for
service.
• The DEF gauge may also not immedi- ately update after a refill if the tem-
perature of the DEF fluid is below
12°F (-11°C). The DEF line heater will
possibly warm up the DEF fluid and allow the gauge to update after a period of run
time. Under very cold conditions, it is possible that the gauge may not reflect the
new fill level for several drives.
• Reinstall cap onto DEF tank.
• Refer to your Diesel Supplement on the DVD for further details.
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CAUTION!
• To avoid DEF spillage and overfilling, do not “top off” the DEF tank after filling.
• When DEF is spilled, clean the area immediately with water or a mild solvent.
• DO NOT OVERFILL. DEF will freeze below 12 degrees F (-11 degrees C). TheDEF system is designed to work in temperatures below the DEF freezing point,
however, if the tank is overfilled and freezes, the system could be damaged.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Warning Messages
Your vehicle will begin displaying warning messages when the DEF level reaches a
driving range of approximately 500 miles (800 km).
If the following warning message sequence is ignored, your vehicle may not restart
unless DEF is added with in the displayed mileage shown in the EVIC message.
•Engine Will Not Restart in XXXX mi DEF Low Refill Soon – This message will display
when DEF driving range is less than 500 miles, DEF fluid top off is required with
in the displayed mileage. The message will be displayed in the EVIC during vehicle
start up with the current allowed mileage and accompanied by a single chime.
The remaining mileage can be pulled up anytime by way of the “Messages” list
within the EVIC.
• Engine Will Not Restart in XXXX mi Refill DEF –
This message will display when DEF
driving range is less than 200 miles. It is also displayed at 150 miles and 100 miles.
DEF fluid top off is required with in the displayed mileage. The message will be
displayed in the EVIC during vehicle start up with an updated distance mileage, and
it will be accompanied by a single chime. Stating at 100 miles, remaining range will
be continuously displayed while operating the vehicle. Chimes will also accompany
the 75, 50 and 25 mile remaining distances. The DEF Low telltale will be on
continuously until DEF fluid is topped off.
• Engine Will Not Restart Refill DEF – This message will display when the DEF driving
range is less than 1 mile, DEF fluid top off is required or the engine will not restart.
The message will be displayed in the EVIC during vehicle start up, and it will be
accompanied by a single chime. The DEF Low telltale will be illuminated
continuously until DEF fluid tank is filled with a minimum of two gallons of DEF.
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Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Fault Warning Messages
There are different messages which are displayed if the vehicle detects that the DEF
system has been filled with a fluid other than DEF, has experienced component
failures, or when tampering has been detected.
When the DEF system needs to be serviced the following warnings will display:
•Service DEF System See Dealer – This message will display when the fault is initially
detected and each time the vehicle is started. The message will be accompanied
by a single chime and the Malfunction Indicator Light. We recommend you drive
to your nearest authorized dealer and have your vehicle serviced immediately.
If not corrected in 50 miles, vehicle will enter the “Engine Will not restart in
XXX mi Service DEF See dealer” warning stage and message.
• Incorrect DEF Detected See Dealer – This message will display if the DEF system has
detected the incorrect fluid has been introduced to the DEF tank. The message will
be accompanied by a single chime. We recommend you drive to your nearest
authorized dealer and have your vehicle serviced immediately. If not corrected in
50 miles, vehicle will enter the Engine Will not restart in XXX mi Service DEF See
dealer warning stage and message.
• Engine Will Not Restart in XXX mi Service DEF See Dealer – This message is first
displayed if the fault detected is not serviced after 50 miles of operation. It is also
displayed at 150 miles 125 miles and 100 miles. System service is required
within the displayed mileage. The message will be displayed in the EVIC during
vehicle start up with an updated distance mileage, and it will be accompanied by
a single chime. Starting at 100 miles, remaining range will be continuously
displayed while operating the vehicle. Chimes will also accompany the 75, 50 and
25 mile remaining distances. We recommend you drive to your nearest authorized
dealer and have your vehicle serviced immediately.
• Engine Will Not Restart Service DEF System See Dealer – This message will display
if the DEF system issue detected is not serviced during the allowed period. Your
engine will not restart unless your vehicle is serviced by your authorized dealer.
This message will be displayed when under 1 mile until the engine will not start
and each time the vehicle is started. The message will be continuously displayed
and be accompanied by a single chime. Your Malfunction Indicator Light will also
be continuously illumined. We highly recommend you drive to your nearest
authorized dealer immediately if the message appears while engine is running.
• Engine Will Not Start Service DEF System See Dealer – This message will display
when the fault detected is not serviced after the Engine will not restart Service
DEF System See Dealer message is displayed on the next subsequent restart.
Your engine will not start unless you vehicle is serviced by your authorized dealer.
The message will be accompanied by a single chime. Your Malfunction Indicator
Light will be continuously illuminated. If the message appears and you can not
start the engine, we recommend you have your vehicle towed to your nearest
authorized dealer immediately.
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DIESEL ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
The Cummins®turbocharged diesel engine does not require a break-in period due to
its construction. Normal operation is allowed, providing the following recommenda-
tions are followed:
• Warm up the engine before placing it under load.
• Do not operate the engine at idle for prolonged periods.
• Use the appropriate transmission gear to prevent engine lugging.
• Observe vehicle oil pressure and temperature indicators.
• Check the coolant and oil levels frequently.
•
Vary throttle position at highway speeds when carrying or towing significant weight.
NOTE:
Light duty operation such as light trailer towing or no load operation will extend the
time before the engine is at full efficiency. Reduced fuel economy and power may be
seen at this time.
Because of the construction of the Cummins
®turbocharged diesel engine, engine
run-in is enhanced by loaded operating conditions which allow the engine parts to
achieve final finish and fit during the first 6,000 miles (10 000 km).
DIESEL ENGINE STARTING PROCEDURES
Engine Block Heater
For ambient temperatures below 0°F (-18°C), engine block heater usage is recom-
mended.
For ambient temperatures below –20°F (-29°C), engine block heater usage is required.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood to the right side and can be
located just behind the grille near the headlamp.
Connect the heater cord to a ground-fault interrupter protected 110–115 volt AC
electrical outlet with a grounded, three-wire extension cord.
NOTE:
The block heater will require 110 volts AC and 6.5 amps to activate the heater element.
The block heater must be plugged in at least one hour to have an adequate warming
effect on the coolant.
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Water In Fuel Message
If a Water In Fuel message orindicator appears in the cluster and a chime sounds
five times, the fuel/water separator will need to be drained immediately to prevent
engine damage.
Refer to “Draining Fuel Water Separator” in this guide for draining instructions or see
your dealer.
Cold Start Procedure
• Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. If the Wait To Startlight appears
in the cluster, wait for the light to turn off before starting.
• In extremely cold weather below 0°F (-18°C) it may be beneficial to cycle the manifold heaters twice before attempting to start the engine. This can be
accomplished by turning the ignition OFF for at least five seconds and then back
ON after the “Wait To Start Light” has turned off, but before the engine is started.
However, excessive cycling of the manifold heaters will result in damage to the
heater elements or reduced battery voltage.
Refer to the Owner's Manual Diesel Supplement on the DVD for further details.
Engine Idling
Avoid prolonged engine idling. Long periods of idling may be harmful to your engine
because combustion chamber temperatures can drop so low that the fuel may not
burn completely.
Incomplete combustion allows carbon and varnish to form on piston rings, engine
valves, and injector nozzles. Also, the unburned fuel can enter the crankcase,
diluting the oil and causing rapid wear to the engine.
If the engine is allowed to idle, under some conditions the idle speed may increase
to 900 RPM then return to normal idle speed. This is normal operation.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving. Damage to the 110–115 volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
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DIESEL EXHAUST BRAKE (ENGINE BRAKING)
The Exhaust Brake switch is located on the switch bank below the audio system. This
switch is used to enable exhaust brake modes.
• Pressing the exhaust brake switch once will enable full strength exhaust brakemode, indicated by a yellow icon in the EVIC. This mode applies full exhaust
braking when the accelerator pedal is released. This is most useful for slowing the
vehicle.
• Pressing the exhaust brake switch again will enable the Smart Brake feature, indicated by a green icon in the EVIC. This feature is intended to maintain the
vehicle speed present when the accelerator pedal is released. However, when the
brakes are applied, full exhaust braking is still enabled to slow the vehicle.
• A third press of the brake switch will turn the exhaust brake off, and will extinguish the exhaust brake icon in the EVIC.
NOTE:
In general, higher engine speeds result in higher exhaust braking force. For optimum
braking power, it is recommended to use the exhaust brake while in TOW/HAUL
mode.
CAUTION!
Use of aftermarket exhaust brakes is not recommended and could lead to engine
damage.
WARNING!
Do not use the exhaust brake feature when driving in icy or slippery conditions as
the increased engine braking can cause the rear wheels to slide and the vehicle to
swing around with the possible loss of vehicle control, which may cause a collision
possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
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IDLE-UP FEATURE (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ONLY)
• The Idle-Up Feature uses the speed control switches to increase engine idle speedand quickly warm the vehicle’s interior. This feature must be enabled by your
dealer. See your local dealer.
• With the transmission in PARK, the parking brake applied, and the engine running, push the speed control ON/OFF switch on, then push the SET switch.
•
The engine RPM will go up to 1100 RPM. To increase the RPM, push and hold
the RESUME/ACCEL switch and the idle speed will increase to approximately
1500 RPM. To decrease the RPM, push and hold the SET/DECEL switch and the idle
speed will decrease to approximately 1100 RPM.
• To cancel the Idle Up Feature, either push the CANCEL switch, push the ON/OFF switch or push the brake pedal.
ENGINE MOUNTED FUEL FILTER/WATER SEPARATOR
Draining Fuel/Water Separator
•If the “Water in Fuel” indicator lightis illuminated and an audible chime is
heard five times, you should stop the engine and drain the water from the separator.
• The drain is located on the bottom of the Fuel Filter and Water Separator assembly which is located on the driver's side of the engine.
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