- Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is part of an onboard diagnostic system called
OBD II that monitors engine and automatic transmission control systems. The light
will illuminate when the key is in the ON/RUN position before engine start. If the bulb
does not come on when turning the key from OFF to ON/RUN, have the condition
checked promptly.
Certain conditions, poor fuel quality, etc., may illuminate the light after engine start.
The vehicle should be serviced if the light stays on through several of your typical driving
cycles. In most situations, the vehicle will drive normally and will not require towing.
CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on could cause damage
to the engine control system. It also could affect fuel economy and driveability. If the
MIL is flashing, severe catalytic converter damage and power loss will soon occur.
Immediate service is required.
WARNING!
A malfunctioning catalytic converter, as referenced above, can reach higher tempera-
tures than in normal operating conditions. This can cause a fire if you drive slowly or
park over flammable substances such as dry plants, wood, cardboard, etc. This could
result in death or serious injury to the driver, occupants or others.
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) OFF Indicator Light
The ESC OFF indicator will illuminate when the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is
turned off.
- Charging System Light
This light shows the status of the electrical charging system. If the charging system light
remains on, it means that the vehicle is experiencing a problem with the charging
system.
We recommend you do not continue driving if the charging system light is on. Have
the vehicle serviced immediately.
- Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light indicates low engine oil pressure. If the light turns on while driving, stop
the vehicle and shut off the engine as soon as possible. A chime will sound for four
minutes when this light turns on.
We recommend you do not operate the vehicle or engine damage will occur. Have the
vehicle serviced immediately.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
172
WARNING!
•Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the vehicle close to moving traffic.
Pull far enough off the road to avoid the danger of being hit when operating the
jack or changing the wheel.
•Being under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous. The vehicle could slip off the jack
and fall on you. You could be crushed. Never put any part of your body under a
vehicle that is on a jack.
•Never start or run the engine while the vehicle is on a jack. If you need to get under
a raised vehicle, take it to an authorized dealer where it can be raised on a lift.
• The jack is designed to be used as a tool for changing tires only. The jackshould not be used to lift the vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle should
be jacked on a firm level surface only. Avoid ice or slippery areas.
•
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the vehicle close to moving traffic,
pull far enough off the road to avoid the danger of being hit when operating the
jack or changing the wheel.
• Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to help prevent personal injury or
damage to your vehicle:
• Always park on a firm, level surface as far from the edge of the roadwayas possible before raising the vehicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flashers.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to be raised.
• Set the parking brake firmly and set an automatic transmission in PARK;
a manual transmission in REVERSE.
• Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it is on a jack.
• Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a jack.
• Only use the jack in the positions indicated and for lifting this vehicle
during a tire change.
• If working on or near a roadway, be extremely careful of motor traffic.
• To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are securely stowed, spares
must be stowed with the valve stem facing the ground.
•
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make the vehicle less stable.
It could slip off the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle only
enough to remove the tire.
• To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not fully tighten
the wheel bolts until the vehicle has been lowered. Failure to follow this
warning may result in personal injury.
• To avoid possible personal injury, handle the wheel covers with care to
avoid contact with any sharp edges.
•
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or hard stop could endan-
ger the occupants of the vehicle. Always stow the jack parts and the spare
tire in the places provided.
•A loose tire thrown forward in a collision or hard stop could injure the
occupants in the vehicle. Have the deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced
immediately.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
189
JUMP-STARTING
• If your vehicle has a discharged bat-tery it can be jump-started using a
set of jumper cables and a battery in
another vehicle or by using a portable
battery booster pack.
• Jump-starting can be dangerous if done improperly so please follow the
procedures in this section carefully.
NOTE:
When using a portable battery booster
pack follow the manufacturer’s operating
instructions and precautions.
Preparations For Jump-Start
• The battery in your vehicle is located in the front of the engine compartment, behind the left headlight assembly.
NOTE:
The positive battery post is covered with a protective cap. Lift up on the cap to gain
access to the positive battery post.
• Set the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission into PARK and turn the ignition to OFF.
• Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electrical accessories.
• If using another vehicle to jump-start the battery, park the vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
Jump-Starting Procedure
1. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the positive (+)post of the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper cable to the positive (+)post
of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative (-)end of the jumper cable to the negative (-)post of the
booster battery.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-)jumper cable to a good engine ground
(exposed metal part of the discharged vehicle’s engine) away from the battery and
the fuel injection system.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then start the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
190
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Towing
Condition Wheels OFF the
Ground 2WD Models
4WD Models
Flat Tow NONE If transmission is operable:
• Transmission in NEUTRAL
• 30 mph (48 km/h) max
• 15 miles (24 km) max
distance • Auto Transmission
inPARK
• Manual Trans-
mission in gear
(NOT NEUTRAL)
• Transfer Case in
NEUTRAL
• Tow in FORWARD
direction
Wheel Lift or Dolly Tow Front
NOT ALLOWED
Rear OK
NOT ALLOWED
Flatbed ALL
BEST METHOD BEST METHOD
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
• If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it can often be moved using
a rocking motion. Turn your 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 accelerator pedal
pressure that will maintain the rocking motion, without spinning the wheels or
racing the engine.
NOTE:
Press the "ESC Off" switch, to place the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system in
"Partial Off" mode before rocking the vehicle. Once the vehicle has been freed, press
the "ESC Off" switch again to restore "ESC On" mode.
CAUTION!
• Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to transmission overheating and failure. Allow the engine to idle with the shift lever in NEUTRAL for at least
one minute after every five rocking-motion cycles. This will minimize overheat-
ing and reduce the risk of transmission failure during prolonged efforts to free
a stuck vehicle.
• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving between DRIVE/2nd and REVERSE,
do not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast may lead to transmission
overheating and failure. It can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission shifting occurring).
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
196
ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or
Genuine Part Capacities
Automatic Transmission –
Eight-Speed Automatic Use only MOPAR
®ZF
8&9 Speed ATF™ Auto-
matic Transmission Fluid, or equivalent. Failure to
use the correct fluid may affect the function orperformance of your transmission. —
Automatic Transmission –
Six-Speed Automatic with
Gasoline Engine We recommend you use
only ATF+4
®Automatic
Transmission Fluid. Failure to use ATF+4
®fluid may
affect the function or
performance of your trans- mission. We recommendMOPAR
®ATF+4®fluid. —
Transfer Case We recommend you use
MOPAR
®BW44–44
Transfer Case Fluid. —
Front Axle 1500
Four-Wheel Drive Models We recommend you use
MOPAR
®GL-5 Synthetic
Axle Lubricant SAE 75W-85. —
Rear Axle 1500 Models We recommend you use
MOPAR
®Synthetic Gear
Lubricant SAE 75W-140
(MS-8985). Limited-Slip Rear Axles require the
addition of 5 oz. (148 ml) MOPAR
®Limited Slip
Additive (MS-10111). —
Front and Rear Axle –
2500/3500 Models We recommend you
use Synthetic, GL-5
SAE 75W-85. Limited slip
additive is not required for Limited-Slip Rear Axles. —
Brake Master Cylinder We recommend you use
MOPAR
®DOT 3 and
SAE J1703. If DOT 3 is
not available, then DOT 4 is acceptable. —
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
207
ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or
Genuine Part Capacities
Power Steering Reservoir –
2500/3500 Models We recommend you use
MOPAR
®Power Steering
Fluid +4 or MOPAR®
ATF+4®Automatic
Transmission Fluid. —
Fuel Selection 3.6L 87 Octane1500 Regular Cab
Shortbed/Crew Quad Cab - 26 Gallons (98 Liters) (Approximate)
1500 Regular Cab
Longbed/Crew Quad Cab (Optional) - 32 Gallons
(121 Liters) (Approximate) 2500/3500 Shortbed -
34 Gallons (129 Liters) (Approximate)
2500/3500 Longbed -
35 Gallons (132 Liters) (Approximate)
Fuel Selection 5.7L 87 Octane Acceptable.
89 Octane Recommended. 1500 Regular Cab
Shortbed/Crew Quad Cab - 26 Gallons (98 Liters) (Approximate)
1500 Regular Cab
Longbed/Crew Quad Cab (Optional) - 32 Gallons
(121 Liters) (Approximate) 2500/3500 Shortbed -
31 Gallons (117 Liters) (Approximate)
2500/3500 Longbed -
32 Gallons (121 Liters) (Approximate)
Fuel Selection 6.4L 87 Octane2500/3500 Shortbed -
34 Gallons (129 Liters)
(Approximate) 2500/3500 Longbed - 35 Gallons
(132 Liters) (Approximate)
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
208
ComponentFluid, Lubricant, or
Genuine Part Capacities
Engine Oil Filter
3.0L, 6.7L Diesel Engine We recommend you
use MOPAR
®Engine
Oil Filters. —
Engine Fuel Filter
3.0L Turbo Diesel –
1500 Models Only We recommend you use
MOPAR
®Fuel Filter.
Must meet 3 micron rating. Using a fuel filter that does
not meet the manufacturers
filtration and water separat- ing requirements can
severely impact fuel system life and reliability. —
Engine Fuel Filter
6.7L Turbo Diesel We recommend you use
MOPAR
®Fuel Filter.
Must meet 3 micron rating. Using a fuel filter that does
not meet the manufacturers
filtration and water separat- ing requirements can
severely impact fuel system life and reliability. —
Crankcase Ventilation Filter
6.7L Turbo Diesel We recommend you use
MOPAR
®CCV Filter. —
Automatic Transmission –
Eight-Speed Automatic
3.0 Turbo Diesel –
1500 Models Only We recommend you use
MOPAR
®ZF 8&9 Speed
ATF™ Automatic
Transmission Fluid. —
Automatic Transmission –
Six-Speed Automatic –
68RFE We recommend you use
MOPAR
®ATF+4®Auto-
matic Transmission Fluid. —
Automatic Transmission –
Six-Speed AISIN HD
Automatic MOPAR
®ASRC Automatic
Transmission Fluid or equivalent. —
Clutch Linkage We recommend you use
MOPAR
®Multi-Purpose
Grease, NLGI Grade 2 E.P. —
Manual Transmission
G-56 – 6.7L Diesel Engine We recommend you use
MOPAR
®ATF+4®Auto-
matic Transmission Fluid. —
Transfer Case We recommend you use
MOPAR
®BW44–44
Transfer Case Fluid. —
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
212
Your authorized dealer will reset the oil change indicator message after completing
the scheduled oil change. If a scheduled oil change is performed by someone other than
your authorized dealer, the message can be reset by referring to the steps described
under “Instrument Cluster Warning Lights” in “What To Do In Emergencies” in this
guide or “Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” in your Owner’s Manual on the DVD for further information.
NOTE:
•1500 Models Only
Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km)
or twelve months on 1500 trucks, whichever comes first.
•2500 – 3500 Models
Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 8,000 miles (13,000 km)
or twelve months on 2500 – 3500 trucks, whichever comes first.
•Severe Duty All Models
Change Engine Oil at 4000 miles (6,500 km) if the vehicle is operated in a dusty and
off road environment. This type of vehicle use is considered Severe Duty
Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
• Check engine oil level
• Check windshield washer fluid level
• Check tire pressure and look for unusual wear or damage. Rotate tires at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator system turns on.
•
Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir, brake master cylinder, power steering
(2500/3500 Models Only) and automatic transmission (six-speed only) as needed
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
Required Maintenance
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules on the following pages for required maintenance.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change Indicator System:
• Change oil and filter.
• Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil
indicator system turns on.
• Inspect battery and clean and tighten terminals as required.
• Inspect automatic transmission fluid if equipped with dipstick.
• Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses and park brake.
• Inspect engine cooling system protection and hoses.
• Inspect exhaust system.
• Inspect engine air cleaner if using in dusty or off-road conditions.
• Lube the front drive shaft fitting (2500/3500 (4x4) models only).
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
215