2014 Ram 2500 Diesel Supplement

Avoid Using Contaminated Fuel
Fuel that is contaminated by water or dirt can cause
severe damage to the engine fuel system. Proper main-
tenance of the engine fuel filter and fuel tank is essential.
Refer to “Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your
Vehicle” for further information.
Bulk Fuel Storage — Diesel Fuel
If you store quantities of fuel, good maintenance of the
stored fuel is also essential. Fuel contaminated with
water will promote the growth of “microbes.” These
microbes form “slime” that will clog the fuel filtration
system and lines. Drain condensation from the supply
tank and change the line filter on a regular basis.
NOTE:When a diesel engine is allowed to run out of
fuel, air is pulled into the fuel system.If the vehicle will not start, refer to “Maintenance
Procedures/Priming If The Engine Has Run Out Of Fuel”
in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
WARNING!
Do not open the high pressure fuel system with the
engine running. Engine operation causes high fuel
pressure. High pressure fuel spray can cause serious
injury or death.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid Storage
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is considered a very stable
product with a long shelf life. If DEF is kept in tempera-
tures between 10° and 90°F (-12° and 32°C), it will last a
minimum of one year.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 95

DEF is subject to freezing at the lowest temperatures. For
example, DEF may freeze at temperatures at or below 12°
F (-11° C). The system has been designed to operate in
this environment.
NOTE:When working with DEF, it is important to know
that:
•
Any containers or parts that come into contact with
DEF must be DEF compatible (plastic or stainless
steel). Copper, brass, aluminum, iron or non-
stainless steel should be avoided as they are subject
to corrosion by DEF.
•If DEF is spilled, it should be wiped up completely.
Adding Diesel Exhaust Fluid
The DEF gauge (located on the instrument cluster) will
display the level of DEF remaining in the tank. Refer to
“Instrument Cluster” and “Instrument Cluster Descrip-
tions” in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for
further information.
NOTE:Driving conditions (altitude, vehicle speed, load,
etc.) will effect the amount of DEF that is used in your
vehicle.
DEF Fill Procedure
NOTE:Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts”
in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for the correct fluid type.
1. Remove cap from DEF tank (located on drivers side of
the vehicle or in fuel door).
96 STARTING AND OPERATING

2. Insert DEF fill adapter/nozzle into DEF tank filler
neck.NOTE:
•The DEF gauge may take up to five seconds to update
after adding a gallon 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 immediately update after a
refill if the temperature of the DEF fluid is below 12F
(-11C). 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.
CAUTION!
•To avoid DEF spillage, and possible damage to the
DEF tank from overfilling, do not “top off” the DEF
tank after filling.
(Continued)
DEF Filler Cap And Fuel Fill 1500/2500/3500 Models
1 — Diesel Exhaust Fluid Fill Location
2 — Fuel Fill Location
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STARTING AND OPERATING 97

CAUTION!(Continued)
•DO NOT OVERFILL. DEF will freeze below 12ºF
(-11ºC). The DEF system is designed to work in
temperatures below the DEF freezing point, how-
ever, if the tank is overfilled and freezes, the
system could be damaged.
•When DEF is spilled, clean the area immediately
with water and use an absorbent material to soak
up the spills on the ground.
•Do not attempt to start your engine if DEF is
accidentally added to the diesel fuel tank as it can
result in severe damage to your engine, including
but not limited to failure of the fuel pump and
injectors.
3. Stop filling the DEF tank immediately when any of the
following happen: DEF stops flowing from the fill
bottle into the DEF tank, DEF splashes out the filler
neck, or a DEF pump nozzle automatically shuts off.4. Reinstall cap onto DEF tank.
Filling The Def Tank In Cold Climates
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 tempera-
tures 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.
98 STARTING AND OPERATING

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.0L DIESEL. . . .100
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES...........101
▫Engine Oil..........................102
▫Engine Air Cleaner Filter................104
▫Draining Fuel/Water Separator Filter.......105
▫Underbody Mounted Fuel Filter Replacement. .108
▫Priming If The Engine Has Run Out Of Fuel . .109
▫Intervention Regeneration Strategy — EVIC
Message Process Flow..................111▫Maintenance-Free Batteries...............111
▫Cooling System......................112
▫Charge Air Cooler — Inter-Cooler.........118
▫Brake System........................118
FLUID CAPACITIES....................121
FLUIDS, LUBRICANTS AND GENUINE
PARTS ..............................122
▫Engine.............................122
▫Chassis............................125
5

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.0L DIESEL
1 — Air Cleaner Filter 5 — Battery
2 — Engine Oil Dipstick 6 — Power Distribution Center (PDC)
3 — Engine Oil Fill 7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 8 — Engine Coolant 100 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain therequiredmaintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides those maintenance items specified in the fixed
maintenance schedule, there are other components which
may require servicing or replacement in the future.
CAUTION!
•Failure to properly maintain your vehicle or per-
form repairs and service when necessary could
result in more costly repairs, damage to other
components or negatively impact vehicle perfor-
mance. Immediately have potential malfunctions
examined by an authorized dealership or qualified
repair center.
(Continued)
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.
5
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 101

Engine Oil
Engine Oil Selection
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacturer recom-
mends engine oils that meet the requirements of FCA US
Material Standard MS-11106, and that are approved to
ACEA C3.
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. The best time to check
the oil level is before starting the engine after it has been
parked overnight. When checking oil after operating the
engine, first ensure the engine is at full operating tem-
perature, then wait for five minutes after engine shut-
down to check the oil.
1 — MAX Mark
2 — MIN Mark
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Add oil
only when the level on the dipstick is below the “MIN”
Engine Oil Dipstick
102 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE