2014 Ram 3500 transmission fluid

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.
•Completely fill the Diesel Exhaust Fluid tank.
•Drain water from fuel filter assembly.
•Rotate the tires.Rotate at the first sign of irregu-
lar 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.
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil
Change Indicator System:
•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.
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MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE 129

4. EVIC White Telltales
•Electronic Speed Control Ready
This light will turn on when the electronic
speed control is ON. For further information,
refer to “Electronic Speed Control” in “Under-
standing The Features Of Your Vehicle.”
•Electronic Speed Control SET
This light will turn on when the electronic
speed control is SET. For further information,
refer to “Electronic Speed Control” in “Under-
standing The Features Of Your Vehicle.”
•Shift Lever Status
The highest available transmission gear is displayed in
the lower right corner of the Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC) whenever the Electronic Range Select
(ERS) feature is active. Use the +/- selector on the shift
lever to activate ERS. Refer to “Automatic Transmission”
in “Starting And Operating” for further information.5. EVIC Amber Telltales
•Low Fuel Telltale
When the fuel level reaches approximately 3.0 gal
(11.0 L) this light will turn on, and remain on until
fuel is added.
•Windshield Washer Fluid Low Indicator
This telltale will turn on to indicate the wind-
shield washer fluid is low.
•Low Coolant Level Indicator
This telltale will turn on to indicate the vehicle
coolant level is low.
•Transmission Temperature Warning Telltale
This telltale indicates that the transmission
fluid temperature is running hot. This may
occur with severe usage, such as trailer towing.
3
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 171

If this telltale turns on, safely pull over and stop the
vehicle. Then, shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and
run the engine at idle or faster until the light turns off.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission Tempera-
ture Warning Light illuminated will eventually cause
severe transmission damage or transmission failure.
WARNING!
If you continue operating the vehicle when the
Transmission Temperature Warning Light is illumi-
nated you could cause the fluid to boil over, come in
contact with hot engine or exhaust components and
cause a fire.•Air Suspension Payload Protection Telltale — If
Equipped
This telltale will turn on to indicate that the
maximum payload may have been exceeded or
load leveling cannot be achieved at its current
ride height.
Protection Mode will automatically be selected in
order to “protect” the air suspension system, air
suspension adjustment is limited due to payload.
•Service Stop/Start System Telltale — If Equipped
This telltale will turn on to indicate that the
Stop/Start is Unavailable, service Stop/Start
system.
•Loose Fuel Filler Cap
This telltale will turn on to indicate that the fuel
filler cap may be loose.
172 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING PROCEDURES................202
▫Manual Transmission — If Equipped.......203
▫Automatic Transmission — If Equipped.....203
▫Keyless Enter-N-Go™ — If Equipped.......203
▫Extreme Cold Weather..................207
▫Normal Starting Procedure — Engine Manifold
Air Temperature Above 66° F (19° C)........208
▫Starting Procedure — Engine Manifold Air
Temperature 0°F To 66°F (–18°C to 19°C).....209
▫Starting Procedure — Engine Manifold Air
Temperature Below 0°F (-18°C)............211▫Starting Fluids........................213
NORMAL OPERATION — DIESEL ENGINE . . .214
▫Cold Weather Precautions................214
▫Engine Idling........................217
▫Stopping The Engine...................218
▫Idle Shutdown........................220
▫Programmable Maximum Vehicle Speed
(Chassis Cab Only)....................220
▫Operating Precautions..................220
4

Starting Fluids
WARNING!
Starting fluids or flammable liquids must never be
used in the Cummins® diesel engine (see Warning
label). Never pour diesel fuel, flammable liquid, start-
ing fluids (ether) into the air cleaner canister, air intake
piping, or turbocharger inlet in an attempt to start the
vehicle. This could result in a flash fire and explosion
causing serious personal injury and engine damage.
The engine is equipped with an automatic electric air
preheating system. If the instructions in this manual are
followed, the engine should start in all conditions.
WARNING!
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
•When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF position, remove the key fob
from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal
or the transmission gear selector. Do not leave the
key fob in or near the vehicle (or in a location
(Continued)
4
STARTING AND OPERATING 213

When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or
while towing heavy trailers), use the Electronic Range
Select (ERS) shift control (refer to “Electronic Range
Select (ERS) Operation” in this section for further infor-
mation) to select a lower gear range. Under these condi-
tions, using a lower gear range will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shift-
ing and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operat-
ing limits, the powertrain controller will modify the
transmission shift schedule and expand the range of
torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to
prevent transmission damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot or is in danger
of overheating, the “Transmission Temperature WarningLight” may illuminate and the transmission may operate
differently until the transmission cools down.
NOTE:Use caution when operating a heavily loaded
vehicle at low speeds (such as towing a trailer up a steep
grade, or in stop-and-go traffic) during hot weather. In
these conditions, torque converter slip can impose a
significant additional heat load on the cooling system.
Downshifting the transmission to the lowest possible
gear (when climbing a grade), or shifting to NEUTRAL
(when stopped in heavy traffic) can help to reduce this
excess heat generation.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may
be modified depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature im-
proves warm up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency. Engagement of the torque
converter clutch is inhibited until the transmission fluid
is warm (refer to the “Note” under “Torque Converter
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STARTING AND OPERATING 233

Clutch” in this section). On Pickup models with 68RFE
transmission, top overdrive gear is also inhibited until
the transmission fluid is warm, and during extremely
cold temperatures (-16°F [-27°C] or below), operation
may briefly be limited to first and direct gears only. On
trucks with AS69RC transmission, fifth and sixth gears
may be inhibited briefly on cold starts below 41°F (5°C),
and during very cold temperatures (-4°F [-20°C] or
below), operation may briefly be limited to third gear
only. During this condition, the ability of the vehicle to
accelerate under heavily loaded conditions may be re-
duced. In all cases, normal operation will resume once
the transmission temperature has risen to a suitable level.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission remainsin fourth gear (for 68RFE transmission) or third gear (for
AS69RC transmission) regardless of which forward gear
is selected. If an AS69RC-equipped truck enters Limp
Home Mode at highway speeds, it will initially engage
fifth gear, until the vehicle slows to a speed where third
gear can be engaged. PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL
will continue to operate. The Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) may be illuminated. Limp Home Mode allows the
vehicle to be driven to an authorized dealer for service
without damaging the transmission.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission
can be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
234 STARTING AND OPERATING

CAUTION!
When using ERS for engine braking while descend-
ing steep grades, be careful not to overspeed the
engine. Apply the brakes as needed to prevent en-
gine overspeed.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (fifth and sixth gears). The trans-
mission will automatically shift into Overdrive if the
following conditions are present:
•The shift lever is in the DRIVE position.
•The transmission fluid has reached an adequate tem-
perature.•The engine coolant has reached an adequate tempera-
ture.
•The vehicle speed is sufficiently high.
•The driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting oc-
curs, press the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/
HAUL mode. This will improve performance and reduce
the potential for transmission overheating or failure due
to excessive shifting. When operating in TOW/HAUL
mode, transmission upshifts are delayed, and the trans-
mission will automatically downshift (for engine brak-
ing) when the throttle is closed and/or during steady
braking maneuvers.4
STARTING AND OPERATING 237