2014 Ram Cargo Van Owner's Manual

WARNING!
Do not connect the jumper cable to the negative (-)
post of the discharged battery. The resulting electrical
spark could cause the battery to explode and could
result in personal injury. Only use the specific ground
point, do not use any other exposed metal parts.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the boosterbattery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then
start the engine in the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
6. Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in the reverse sequence:
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables
1. Disconnect the negative (-)jumper cable from the
negative (-)post of the vehicle with the discharged
battery. 2. Disconnect the negative end
(-)of the jumper cable
from the negative (-)post of the booster battery.
3. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable from the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
4. Disconnect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable
from the positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 567

CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle power outlets
draw power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not
in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.). Eventually, if
plugged in long enough without engine operation,
the vehicle’s battery will discharge sufficiently to
degrade battery life and/or prevent the engine from
starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE while gently pressing the accelerator. Use
the least amount of accelerator pedal pressure that willmaintain the rocking motion, without spinning the
wheels or racing the engine.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL for at
least one minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce
the risk of transmission failure during prolonged
efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
NOTE: Press the ESC Off switch, to place the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system in Partial Offmode
before rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake
Control System” in “Starting and Operating” for further
information. Once the vehicle has been freed, press the
ESC Off switch again to restore ESC Onmode.
568 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting be-
tween DRIVE 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 trans-
mission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the
following procedure to temporarily move the shift lever:
1. Turn the engine OFF.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 569

3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove theshift lever override access cover (located near the top
right of the shift lever in the instrument panel). 4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Insert the screwdriver or similar tool into the access
hole, and push and hold the override release lever
forward.
6. Move the shift lever to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
8. Reinstall the shift lever override access cover.
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled
vehicle using a commercial wrecker service.
Shift Lever Override Access Cover
570 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Towing ConditionWheels OFF the Ground ALL MODELS
Flat Tow NONEIf transmission is operable:
•Transmission in NEUTRAL
• 25 mph (40 km/h) maxspeed
• 15 miles (24 km) maxdistanceWheel lift Rear
Front OK
Flatbed ALLBEST METHOD
Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to prevent
damage to your vehicle. Use only tow bars and other
equipment designed for this purpose, following equip-
ment manufacturer ’s instructions. Use of safety chains is
mandatory. Attach a tow bar or other towing device to
main structural members of the vehicle, not to bumpers
or associated brackets. State and local laws regarding
vehicles under tow must be observed. If you must use the accessories (wipers, defrosters, etc.)
while being towed, the ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position, not the ACC position.
If the key fob is unavailable or the vehicle’s battery is
discharged, see
Shift Lever Override in this section for
instructions on shifting the transmission out of PARK for
towing.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 571

CAUTION!
•Do not use sling type equipment when towing.
Damage to the fascia will occur.
•
When securing the vehicle to a flatbed truck, do not
attach to front or rear suspension components. Dam-
age to your vehicle may result from improper towing.
• Do not push or tow this vehicle with another
vehicle as damage to the bumper fascia and trans-
mission may result.
The manufacturer recommends towing your vehicle with
all four wheels OFF the ground using a flatbed. If flatbed
equipment is not available, and the transmission is
operable, the vehicle may be flat towed (with all four
wheels on the ground) under the following conditions:
• The transmission must be in NEUTRAL.
• The towing distance must not exceed 15 miles (24 km).
• The towing speed must not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h). If the transmission is not operable, or the vehicle must
be towed faster than 25 mph (40 km/h) or farther than 15
miles (24 km), it must be towed with the front wheels
OFF the ground (using a flatbed truck, or wheel lift
equipment with the front wheels raised).CAUTION!
Towing faster than 25 mph (40 km/h) or farther than
15 mi (24 km) with front wheels on the ground can
cause severe transmission damage. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission damage. Dam-
age from improper towing is not covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
572 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.6L ..........575
 ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM — OBD II . .576
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............576
 EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS ......................... .577
 REPLACEMENT PARTS ..................579
 DEALER SERVICE ..................... .579
 MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ...........579
▫ Engine Oil ......................... .580
▫ Engine Oil Filter ..................... .583▫
Engine Air Cleaner Filter ................583
▫ Exhaust System ..................... .584
▫ Maintenance-Free Battery ...............586
▫ Air Conditioner Maintenance .............587
▫ Body Lubrication .....................590
▫ Windshield Wiper Blades ...............590
▫ Cooling System ..................... .592
▫ Brake System ....................... .598
▫ Automatic Transmission ................600
7

▫Appearance Care And Protection
From Corrosion ..................... .602
▫ Cleaning The Instrument Panel Cupholders . .608
 FUSES ............................. .609
▫ Totally Integrated Power Module ..........610
 VEHICLE STORAGE ....................618
 REPLACEMENT BULBS .................619
 BULB REPLACEMENT ..................620
▫ Headlamps ........................ .620
▫ Front Park/Turn Signal Lamps ............621▫
Fog Lamps ......................... .621
▫ Rear Tail, Stop, Turn Signal, Side Marker And
Backup Lamps ...................... .622
▫ Center High-Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL) . .623
▫ License Lamp ....................... .623
 FLUID CAPACITIES ....................624
 FLUIDS, LUBRICANTS AND
GENUINE PARTS ..................... .625
▫ Engine ............................ .625
▫ Chassis ........................... .626
574 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE