2015 Ram 1500 brake

Downshifting
Moving from a high gear down to a lower gear is
recommended to preserve brakes when driving down
steep hills. In addition, downshifting at the right time
provides better acceleration when you desire to resume
speed. Downshift progressively. Do not skip gears to
avoid overspeeding the engine and clutch.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid.
CAUTION!
When descending a hill, be very careful to downshift
one gear at a time to prevent overspeeding the engine
which can cause valve damage, and/or clutch disc
damage even if the clutch pedal is pressed.
Maximum Recommended Downshift Speeds
CAUTION!
Failure to follow the recommended downshifting
speeds may cause the engine to overspeed and/or
damage the clutch disc even if the clutch pedal is
pressed.
246 STARTING AND OPERATING

AS69RC Six-Speed Automatic Transmission Only
The PTO drive gear (part of the AS69RC) operates at
torque converter turbine speed. The turbine speed will be
less than engine speed when the torque converter clutch
is not engaged and will be same as engine speed when
the torque converter clutch is engaged.
Stationary Mode
To operate the PTO in this mode the vehicle must meet
the following conditions:
•Be in PARK position (vehicles equipped with auto-
matic transmission.)
• PTO switch has been activated.
• Parking brake applied (vehicles equipped with
manual transmission).
• Brake pedal must not be applied.
• Vehicle engine must be running. •
No vehicle, brake or clutch switch faults present.
• PTO must be correctly installed using the vehicle
provided circuits.
The Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) or
Driver Information Display (DID) will display a PTO
On message for five seconds if the above conditions are
met. Otherwise, the EVIC/DID will display a message
To Operate PTO Shift To Park indicating what operator
action should be taken to engage the PTO mode.
The customer has the choice to operate the PTO by
utilizing the cruise control switches or by utilizing a
remote control (provided by the PTO supplier). To oper-
ate the feature using the cruise control switches, the
customer must first activate the PTO switch which will
turn on the PTO. In order to increase or decrease the
engine idle speed, to optimize the PTO function, the
“RESUME/ACCEL” and “DECEL” cruise switches can
4
STARTING AND OPERATING 249

be used respectively. To disengage PTO operation and
return to “standard vehicle operation” simply toggle the
PTO switch to the OFF position.
The torque converter clutch (TCC) will automatically
engage at engine speeds above 1,200 RPM (engine speed)
in PTO stationary mode. Once engaged, the TCC will
remain applied and will not disengage until the engine
speed falls below 1,000 RPM. TCC engagement is desir-
able for certain types of PTO applications (Automatic
Transmission Only).
To operate the PTO via a remote switch, the customer
must make sure the above conditions are met. It is vital
for proper operation that the PTO and remote have been
installed correctly, paying special attention to ensure the
vehicle provided wiring has been connected properly.
This is the responsibility of the installer of the PTO and
switches/remote system. It is the responsibility of the
PTO manufacturer to ensure that their electrical (switchesand remote) system is compatible with the vehicle’s
electrical architecture and software functionality.
NOTE:
Single set speed can be programmed via the PTO
menu on the EVIC/DID screen. Further details are avail-
able at the Ram Truck Bodybuilders web site.
www.rambodybuilder.com www.ramtrucks.com.
Mobile Mode
To operate the PTO in this mode the vehicle must meet
the following conditions:
•Mobile mode is activated via the menu on the EVIC/
DID screen.
• (ON/OFF) switch has been activated.
• Vehicles with automatic transmission must be in PARK
or DRIVE.
• Parking brake must not be applied.
250 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Brake pedal must not be applied.
• No vehicle, brake or clutch switch faults present.
• Vehicle engine must be running.
• PTO must be correctly installed using the vehicle
provided circuits.
The customer may choose to use the PTO while the
vehicle is moving. To do so, the PTO function must be
activated prior to taking the vehicle out of PARK. This is
accomplished by activating the upfitter-provided PTO
on/off switch. At this point, the customer may place the
vehicle in a forward or reverse gear and have PTO
operation once the vehicle begins to move. To disengage
PTO operation and return to “standard vehicle opera-
tion” simply toggle the on/off switch to the OFF position. NOTE:
For application specific information with respect
to PTO and pump requirements and additional vehicle
information (wiring schematics, preset idle values, en-
gine speed limits, and vehicle hardware and software
requirements) please refer to the Body Builders Guide by
accessing www.rambodybuilder.com and choosing the
appropriate links.
ENGINE RUNAWAY
Diesel engine runaway is a rare condition affecting diesel
engines, where the engine consumes its own lubrication
oil and runs at higher and higher RPM until it overspeeds
to a point where it destroys itself due to either mechani-
cal failure or engine seizure through lack of lubrication.
4
STARTING AND OPERATING 251

JUMP STARTING
WARNING!
•To prevent personal injury or damage to clothing,
do not allow battery fluid to contact eyes, skin or
fabrics. Do not lean over a battery when connecting
jumper cables or allow cable clamps to touch each
other. Keep open flames or sparks away from
battery vent holes. Always wear eye protection
when working with batteries.
• Do not use a booster battery or any other booster
source that has a greater than 12 Volt system, i.e., do
not use a 24 Volt power source.
NOTE: Replacement batteries should both be of equal
size to prevent damage to the vehicle’s charging system.
Your vehicle is equipped with two 12 Volt batteries. If it
becomes necessary to use a booster battery with jumper cables to start a vehicle’s engine because its batteries are
discharged, the following procedure should be used:
Set the parking brake and place an automatic transmis-
sion in PARK (or NEUTRAL for a manual transmission).
Turn off lights, heater and other electrical loads. Observe
charge indicator (if equipped) in both batteries. If the
indicator (if equipped) is light or yellow on either battery,
replace that battery.
CAUTION!
Use the jump start procedure only when the charge
indicator (if equipped) in both batteries is dark in the
center. Do not attempt jump starting when either
battery charge indicator (if equipped) is bright or
yellow. If the charge indicator (if equipped) has a
green dot in the center, failure to start is not due to a
discharged battery and cranking system should be
checked.
270 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.7L DIESEL —
SIX-SPEED 68RFE (2500/3500 Models) .......277
 ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.7L DIESEL —
SIX-SPEED AS69RC HD (3500/CHASSIS CAB
MODELS) ........................... .278
 MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ...........279
▫ Engine Oil ......................... .280
▫ Engine Air Cleaner Filter ................284
▫ Draining Fuel/Water Separator Filter .......288
▫ Engine Mounted Fuel Filter Replacement .....290
▫ Underbody Mounted Fuel Filter Replacement. .292 ▫
Priming If The Engine Has Run Out Of Fuel . .294
▫ Intervention Regeneration Strategy — Message
Process Flow ....................... .295
▫ Diesel Exhaust Fluid ...................296
▫ Maintenance-Free Batteries ..............297
▫ Cooling System ..................... .298
▫ Charge Air Cooler — Inter-Cooler .........303
▫ Brake System ....................... .304
▫ Clutch Hydraulic System ................305
▫ Transfer Case — If Equipped .............305
6

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.7L DIESEL — SIX-SPEED 68RFE (2500/3500 Models)
1 — Battery7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Engine Coolant Reservoir 8 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
3 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick 9 — Power Distribution Center
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 10 — Engine Oil Dipstick
5 — Battery 11 — Engine Oil Fill
6 — Aux Power Distribution Center 12 — Air Cleaner Filter
6
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 277

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 6.7L DIESEL — SIX-SPEED AS69RC HD (3500/CHASSIS CAB MODELS)
1 — Battery7 — Washer Fluid Reservoir
2 — Engine Coolant Reservoir 8 — Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
3 — Automatic Transmission Dipstick 9 — Power Distribution Center
4 — Brake Fluid Reservoir 10 — Engine Oil Dipstick
5 — Battery 11 — Engine Oil Fill
6 — Aux Power Distribution Center 12 — Air Cleaner Filter
278 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE