2015 Ram 1500 Diesel Supplement

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.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.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 95

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).
2. Insert DEF fill adapter/nozzle into DEF tank fillerneck.DEF Filler Cap And Fuel Fill 1500/2500/3500 Models
1 — Diesel Exhaust Fluid Fill Location
2 — Fuel Fill Location
96 STARTING AND OPERATING

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.
• 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.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 97

3. Stop filling the DEF tank immediately when any of thefollowing 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 temperatures 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 applica-
tions, you may safely add a maximum of 2 gallons of DEF
from portable containers when your DEF gauge is read-
ing 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 .......107
▫ Underbody Mounted Fuel Filter Replacement . .110
▫ Priming If The Engine Has Run Out Of Fuel . .111
▫ Intervention Regeneration Strategy — Message
Process Flow ........................113 ▫
Maintenance-Free Batteries ..............113
▫ Cooling System ......................114
▫ Charge Air Cooler — Inter-Cooler .........120
▫ Brake System ....................... .120
 FLUID CAPACITIES ....................122
 FLUIDS, LUBRICANTS AND GENUINE
PARTS ............................. .123
▫ Engine ............................ .123
▫ Chassis ........................... .126
5

ENGINE COMPARTMENT — 3.0L DIESEL
1 — Air Cleaner Filter5 — 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.
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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