2015 Ram 1500 tow

6. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the
wrench while at the end of the handle for increased
leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until
each nut has been tightened twice. For the correct lug
nut torque refer to “Torque Specifications” in this
section. If in doubt about the correct tightness, have
them checked with a torque wrench by you authorized
dealer or service station.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could injure someone in the vehicle. Al-
ways stow the jack parts and the extra tire and wheel
in the places provided.
7. Install the wheel center cap and remove the wheel
blocks. Do not install chrome or aluminum wheel
center caps on the spare wheel. This may result in cap
damage.
8. Lower the jack to its fully closed position. Stow the
replaced tire, jack, and tools as previously described.
NOTE:If the bottle jack will not lower by turning the dial
(thumbwheel) by hand, it may be necessary to use the
jack drive tube in order to lower the jack.
Dual Rear Wheel Placement
722 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

9. Adjust the tire pressure when possible.
NOTE:Do not oil wheel studs. For chrome wheels, do
not substitute with chrome plated wheel nuts.
To Stow The Flat Or Spare
NOTE: Have the flat tire repaired or replaced immedi-
ately.
WARNING!
A loose tire thrown forward in a collision or hard
stop could injure the occupants in the vehicle. Have
the deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced immedi-
ately.
1. Turn the wheel so that the valve stem is facing the
ground and toward the rear of the vehicle for conve-
nience in checking the spare tire inflation. Slide the
wheel retainer through the center of the wheel.
Reinstalling The Retainer
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 723

CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting be-
tween DRIVE/2nd gear and REVERSE, do not spin
the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drive-
train 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
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
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.
EMERGENCY TOW HOOKS — IF EQUIPPED
Your vehicle may be equipped with emergency tow
hooks.
NOTE:For off-road recovery, it is recommended to use
both of the front tow hooks to minimize the risk of
damage to the vehicle.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 735

WARNING!
•Do not use a chain for freeing a stuck vehicle.
Chains may break, causing serious injury or death.
•Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow
hooks. Tow straps may become disengaged, caus-
ing serious injury.
CAUTION!
Tow hooks are for emergency use only to rescue a
vehicle stranded off-road. Do not use tow hooks for
tow truck hookup or highway towing. You could
damage your vehicle.
SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use one of the
following procedures to temporarily move the shift lever:
Column Shifter — If Equipped
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Tilt the steering wheel to the full up position.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Insert a screwdriver or similar tool, into the access port
(ringed circle) on the bottom of the steering column
and push and hold the override release lever up.
736 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

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.
MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 SPEED
TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying the
parking brake, before activating the Manual Park
Release. Activating the Manual Park Release will
allow your vehicle to roll away if it is not secured by
the parking brake or by proper connection to a tow
vehicle. Activating the Manual Park Release on an
unsecured vehicle could lead to serious injury or
death for those in or around the vehicle.
In order to push or tow the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (such as a dead
battery), a Manual Park Release is available.
Shift Lever Override Access Cover
738 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Follow these steps to activate the Manual Park Release:
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove the
Manual Park Release access cover, which is just above
the parking brake release handle, below and to the left
of the steering column.
3. Using the screwdriver or similar tool, push the
Manual Park Release lever locking tab (just below the
middle of the lever) to the right.
4. While holding the locking tab in the disengaged
position, pull the tether strap to rotate the lever
rearward, until it locks in place pointing towards the
driver’s seat. Release the locking tab and verify that
the Manual Park Release lever is locked in the released
position.
5. The vehicle is now out of PARK and can be towed.
Release the parking brake only when the vehicle is
securely connected to a tow vehicle.
Manual Park Release Pull Strap6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 739

To Reset The Manual Park Release:
1. Push the locking tab to the right, to unlock the lever.
2. Rotate the Manual Park Release lever forward to its
original position, until the locking tab snaps into place
to secure the lever.
3. Pull gently on the tether strap to confirm that the lever
is locked in its stowed position.
4. Re-install the access cover.
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled
vehicle using a commercial wrecker service. If the trans-
mission and drivetrain are operable, disabled vehicles
may also be towed as described under “Recreational
Towing” in the “Starting and Operating” section.
NOTE:Vehicles equipped with air suspension must be
placed in Transport mode, before tying them down (from
the body) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to#Air
Suspension#in#Starting and Operating#for more infor-
mation. If the vehicle cannot be placed in Transport mode
(for example, engine will not run), tie-downs must be
fastened to the axles (not to the body). Failure to follow
these instructions may cause fault codes to be set and/or
cause loss of proper tie-down tension.
740 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Towing
Condition
Wheels
OFF the
Ground
2WD Models 4WD Models
Flat Tow NONEIf transmission is operable:
•Transmission inNEUTRAL
•30 mph (48 km/h)max speed
•15 miles (24 km)maxdistance
(6–speed transmission)
•30 miles (48 km)maxdistance
(8–speed transmission)
See instructions in “Recreational Tow-
ing” under “Starting and Operating”
•Automatic Transmission inPARK
•Manual Transmission in gear (NOT
NEUTRAL)
•Transfer Case inNEUTRAL (N)
•To w i nforwarddirection
Wheel Lift
or Dolly
To w
FrontNOT ALLOWED
Rear OKNOT ALLOWED
FlatbedALLBEST METHODBEST 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.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 741