2015 Ram ProMaster manual transmission

and should be plugged in two hours prior to start. Its use
is required for cold starts with temperatures under -17°F
(-27°C).
In the case of LOW temperature after Starting, the
Automated Manual Transmission may not be able to
engage first gear. In this case a messageShift not
allowed appears. In this situation use the engine block
heater.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110–115 Volt electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
NOTE: The block heater will require 110 Volts AC and
6.5 Amps to activate the heater element.
AUTOMATED MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without fully applying the park-
ing brake. The parking brake should always be
applied when the driver is not in the vehicle.
The automated manual transmission is a conventional
six-speed manual transmission with an electronically-
controlled hydraulic system that controls the clutch and
gear shifting. In forward gears, this transmission offers
two modes of operation:
• MANUAL (M) Mode — where the driver controls the
transmission shifting.
• Automatic Mode (the DRIVE [D] position)
— where
the electronic system controls the gear shifts.
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NOTE:In either mode, there is no clutch pedal; the
electronic system always controls the clutch operation.
Shift Lever/Transmission Gear Position
The transmission shift lever has REVERSE (R), NEU-
TRAL (N), DRIVE (D) and MANUAL (M) positions.
In the MANUAL (M) position, the lever can be toggled
rearward or forward (+/-) to upshift or downshift the
transmission to the next gear.
With the key ON and the engine OFF the shift lever can
be moved freely from NEUTRAL (N) to DRIVE (D) or
REVERSE (R), however the transmission will not actually
shift unless the brake pedal is pressed. Therefore, the
shift lever and the Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC) display may not correspond to the actual trans-
mission gear range. With the engine running transmis-
sion shifts are allowed even if the brake pedal is not
pressed. NOTE:
•
The Automated Manual Transmission must be in
NEUTRAL (N) to start the vehicle.
• The actual transmission gear range (R, N, D, 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, or 6) is displayed in the EVIC whenever the engine
is running.
• When the key is turned OFF the transmission remains
in its previous gear position, regardless of the shift
lever position.
• When the key is turned ON (engine off), the EVIC
display may indicate the shift lever position rather
than the actual transmission gear position.
To shift the transmission to a particular gear range (with
key ON/engine off), press and hold the brake pedal,
move the shift lever to NEUTRAL (N), then move the
shift lever to the desired position.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 47

•Move the shift lever to the DRIVE (D) position.
NOTE: If the vehicle is moving, DRIVE engagement will
only occur if the vehicle speed is less than 2 mph
(3 km/h). Otherwise, a chime will sound, the transmis-
sion will shift to NEUTRAL, and the DRIVE request must
then be repeated by returning the lever to NEUTRAL and
then back into DRIVE once the speed has been suffi-
ciently reduced.
• To drive, release the brake pedal and press the accel-
erator pedal.
When in DRIVE (D) the transmission will shift gears
automatically, the Automated Manual Transmission uses
a geartrain and clutch similar to a other manual trans-
missions. Therefore, you should become familiar with
some of the normal operational characteristics of the
Automated Manual Transmission: •
Engine torque will be interrupted briefly during the
transmission upshifts, making these shifts more abrupt
than with a typical automatic transmission. This is
normal.
• Although transmission shifting is performed auto-
matically, the vehicle will not creepwhen the brake
pedal is released, and may in fact roll down on an
incline. Leaving from a stop, the accelerator pedal
must be pressed to transmit driving torque to the
wheels.
• In Automatic Mode, the Automated Manual Transmis-
sion adapts the gear changing strategy evaluating the
road condition such as slopes in the road.
• During low-speed driving conditions in first gear,
vehicle momentum changes may feel exaggerated in
response to changes in accelerator pedal position. This
behavior is normal and is similar to other vehicles
equipped with manual transmissions.
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•At low speeds you may hear mechanical noises similar
to a manual transmission as the transmission changes
gears. These noises are normal and will not damage
the transmission.
• Very aggressive driving may result in some clutch
odor. A warning message will display in the EVIC if
cool down actions are needed.
• Before and after the engine is started, you may hear a
hydraulic pump for a short period of time. This noise
is normal and will not damage the transmission.
• During extremely cold temperatures, the transmission
will not operate if the oil temperature is -22°F (-30°C)
or below. When transmission actuation oil temperature
is lower than -22°F (-30°C), engine start will not be
allowed by PCM. For this reason the block heater is
recommended below -17°F (-27°C). Normal operation
will resume once the transmission temperature has
risen to a suitable level.Manual (M) (Manual Mode)
In the MANUAL (M) position the driver is responsible
for choosing the best gear ratio to engage, depending on
driving conditions.
NOTE: Do not press the brake and accelerator pedals at
the same time. Use only one foot to operate the brake and
accelerator.
To operate in MANUAL (M) mode:
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Move the shift lever to the MANUAL (M) position.
The current gear will be displayed in the EVIC.
• To drive, release the brake pedal and press the accel-
erator pedal.
• Tap the shift lever towards the (+) to engage a higher
gear.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 51

•Tap the shift lever towards the (–) position to engage a
lower gear.
• The accelerator pedal need not be released during gear
changes in MANUAL mode.
• You can shift between DRIVE (D) and MANUAL (M)
positions at any speed, without taking your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
• The system will shift down through the gears auto-
matically (to prevent engine lugging) during closed-
throttle decelerations.
• The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver
should manually upshift (+) the transmission as the
vehicle is accelerated.
• You can start out, from a stop, in first or second gear.
Tap (+) (at a stop) to select second gear. Starting out in
second gear may be helpful in snowy or icy conditions. •
The system will ignore shift commands that would
cause engine lugging or overspeed. An audible beep
will sound and a Shift not allowed message will
display in the EVIC if an inappropriate gear is re-
quested.
NOTE: Avoid keeping your hand on the lever when you
are not requesting a gear shift.
Warning Buzzers
To provide awareness, a warning buzzer sounds when
the vehicle is parked with the transmission in NEUTRAL
(N) (the warning sounds when the ignition is turned to
the off position).
The warning buzzer also sounds to indicate an inconsis-
tent shift lever position (i.e. when the shift lever position
does not match the actual transmission gear position).
52 STARTING AND OPERATING

This can occur, for example, if the driver moves the shift
lever to request a transmission gear that is not allowed
under the current operating conditions.
With the vehicle at a standstill, engine running and the
shift lever in DRIVE (D), REVERSE (R), or MANUAL
(M), the buzzer sounds and the transmission automati-
cally shifts to NEUTRAL (N) when:
•The accelerator and/or brake pedals are not operated
for at least three minutes.
• The brake pedal is pressed for longer than 10 minutes.
• The driver ’s door is opened and the accelerator and
brake are not operated for at least 1.5 seconds.
• The driver selected gear does not match the engaged
transmission gear.
• A fault has been detected in the transmission. A Blinking Warning:
•
The driver selected gear does not match the engaged
transmission gear, the gear information in the cluster
and on the bezel will blink.
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, the transmission shift calibration is modified to
accommodate steep grades in the smoothest possible
manner. TOW/HAUL mode is only applicable in the
DRIVE (D) position.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 53

Parking The Vehicle
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without fully applying the park-
ing brake. The parking brake should always be
applied when the driver is not in the vehicle.
To ensure proper parking performance, it is essential to
engage MANUAL (1st) gear, DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R)
gear while your foot is on the brake pedal. Once
MANUAL (1st) gear, DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R) gear is
displayed in the EVIC, turn the engine off and engage the
parking brake. It is essential to wait until the gear
engaged appears in the display before turning the engine
off and releasing the brake pedal. Always remember to
set your parking brake. NOTE:
NEVER leave your vehicle with the gearbox in
NEUTRAL (N) without the parking brake engaged. Al-
ways remember to fully apply your parking brake.
Always remember to set the parking brake when the “Set
Park Brake” message is displayed.
General Warnings
• With the vehicle at a standstill and a gear engaged,
keep the brake pedal pressed until you decide to drive
away. Then release the brake and accelerate gradually.
• When parked for long periods with the engine run-
ning, it is advisable to place the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N) and apply the parking brake.
• To avoid accelerated clutch wear, do not use the
accelerator to keep the vehicle at a standstill (for
54 STARTING AND OPERATING

Instrument Cluster Messages
Messages will be displayed in the instrument cluster to
alert the driver when certain unusual conditions occur.
These messages are described below.
MESSAGEDESCRIPTION
Service Transmission
When the ignition key is turned to ON/RUN/MAR, the Transmission Fault Indica- tor light turns on and should go off after a few seconds.
The Transmission Fault Indicator illuminates either steady or blinking (together with this message and a buzzer) to indicate a transmission fault.
Contact your authorized dealer if the message continues to appear.
Reduce Gear Changes
This message indicates that the driver is operating the transmission incorrectly.
Incorrect use (by the driver) could automatically activate a procedure for pro- tecting the system.
Contact you authorized dealer if the message continues to appear.
Manual Unavailable MANUAL (M) mode is not available, due to a fault or other condition. Use the DRIVE (D) position to operate the vehicle.
Contact your authorized dealer if the message continues to appear.
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