2015 Ram ProMaster clutch

32. Low Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Indicator — If
EquippedThe Low Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Indicator
will illuminate if the vehicle is low on Diesel
Exhaust Fluid (DEF). Refer to “Starting And
Operating” for further information.
33. Transmission Fault Indicator — If Equipped
This light will illuminate (together with a mes-
sage in the EVIC and a buzzer) to indicate a
transmission fault or a clutch over tempera-
ture. Contact your authorized dealer if the
message remains after restarting the engine.ELECTRONIC VEHICLE INFORMATION CENTER
(EVIC)
The Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) fea-
tures a driver-interactive display that is located in the
instrument cluster.
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)
30 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

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.
46 STARTING AND OPERATING

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.
50 STARTING AND OPERATING

•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

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

example, holding on a hill); the clutch could be dam-
aged by overheating. Use the brake pedal instead and
operate the accelerator only when you are ready to
drive away.
• Only launch (from a stop) in second gear when you
need more control on surfaces with low traction.
• Only shift between DRIVE (D) and REVERSE (R) gears
when the vehicle has come to a stop and the brake
pedal is pressed.
• Although very inadvisable, if the vehicle is unexpect-
edly allowed to roll downhill with the gearbox in
NEUTRAL (N) the system will automatically engage
the gear best suited to vehicle speed when a gear shift
is requested to allow drive to be correctly transmitted
to the wheels. •
If necessary, with the engine off, it is possible to engage
1st, REVERSE (R) or NEUTRAL (N) with the key in
ON/RUN/MAR position and the brake pressed.
• During hill starts, accelerate immediately after releas-
ing the parking brake or brake pedal to allow the
engine to increase its rpm to a greater extent and
overcome higher gradients with more torque.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 55

MESSAGEDESCRIPTION
Automatic Unavailable Automatic (DRIVE) mode is not available due to a fault or other condition. Use MANUAL (M) mode to operate the vehicle.
Contact your authorized dealer if the message continues to appear.
Transmission
Temperature High This message appears, together with a buzzer, when the clutch overheats.
In this situation, limit stop and go driving and gear shifts or if necessary stop the vehicle and turn the engine off to allow the clutch to cool.
If the message continues to appear, contact your Authorized Dealer.
To avoid clutch malfunction, do not use the accelerator to keep the vehicle at a
standstill (for example holding on a hill); the clutch could be damaged by over-
heating. Use the brake pedal instead and operate the accelerator only when you are ready to drive away.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 57