2016 Ram 1500 Transmission

Maintain and operate your vehicle and snowplow equip-
ment following the recommendations provided by the
specific snowplow manufacturer.
Over The Road Operation With Snowplow
Attached
The blade restricts air flow to the radiator and causes the
engine to operate at higher than normal temperatures.
Therefore, when transporting the plow, angle the blade
completely and position it as low as road or surface
conditions permit. Do not exceed 40 mph (64 km/h). The
operator should always maintain a safe stopping distance
and allow adequate passing clearance.
Operating Tips
Under ideal snow plowing conditions, 20 mph (32 km/h)
should be maximum operating speed. The operator
should be familiar with the area and surface to be
cleaned. Reduce speed and use extreme caution when
plowing unfamiliar areas or under poor visibility.
General Maintenance
Snowplows should be maintained in accordance with the
plow manufacturer’s instructions.
Keep all snowplow electrical connections and battery
terminals clean and free of corrosion.
When plowing snow, to avoid transmission and drivetrain
damage, the following precautions should be observed.
•Operate with transfer case in 4L when plowing small or
congested areas where speeds are not likely to exceed
15 mph (24 km/h). At higher speeds operate in 4H.
•Vehicles with automatic transmissions should use 4L
range when plowing deep or heavy snow for extended
periods of time to avoid transmission overheating.
•Do not shift the transmission unless the engine has
returned to idle and wheels have stopped. Make a
practice of stepping on the brake pedal while shifting
the transmission.
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RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing Condition Wheels OFF
The GroundTwo-Wheel
Drive ModelsFour-Wheel Drive Models
Flat Tow NONENOT AL-
LOWEDSee Instructions
•Automatic transmission in PARK
•Manual transmission in gear (NOT in NEU-
TRAL)
•Transfer case in NEUTRAL (N)
•Tow in forward direction
Dolly Tow FrontNOT AL-
LOWEDNOT ALLOWED
Rear OKNOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALL OK OK
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NOTE:
•When recreational towing your vehicle, always follow
applicable state and provincial laws. Contact state and
provincial Highway Safety offices for additional de-
tails.
•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 – If Equipped” for more information. If the
vehicle cannot be placed in Transport mode (for ex-
ample, engine will not run), tie-downs must be fas-
tened 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.
Recreational Towing — Two-Wheel Drive Models
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.Recreational towing (for two-wheel drive models) is
allowedONLYif the rear wheels areOFFthe ground.
This may be accomplished using a tow dolly or vehicle
trailer. If using a tow dolly, follow this procedure:
1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow vehicle, following
the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly.
3. Firmly apply the parking brake. Place automatic trans-
mission in PARK, manual transmission in gear (not in
NEUTRAL).
4. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following
the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and
remove the Key Fob.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for tow-
ing, to secure the front wheels in the straight position.
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CAUTION!
•Towing with the rear wheels on the ground will
cause severe transmission damage. Damage from
improper towing is not covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
•Do not disconnect the driveshaft because fluid may
leak from the transmission, causing damage to
internal parts.
Recreational Towing — Four-Wheel Drive Models
NOTE:Both the manual shift and electronic shift transfer
cases must be shifted into NEUTRAL (N) for recreational
towing. Automatic transmissions must be shifted into
PARK for recreational towing. Manual transmissions
must be placed in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL) for recre-
ational towing. Refer to the following for the proper
transfer case NEUTRAL (N) shifting procedure for your
vehicle.
CAUTION!
•DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle. Towing with
only one set of wheels on the ground (front or rear)
will cause severe transmission and/or transfer case
damage. Tow with all four wheels either ON the
ground, or OFF the ground (using a vehicle trailer).
(Continued)
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CAUTION!(Continued)
•Tow only in the forward direction. Towing this
vehicle backwards can cause severe damage to the
transfer case.
•Automatic transmissions must be placed in PARK
for recreational towing.
•Manual transmissions must be placed in gear (not
in Neutral) for recreational towing.
•Before recreational towing, perform the procedure
outlined under “Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)” to be
certain that the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL
(N). Otherwise, internal damage will result.
•Towing this vehicle in violation of the above re-
quirements can cause severe transmission and/or
transfer case damage. Damage from improper tow-
ing is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
•Do not disconnect the rear driveshaft because fluid
will leak from the transfer case, causing damage to
internal parts.
•Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on tow bar
on your vehicle. The bumper face bar will be
damaged.
Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you leave
the vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the
NEUTRAL (N) position without first fully engaging
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
the parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL (N)
position disengages both the front and rear drive
shaft from the powertrain, and will allow the vehicle
to roll, even if the automatic transmission is in PARK
(or manual transmission is in gear). The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL (N) before
recreational towing to prevent damage to internal
parts.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, with the engine
running. Firmly apply the parking brake.2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
NOTE:If vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure
the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
5. With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer case
lever into NEUTRAL (N).
•With electronic shift transfer case, push and hold the
transfer case NEUTRAL (N) button. Some models
have a small, recessed “N” button (at the center of
the transfer case switches) that must be pushed using
a ballpoint pen or similar object. Other models have
a rectangular NEUTRAL switch, below the rotary
transfer case control knob. The NEUTRAL (N) indi-
cator light will blink while the shift is in progress.
The light will stop blinking (stay on solid) when the
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shift to NEUTRAL (N) is complete. After the shift is
completed and the NEUTRAL (N) light stays on,
release the NEUTRAL (N) button.
6. Release the parking brake.
7. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
8. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual
transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with automatic transmission in
DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.
10. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL. Firmly apply
the parking brake. Turn OFF the engine. For vehicles
with Keyless Enter-N-Go, push and hold the EN-
GINE START/STOP button until the engine shuts off.11. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual
transmission in gear (NOT in Neutral). On 8-speed
transmissions the shifter will automatically select
PARK when the engine is turned off.
12. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position, then
cycle the Key or the Keyless Enter-N-Go button to the
RUN position and back to the OFF position. Remove
the Key Fob from the ignition switch.
13. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable
tow bar.
14. Release the parking brake.
NOTE:With electronic shift transfer case:
•Steps 2 through 4 are requirements that must be met
before pushing the NEUTRAL (N) button, and must
continue to be met until the shift has been completed.
If any of these requirements are not met before push-
ing the NEUTRAL (N) button or are no longer met
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during the shift, the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will
flash continuously until all requirements are met or
until the NEUTRAL (N) button is released.
•The ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position
for a shift to take place and for the position indicator
lights to be operable. If the ignition switch is not in the
ON/RUN position, the shift will not take place and no
position indicator lights will be on or flashing.
•A flashing NEUTRAL (N) position indicator light
indicates that shift requirements have not been met.
•If the vehicle is equipped with air suspension, the
engine should be started and left running for a mini-
mum of 60 seconds (with all the doors closed) at least
once every 24 hours. This process allows the air
suspension to adjust the vehicle’s ride height to com-
pensate for temperature effects.Shifting Out Of NEUTRAL (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage:
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving it con-
nected to the tow vehicle.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Start the engine. Shift the transmission into NEU-
TRAL. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual trans-
mission.
•With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer
case lever to the desired position.
•With electronic shift transfer case with rotary selector
switch, push and hold the transfer case NEUTRAL
(N) button until the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light
turns off. After the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light
turns off, release the NEUTRAL (N) button. After the
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