2016 Ram 3500 fluids

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.
Engine Oil
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
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the engine oil. Engine oil is an engineered product and its
performance may be impaired by supplemental addi-
tives.
Engine Oil Filter
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information. The
engine oil filter should be changed at every engine oil
change.
Disposing Of Used Engine Oil And Oil Filters
Care should be taken in disposing of used engine oil and
oil filters from your vehicle. Used oil and oil filters,
indiscriminately discarded, can present a problem to the
environment. Contact your authorized dealer, service
station or governmental agency for advice on how and
where used oil and oil filters can be safely discarded in
your area.
Engine Air Cleaner Filter
CAUTION!
All air entering the engine intake must be filtered.
The abrasive particles in unfiltered air will cause
rapid wear to engine components.
WARNING!
The air induction system (air cleaner, hoses, etc.)
provides a measure of protection. Do not remove the
air induction system (air cleaner, hoses, etc.) unless
such removal is necessary for repair or maintenance.
Make sure that no one is near the engine compart-
ment before starting the vehicle with the air induc-
tion system (air cleaner, hoses, etc.) removed. Failure
to do so can result in serious personal injury.
276 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:Care should be taken in disposing of used fluids
from your vehicle. Used fluids, indiscriminately dis-
carded, can present a problem to the environment. Con-
tact an authorized dealer, service station, or government
agency for advice on recycling programs and for where
used fluids and filters can be properly disposed of in
your area.
Drain the fuel/water separator filters when the “Water In
Fuel Indicator Light” is ON. Within 10 minutes of vehicle
shutdown, turn the engine mounted filter drain valve
(located on the side of the filter assembly) counterclock-
wise 1/4 turn, and turn the under body mounted filter
drain valve (located on the bottom of the filter assembly)
counterclock wise 1 full turn. Then turn the ignition
switch to the ON position, and allow any accumulated
water to drain. Leave the drain valve open until all water
and contaminants have been removed. When clean fuel is
visible, close the drain valves by turning them fully
clockwise, and turn the ignition switch to OFF. If more than a couple ounces/milliliters of fuel have been
drained, follow the directions for “Priming If The Engine
Has Run Out Of Fuel.”
Engine Mounted Fuel Filter Replacement
NOTE:
•
Using a fuel filter that does not meet the manufactur-
er’s filtration and water separating requirements can
severely impact fuel system life and reliability.
•
The engine mounted filter housing is equipped with a
No-Filter-No-Run (NFNR) feature. Engine will not run if:
1. No filter is installed.
2. Inferior/Non-approved filter is used. Use of OEM
filter is required to ensure vehicle will run.
282 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
grass or leaves coming into contact with your exhaust
system. Do not park or operate your vehicle in areas
where your exhaust system can contact anything that
can burn.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) sometimes known simply by
the name of its active component, UREA—is a key
component of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems,
which help diesel vehicles meet stringent emission regu-
lations. DEF is a liquid reducing agent that reacts with
engine exhaust in the presence of a catalyst to convert
smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) into harmless ni-
trogen and water vapor.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information. You can receive assistance in locating DEF in the United
States by calling 866-RAM-INFO (866-726-4636). In
Canada call 1–800–465–2001 (English) or 1–800–387–9983
(French)
Maintenance-Free Batteries
The top of the maintenance-free batteries are perma-
nently sealed. You will never have to add water, nor is
periodic maintenance required.
NOTE:
Replacement batteries should both be of equal
capacity to prevent damage to the vehicle’s charging
system.
CAUTION!
It is essential when replacing the cables on the
battery that the positive cable is attached to the
positive post and the negative cable is attached to the
(Continued)
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flushed and refilled with fresh coolant. Check the front of
the A/C condenser (if equipped) or radiator for any
accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean by gently
spraying water from a garden hose vertically down the
face of the A/C condenser (if equipped) or the back of the
radiator core.
Check the engine cooling system hoses for brittle rubber,
cracking, tears, cuts and tightness of the connection at the
coolant recovery bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire
system for leaks.
With the engine at normal operating temperature (but
not running), check the cooling system pressure cap for
proper vacuum sealing by draining a small amount of
engine coolant (antifreeze) from the radiator drain cock.
The radiator drain cock is located in the lower radiator
tank. If the cap is sealing properly, the engine coolant(antifreeze) will begin to drain from the coolant expan-
sion bottle. DO NOT REMOVE THE COOLANT PRES-
SURE CAP WHEN THE COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT.
Cooling System — Drain Flush And Refill
If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty or contains a
considerable amount of sediment, clean and flush with a
reliable cooling system cleaner. Follow with a thorough
rinsing to remove all deposits and chemicals. Properly
dispose of old engine coolant (antifreeze).
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
Selection Of Coolant
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
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With disc brakes, the fluid level can be expected to fall as
the brake linings wear. However, an unexpected drop in
fluid level may be caused by a leak and a system check
should be conducted.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
WARNING!
•Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake fluid.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
Using the wrong type of brake fluid can severely
damage your brake system and/or impair its perfor-
mance. The proper type of brake fluid for your vehicle
is also identified on the original factory installed
hydraulic master cylinder reservoir.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•To avoid contamination from foreign matter or
moisture, use only new brake fluid or fluid that has
been in a tightly closed container. Keep the master
cylinder reservoir cap secured at all times. Brake
fluid in a open container absorbs moisture from the
air resulting in a lower boiling point. This may
cause it to boil unexpectedly during hard or pro-
longed braking, resulting in sudden brake failure.
This could result in a accident.
• Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts, causing
the brake fluid to catch fire. Brake fluid can also
damage painted and vinyl surfaces, care should be
taken to avoid its contact with these surfaces.
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not allow petroleum based fluid to contaminate
the brake fluid. Brake seal components could be
damaged, causing partial or complete brake failure.
This could result in an accident.
Clutch Hydraulic System
The clutch hydraulic system is a sealed maintenance-free
system. In the event of leakage or other malfunction, the
system must be replaced.
Transfer Case — If Equipped
Drain And Refill
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
Selection of Lubricant
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for fluid specifications.
Fluid Level Check
This fluid level can be checked by removing the filler
plug. The fluid level should be to the bottom edge of the
filler plug hole with the vehicle in a level position.
Manual Transmission — If Equipped
Selection of Lubricant
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for fluid specifications.
Fluid Level Check
The fluid level can be checked by removing the filler
plug. If the level of the lubricant is more than 1/2 in
(12 mm) below the bottom of the filler hole while the
298 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

vehicle is on level ground, enough lubricant should be
added to bring the level to 1/4 in (6 mm) below the
bottom of the filler hole.
Automatic Transmission — If Equipped
Selection of Lubricant
It is important to use the proper transmission fluid to
ensure optimum transmission performance and life. Use
only the manufacturer ’s specified transmission fluid.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in this
section for fluid specifications. It is important to maintain
the transmission fluid at the correct level using the
recommended fluid.
No chemical flushes should be used in any transmission;
only the approved lubricant should be used.
CAUTION!
Using a transmission fluid other than the manufac-
turer ’s recommended fluid may cause deterioration
in transmission shift quality and/or torque converter
shudder, and will require more frequent fluid and
filter changes. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and
Genuine Parts” in this section for fluid specifica-
tions.
Special Additives
The manufacturer strongly recommends against using
any special additives in the transmission. Automatic
Transmission Fluid (ATF) is an engineered product and
its performance may be impaired by supplemental addi-
tives. Therefore, do not add any fluid additives to the
transmission. The only exception to this policy is the use
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