2016 Ram 3500 oil level

Oil Pressure Warning Light
Red TelltaleLight What It Means
Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light indicates low engine oil pressure. If the light turns on while driving, stop the ve-
hicle and shut off the engine as soon as possible. A chime will sound when this light turns
on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected. This light does not indicate how
much oil is in the engine. The engine oil level must be checked under the hood.
302 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Oil Pressure Warning Light
Red TelltaleLight What It Means
Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light indicates low engine oil pressure. If the light turns on while driving, stop the ve-
hicle and shut off the engine as soon as possible. A chime will sound when this light turns
on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected. This light does not indicate how
much oil is in the engine. The engine oil level must be checked under the hood.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 305

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, or air conditioning. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
If a flush is needed because of component malfunc-
tion, 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, such as every fuel stop.
The best time to check the engine oil level is about five
minutes after a fully warmed up engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Always
maintain the oil level within the SAFE zone on the
dipstick. Adding one quart of oil when the reading is at
the bottom of the SAFE zone will result in a reading at the
top of the safe zone on these engines.
798 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

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 collision.
• 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)
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 a collision.
Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle Fluid Level
For normal service, periodic fluid level checks are not
required. When the vehicle is serviced for other reasons
the exterior surfaces of the axle assembly should be
inspected. If gear oil leakage is suspected inspect the
fluid level. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further informa-
tion. This inspection should be made with the vehicle in
a level position.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 827

For 1500 Model axles, the fluid level should be even with
the bottom of the fill hole (within 1/4 in (6.4 mm) of edge
of hole) for the FDU215 HD front axle and C235FE rear
axle.
For all 2500/3500 Model axles, the fluid level should be
1/4 in ± 1/4 in (6.4 mm ± 6.4 mm) below the fill hole on
the 9.25 in front and 3/4 in ± 1/4 in (19 mm ± 6.4 mm) on
10.5 in rear axles. The 11.5 in rear axle level should be
1/4 in ± 1/4 in (6.4 mm ± 6.4 mm) below the fill hole.
Drain And Refill
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
Lubricant Selection
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.NOTE:
The presence of water in the gear lubricant will
result in corrosion and possible failure of differential
components. Operation of the vehicle in water, as may be
encountered in some off-highway types of service, will
require draining and refilling the axle to avoid damage.
Limited-Slip Differentials
1500 Model rear axles equipped with a Limited Slip
Differential require that 5 oz. (148 ml) MOPAR Limited
Slip Additive be added to the gear lubricant. Refer to
“Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine Parts” in “Maintaining
Your Vehicle” for further information. The MOPAR Lim-
ited Slip Additive should be added to the gear lubricant
whenever a fluid change is made to an axle equipped
with a Limited Slip Differential.
2500/3500 Model axles DO NOT REQUIREany limited
slip oil additive (friction modifiers).
828 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

5. Place the gear selector momentarily into each gearposition (allowing time for the transmission to fully
engage in each position), ending with the transmission
in PARK.
6. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean and reinsert it until seated.
7. Remove the dipstick again and note the fluid level on both sides. The fluid level reading is only valid if there
is a solid coating of oil on both sides of the dipstick.
Note that the holes in the dipstick will be full of fluid
if the actual level is at or above the hole. The fluid level
should be between the “HOT” (upper) reference holes
on the dipstick at normal operating temperature. If the
fluid level is low, add fluid through the dipstick tube
to bring it to the proper level. Do not overfill.Use
ONLY the specified fluid (see Fluids, Lubricants, And
Genuine Parts for fluid specifications). After adding
any quantity of oil through the dipstick tube, wait a minimum of two minutes for the oil to fully drain into
the transmission before rechecking the fluid level.
NOTE: If it is necessary to check the transmission below
the operating temperature, the fluid level should be
between the two “COLD” (lower) holes on the dipstick
with the fluid at 60-70°F / 16-21°C. Only use the COLD
region of the dipstick as a rough reference when setting
the fluid level after a transmission service or fluid
change. Re-check the fluid level, and adjust as required,
once the transmission reaches normal operating tempera-
ture.
CAUTION!
If the fluid temperature is below 50 °F (10 °C) it may
not register on the dipstick. Do not add fluid until
the temperature is elevated enough to produce an
accurate reading. Run the engine at idle, in PARK, to
warm the fluid.
832 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Severe Duty All Models Only
NOTE:Change Engine Oil at 4,000 miles (6,500 km) if the
vehicle is operated in a dusty and off road environment
or is operated predominantly at idle or only very low
engine RPM’s. This type of vehicle use is considered
Severe Duty.
Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
• Check engine oil level
• Check windshield washer fluid level
• Check tire pressure and look for unusual wear or
damage. Rotate tires at the first sign of irregular wear,
even if it occurs before the oil indicator system turns
on. •
Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir, brake
master cylinder, power steering (2500/3500 Models
Only) and automatic transmission (six-speed only)
and fill as needed
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
8
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 875

Maintenance Chart
Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first)
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
Or Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000
Additional Inspections
Inspect the CV/Universal joints. X XX X X
Inspect front suspension, tie rod
ends, and replace if necessary. XXX X X X X
Inspect the front and rear axle
surfaces. If gear oil leakage is
suspected, check the fluid level.
If using your vehicle for police,
taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent
trailer towing, change axle fluid. XXX X X X X
8
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 877