2017 Ram 2500 sensor

ParkSense System Usage Precautions
NOTE:
•Ensure that the rear bumper is free of snow, ice, mud,
dirt and debris to keep the ParkSense system operating
properly.
• Jackhammers, large trucks, and other vibrations could
affect the performance of ParkSense.
• When you turn ParkSense off, the instrument cluster
display will show PARKSENSE OFF. Furthermore,
once you turn ParkSense off, it remains off until you turn
it on again, even if you cycle the ignition key.
• When you move the gear selector to the REVERSE
position and ParkSense is turned off, the instrument
cluster display will show the PARKSENSE OFFmes-
sage for as long as the vehicle is in REVERSE.
• ParkSense, when on, will reduce the volume of the radio
when it is sounding a tone.
• Clean the ParkSense sensors regularly, taking care not to
scratch or damage them. The sensors must not be
covered with ice, snow, slush, mud, dirt or debris.
Failure to do so can result in the system not working
properly. The ParkSense system might not detect an obstacle behind the fascia/bumper, or it could provide a
false indication that an obstacle is behind the fascia/
bumper.
• Ensure the ParkSense system is OFF if objects such as
bicycle carriers, trailer hitches, etc., are placed within 18
inches (45 cm) from the rear fascia/bumper while driv-
ing the vehicle. Failure to do so can result in the system
misinterpreting a close obstacle as a sensor problem,
causing the PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE
REQUIRED message to appear in the instrument cluster
display.
• On vehicles equipped with a tailgate, ParkSense should
be disabled when the tailgate is in the lowered or open
position and the vehicle is in REVERSE. A lowered
tailgate could provide a false indication that an obstacle
is behind the vehicle.
WARNING!
• Drivers must be careful when backing up even when
using ParkSense. Always check carefully behind
your vehicle, look behind you, and be sure to check
for pedestrians, animals, other vehicles, obstructions,
(Continued)
162 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
and blind spots before backing up. You are respon-
sible for safety and must continue to pay attention to
your surroundings. Failure to do so can result in
serious injury or death.
• Before using ParkSense, it is strongly recommended
that the ball mount and hitch ball assembly is
disconnected from the vehicle when the vehicle is
not used for towing. Failure to do so can result in
injury or damage to vehicles or obstacles because the
hitch ball will be much closer to the obstacle than the
rear fascia when the loudspeaker sounds the con-
tinuous tone. Also, the sensors could detect the ball
mount and hitch ball assembly, depending on its size
and shape, giving a false indication that an obstacle
is behind the vehicle.
CAUTION!
• ParkSense is only a parking aid and it is unable to
recognize every obstacle, including small obstacles.
Parking curbs might be temporarily detected or not
detected at all. Obstacles located above or below the
sensors will not be detected when they are in close
proximity.
• The vehicle must be driven slowly when using
ParkSense in order to be able to stop in time when an
obstacle is detected. It is recommended that the
driver looks over his/her shoulder when using
ParkSense.
PARKSENSE FRONT AND REAR PARK ASSIST —
IF EQUIPPED
The ParkSense Park Assist system provides visual and
audible indications of the distance between the rear and/or
front fascia and a detected obstacle when backing up or
moving forward, e.g. during a parking maneuver. Refer to
“ParkSense System Usage Precautions” in this section for
limitations of this system and recommendations.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 163

ParkSense will retain the last system state (enabled or
disabled) from the last ignition cycle when the ignition is
changed to the ON/RUN position.
ParkSense can be active only when the gear selector is in
REVERSE or DRIVE. If ParkSense is enabled at one of these
gear selector positions, the system will remain active until
the vehicle speed is increased to approximately 7 mph
(11 km/h) or above. A warning will appear in the instru-
ment cluster display indicating the vehicle is above
ParkSense operating speed. The system will become active
again if the vehicle speed is decreased to speeds less than
approximately 6 mph (9 km/h).
ParkSense Sensors
The four ParkSense sensors, located in the rear fascia/
bumper, monitor the area behind the vehicle that is within
the sensors’ field of view. The sensors can detect obstacles
from approximately 18 inches (45 cm) up to 79 inches
(200 cm) from the rear fascia/bumper in the horizontal
direction, depending on the location, type and orientation
of the obstacle.The six ParkSense sensors, located in the front fascia/
bumper, monitor the area in front of the vehicle that is
within the sensors’ field of view. The sensors can detect
obstacles from approximately 12 inches (30 cm) up to
47 inches (120 cm) from the front fascia/bumper in the
horizontal direction, depending on the location, type and
orientation of the obstacle.
ParkSense Warning Display
The ParkSense Warning screen is located within the instru-
ment cluster display. It provides visual warnings to indi-
cate the distance between the rear fascia/bumper and/or
front fascia/bumper and the detected obstacle. Refer to
“Instrument Cluster Display” in Understanding Your In-
strument Panel” for further information.
The ParkSense Warning screen will only be displayed if
Sound and Display is selected.
NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with a touchscreen, this
feature can be programmed through the Uconnect system.
Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.
164 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

The Front or Rear ParkSense switch LED will be on when
Front or Rear ParkSense is disabled or requires service. The
Front or Rear ParkSense switch LED will be off when the
Front or Rear system is enabled. If the Front or Rear
ParkSense switch is pushed, and the system requires
service, the Front or Rear ParkSense switch LED will blink
momentarily, and then the LED will be on.
Service The ParkSense Park Assist System
During vehicle start up, when the ParkSense System has
detected a faulted condition, the instrument cluster display
will actuate a single chime, once per ignition cycle, and it
will display thePARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE
REAR SENSORS, PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE
FRONT SENSORS,orthePARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE
SERVICE REQUIRED message for five seconds. When the
gear selector is moved to REVERSE and the system has
detected a faulted condition, the instrument cluster display
will display a PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR
SENSORS, PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE FRONT
SENSORS orPARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE RE-
QUIRED pop up message for five seconds. After five
seconds, a vehicle graphic will be displayed with UN-
AVAILABLE at either the front or rear sensor location
depending on where the fault is detected. The system will continue to provide arc alerts for the side that is function-
ing properly. These arc alerts will interrupt the
PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS
,
PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE FRONT SENSORS ,
or PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED
messages if an object is detected within the five second
pop-up duration. The vehicle graphic will remain dis-
played for as long as the vehicle is in REVERSE. Refer to
“Instrument Cluster Display” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.
If PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS
or PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE FRONT SEN-
SORS appears in the instrument cluster display make sure
the outer surface and the underside of the rear fascia/
bumper and/or front fascia/bumper is clean and clear of
snow, ice, mud, dirt or other obstruction and then cycle the
ignition. If the message continues to appear see an autho-
rized dealer.
If the PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE RE-
QUIRED message appears in the instrument cluster dis-
play, see an authorized dealer.
168 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Cleaning The ParkSense System
Clean the ParkSense sensors with water, car wash soap and
a soft cloth. Do not use rough or hard cloths. Do not scratch
or poke the sensors. Otherwise, you could damage the
sensors.
ParkSense System Usage Precautions
NOTE:
•Ensure that the front and rear bumper are free of snow,
ice, mud, dirt and debris to keep the ParkSense system
operating properly.
• Jackhammers, large trucks, and other vibrations could
affect the performance of ParkSense.
• When you turn Front or Rear ParkSense off, the instru-
ment cluster display will read “FRONT PARKSENSE
OFF” or “REAR PARKSENSE OFF.” Furthermore, once
you turn Front or Rear ParkSense off, it remains off until
you turn it on again, even if you cycle the ignition key. •
When you move the gear selector to the REVERSE
position and Front or Rear ParkSense is turned off, the
instrument cluster display will show the FRONT
PARKSENSE OFF orREAR PARKSENSE OFF mes-
sage for five seconds, followed by a vehicle graphic with
OFF in the corresponding side. This vehicle graphic
will be displayed for as long as the vehicle is in
REVERSE.
• ParkSense, when on, will reduce the volume of the radio
when it is sounding a tone.
• Clean the ParkSense sensors regularly, taking care not to
scratch or damage them. The sensors must not be
covered with ice, snow, slush, mud, dirt or debris.
Failure to do so can result in the system not working
properly. The ParkSense system might not detect an
obstacle behind or in front of the fascia/bumper, or it
could provide a false indication that an obstacle is
behind or in front of the fascia/bumper.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 169

•Use the ParkSense switch to turn the ParkSense system
off if obstacles such as bicycle carriers, trailer hitches,
etc. are placed within 18 in (45 cm) from the rear
fascia/bumper. Failure to do so can result in the system
misinterpreting a close obstacle as a sensor problem,
causing the “PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE
REQUIRED” message to be appear in the instrument
cluster display.
• On vehicles equipped with a tailgate, ParkSense should
be disabled when the tailgate is in the lowered or open
position. A lowered tailgate could provide a false indi-
cation that an obstacle is behind the vehicle.
WARNING!
• Drivers must be careful when backing up even when
using ParkSense. Always check carefully behind
your vehicle, look behind you, and be sure to check
for pedestrians, animals, other vehicles, obstructions,
and blind spots before backing up. You are respon-
sible for safety and must continue to pay attention to
your surroundings. Failure to do so can result in
serious injury or death.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Before using ParkSense, it is strongly recommended
that the ball mount and hitch ball assembly is
disconnected from the vehicle when the vehicle is
not used for towing. Failure to do so can result in
injury or damage to vehicles or obstacles because the
hitch ball will be much closer to the obstacle than the
rear fascia when the loudspeaker sounds the con-
tinuous tone. Also, the sensors could detect the ball
mount and hitch ball assembly, depending on its size
and shape, giving a false indication that an obstacle
is behind the vehicle.
CAUTION!
• ParkSense is only a parking aid and it is unable to
recognize every obstacle, including small obstacles.
Parking curbs might be temporarily detected or not
detected at all. Obstacles located above or below the
sensors will not be detected when they are in close
proximity.
(Continued)
170 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s
handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to main-
tain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low
tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunc-
tion indicator to indicate when the system is not operating
properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined
with the low tire pressure telltale. When the system detects
a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups
as long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including
the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels
on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale afterreplacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle, to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function properly.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original equip-
ment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and warning
have been established for the tire size equipped on
your vehicle. Undesirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using replacement equip-
ment that is not of the same size, type, and/or style.
Aftermarket wheels can cause sensor damage. Using
aftermarket tire sealants may cause the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) sensor to become inoper-
able. After using an aftermarket tire sealant it is
recommended that you take your vehicle to an autho-
rized dealership to have your sensor function checked.4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 253

•Washer Fluid Low
• Service Air Suspension System
• Heavy Duty Air Suspension System Disabled
• Selected Ride Height Not Permitted Due To Speed
• Selected Ride Height Not Permitted Due To Payload
• Selected Ride Height Not Permitted - Payload Too Light
• Battery Low Start Engine To Change Ride Height
• Normal Ride Height Achieved
• Aerodynamic Ride Height Achieved
• Off Road 1 Ride Height Achieved
• Off Road 2 Ride Height Achieved
• Entry/Exit Ride Height Achieved
• Selected Ride Height Not Permitted
• Service Air Suspension System Immediately
• Reduce Speed To Maintain Selected Ride Height
• Air Suspension System Cooling Down Please Wait •
Vehicle Cannot Be Lowered Door Open
• Off Road 2 Watch For Clearance
• Entry/Exit Watch For Clearance
• Air Suspension Temporarily Disabled For Jacking And
Tire Change
• Battery Low Start Engine To Change Ride Height
The Reconfigurable Telltales section is divided into the
white telltales area on the right, yellow telltales in the
middle, and red telltales on the left.
Battery Saver On/Battery Saver Mode Message —
Electrical Load Reduction Actions — If Equipped
This vehicle is equipped with an Intelligent Battery Sensor
(IBS) to perform additional monitoring of the electrical
system and status of the vehicle battery.
In cases when the IBS detects charging system failure, or
the vehicle battery conditions are deteriorating, electrical
load reduction actions will take place to extend the driving
time and distance of the vehicle. This is done by reducing
power to or turning off non-essential electrical loads.
282 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL