2017 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab Owner's Manual

NOTE:The ParkSense system will automatically disable
when the system detects that a trailer with trailer brakes
has been connected to the Integrated Trailer Brake Module.
The instrument cluster display will show the
“PARKSENSE OFF” message for as long as the vehicle is in
reverse.
The ParkSense switch LED will be on when ParkSense is
disabled or defective. The ParkSense switch LED will be off
when the system is enabled.
If the ParkSense switch is pushed, and the system is
disabled or requires service, the ParkSense switch LED will
blink momentarily, and then the LED will be on.
Service The ParkSense Rear Park Assist System
During vehicle start up, when the ParkSense Rear Park
Assist System has detected a faulted condition, the instru-
ment cluster display will actuate a single chime, once per
ignition cycle, and it will show the PARKSENSE UN-
AVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS or thePARKSENSE
UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED message. Refer to
“Instrument Cluster Display” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information. When the gear
selector is moved to REVERSE and the system has detected
a faulted condition, the instrument cluster display will show the
PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SEN-
SORS or thePARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE RE-
QUIRED message for as long as the vehicle is in RE-
VERSE. Under this condition, ParkSense will not operate.
If PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS
appears in the instrument cluster display make sure the
outer surface and the underside of the rear fascia/bumper
is clean and clear of snow, ice, mud, dirt or other obstruc-
tion, and then cycle the ignition. If the message continues
to appear, see an authorized dealer.
If PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED 
appears in the instrument cluster display, see your autho-
rized dealer.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.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 151

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)
152 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.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 153

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.
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
For the 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab vehicles, the rear
ParkSense sensors are shipped loose. Please refer to the
Ram Body Builders Guide for more information.
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.
154 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

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
Instrument 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.
If your vehicle is not equipped with a touchscreen, this
feature can be programmed through the instrument cluster
display. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Under-
standing Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
ParkSense Display
The warning display will turn on indicating the system
status when the vehicle is in REVERSE or when the vehicle
is in DRIVE and an obstacle has been detected.
The system will indicate a detected obstacle by showing a
single arc in the left and/or right rear regions based on the
obstacle’s distance and location relative to the vehicle.
If an obstacle is detected in the left and/or right rear
region, the display will show a single arc in the left and/or
right rear region and the system will produce a tone. As the
vehicle moves closer to the obstacle, the display will show
the single arc moving closer to the vehicle and the tone will
change from a single 1/2 second tone to slow, to fast, to
continuous.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 155

The vehicle is close to the obstacle when the display shows
one flashing arc and sounds a continuous tone. The follow-
ing chart shows the warning alert operation when the
system is detecting an obstacle:
WARNING ALERTS
Rear Distance (inches/cm) Greater than
79 inches(200 cm) 79-45 inches
(200-115 cm) 45-31 inches
(115-80 cm) 31-18 inches
(80-45 cm) Less than
18 inches (45 cm)
Front Distance (inches/cm) Greater than
47 inches(120 cm) 47-39 inches
(120-100 cm) 39-25 inches
(100-65 cm) 25-12 inches
(65-30 cm) Less than
12 inches (30 cm)
Audible Alert (Chime) None
Single 1/2
Second Tone
(for rear only) Slow (for rear
only) Fast
Continuous
Arcs None4th Solid 3rd Solid 2nd Flashing 1st Flashing
Radio Volume Reduced No
Yes YesYes Yes
NOTE: ParkSense will reduce the volume of the radio, if
on, when the system is sounding an audio tone.
156 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Front Park Assist Audible Alerts
ParkSense will turn off the Front Park Assist audible alert
(chime) after approximately three seconds when an ob-
stacle has been detected, the vehicle is stationary, and brake
pedal is applied.
Adjustable Chime Volume Settings
The Front and Rear chime volume settings are program-
mable.
•If your vehicle is equipped with a touchscreen, the
settings may be programmed through the Uconnect
System. Refer to “Uconnect Settings ” in “Understand-
ing Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
• If your vehicle is not equipped with a touchscreen, the
settings may be programmed through the instrument
cluster display. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in
“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further in-
formation.Enabling And Disabling Front And/Or Rear
ParkSense
Front ParkSense can be enabled and disabled with the
Front ParkSense switch.
Rear ParkSense can be enabled and disabled with the Rear
ParkSense switch.
When the Front or Rear ParkSense switch is
pushed to disable the system, the instrument
cluster display will show the “PARKSENSE
OFF” message for approximately five seconds.
Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Understanding
Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
When the gear selector is moved to REVERSE and the
Front or Rear system is disabled, the instrument cluster
display will show the FRONT PARKSENSE OFF or
REAR PARKSENSE OFF message for five seconds, fol-
lowed by a vehicle graphic with OFFin the correspond-
ing side. This vehicle graphic will be displayed for as long
as the vehicle is in REVERSE.
NOTE: Arc alerts from the enabled ParkSense system, will
interrupt the five second messages, and the instrument
cluster display will show the vehicle graphic with the
corresponding arcs and OFFmessage.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 157

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.
158 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE