2017 Ram 3500 check engine

Normal Starting Procedure — Engine Manifold Air
Temperature Above 66° F (19° C)
Observe the instrument panel cluster lights when starting
the engine.
1. Always apply the parking brake.
2. Shift into PARK for an automatic transmission.For vehicles equipped with a manual transmission, fully
press and hold the clutch pedal and shift into NEU-
TRAL.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position and watch the instrument panel cluster lights.
CAUTION!
If the “Water in Fuel Indicator Light” remains on, DO
NOT START the engine before you drain the water
from the fuel filters to avoid engine damage. Refer to
“Maintenance Procedures/Draining Fuel/Water Sepa-
rator Filter” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information. 4. Turn the ignition switch to the START position and
crank the engine. Do not press the accelerator during
starting.
CAUTION!
Do not crank engine for more than 15 seconds at a time
or starter motor damage may result. Turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position and wait at least two
minutes for the starter to cool before repeating start
procedure.
5. When the engine starts, release the key fob.
6. Check that the oil pressure warning light has turned off.
7. Release the parking brake.
Starting Procedure — Engine Manifold Air
Temperature 0°F To 66°F (–18°C to 19°C)
NOTE: The temperature displayed in the instrument clus-
ter does not necessarily reflect the engine manifold air
temperature. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in
“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further infor-
mation. When engine temperatures fall below 66°F (19°C)
the “Wait To Start Light” will remain on indicating the
intake manifold heater system is active.
126 STARTING AND OPERATING

Follow the steps in the “Normal Starting” procedure
except:
1. The “Wait To Start” telltale will remain on for a period oftime that varies depending on the engine temperature.
2. While the Wait To Start” telltale is on, the instrument
cluster will additionally display a gauge or bar whose
initial length represents the full Wait To Starttime
period. Its length will decrease until it disappears when
the Wait To Start time has elapsed.
CAUTION!
If the “Water in Fuel Indicator Light” remains on, DO
NOT START engine before you drain the water from
the fuel filters to avoid engine damage. Refer to
“Maintenance Procedures/Draining Fuel/Water Sepa-
rator Filter” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information.
3. After the “Wait To Start” telltale goes off, turn the ignition switch to the START position. Do not press the
accelerator during starting.
CAUTION!
Do not crank engine for more than 15 seconds at a time
or starter motor damage may result. Turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position and wait at least two
minutes for the starter to cool before repeating start
procedure.
4. After engine start-up, check that the oil pressure warn- ing light has turned off.
5. Allow the engine to idle about three minutes until the manifold heaters have completed the post-heat cycle.
6. Release the parking brake and drive.
NOTE:
• Engine idle speed will automatically increase to
1,000 RPM and engage the Variable Geometry Turbo-
charger at low coolant temperatures to improve engine
warm-up.
• Automatic equipped vehicles with optional Keyless
Enter-N-Go – If the start button is pushed once while in
park with the ignition off and driver ’s foot on the brake
pedal, the vehicle will automatically crank and start
after the Wait to Start time has elapsed. If it is desired to
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STARTING AND OPERATING 127

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
•It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL if
the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your
foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and your foot is firmly
pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you
should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
turn the engine OFF, and remove the key fob. When
the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF (key removal)
position, (or, with Keyless Enter-N-Go, when the
ignition is in the OFF mode) the transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against un-
wanted movement.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF mode, remove the key fob from
the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the gear
selector out of PARK with the brake pedal released.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK before leav-
ing the vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a number
of reasons. A child or others could be seriously or
fatally injured. Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the trans-
mission gear selector.
(Continued)
140 STARTING AND OPERATING

precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
When exiting the vehicle, always:
•Apply the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the engine OFF.
• Remove the key fob.
NOTE: On four-wheel drive vehicles be sure that the
transfer case is in a drive position.
WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the gear
selector out of PARK with the brake pedal released.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK before leav-
ing the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL if
the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your
foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and your foot is firmly
pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you
should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK,
turn the engine OFF, and remove the key fob. When
the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF (key removal)
position (or, with Keyless Enter-N-Go, when the
ignition is in the OFF mode), the transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against un-
wanted movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF mode, remove the key fob from
the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
(Continued)
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STARTING AND OPERATING 143

JUMP STARTING
WARNING!
•To prevent personal injury or damage to clothing, do
not allow battery fluid to contact eyes, skin or
fabrics. Do not lean over a battery when connecting
jumper cables or allow cable clamps to touch each
other. Keep open flames or sparks away from battery
vent holes. Always wear eye protection when work-
ing with batteries.
• Do not use a booster battery or any other booster
source that has a greater than 12 Volt system, i.e., do
not use a 24 Volt power source.
NOTE: Replacement batteries should both be of equal size
to prevent damage to the vehicle’s charging system.
Your vehicle is equipped with two 12 Volt batteries. If it
becomes necessary to use a booster battery with jumper
cables to start a vehicle’s engine because its batteries are
discharged, the following procedure should be used:
Set the parking brake and place an automatic transmission
in PARK (or NEUTRAL for a manual transmission).
Turn off lights, heater and other electrical loads. Observe
charge indicator (if equipped) in both batteries. If the indicator (if equipped) is light or yellow on either battery,
replace that battery.CAUTION!
Use the jump start procedure only when the charge
indicator (if equipped) in both batteries is dark in the
center. Do not attempt jump starting when either
battery charge indicator (if equipped) is light or yel-
low. If the charge indicator (if equipped) has a green
dot in the center, failure to start is not due to a
discharged battery and cranking system should be
checked.
1. Attach one jumper cable to the positive terminal of booster battery and the other end of the same cable to
the positive terminal of the discharged battery.
NOTE: Do not connect jumper cables to the fuses. Only
use the jump post when connecting jumper cables.
WARNING!
Do not permit vehicles to touch each other as this could
establish a ground connection and personal injury
could result.
170 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

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 perform
repairs and service when necessary could result in
more costly repairs, damage to other components or
negatively impact vehicle performance. Immediately
have potential malfunctions examined by an autho-
rized 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
parked overnight. When checking oil after operating the
engine, first ensure the engine is at full operating tempera-
ture, then wait for 30 minutes after engine shutdown to
check the oil.
176 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Add oil only
when the level on the dipstick is below the “ADD” mark.
The total capacity from the ADD mark to the Full mark is
2 qts (1.9L).
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling the crankcase will cause oil
aeration or loss of oil pressure. This could damage your
engine.
Never operate the engine with oil level below the “ADD”
mark or above the upper “SAFE” mark.
Change Engine Oil
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper main-
tenance intervals.
Engine Oil Selection
For best performance and maximum protection under all
types of operating conditions, the manufacturer only rec-
ommends engine oils that are API CJ-4 certified and meet
the requirements of FCA LLC. Use MOPAR or an equiva-
lent oil meeting FCA Material Standard MS-10902. Prod-
ucts meeting Cummins CES 20081 may also be used. The
identification of these engine oils are typically located on
the back of the oil container.
Engine Oil Dipstick
1 — ADD Range
2—FullMark
3 — SAFE Range7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 177

WARNING!
Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories con-
tain lead and lead compounds. Always wash hands
after handling the battery.
Battery Blanket Usage
A battery loses 60% of its cranking power as the battery
temperature decreases to 0°F (-18°). For the same decrease
in temperature, the engine requires twice as much power to
crank at the same RPM. The use of 120 Volt AC powered
battery blankets will greatly increase starting capability at
low temperatures. Suitable battery blankets are available
from your authorized MOPAR dealer.
Cooling System
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine
coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If you
see or hear steam coming from under the hood, do not
open the hood until the radiator has had time to cool.
Never try to open a cooling system pressure cap when
the radiator is hot.
Engine Coolant Checks
Check the engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every
12 months (before the onset of freezing weather, where
applicable). If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty or
rusty in appearance, the system should be drained, 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 expansion bottle. DO
NOT REMOVE THE COOLANT PRESSURE CAP WHEN
THE COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 191