2017 Ram 3500 warning

•Use only high purity water such as distilled or deionized
water when mixing the water/engine coolant (anti-
freeze) solution. The use of lower quality water will
reduce the amount of corrosion protection in the engine
cooling system.
NOTE:
• It is the owner’s responsibility to maintain the proper
level of protection against freezing according to the
temperatures occurring in the area where the vehicle is
operated.
• Some vehicles require special tools to add coolant prop-
erly. Failure to fill these systems properly could lead to
severe internal engine damage. If any coolant is needed
to be added to the system, please contact your local
authorized dealer.
• Mixing engine coolant (antifreeze) types is not recom-
mended and can result in cooling system damage. If
HOAT and OAT coolant are mixed in an emergency,
have a authorized dealer drain, flush, and refill with
OAT coolant (conforming to MS.90032) as soon as pos-
sible.Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of engine
coolant (antifreeze), and to ensure that the engine coolant
(antifreeze) will return to the radiator from the coolant
expansion bottle.
The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any
accumulation of foreign material on the sealing surfaces.
WARNING!
• Do not open hot engine cooling system. Never add
engine coolant (antifreeze) when the engine is over-
heated. Do not loosen or remove the cap to cool an
overheated engine. Heat causes pressure to build up
in the cooling system. To prevent scalding or injury,
do not remove the pressure cap while the system is
hot or under pressure.
• Do not use a pressure cap other than the one speci-
fied for your vehicle. Personal injury or engine
damage may result.
5
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 67

Charge Air Cooler — Inter-Cooler
The charge air cooler is positioned in front of the radiator
and the air conditioner condenser. Air enters the engine
through the air cleaner and passes through the turbo-
charger, where it is pressurized. This pressurized air rap-
idly reaches high temperature. The air is then directed
through a hose to the charge air cooler and through another
hose to the intake manifold of the engine. This cooling
process enables more efficient burning of fuel resulting in
fewer emissions.
To guarantee optimum performance of the system, keep
the surfaces of the charge air cooler, condenser and radiator
clean and free of debris. Periodically check the hoses
leading to and from the charge air cooler for cracks or loose
clamps resulting in loss of pressure and reduced engine
performance.
Brake System
Brake Master Cylinder — Brake Fluid Level Check
The fluid level of the master cylinder should be checked
when performing under the hood service, or immediately
if the “Brake System Warning Light” indicates system
failure.The brake master cylinder has a translucent plastic reser-
voir. On the outboard side of the reservoir, there is a
“MAX” mark and a “MIN” mark. The fluid level must be
kept within these two marks. Do not add fluid above the
full mark because leakage may occur at the cap.
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 “Main-
taining 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)
5
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 69

WARNING!(Continued)
•To avoid contamination from foreign matter or mois-
ture, use only new brake fluid or fluid that has been
in a tightly closed container. Keep the master cylin-
der 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 prolonged brak-
ing, resulting in sudden brake failure. This could
result in a accident.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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.
• 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.
70 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Mileage or time passed (whichever comes first)
10,000
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: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
16,000
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
Flush and replace the engine coolant at 10 years or
150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first. XX
Replace accessory drive belt(s). X
Inspect the transfer case fluid, change for any of
the following: police, taxi, fleet, or frequent trailer
towing. XX
Change transfer case fluid. X
WARNING!
•You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Do only service work for which you
have the knowledge and the right equipment. If you
have any doubt about your ability to perform a
service job, take your vehicle to a competent me-
chanic.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Failure to properly inspect and maintain your vehicle
could result in a component malfunction and effect
vehicle handling and performance. This could cause
an accident.
6
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE 81

WARNING!
•You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Do only service work for which you
have the knowledge and the right equipment. If you
have any doubt about your ability to perform a
service job, take your vehicle to a competent me-
chanic.
• Failure to properly inspect and maintain your vehicle
could result in a component malfunction and effect
vehicle handling and performance. This could cause
an accident.
6
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE 83

REMOTE STARTING SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED
This system uses the key fob to start the engine
conveniently from outside the vehicle while still
maintaining security. The system has a range of
approximately 300 ft (91 m).
NOTE:
• The vehicle must be equipped with an automatic trans-
mission to be equipped with Remote Start.
• The Remote Start system will wait for the “Wait To Start”
telltale to extinguish before cranking the engine. This
allows time for the intake heater to pre-heat the incom-
ing air, and is normal operation in cold weather. Refer to
“Wait To Start” located in “Warning and Indicator
Lights” within “Understanding Your Instrument Panel”.
How To Use Remote Start
All of the following conditions must be met before the
engine will remote start:
• Transmission in PARK
• Doors closed
• Hood closed •
HAZARD switch off
• BRAKE switch inactive (brake pedal not pushed)
• Ignition key removed from ignition switch
• Battery at an acceptable charge level
• PANIC button not pushed
• Fuel meets minimum requirement
• Water In Fuel Indicator Light is not illuminated
• Wait To Start Light is not illuminated
WARNING!
•Do not start or run an engine in a closed garage or
confined area. Exhaust gas contains Carbon Monox-
ide (CO) which is odorless and colorless. Carbon
Monoxide is poisonous and can cause serious injury
or death when inhaled.
• Keep Remote Keyless Entry key fobs away from
children. Operation of the Remote Start System,
windows, door locks or other controls could cause
serious injury or death.
92 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL
When engaged, the Electronic Speed Control takes over
accelerator operations at speeds greater than 25 mph
(40 km/h).
The Electronic Speed Control buttons are located on the
right side of the steering wheel.NOTE:
In order to ensure proper operation, the Electronic
Speed Control System has been designed to shut down if
multiple speed control functions are operated at the same
time. If this occurs, the Electronic Speed Control System
can be reactivated by pushing the Electronic Speed Control
ON/OFF button and resetting the desired vehicle set
speed.
To Activate
Push the on/off button. The cruise control set indicator
light in the instrument cluster display will illuminate. To
turn the system off, push the on/off button a second time.
The cruise control set indicator light will turn off. The
system should be turned off when not in use.
WARNING!
Leaving the Electronic Speed Control system on when
not in use is dangerous. You could accidentally set the
system or cause it to go faster than you want. You could
lose control and have an accident. Always leave the
system off when you are not using it.
Electronic Speed Control Switches
1 — ON/OFF 3 — SET -
2 — RES + 4 — CANCEL
96 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

To Accelerate For Passing
Press the accelerator as you would normally. When the
pedal is released, the vehicle will return to the set speed.
Using Electronic Speed Control On Hills
The transmission may downshift on hills to maintain the
vehicle set speed.
NOTE:The Electronic Speed Control system maintains
speed up and down hills. A slight speed change on
moderate hills is normal.
On steep hills, a greater speed loss or gain may occur so it
may be preferable to drive without Electronic Speed Con-
trol.
WARNING!
Electronic Speed Control can be dangerous where the
system cannot maintain a constant speed. Your vehicle
could go too fast for the conditions, and you could lose
control and have an accident. Do not use Electronic
Speed Control in heavy traffic or on roads that are
winding, icy, snow-covered or slippery.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 99