2017 Ram 3500 gas type

Front Air Bag Operation
Front Air Bags are designed to provide additional protec-
tion by supplementing the seat belts. Front air bags are not
expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or
rollover collisions. The front air bags will not deploy in all
frontal collisions, including some that may produce sub-
stantial vehicle damage — for example, some pole colli-
sions, truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of
impact, front air bags may deploy in crashes with little
vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe initial
deceleration.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration over
time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are not
good indicators of whether or not an air bag should have
deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all collisions,
and also are needed to help keep you in position, away
from an inflating air bag.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the front air
bags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity of
non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the front air bags.The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right side
of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the way as
the air bags inflate to their full size. The front air bags fully
inflate in less time than it takes to blink your eyes. The
front air bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain
the driver and front passenger.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the front air bags.
WARNING!
•
Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
• Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

▫5.7L Engine .......................... .541
▫ 6.4L Engine .......................... .542
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ..................542
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ...............542
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles .........543
▫ CNG And LP Fuel System Modifications ......543
▫ MMT In Gasoline ...................... .543
▫ Materials Added To Fuel .................544
▫ Fuel System Cautions ....................544
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ...............545
 FLEXIBLE FUEL (3.6L ENGINE ONLY) —
IF EQUIPPED ......................... .545
▫ E-85 General Information .................545
▫ Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ..................... .546
▫ Fuel Requirements .....................546
▫ Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles ........546▫
Starting ............................ .547
▫ Cruising Range ....................... .547
▫ Replacement Parts ..................... .547
▫ Maintenance ......................... .547
 ADDING FUEL ........................ .548
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message .............549
 VEHICLE LOADING .....................549
▫ Certification Label ..................... .549
 TRAILER TOWING ..................... .551
▫ Common Towing Definitions ...............551
▫ T

railer Hitch Type and Maximum
Trailer Weight ........................ .558
▫ Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum
Trailer Weight Ratings) ..................559
▫ Trailer And Tongue Weight ...............559
▫ Towing Requirements ...................559
▫ Towing Tips .......................... .567
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STARTING AND OPERATING 379

Ethanol Fuel (E-85)
E-85 is a mixture of approximately 85% ethanol and 15%
unleaded gasoline.
WARNING!
Ethanol vapors are extremely flammable and could
cause serious personal injury. Never have any smoking
materials lit or products that can cause spark in or near
the vehicle when removing the fuel filler tube cap (gas
cap) or filling the tank. Do not use E-85 as a cleaning
agent and never use it near an open flame.
Fuel Requirements
If your vehicle is E-85 compatible, it will operate on
unleaded gasoline with any octane rating, or solely E-85
fuel, or any mixture of these fuels.
For best results, avoid fueling patterns alternating be-
tween E-85 and unleaded gasoline.
When switching fuel types:
•Add 5 gallons (19 liters) or more when refueling.
• Drive the vehicle immediately after refueling for at least
5 miles (8 km). Observing these precautions will avoid possible hard start-
ing and/or driveability problems during warm up.
NOTE:
•
Use seasonally adjusted E-85 fuel (ASTM D5798). With
non-seasonally adjusted E-85 fuel, hard starting and
rough idle following start up may be experienced even if
the above recommendations are followed, especially
when the ambient temperature is below 32°F (0°C).
• Some additives used in regular gasoline are not fully
compatible with E-85 and may form deposits in your
engine. To eliminate driveability issues that may be
caused by these deposits, a supplemental gasoline addi-
tive, such as MOPAR Injector Cleanup or Techron may
be used.
Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles
FFV vehicles operated on E-85 require specially formulated
engine oils. These special requirements are included in
MOPAR engine oils, and in equivalent oils meeting FCA
Material Standard MS-6395. It is recommended that engine
oils that are API Certified and meet the requirements of
Material Standard MS-6395 be used. MS-6395 contains
546 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install ONLY
the correct type thermostat. Other designs may result in
unsatisfactory engine coolant (antifreeze) performance,
poor gas mileage, and increased emissions.
Brake System
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically. Refer
to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper maintenance
intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and possi-
bly a collision. Driving with your foot resting or riding
on the brake pedal can result in abnormally high brake
temperatures, excessive lining wear, and possible
brake damage. You would not have your full braking
capacity in an emergency.
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 lamp 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
MAX 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.
Use only the manufacturer’s recommended brake fluid.
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)
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 667

WARNING!
Do not use silicon-based protection products to clean
your bedliner. Silicon-based products can become slip-
pery and may result in personal injury.
Spray-On Bedliners are chemically-resistant to many dif-
ferent types of chemicals (including gasoline, oil, hydraulic
fluids) for short periods of time. If a spill occurs on your
Spray-On Bedliner, rinse the truck out as soon as possible
to avoid permanent damage.
Repairing The Spray-On Bedliner
While extremely tough, it is possible to damage a Spray-On
Bedliner. One common condition is when loading a heavy
pallet and dragging that pallet across the floor of the bed.
If a nail or sharp point is exposed under the weight of the
pallet a scratch or tear is possible. While not covered by
your new vehicle warranty, a cosmetic fix to cover the
metal exposed by the scratch is required. To repair a tear or
gouge, follow the directions provided in the MOPAR Quick
Repair Kit.
FUSES
WARNING!
• When replacing a blown fuse, always use an appro-
priate replacement fuse with the same amp rating as
the original fuse. Never replace a fuse with another
fuse of higher amp rating. Never replace a blown
fuse with metal wires or any other material. Failure
to use proper fuses may result in serious personal
injury, fire and/or property damage.
• Before replacing a fuse, make sure that the ignition is
off and that all the other services are switched off
and/or disengaged.
• If the replaced fuse blows again, contact an autho-
rized dealer.
• If a general protection fuse for safety systems (air
bag system, braking system), power unit systems
(engine system, gearbox system) or steering system
blows, contact an authorized dealer.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 679