2017 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab automatic transmission

be noticeable at speeds below 20 mph (32 kmh). This
operating mode may last for up to an hour of idle time, or
around 20 minutes of driving time.
Your truck may have been ordered with an optional
voltage monitoring idle up feature. If a load is placed on
the electrical system while the truck is in park, this feature
will attempt to maintain normal system voltage by auto-
matically increasing engine idle speed. You may notice
several consecutive increases in idle speed, up to a maxi-
mum of 1450 RPM, as the system will attempt to utilize the
smallest increase in idle speed necessary to maintain
normal system voltage. The idle speed will return to
normal when either the electrical load is removed, or when
the brake pedal is applied.
NOTE:For instrument cluster display messages related to
the vehicle’s exhaust system, refer to “Instrument Cluster
Display” in “Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for
further information.
Idle-Up Feature — Automatic Transmission Only
The driver-controlled high idle speed feature will help
increase cylinder temperatures and provide additional cab
heat, however, excessive idling may still cause the exhaust
aftertreatment system to not properly regenerate. Extended
periods of idle time should be avoided. The Idle-Up feature uses the speed control switches to
increase engine idle speed and quickly warm the vehicle’s
interior.
1. With the transmission in PARK, the parking brake
applied, and the engine running, push the speed control
switch to the ON position, then push the SET switch.
2. The engine RPM will go up to 1100 RPM. To increase the RPM, push and hold the ACCEL/RESUME switch and
the idle speed will increase to approximately 1500 RPM.
To decrease the RPM, push and hold the DECEL switch
and the idle speed will decrease to approximately
1100 RPM.
3. To cancel the Idle–Up feature, either push the CANCEL switch, push the ON/OFF switch, or press the brake
pedal.
Stopping The Engine
Idle the engine a few minutes before routine shutdown.
After full load operation, idle the engine three to five
minutes before shutting it down. This idle period will
allow the lubricating oil and coolant to carry excess heat
away from the combustion chamber, bearings, internal
components, and turbocharger. This is especially important
for turbocharged, charge air-cooled engines.
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Programmable Maximum Vehicle Speed (Chassis
Cab Only)
This feature allows the owner to set a maximum vehicle
speed for the vehicle. The 3500 Series maximum vehicle
speed can be set between 40 mph (64 km/h) and 87 mph
(140 km/h). The 4500/5500 Series maximum vehicle speed
can be set between 40 mph (64 km/h) and 85 mph
(136 km/h). See your local authorized dealer to enable this
feature.
NOTE:DO NOT set the maximum vehicle speed to a value
greater than what the vehicle tires are rated for.
Operating Precautions
Avoid Overheating The Engine
The temperature of the engine coolant (antifreeze) (a
mixture of 50% ethylene-glycol and 50% water) must not
exceed the normal range of the temperature gauge 240°F
(116°C) with a 21 psi (145 kPa) coolant pressure cap.
Usually the engine coolant (antifreeze) temperature indi-
cated during operation will be to the left of center in the
normal range of the gauge.
Avoid Low Coolant Temperature Operation
Continual operation at low engine coolant (antifreeze)
temperature below the normal range on the gauge 140°F
(60°C) can be harmful to the engine. Low engine coolant
(antifreeze) temperature can cause incomplete combustion
which allows carbon and varnish to form on piston rings
and injector nozzles. Also, the unburned fuel can enter the
crankcase, diluting the lubricating oil and causing rapid
wear to the engine.
Cooling System Tips — Automatic Transmission
To reduce potential for engine and transmission overheat-
ing in high ambient temperature conditions, take the
following actions:
• City Driving —
When stopped, shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and
increase engine idle speed.
• Highway Driving —
Reduce your speed.
• Up Steep Hills —
Select a lower transmission gear.
• Air Conditioning —
Turn it off temporarily.
136 STARTING AND OPERATING

pressure from the accelerator pedal. Exhaust braking is
most effective when the engine RPM is higher. The auto-
matic transmission will downshift more aggressively in
TOW/HAUL mode when the exhaust brake is enabled to
increase brake performance.
CAUTION!
Use of aftermarket exhaust brakes is not recommended
and could lead to engine damage
WARNING!
Do not use the exhaust brake feature when driving in
icy or slippery conditions as the increased engine
braking can cause the rear wheels to slide and the
vehicle to swing around with the possible loss of
vehicle control, which may cause an accident possibly
resulting in personal injury or death.
NOTE: For optimum braking power it is recommended to
use the exhaust brake while in TOW/HAUL mode. The exhaust brake feature can also be used to reduce the
engine warm up time. To use the exhaust brake as a
warm-up device, the vehicle must be stopped or moving
less than 5 mph (8 km/h), the
Exhaust Brake Indicator
must be on, and the coolant temperature must be below
180°F (82°C) and ambient temperature below 60°F (16°C).
Automatic Smart Exhaust Brake (Auto)
Automatic Exhaust Brake technology delivers smoother,
less aggressive exhaust braking characteristics during
downhill descents. Although it can apply full exhaust
braking force if needed, Automatic Exhaust Brake may not
apply obvious braking if the vehicle speed is not increas-
ing. Automatic Exhaust Brake is intended to maintain
vehicle speed, while Full Exhaust Brake is intended to
reduce vehicle speed.
Automatic Exhaust Brake can be enabled by pushing the
exhaust brake button again anytime after the normal Full
Exhaust Brake has been turned on. The “Exhaust Brake
Indicator” in the instrument cluster display will change
from Yellow to Green when Automatic Exhaust Brake is
enabled. Pushing the exhaust brake button again will
toggle the exhaust brake mode to off.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 139

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

WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in
a location accessible to children), and do not leave
the ignition (in a vehicle equipped with Keyless
Enter-N-Go) in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop.
• Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL,
or DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Interlock
which requires the transmission to be in PARK before the ignition can be turned to the LOCK/OFF (key removal)
position. The key fob can only be removed from the
ignition when the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position,
and the transmission is locked in PARK whenever the
ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock System (BTSI) that holds the transmission gear
selector in PARK unless the brakes are applied. To shift the
transmission out of PARK, the ignition must be turned to
the ON/RUN mode (engine running or not) and the brake
pedal must be pressed.
Six-Speed Automatic Transmission — If Equipped
Chassis Cab models (with automatic transmission) use the
AS69RC transmission (which is equipped with a Power
Take-Off [PTO] access cover on the side of the transmission
case). Pickup models may use either the AS69RC transmis-
sion, or the 68RFE transmission (which has no PTO access
cover).
The transmission gear position display (located in the
instrument cluster) indicates the transmission gear range.
The gear selector is mounted on the right side of the
steering column. You must press the brake pedal to move
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STARTING AND OPERATING 141

WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
that limit your response to changing traffic or road
conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and
have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies” for
further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and downshifts,
and the best fuel economy. The transmission automatically
upshifts through underdrive first, second, and third gears,
direct fourth gear and overdrive fifth and sixth gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteristics
under all normal operating conditions. When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as when
operating the vehicle under heavy loading conditions, in
hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or while
towing a heavy trailer), use the Electronic Range Select
(ERS) shift control (refer to “Electronic Range Select (ERS)
Operation” in this section for further information) to select
a lower gear range. Under these conditions, using a lower
gear range will improve performance and extend transmis-
sion life by reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operating
limits, the powertrain controller will modify the transmis-
sion shift schedule and expand the range of torque con-
verter clutch engagement. This is done to prevent trans-
mission damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot or is in danger
of overheating, the “Transmission Temperature Warning
Light” may illuminate and the transmission may operate
differently until the transmission cools down.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 145

3. Turn the ignition to the OFF position.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is nolonger detected, the transmission will return to normal
operation.
NOTE: Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit your authorized dealer at your earliest
possible convenience. Your authorized dealer has diagnos-
tic equipment to determine if the problem could recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control allows the
driver to limit the highest available gear when the trans-
mission is in DRIVE. For example, if you set the transmis-
sion gear limit to 4 (fourth gear), the transmission will not
shift above fourth gear, but will shift through the lower
gears normally.
You can switch between DRIVE and ERS mode at any
vehicle speed. When the gear selector is in the DRIVE position, the transmission will operate automatically, shift-
ing between all available gears. Tapping the ERS (-) switch
will activate ERS mode, display the current gear in the
instrument cluster, and set that gear as the top available
gear. Once in ERS mode, tapping the ERS (-) or (+) switch
will change the top available gear.
To exit ERS mode, simply push and hold the ERS (+) switch
until the gear limit display disappears from the instrument
cluster.
Column Gear Selector
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STARTING AND OPERATING 147

WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their grip
and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
Transmission
Gear Limit
Display12 3 456D
Actual Gear(s)
Allowed 1 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5 1-6 1-6
NOTE: To select the proper gear position for maximum
deceleration (engine braking), simply push and hold the
ERS (-) switch. The transmission will shift to the range
from which the vehicle can best be slowed down.
CAUTION!
When using ERS for engine braking while descending
steep grades, be careful not to overspeed the engine.
Apply the brakes as needed to prevent engine over-
speed.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically con-
trolled Overdrive (fifth and sixth gears). The transmission
will automatically shift into Overdrive if the following
conditions are present:
• The gear selector is in the DRIVE position.
• The transmission fluid has reached an adequate tem-
perature.
• The engine coolant has reached an adequate tempera-
ture.
• The vehicle speed is sufficiently high.
• The driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs,
push the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/HAUL
mode. This will improve performance and reduce the
potential for transmission overheating or failure due to
excessive shifting. When operating in TOW/HAUL mode,
transmission upshifts are delayed, and the transmission
148 STARTING AND OPERATING