2018 Ram 2500 stop start

may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condition, and
precision shifts will develop within a few hundred miles
(kilometers).
Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped. Be
sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when shifting
between these gears.
The transmission gear selector has only PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, and DRIVE positions. Manual downshifts can
be made using the Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift
control. Pressing the GEAR-/GEAR+ switches (on the
steering wheel) while in the DRIVE position will select the
highest available transmission gear, and will display that
gear limit in the instrument cluster as 1, 2, 3, etc. Refer to
“Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation” in this section
for further information. Some models will display both the
selected gear limit, and the actual current gear, while in
ERS mode.
Gear Ranges
Do not depress the accelerator pedal when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range.
NOTE:After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerating. This
is especially important when the engine is cold.
PARK (P)
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Electronic Transmission Gear Selector
300 STARTING AND OPERATING

Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when exiting the vehicle in this
range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
shifting the transmission to PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
NOTE:On four-wheel drive vehicles be sure that the
transfer case is in a drive position.
When exiting the vehicle, always:
• Apply the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the engine OFF.
• Remove the key fob.WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
park brake. Always apply the park brake fully when
exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle move-
ment 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 exit-
ing the vehicle.
• The transmission may not engage PARK if the ve-
hicle is moving. Always bring the vehicle to a
complete stop before shifting to PARK, and verify
that the transmission gear position indicator solidly
indicates PARK (P) without blinking. Ensure that the
vehicle is completely stopped, and the PARK posi-
tion is properly indicated, before exiting the vehicle.
• 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
(Continued)
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 301

WARNING!(Continued)
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 come to a
complete stop, then apply the park 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 unwanted 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.
• 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
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
touch the park brake, brake pedal or the transmis-
sion gear selector.
• 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!
•DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK
or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this can
damage the drivetrain.
• Before moving the transmission gear selector out of
PARK, you must start the engine, and also press the
brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the gear selector
could result.
302 STARTING AND OPERATING

The following indicators should be used to ensure that you
have properly engaged the transmission into the PARK
position:
•Look at the transmission gear position display and
verify that it indicates the PARK position (P), and is not
blinking.
• With brake pedal released, verify that the gear selector
will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. Apply the parking brake
and shift the transmission into PARK if you must leave the
vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
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 “In Case Of Emergency” 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 all forward 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
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 303

towing a heavy trailer), select TOW/HAUL mode or use
the Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control (refer to
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operationin this section for
further information) to select a lower gear range. Under
these conditions, using a lower gear range will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat buildup.
During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or be-
low), transmission operation may be modified depending
on engine and transmission temperature as well as vehicle
speed. Normal operation will resume once the transmis-
sion temperature has risen to a suitable level.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for ab-
normal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission may
operate only in certain gears, or may not shift at all. Vehicle
performance may be severely degraded and the engine
may stall. In some situations, the transmission may not
re-engage if the engine is turned off and restarted. The
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be illuminated. A message in the instrument cluster will inform the driver of
the more serious conditions, and indicate what actions may
be necessary.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission can
be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
NOTE:
In cases where the instrument cluster message
indicates the transmission may not re-engage after engine
shutdown, perform this procedure only in a desired loca-
tion (preferably, at your authorized dealer).
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK, if possible. If not, shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
3. Turn the ignition to the OFF position. On vehicles with Keyless Enter-N-Go, push and hold the ignition switch
until the engine turns OFF.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no longer detected, the transmission will return to normal
operation.
304 STARTING AND OPERATING

The electronically-controlled transmission provides a pre-
cise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are self-
calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new vehicle
may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condition, and
precision shifts will develop within a few hundred miles
(kilometers).
Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped. Be
sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when shifting
between these gears.
The transmission gear selector has only PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, and DRIVE shift positions. Manual downshifts
can be made using the Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift
control. Pressing the ERS (-/+) switches (column shift) or
moving the gear selector to the left or right (-/+) (console
shift) while in the DRIVE position will select the highest
available transmission gear, and will display that gear limit
in the instrument cluster as 1, 2, 3, etc. Refer toElectronic
Range Select (ERS) Operation in this section for further
information. Some models will display both the selected
gear limit, and the actual current gear, while in ERS mode.
Gear Ranges
Do not depress the accelerator pedal when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range. NOTE:
After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerating. This
is especially important when the engine is cold.
PARK (P)
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when exiting the vehicle in this
range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
shifting the transmission to PARK, otherwise the load on
the transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult
to move the gear selector out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
NOTE: On four-wheel drive vehicles be sure that the
transfer case is in a drive position.
When exiting the vehicle, always:
• Apply the parking brake.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 307

•Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the engine OFF.
• Remove the key fob.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when exiting the vehicle 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 exit-
ing the vehicle.
• 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.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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 come to a
complete stop, then 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 unwanted 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.
• 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)
308 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!
•Before moving the transmission gear selector out of
PARK, you must turn the ignition to the ON/RUN
mode, and also press the brake pedal. Otherwise,
damage to the gear selector could result.
• DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK
or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this can
damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that you
have engaged the transmission into the PARK position:
• When shifting into PARK, pull the column-mounted
gear selector toward you and move it all the way
counterclockwise until it stops. For console-mounted
shifter, firmly move the gear selector all the way forward
and to the left until it stops. •
Release the gear selector and make sure it is fully seated
in the PARK gate.
• Look at the transmission gear position display and
verify that it indicates the PARK position (P).
• With brake pedal released, verify that the gear selector
will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Apply the parking brake and shift the
transmission into PARK if you must exit the vehicle.
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.
6
STARTING AND OPERATING 309