2018 Ram 2500 manual transmission

drive, move the gear selector from PARK or
NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position. Pull the
gear selector toward you when shifting into
REVERSE or PARK, or when shifting out of
PARK.
The electronically-controlled transmission
provides a precise shift schedule. The trans-
mission 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 be-
tween 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 (on the gear selector) while in the
DRIVE position will select the highest avail-
able 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 informa-
tion. Some models will display both the se-
lected gear limit, and the actual current gear,
while in ERS mode.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electroni-
cally for abnormal conditions. If a condition
is detected that could result in transmission
damage, Transmission Limp Home Mode is
activated. In this mode, the transmission
remains in fourth gear regardless of which
forward gear is selected. PARK, REVERSE,
and NEUTRAL will continue to operate. The
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be
illuminated. Limp Home Mode allows the
vehicle to be driven to an authorized dealer
for service without damaging the transmis-
sion.
In the event of a momentary problem, the
transmission can be reset to regain all for-
ward gears by performing the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Turn the ignition OFF.4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the
problem is no longer detected, the trans-
mission will return to normal operation.
NOTE:
Even if the transmission can be reset, we
recommend that you visit your authorized
dealer at your earliest possible convenience.
Your authorized dealer has diagnostic equip-
ment to assess the condition of your trans-
mission.
If the transmission cannot be reset, autho-
rized dealer service is required.
Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation
The Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift con-
trol allows the driver to limit the highest
available gear when the transmission is in
DRIVE. For example, if you set the transmis-
sion gear limit to 4 (fourth gear), the trans-
mission will not shift above fourth gear, but
will shift through the lower gears normally.
161

4WD LOW
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range
provides low speed four-wheel drive. It maxi-
mizes torque to the front driveshaft, forcing
the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same
speed. This range provides additional trac-
tion and maximum pulling power for loose,
slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed
25 mph (40 km/h).
NEUTRAL (N)
Neutral — This range disengages both the
front and rear driveshafts from the pow-
ertrain. To be used for flat towing behind
another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Tow-
ing” in this section for further information.
This electronically shifted transfer case is
designed to be driven in the two–wheel drive
position (2WD) for normal street and highway
conditions on dry hard surfaced roads). Driv-
ing the vehicle in 2WD will have greater fuel
economy benefits as the front axle is not
engaged in 2WD.When additional traction is required, the
transfer case 4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW po-
sitions can be used to maximize torque to the
front driveshaft, forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is
accomplished by pushing the desired posi-
tion on the 4WD control switch.
Refer to “Shifting Procedure” in the “Start-
ing And Operating” section of your Owner’s
Manual for specific shifting instructions.
WARNING!
• You or others could be injured or killed if
you leave the vehicle unattended with
the transfer case in the NEUTRAL (N)
position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case NEU-
TRAL (N) position disengages both the
front and rear drive shaft from the pow-
ertrain, and will allow the vehicle to roll,
even if the automatic transmission is in
PARK (or manual transmission is in
gear). The parking brake should always
be applied when the driver is not in the
vehicle.
WARNING!
• The transmission may not engage PARKif the vehicle is moving. Always bring the
vehicle to a complete stop before shift-
ing to PARK, and verify that the trans-
mission gear position indicator solidly
indicates PARK (P) without blinking. En-
sure that the vehicle is completely
stopped, and the PARK position is prop-
erly indicated, before exiting the ve-
hicle.
167

4WD LOCK
Four-Wheel Drive Lock High Range — This
range maximizes torque to the front drive-
shaft, forcing the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed. Additional traction
for loose, slippery road surfaces only.
4WD LOW
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range
provides low speed four-wheel drive. It maxi-
mizes torque to the front driveshaft, forcing
the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same
speed. This range provides additional trac-
tion and maximum pulling power for loose,
slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed
25 mph (40 km/h).
NEUTRAL (N)
Neutral — This range disengages both the
front and rear driveshafts from the pow-
ertrain. To be used for flat towing behind
another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Tow-
ing” in this section for further information.
This electronically shifted transfer case is
designed to be driven in the two–wheel drive
position (2WD) or four-wheel drive position
(4WD AUTO) for normal street and highwayconditions on dry hard surfaced roads). Driv-
ing the vehicle in 2WD will have greater fuel
economy benefits as the front axle is not
engaged in 2WD.
For variable driving conditions, the 4WD
AUTO mode can be used. In this mode, the
front axle is engaged, but the vehicle's power
is sent to the rear wheels. Four-wheel drive
will be automatically engaged when the ve-
hicle senses a loss of traction. Because the
front axle is engaged, this mode will result in
lower fuel economy than the 2WD mode.
When additional traction is required, the
transfer case 4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW po-
sitions can be used to maximize torque to the
front driveshaft, forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is
accomplished pushing the desired position
on the 4WD Control Switch.
Refer to “Shifting Procedure” in the “Start-
ing And Operating” section of your Owner’s
Manual for further details.WARNING!
• You or others could be injured or killed if
you leave the vehicle unattended with
the transfer case in the NEUTRAL (N)
position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case NEU-
TRAL (N) position disengages both the
front and rear drive shaft from the pow-
ertrain, and will allow the vehicle to roll,
even if the automatic transmission is in
PARK (or manual transmission is in
gear). The parking brake should always
be applied when the driver is not in the
vehicle.
• The transmission may not engage PARK
if the vehicle is moving. Always bring the
vehicle to a complete stop before shift-
ing to PARK, and verify that the trans-
mission gear position indicator solidly
indicates PARK (P) without blinking. En-
sure that the vehicle is completely
stopped, and the PARK position is prop-
erly indicated, before exiting the ve-
hicle.
169

To Decrease Speed
When the Speed Control is set, you can de-
crease speed by pushing the SET (-) button.
The driver’s preferred units can be selected
through the instrument panel settings if
equipped. Refer to “Getting To Know Your
Instrument Panel” in the Owner’s Manual for
more information. The speed increment
shown is dependent on the selected speed
unit of U.S. (mph) or Metric (km/h):
U.S. Speed (mph)
• Pushing the SET (-) button once will resultin a 1 mph decrease in set speed. Each
subsequent tap of the button results in a
decrease of 1 mph.
• If the button is continually pushed, the set speed will continue to decrease until the
button is released, then the new set speed
will be established.
Metric Speed (km/h)
• Pushing the SET (-) button once will result in a 1 km/h decrease in set speed. Each
subsequent tap of the button results in a
decrease of 1 km/h. • If the button is continually pushed, the set
speed will continue to decrease until the
button is released, then the new set speed
will be established.
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 Speed Control On Hills
The transmission may downshift on hills to
maintain the vehicle set speed.
NOTE:
The 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 Speed Control.
WARNING!
Speed Control can be dangerous where the
system cannot maintain a constant speed.
Your vehicle could go too fast for the con-
WARNING!
ditions, and you could lose control and
have an accident. Do not use Speed Con-
trol in heavy traffic or on roads that are
winding, icy, snow-covered or slippery.
To Resume Speed
To resume a previously set speed, push the
RES (+) button and release. Resume can be
used at any speed above 20 mph (32 km/h).
To Deactivate
A soft tap on the brake pedal, pushing the
CANCEL button, or normal brake pressure
while slowing the vehicle will deactivate the
Speed Control without erasing the set speed
from memory.
Pushing the ON/OFF button or turning the
ignition switch OFF erases the set speed from
memory.STARTING AND OPERATING
178

PARKSENSE FRONT AND REAR PARK
ASSIST — IF EQUIPPED
The ParkSense Park Assist system provides
visual and audible indications of the distance
between the rear and/or front fascia and a
detected obstacle when backing up or moving
forward, e.g. during a parking maneuver. Re-
fer to “ParkSense System Usage Precau-
tions” in the Owner’s Manual for limitations
of this system and recommendations.
ParkSense will retain the last system state
(enabled or disabled) from the last ignition
cycle when the ignition is changed to the
ON/RUN position.
ParkSense can be active only when the gear
selector is in REVERSE or DRIVE. If
ParkSense is enabled at one of these gear
selector positions, the system will remain
active until the vehicle speed is increased to
approximately 7 mph (11 km/h) or above. A
warning will appear in the instrument cluster
display indicating the vehicle is aboveParkSense operating speed. The system will
become active again if the vehicle speed is
decreased to speeds less than approximately
6 mph (9 km/h).
Cleaning The ParkSense System
Clean the ParkSense sensors with water, car
wash soap and a soft cloth. Do not use rough
or hard cloths. Do not scratch or poke the
sensors. Otherwise, you could damage the
sensors.
PARKVIEW REAR BACK UP CAMERA —
IF EQUIPPED
Your vehicle may be equipped with the
ParkView Rear Back Up Camera that allows
you to see a image of the rear surroundings of
your vehicle whenever the gear selector is put
into REVERSE or whenever it is initiated
through the "Backup Camera" button in the
"Controls" menu. Whenever the gear selector
is put into REVERSE, the image will be dis-
played in the rearview mirror display (if
equipped) or Uconnect screen (if equipped)along with a caution note to “check entire
surroundings” across the top of the screen.
After five seconds this note will disappear.
The ParkView Camera is located to the left of
the tailgate handle.
When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE
(with Camera delay turned off), the rear Cam-
era mode is exited and the navigation or audio
screen appears again.
When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE
(with Camera delay turned on), the rear Cam-
era image will be displayed for up to 10 sec-
onds after shifting out of REVERSE unless
the forward vehicle speed exceeds 8 mph
(13 km/h), the transmission is shifted into
PARK or the ignition is switched to the OFF
position.
Whenever the Rear View Camera image is
activated through the "Backup Camera" but-
ton in the "Controls" menu, a display timer for
the image is initiated. The image will con-
tinue to be displayed until the display timer
exceeds 10 seconds and the vehicle speed is
above 8 mph (13 km/h) or the touchscreen
button "X" to disable display of the Rear View
Camera image is pressed.
179

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing ConditionWheels OFF The
Ground Two-Wheel Drive
Models Four-Wheel Drive Models
Flat Tow NONENOT ALLOWED See Instructions
• Automatic transmission in PARK
• Manual transmission in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL)
• Transfer case in NEUTRAL (N)
• Tow in forward direction
Dolly Tow Front
NOT ALLOWED
NOT ALLOWED
Rear OK NOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALLOK OK
NOTE:
• When towing your vehicle, always follow
applicable state and provincial laws. Con-
tact state and provincial Highway Safety
offices for additional details. • Vehicles equipped with air suspension
must be placed in Transport mode before
tying them down (from the body) on a trailer
or flatbed truck. Refer to “Air Suspension –
If Equipped” for more information. If the
vehicle cannot be placed in Transport mode
(for example, engine will not run), tie-
downs must be fastened to the axles (not to
the body). Failure to follow these instruc-
tions may cause fault codes to be set and/or
cause loss of proper tie-down tension.STARTING AND OPERATING
196

Recreational Towing —
Two-Wheel Drive Models
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the
drivetrain will result.
Recreational towing (for two-wheel drive
models) is allowedONLYif the rear wheels are
OFF the ground. This may be accomplished
using a tow dolly or vehicle trailer. If using a
tow dolly, follow this procedure:
NOTE:
If vehicle is equipped with air suspension,
ensure the vehicle is set to Normal Ride
Height.
1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow ve- hicle, following the dolly manufacturer's
instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly. 3. Firmly apply the parking brake. Place au-
tomatic transmission in PARK, manual
transmission in gear (not in NEUTRAL).
4. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following the dolly manufacturer's
instructions.
5. Turn the ignition OFF and remove the key fob.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, de- signed for towing, to secure the front
wheels in the straight position.
CAUTION!
• Towing with the rear wheels on theground will cause severe transmission
damage. Damage from improper towing
is not covered under the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
• Do not disconnect the driveshaft be-
cause fluid may leak from the transmis-
sion, causing damage to internal parts.
Recreational Towing —
Four-Wheel Drive Models
NOTE:
Both the manual shift and electronic shift
transfer cases must be shifted into NEUTRAL
(N) for recreational towing. Automatic trans-
missions must be shifted into PARK for rec-
reational towing. Manual transmissions must
be placed in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL) for
recreational towing. Refer to the following for
the proper transfer case NEUTRAL (N) shift-
ing procedure for your vehicle.
CAUTION!
• DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle.Towing with only one set of wheels on the
ground (front or rear) will cause severe
transmission and/or transfer case dam-
age. Tow with all four wheels either ON
the ground, or OFF the ground (using a
vehicle trailer).
• Tow only in the forward direction. Towing
this vehicle backwards can cause severe
damage to the transfer case.
197

CAUTION!
• Before recreational towing, the transfercase must be in NEUTRAL. To be certain
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL,
perform the procedure outlined under
“Shifting Into NEUTRAL”. Internal
transmission damage will result, if the
transfer case is not in NEUTRAL during
towing.
• Automatic transmissions must be
placed in PARK, and manual transmis-
sions must be placed in gear (not in
Neutral) for recreational towing.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the
above requirements can cause severe
transmission and/or transfer case dam-
age. Damage from improper towing is
not covered under the New Vehicle Lim-
ited Warranty.
• Do not disconnect the rear driveshaft
because fluid will leak from the transfer
case, causing damage to internal parts.
• Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on
tow bar on your vehicle. The bumper
face bar will be damaged.
Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your
vehicle for recreational towing.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if
you leave the vehicle unattended with the
transfer case in the NEUTRAL (N) position
without first fully engaging the parking
brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL (N)
position disengages both the front and rear
driveshafts from the powertrain, and will
allow the vehicle to roll, even if the auto-
matic transmission is in PARK (or manual
transmission is in gear). The parking brake
should always be applied when the driver
is not in the vehicle.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be
certain that the transfer case is fully in
NEUTRAL (N) before recreational towing
to prevent damage to internal parts. 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop on
level ground, with the engine running.
Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
NOTE:
If vehicle is equipped with air suspension,
ensure the vehicle is set to Normal Ride
Height.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
5. Shift the transfer case into NEUTRAL:
• With manual shift transfer case, shiftthe transfer case lever into NEUTRAL
(N)
• With electronic shift transfer case, push and hold the transfer case NEU-
TRAL (N) button. Some models have a
small, recessed “N” button (at the cen-
ter of the transfer case switches) that
must be pushed using a ballpoint pen
or similar object. Other models have a
rectangular NEUTRAL switch, below
the rotary transfer case control knob.
STARTING AND OPERATING
198