2018 Ram 2500 transmission

• A Diesel Pre-Heat system both improvesengine starting and reduces the amount of
white smoke generated by a warming
engine.
STARTING THE ENGINE — 6.7L
DIESEL ENGINE
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat,
adjust both inside and outside mirrors, and
fasten your seat belts.
The starter should not be operated for more
than 15-second intervals. Waiting a few min-
utes between such intervals will protect the
starter from overheating.
WARNING!
• Do not leave children or animals inside parked vehicles in hot weather. Interior
heat build up may cause serious injury
or death.
• When leaving the vehicle, always make
sure the keyless ignition node is in the
“OFF” mode, remove the key fob from
the vehicle and lock the vehicle.
WARNING!
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle,or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Allowing children to be in a vehicle un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the 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 of
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.
Keyless Enter-N-Go — Ignition
This feature allows the driver to operate the
ignition switch with the push of a button, as
long as the Remote Start/Keyless Enter-N-Go
key fob is in the passenger compartment.
Normal Starting
Using The ENGINE START/STOP Button
1. The transmission must be in PARK or
NEUTRAL.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal while pushing the ENGINE START/STOP button
once.
3. The system takes over and attempts to start the vehicle. If the vehicle fails to
start, the starter will disengage automati-
cally after 25 seconds.
4. If you wish to stop the cranking of the engine prior to the engine starting, re-
move your foot from the brake pedal and
push the button again.
NOTE:
• Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine is obtained without pumping or
pressing the accelerator pedal.
• Under cold weather conditions, the engine may not immediately crank if the "Wait To
Start" telltale is illuminated. This is normal
operation. For vehicles equipped with Key-
less Enter-N-Go, the vehicle will automati-
STARTING AND OPERATING
146

cally crank when the "Wait To Start" time
has elapsed. See the section "Starting Pro-
cedure Engine Manifold Air Temperature
0°F to 66°F (18° C to 19°C)" in the Diesel
Supplement for more information.
To Turn Off The Engine Using ENGINE START/
STOP Button
1. Place the gear selector in PARK, then push and release the ENGINE START/
STOP button.
2. The ignition will return to the OFF mode.
3. If the gear selector is not in PARK and the ENGINE START/STOP button is pushed
once, the instrument cluster will display a
“Vehicle Not In Park” message and the
engine will remain running. Never leave a
vehicle out of the PARK position, or it
could roll.
4. If the gear selector is in NEUTRAL, and the vehicle speed below 5 mph (8 km/h),
pushing the START/STOP button once will
turn the engine off. The ignition will re-
main in the ACC mode.
5.
If the vehicle speed is above 5 mph (8 km/h),
the ENGINE START/STOP button must be held for two seconds (or three short pushes
in a row) to turn the engine off. The ignition
will remain in the ACC mode (NOT the OFF
mode) if the engine is turned off when the
transmission is not in PARK.
NOTE:
If the ignition is left in the ACC or ON/RUN
(engine not running) mode and the transmis-
sion is in PARK, the system will automatically
time out after 30 minutes of inactivity and
the ignition return to the OFF mode.
ENGINE START/STOP Button Functions — With
Driver’s Foot OFF The Brake Pedal (In PARK Or
NEUTRAL Position)
The ENGINE START/STOP button operates
similar to an ignition switch. It has three
positions, OFF, ACC, RUN. To change the
ignition switch positions without starting the
vehicle and use the accessories follow these
steps:
1. Starting with the ignition in the OFF
position:
2. Push the ENGINE START/STOP button once to change the ignition to the ACC
position. 3. Push the ENGINE START/STOP button a
second time to change the ignition to the
RUN position.
4. Push the ENGINE START/STOP button a third time to return the ignition to the OFF
position.
Keyless Enter-N-Go Starting Procedure —
Engine Manifold Air Temperature 0° F To
66° F (–18° C to 19° C)
NOTE:
The temperature displayed in the instrument
cluster does not necessarily reflect the en-
gine manifold air temperature. Refer to “In-
strument Cluster Display” in “Getting To
Know Your Instrument Panel” for further in-
formation. When engine temperatures fall
below 66°F (19°C) the “Wait To Start Light”
will remain on indicating the intake manifold
heater system is active.
Follow the steps in the “Normal Starting”
procedure except:
1. Pushing the engine start button with thedriver’s foot on the brake will move the
147

tions. This cover is equipped with four flaps
for managing total grille opening in varying
ambient temperatures. If a winter front or
cold weather cover is to be used the flaps
should be in the full open position to allow air
flow to the charge air cooler and automatic
transmission oil cooler. When ambient tem-
peratures drop below 0°F (-17°C) the four
flaps need to be closed. A suitable cold
weather cover is available from your Mopar
dealer.Stopping The Engine
After full load operation, idle the engine for a
few minutes before shutting it down. This
idle period will allow the lubricating oil and
coolant to carry excess heat away from the
turbocharger.NOTE:
Refer to the following chart for proper engine
shutdown.
Driving Condition
LoadTurbocharger Temperature Idle Time (min.) Before Engine Shut-
down
Stop and Go EmptyCoolNone
Stop and Go Medium 0.5
Highway Speeds MediumWarm1.0
City Traffic Maximum GCWR 1.5
Highway Speeds Maximum GCWR 2.0
Uphill Grade Maximum GCWR Hot2.5
NOTE:
Under certain conditions the engine fan will
run after the engine is turned off. These
conditions are under high load and high tem-
perature conditions.
STARTING AND OPERATING
150

NORMAL OPERATION — 6.7L DIESEL
ENGINE
Observe the following when the engine is
operating.
• All message center lights are off.
• Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is off.
• Engine oil pressure is above 10 psi(69 kPa) at idle.
• Voltmeter operation:
The voltmeter may show a gauge fluctuation
at various engine temperatures. This cycling
operation is caused by the post-heat cycle of
the intake manifold heater system. The num-
ber of cycles and the length of the cycling
operation is controlled by the engine control
module. Post-heat operation can run for sev-
eral minutes, and then the electrical system
and voltmeter needle will stabilize.
The cycling action will cause temporary dim-
ming of the headlamps, interior lamps, and
also a noticeable reduction in blower motor
speed.
Cold Weather Precautions
Operation in ambient temperature below
32°F (0°C) may require special consider-
ations. The following charts suggest these
options:
Winter Front Cover Usage
A winter front or cold weather cover is to be
used in ambient temperatures below 32°F
(0°C), especially during extended idle condi-
tions. This cover is equipped with four flaps
for managing total grille opening in varying
ambient temperatures. If a winter front or
cold weather cover is to be used the flaps
should be left in the full open position to
allow air flow to the charge air cooler and
automatic transmission oil cooler. When am-
bient temperatures drop below 0°F (-17°C)
the four flaps need to be closed. A suitable
cold weather cover is available from your
Mopar dealer.
Engine Idling
Avoid prolonged idling, long periods of idling
may be harmful to your engine because com-
bustion chamber temperatures can drop so low that the fuel may not burn completely.
Incomplete combustion allows carbon and
varnish to form on piston rings, engine valves,
and injector nozzles. Also, the unburned fuel
can enter the crankcase, diluting the oil and
causing rapid wear to the engine.
If the engine is allowed to idle or the truck is
driven on low engine speed drive cycles for
more than 2 hours, the system will automati-
cally enter an emissions operating mode that
will increase the engine idle speed to
900 RPM (1050 RPM for Chassis Cab).
While in this mode, which is designed to help
maintain the diesel particulate filter, the en-
gine idle speed will return to normal when the
brake pedal is applied. A small change in
engine tone or a slight change in engine
performance while accelerating may also 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 min-
utes 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
151

to maintain normal system voltage by auto-
matically increasing engine idle speed. You
may notice several consecutive increases in
idle speed, up to a maximum 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 re-
lated to the vehicle's exhaust system, refer to
“Instrument Cluster Display” in “Getting To
Know Your Instrument Panel” for further in-
formation.
Idle-Up Feature — Automatic Transmission
Only
The driver-controlled high idle speed feature
will help increase cylinder temperatures and
provide additional cab heat, however, exces-
sive idling may still cause the exhaust after-
treatment 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 park-
ing brake applied, and the engine run-
ning, 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 lubricat- ing oil and coolant to carry excess heat away
from the combustion chamber, bearings, in-
ternal components, and turbocharger. This is
especially important for turbocharged,
charge air-cooled engines.
NOTE:
• During engine shut down on vehicles
equipped with manual transmissions, it is
normal for the diesel engine to resonate
heavily for a moment during engine shut
off. When the engine is connected to a
manual transmission, this resonance
causes load gear rattle from the transmis-
sion. This is commonly referred to as “shut
down rattle.” The manufacturer recom-
mends performing engine shut down with
the clutch pedal pushed to the floor (clutch
disengaged). When engine shut down is
performed in this manner the rattle is re-
duced (not eliminated).
• Refer to the following chart for proper en- gine shutdown.
STARTING AND OPERATING
152

Driving ConditionLoadTurbocharger Temperature Idle Time (min.) Before Engine Shut-
down
Stop and Go EmptyCoolLess than One
Stop and Go Medium -One
Highway Speeds MediumWarmTwo
City Traffic Maximum GCWR -Three
Highway Speeds Maximum GCWR -Four
Uphill Grade Maximum GCWR HotFive
ENGINE BREAK-IN
RECOMMENDATIONS — GASOLINE
ENGINE
A long break-in period is not required for the
engine and drivetrain (transmission and axle)
in your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles
(500 km). After the initial 60 miles
(100 km), speeds up to 50 or 55 mph (80 or
90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration
within the limits of local traffic laws contrib-
utes to a good break-in. Wide-open throttle
acceleration in low gear can be detrimental
and should be avoided. The engine oil installed in the engine at the
factory is a high-quality energy conserving
type lubricant. Oil changes should be consis-
tent with anticipated climate conditions un-
der which vehicle operations will occur. For
the recommended viscosity and quality
grades, refer to “Fluids And Lubricants” in
“Technical Specifications”.
CAUTION!
Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight
Mineral Oil in the engine or damage may
result.
NOTE:
A new engine may consume some oil during
its first few thousand miles (kilometers) of
operation. This should be considered a nor-
mal part of the break-in and not interpreted
as a problem. Please check your oil level with
the engine oil indicator often during the
break in period. Add oil as required.
153

ENGINE BREAK-IN
RECOMMENDATIONS — 3.0L DIESEL
The diesel engine does not require a break-in
period due to its construction. Normal opera-
tion is allowed, providing the following rec-
ommendations are followed:
• Warm up the engine before placing it underload.
• Do not operate the engine at idle for pro- longed periods.
• Use the appropriate transmission gear to prevent engine lugging.
• Observe vehicle oil pressure and tempera- ture indicators.
• Check the coolant and oil levels frequently.
• Vary throttle position at highway speeds when carrying or towing significant weight.
NOTE:
Light duty operation such as light trailer
towing or no load operation will extend the
time before the engine is at full efficiency.
Reduced fuel economy and power may be
seen at this time. The engine oil installed in the engine at the
factory is a high-quality energy conserving
type lubricant. Oil changes should be consis-
tent with anticipated climate conditions un-
der which vehicle operations will occur. The
recommended viscosity and quality grades
are shown under “Fluids And Lubricants” in
"Technical Specifications” in this manual.
NON-DETERGENT OR STRAIGHT MINERAL
OILS MUST NEVER BE USED.
ENGINE BREAK-IN
RECOMMENDATIONS — 6.7L DIESEL
The Cummins turbocharged diesel engine
does not require a break-in period due to its
construction. Normal operation is allowed,
providing the following recommendations are
followed:
• Warm up the engine before placing it under
load.
• Do not operate the engine at idle for pro- longed periods.
• Use the appropriate transmission gear to prevent engine lugging. • Observe vehicle oil pressure and tempera-
ture indicators.
• Check the coolant and oil levels frequently.
• Vary throttle position at highway speeds when carrying or towing significant weight.
NOTE:
Light duty operation such as light trailer
towing or no load operation will extend the
time before the engine is at full efficiency.
Reduced fuel economy and power may be
seen at this time.
For additional vehicle break-in requirements,
refer to “Trailer Towing” in “Starting And
Operating” of the Owner’s Manual.
Because of the construction of the Cummins
turbocharged diesel engine, engine run-in is
enhanced by loaded operating conditions
which allow the engine parts to achieve final
finish and fit during the first 6,000 miles
(10 000 km).STARTING AND OPERATING
154

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK orNEUTRAL 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
reverse. 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 run-
ning. 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 trans-
WARNING!
mission 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 use the PARK position as a sub-
stitute for the parking brake. Always ap-
ply the parking brake fully when exiting
the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or dam-
age.
• 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 exiting the vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle,
or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Allowing children to be in a vehicle un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
WARNING!
brake, brake pedal or the transmission
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 win-
dows, other controls, or move the ve-
hicle.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if
the following precautions are not ob-
served:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSEonly 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.
155