2018 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab transmission

The following conditions must be met in order for HSA to
activate:
•The feature must be enabled.
• The vehicle must be stopped.
• Park brake must be off.
• Driver door must be closed.
• The vehicle must be on a sufficient grade.
• The gear selection must match vehicle uphill direction
(i.e., vehicle facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle
backing uphill is in REVERSE gear).
• HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all forward gears.
The system will not activate if the transmission is in
PARK or NEUTRAL. For vehicles equipped with a
manual transmission, if the clutch is pressed, HSA will
remain active.WARNING!
There may be situations where the Hill Start Assist
(HSA) will not activate and slight rolling may occur,
such as on minor hills or with a loaded vehicle, or
while pulling a trailer. HSA is not a substitute for
active driving involvement. It is always the driver ’s
responsibility to be attentive to distance to other ve-
hicles, people, and objects, and most importantly brake
operation to ensure safe operation of the vehicle under
all road conditions. Your complete attention is always
required while driving to maintain safe control of your
vehicle. Failure to follow these warnings can result in
a collision or serious personal injury.
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SAFETY 163

Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll back while
towing a trailer.
WARNING!
•If you use a trailer brake controller with your trailer,
the trailer brakes may be activated and deactivated
with the brake switch. If so, there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold both the vehicle and the
trailer on a hill when the brake pedal is released. In
order to avoid rolling down an incline while resum-
ing acceleration, manually activate the trailer brake
or apply more vehicle brake pressure prior to releas-
ing the brake pedal.
• HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when exiting your vehicle. Also,
be certain to place the transmission in PARK.
• Failure to follow these warnings can result in a
collision or serious personal injury.
Disabling And Enabling HSA
This feature can be turned on or turned off. To change the
current setting, proceed as follows:
• If disabling HSA using your instrument cluster display,
refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Getting To
Know Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
• If disabling HSA using Uconnect Settings, refer to
“Uconnect Settings” in “Multimedia” for further infor-
mation.
For vehicles not equipped with an instrument cluster
display, perform the following steps:
1. Center the steering wheel (front wheels pointing straight forward).
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Start the engine.
5. Rotate the steering wheel slightly more than one-half turn to the left.
164 SAFETY

•R = 0.6 mph (1 km/h)
• N = 1.2 mph (2 km/h)
• D = 0.6 mph (1 km/h)
• 1st = 0.6 mph (1 km/h)
• 2nd = 1.2 mph (2 km/h)
• 3rd = 1.8 mph (3 km/h)
• 4th = 2.5 mph (4 km/h)
• 5th = 3.1 mph (5 km/h)
• 6th = 3.7 mph (6 km/h)
• 7th = 4.3 mph (7 km/h)
• 8th = 5.0 mph (8 km/h)
• 9th = 5.6 mph (9 km/h) – If Equipped
NOTE: During HDC the +/- shifter input is used for HDC
target speed selection, but will not affect the gear chosen by
the transmission. When actively controlling HDC the trans-
mission will shift appropriately for the driver-selected set
speed and corresponding driving conditions. Driver Override
The driver may override HDC activation with throttle or
brake application at anytime.
Deactivating HDC
HDC will be deactivated but remain available if any of the
following conditions occur:
•
Driver overrides HDC set speed with throttle or brake
application.
• Vehicle speed exceeds 20 mph (32 km/h) but remains
below 40 mph (64 km/h).
• Vehicle is on a downhill grade of insufficient magnitude,
is on level ground, or is on an uphill grade.
• Vehicle is shifted to park.
Disabling HDC
HDC will be deactivated and disabled if any of the
following conditions occur:
• The driver pushes the HDC switch.
• The driveline is shifted out of 4WD Low Range.
• The parking brake is applied.
• Driver door opens.
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SAFETY 171

STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING THE ENGINE — GASOLINE
ENGINE ............................. .238
▫ Automatic Transmission ..................238
▫ Normal Starting ....................... .239
▫ Keyless Enter-N-Go — Ignition .............240
▫ If Engine Fails To Start ..................241
▫ Cold Weather Operation
(Below –22°F Or 30°C) ..................242
▫ After Starting ......................... .242
 ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED .....242
 ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS . . . .242
 PARKING BRAKE ...................... .243
 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ..............245
▫ Key Ignition Park Interlock ................246 ▫
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . . .246
▫ Six–Speed Automatic Transmission —
If Equipped ......................... .247
 FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION —
IF EQUIPPED ......................... .255
▫ Manually Shifted Transfer Case — If Equipped . .255
▫ Electronically Shifted Transfer Case
(Four-Position Switch) — If Equipped ........259
 LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL ..............263
 POWER TAKE OFF OPERATION — IF EQUIPPED
(CHASSIS CAB ONLY) ....................264
▫ Stationary Mode ...................... .264
▫ Mobile Mode ......................... .265
 POWER STEERING ...................... .266
▫ Hydraulic Power Steering ................266
6

STARTING THE ENGINE — GASOLINE ENGINE
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belt.
The starter should not be operated for more than 10-second
intervals. Waiting a few seconds between such intervals
will protect the starter from overheating.
WARNING!
•When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
keyless ignition node is in the OFFmode, 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 gear
selector.
(Continued)
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 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.
• Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
Automatic Transmission
Start the engine with the gear selector in the NEUTRAL or
PARK. Apply the brake before shifting into any driving
range.
NOTE: This vehicle is equipped with a transmission
shift interlocking system. The brake pedal must be
pressed to shift out of PARK.
Tip Start Feature
Do not press the accelerator. Cycle the ignition switch
briefly to the START position and release it. The starter
motor will continue to run and will automatically disen-
gage when the engine is running.
238 STARTING AND OPERATING

Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a warm or cold engine is obtained
without pumping or pressing the accelerator pedal. Cycle
the ignition to the RUN position and release when the
engine starts. If the engine fails to start within 10 seconds,
cycle the ignition to the OFF position, wait five seconds,
then repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure.
To Turn On The Engine Using The ENGINE
START/STOP Button
1. Transmission must be in PARK or NEUTRAL.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal while pushing theENGINE 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
automatically after 10 seconds.
4. If you wish to stop the cranking of the engine prior to the engine starting, push the button again.
NOTE: Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine
is obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator
pedal.
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 switch will return to the OFF mode.
3. If the gear selector is not in PARK (with vehicle stopped) and the ENGINE START/STOP button is pushed once,
the transmission will automatically select PARK and the
engine will turn off, however the ignition will remain in
the ACC mode (NOT the OFF mode). Never leave a
vehicle out of the PARK position, or it could roll.
4. 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 switch is left in the ACC or RUN
(engine not running) mode and the transmission is in
PARK, the system will automatically time out after 30
minutes of inactivity and the ignition will switch to the
OFF mode.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 239

Cold Weather Operation (Below –22°F Or 30°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically, and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a grounded,
three-wire extension cord.
Gasoline Engine Only
The engine block heater cord is routed through the grille by
the right front tow hook.
It includes a removable cap that is secured by a tethered
strap. It also has a c-clip that is used for storage when not
in use for the Winter months. During Winter months,
remove the heater cord wiring assembly from itself on the
c-clip.The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater cord
before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt electrical
cord could cause electrocution.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
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 contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental 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 consistent with anticipated climate conditions
242 STARTING AND OPERATING

under which vehicle operations will occur. For the recom-
mended 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 normal 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.
PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied. Also, be certain to leave the trans-
mission in PARK.
The foot operated parking brake is located below the lower
left corner of the instrument panel. To apply the park
brake, firmly push the park brake pedal fully. To release the
parking brake, pull the parking brake release handle. When the parking brake is applied with the ignition switch
ON, the “Brake Warning Light” in the instrument cluster
will illuminate.
NOTE:
•
When the parking brake is applied and the transmission
is placed in gear, the “Brake Warning Light” will flash. If
vehicle speed is detected, a chime will sound to alert the
driver. Fully release the parking brake before attempting
to move the vehicle.
• This light only shows that the parking brake is applied.
It does not show the degree of brake application.
Parking Brake Release
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STARTING AND OPERATING 243