2018 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab clutch

Heated Steering Wheel — If Equipped
The steering wheel contains a heating element that helps
warm your hands in cold weather. The heated steering
wheel has only one temperature setting. Once the heated
steering wheel has been turned on, it will operate for an
average of 80 minutes before automatically shutting off.
This time may vary based on the temperature of the
surrounding environment or the heated steering wheel
may not turn on when it is already warm.
The heated steering wheel control button is located on the
center instrument panel below the climate controls. There
are also buttons located within the climate or controls
screen of the touchscreen.
•Press the heated steering wheel button
once to turn
the heating element on.
• Press the heated steering wheel buttona second time
to turn the heating element off.
NOTE: The engine must be running for the heated steering
wheel to operate.
Vehicles Equipped With Remote Start
On models that are equipped with remote start, the heated
steering wheel can be programmed to come on during a
remote start. This feature can be programmed through the Uconnect
system. Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Multimedia” for
further information.
WARNING!
•
Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes,
spinal cord injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaus-
tion, or other physical conditions must exercise care
when using the steering wheel heater. It may cause
burns even at low temperatures, especially if used
for long periods.
• Do not place anything on the steering wheel that
insulates against heat, such as a blanket or steering
wheel covers of any type and material. This may
cause the steering wheel heater to overheat.
DRIVER ADJUSTABLE PEDALS — IF EQUIPPED
The adjustable pedals system is designed to allow a greater
range of driver comfort for steering wheel tilt and seat
position. This feature allows the brake, accelerator, and
clutch pedals (if equipped) to move toward or away from
the driver to provide improved position with the steering
wheel.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE 57

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

Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the complete
exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken, dam-
aged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open seams or
loose connections could permit exhaust fumes to seep into
the passenger compartment. In addition, inspect the ex-
haust system each time the vehicle is raised for lubrication
or oil change. Replace as required.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision.
Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision
if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor, torn web-
bing, etc.). If there is any question regarding seat belt or
retractor condition, replace the seat belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The Air Bag warning lightwill turn on for four to
eight seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first turned to ON/RUN. If the light is either not on
during starting, stays on, or turns on while driving,
have the system inspected at your authorized dealer as
soon as possible. After the bulb check, this light will
illuminate with a single chime when a fault with the Air
Bag System has been detected. It will stay on until the
fault is cleared. If the light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving, have your authorized dealer
service the vehicle immediately. Refer to “Occupant
Restraint Systems” in “Safety” for further information.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place the
blower control on high speed. You should be able to feel the
air directed against the windshield. See your authorized
dealer for service if your defroster is inoperable.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit your vehicle. Only
use a floor mat that does not interfere with the operation of
the accelerator, brake or clutch pedals. Only use a floor mat
that is securely attached using the floor mat fasteners so it
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the accelera-
tor, brake or clutch pedals or impair safe operation of your
vehicle in other ways.
232 SAFETY

WARNING!
An improperly attached, damaged, folded, or stacked
floor mat, or damaged floor mat fasteners may cause
your floor mat to interfere with the accelerator, brake,
or clutch pedals and cause a loss of vehicle control. To
prevent SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:
•ALWAYS securely attach
your floor mat using the
floor mat fasteners. DO NOT install your floor mat
upside down or turn your floor mat over. Lightly pull
to confirm mat is secured using the floor mat fasten-
ers on a regular basis.
• ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING FLOOR MAT
FROM THE VEHICLE
before installing any other
floor mat. NEVER install or stack an additional floor
mat on top of an existing floor mat.
• ONLY install floor mats designed to fit your vehicle.
NEVER install a floor mat that cannot be properly
attached and secured to your vehicle. If a floor mat
needs to be replaced, only use a FCA approved floor
mat for the specific make, model, and year of your
vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•ONLY use the driver ’s side floor mat on the driver ’s
side floor area. To check for interference, with the
vehicle properly parked with the engine off, fully
depress the accelerator, the brake, and the clutch
pedal (if present) to check for interference. If your
floor mat interferes with the operation of any pedal,
or is not secure to the floor, remove the floor mat
from the vehicle and place the floor mat in your
trunk.
• ONLY use the passenger ’s side floor mat on the
passenger ’s side floor area.
• ALWAYS make sure objects cannot fall or slide into
the driver ’s side floor area when the vehicle is
moving. Objects can become trapped under accelera-
tor, brake, or clutch pedals and could cause a loss of
vehicle control.
• NEVER place any objects under the floor mat (e.g.,
towels, keys, etc.). These objects could change the
position of the floor mat and may cause interference
with the accelerator, brake, or clutch pedals.
(Continued)
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SAFETY 233

WARNING!(Continued)
•If the vehicle carpet has been removed and re-
installed, always properly attach carpet to the floor
and check the floor mat fasteners are secure to the
vehicle carpet. Fully depress each pedal to check for
interference with the accelerator, brake, or clutch
pedals then re-install the floor mats.
• It is recommended to only use mild soap and water
to clean your floor mats. After cleaning, always check
your floor mat has been properly installed and is
secured to your vehicle using the floor mat fasteners
by lightly pulling mat.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks, and bulges.
Check the wheel bolts for tightness. Check the tires (includ-
ing spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for proper closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under the vehicle after overnight parking for
fuel, coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, or brake fluid leaks are
suspected. The cause should be located and corrected
immediately.
234 SAFETY

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.
NOTE:
Use caution when operating a heavily loaded vehicle
at low speeds (such as towing a trailer up a steep grade, or in
stop-and-go traffic) during hot weather. In these conditions,
torque converter slip can impose a significant additional heat
load on the cooling system. Downshifting the transmission to
the lowest possible gear (when climbing a grade), or shifting
to NEUTRAL (when stopped in heavy traffic) can help to
reduce this excess heat generation.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may be
modified depending on engine and transmission tempera-
ture as well as vehicle speed. This feature improves warm up
time of the engine and transmission to achieve maximum
efficiency. Engagement of the torque converter clutch is
inhibited until the transmission fluid is warm (refer to the
“Note” under “Torque Converter Clutch” in this section).
On models with 66RFE transmission, top overdrive gear is
also inhibited until the transmission fluid is warm, and
during extremely cold temperatures (-16°F [-27°C] or be-
low), operation may briefly be limited to first and direct
gears only. On trucks with AS66RC transmission, fifth and
sixth gears may be inhibited briefly on cold starts below
41°F (5°C), and during very cold temperatures (-4°F [-20°C]
or below), operation may briefly be limited to third gear
only. During this condition, the ability of the vehicle to
accelerate under heavily loaded conditions may be re-
duced. In all cases, normal operation will resume once the
transmission 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 remains
in fourth gear (for 66RFE transmission) or third gear (for
AS66RC transmission) regardless of which forward gear is
selected. If an AS66RC equipped truck enters Limp Home
Mode at highway speeds, it will initially engage fifth gear,
until the vehicle slows to a speed where third gear can be
engaged. PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL will continue
to operate. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be
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STARTING AND OPERATING 251

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
will automatically downshift (for engine braking) when the
throttle is closed and/or during steady braking maneu-
vers.The “TOW/HAUL Indicator Light” will illuminate in the
instrument cluster to indicate that TOW/HAUL mode has
been activated. Pushing the switch a second time restores
normal operation. Normal operation is always the default
at engine start-up. If TOW/HAUL mode is desired, the
switch must be pushed each time the engine is started.
WARNING!
Do not use the “TOW/HAUL” feature when driving in
icy or slippery conditions. The increased engine brak-
ing 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 result-
ing in personal injury or death.
Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been
included in the automatic transmission on your vehicle. A
clutch within the torque converter engages automatically
at calibrated speeds. This may result in a slightly different
feeling or response during normal operation in the upper
gears. When the vehicle speed drops or during some
accelerations, the clutch automatically disengages.
TOW/HAUL Switch
254 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:
•The torque converter clutch will not engage (and 66RFE-
equipped trucks will not shift to sixth gear), until the
transmission fluid and engine coolant are warm [usually
after 1 to 3 miles (2 to 5 km) of driving]. Because engine
speed is higher when the torque converter clutch is not
engaged, it may seem as if the transmission is not
shifting properly when cold. This is normal. Using the
Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control, when the
transmission is sufficiently warm, will demonstrate that
the transmission is able to shift into and out of Over-
drive.
• If the vehicle has not been driven for several days, the
first few seconds of operation after shifting the transmis-
sion into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to the fluid
partially draining from the torque converter into the
transmission. This condition is normal and will not
cause damage to the transmission. The torque converter
will refill within five seconds after starting the engine.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION — IF EQUIPPED
Four-wheel drive trucks are equipped with either a manu-
ally shifted transfer case or an electronically shifted trans-
fer case. Refer to the operating instructions for your
transfer case, located in this section for further information.
Manually Shifted Transfer Case — If Equipped
The transfer case provides four mode positions:
• Two-Wheel Drive High Range (2H)
• Four-Wheel Drive Lock High Range (4H)
• Neutral (N)
• Four-Wheel Drive Low Range (4L)
For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position, see the information below:
2H
Two-Wheel Drive High Range — This range is for normal
street and highway driving on dry, hard surfaced roads.
4H
Four-Wheel Drive Lock High Range — This range locks the
front and rear driveshafts together forcing the front and
rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. Additional traction
for loose, slippery road surfaces only.
NEUTRAL (N)
Neutral — This range disengages both the front and rear
driveshafts from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing
behind another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 255