2018 Ram 3500 flat tire

To Stow The Flat Or Spare
NOTE:
RAM 1500 vehicles equipped with alumi-
num wheels cannot be stored under the ve-
hicle because the wheel retainer will not fit
through the wheel pilot hole. Secure the flat
tire in the bed of the truck. Have the flat tire
repaired or replaced immediately.
1. Turn the wheel so that the valve stem isdown. Slide the wheel retainer through
the center of the wheel and position it
properly across the wheel opening.
2. For convenience in checking the spare tire inflation, stow with the valve stem toward
the rear of the vehicle.
3. Attach the lug wrench to the extension tubes with the curved angle facing away
from the vehicle. Rotate the lug wrench
handle clockwise until the wheel is drawn
into place against the underside of the
vehicle. Continue to rotate until you feel
the winch mechanism slip, or click three
or four times. It cannot be overtightened.
Push against the tire several times to be
sure it is firmly in place.
WARNING!
• Do not attempt to change a tire on theside of the vehicle close to moving traf-
fic. Pull far enough off the road to avoid
the danger of being hit when operating
the jack or changing the wheel.
• Being under a jacked-up vehicle is dan-
gerous. The vehicle could slip off the
jack and fall on you. You could be
crushed. Never put any part of your body
under a vehicle that is on a jack.
• Never start or run the engine while the
vehicle is on a jack. If you need to get
under a raised vehicle, take it to your
authorized dealer where it can be raised
on a lift.
• The jack is designed to be used as a tool
for changing tires only. The jack should
not be used to lift the vehicle for service
purposes. The vehicle should be jacked
on a firm level surface only. Avoid ice or
slippery areas.
• Do not attempt to change a tire on the
side of the vehicle close to moving traf-
fic, pull far enough off the road to avoid
WARNING!
the danger of being hit when operating
the jack or changing the wheel.
• Carefully follow these tire changing
warnings to help prevent personal injury
or damage to your vehicle:• Always park on a firm, level surface
as far from the edge of the roadway
as possible before raising the ve-
hicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flash-
ers.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite
the wheel to be raised.
• Set the parking brake firmly and set
an automatic transmission in
PARK; a manual transmission in
REVERSE.
• Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle
when it is on a jack.
• Do not get under the vehicle when it
is on a jack.
• Only use the jack in the positions
indicated and for lifting this vehicle
during a tire change.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
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WARNING!
• If working on or near a roadway, beextremely careful of motor traffic.
• To assure that spare tires, flat or
inflated, are securely stowed,
spares must be stowed with the
valve stem facing the ground.
• Raising the vehicle higher than nec-
essary can make the vehicle less
stable. It could slip off the jack and
hurt someone near it. Raise the ve-
hicle only enough to remove the
tire.
• To avoid the risk of forcing the ve-
hicle off the jack, do not fully
tighten the wheel bolts until the
vehicle has been lowered. Failure to
follow this warning may result in
personal injury.
• To avoid possible personal injury,
handle the wheel covers with care to
avoid contact with any sharp edges.
WARNING!
• A loose tire or jack thrown forward ina collision or hard stop could en-
danger the occupants of the ve-
hicle. Always stow the jack parts
and the spare tire in the places
provided.
• A loose tire thrown forward in a
collision or hard stop could injure
the occupants in the vehicle. Have
the deflated (flat) tire repaired or
replaced immediately.
CAUTION!
• Do not attempt to raise the vehicle byjacking on locations other than those
indicated in the Jacking Instructions for
this vehicle.
• Before raising the wheel off the ground,
make sure that the jack will not damage
surrounding truck parts and adjust the
jack position as required.
• Use a back and forth motion to remove
the hub cap. Do not use a twisting mo-
CAUTION!
tion when removing the hub cap, dam-
age to the hub cap; finish may occur.
• The rear hubcaps on the dual rear wheel
has two pry off notches. Make sure that
the hook of the jack handle driver is
located squarely in the cap notch before
attempting to pull off.
Reinstalling The Jack And Tools
1500 Series Trucks
1. Tighten the jack all the way down by turning the jack turn-screw clockwise un-
til the jack is snug.
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the end of the lug wrench to pull the caps off.
The wheel skin can now be removed.
CAUTION!
• Use a pulling motion to remove the hubcap. Do not use a twisting motion when
removing the hub cap, damage to the
hub cap; finish may occur.
• The rear hub caps on the dual rear wheel
has two pull off notches. Make sure that
the hook of the jack handle driver is
located squarely in the cap notch before
attempting to pull off.
You must use the flat end of the lug wrench to
pull off the wheel skins. Locate the hub cap
pull notches (2 notches on each cap). Insert
the flat tip completely and using a back and
forth motion, loosen the wheel skin. Repeat
this procedure around the tire until the skin
pops off.
Replace the wheel skins first using a rubber
mallet. When replacing the hub caps, tilt the
cap retainer over the lug nut bolt circle and strike the high side down with a rubber mal-
let. Be sure that the hub caps and wheel
skins are firmly seated around the wheel.JUMP STARTING
If your vehicle has a discharged battery, it can
be jump started using a set of jumper cables
and a battery in another vehicle, or by using a
portable battery booster pack. Jump starting
can be dangerous if done improperly, so
please follow the procedures in this section
carefully.
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump starting if the battery
is frozen. It could rupture or explode and
cause personal injury.
CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack
or any other booster source with a system
voltage greater than 12 Volts or damage to
the battery, starter motor, alternator or
electrical system may occur.NOTE:
When using a portable battery booster pack,
follow the manufacturer's operating instruc-
tions and precautions.
Preparations For Jump Start
The battery in your vehicle is located in the
front of the engine compartment, behind the
left headlight assembly.
Positive Jumping Location
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
218

WARNING!
• You can be badly injured working on oraround a motor vehicle. Do only service
work for which you have the knowledge
and the right equipment. If you have any
doubt about your ability to perform a
service job, take your vehicle to a com-
petent mechanic.
• Failure to properly inspect and maintain
your vehicle could result in a component
malfunction and effect vehicle handling
and performance. This could cause an
accident.
Heavy Duty Use Of The Vehicle
Change engine oil at 4,000 miles (6,500 km)
or 350 hours of engine run time if the vehicle
is operated in a dusty and off road environ-
ment or is operated predominately at idle or
only very low engine RPM’s. This type of
vehicle use is considered Severe Duty.
SCHEDULED SERVICING — 1500 3.0L
DIESEL ENGINE
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
oil change indicator system. The oil change
indicator system will remind you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for scheduled
maintenance.
Based on engine operation conditions, the oil
change indicator message will illuminate.
This means that service is required for your
vehicle. Operating conditions such as fre-
quent short-trips, trailer tow, extremely hot or
cold ambient temperatures will influence
when the “Oil Change Required” message is
displayed. Severe Operating Conditions will
cause the change oil message to illuminate
more frequently. Have your vehicle serviced
as soon as possible, within the next
500 miles (805 km). Your authorized dealer will reset the oil
change indicator message after completing
the scheduled oil change. If a scheduled oil
change is performed by someone other than
your authorized dealer, the message can be
reset by referring to the steps described un-
der “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Getting
To Know Your Instrument Panel” in your Own-
er’s Manual for further information.
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change
intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km)
or twelve months, whichever comes first.
Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
• Check engine oil level
• Check windshield washer fluid level
• Check the tire inflation pressures and look
for unusual wear or damage
• Check the fluid levels of the coolant reser- voir, brake master cylinder, and power
steering, and fill as needed
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
234

EXAMPLE:
H = Speed Symbol
• A symbol indicating the range of speeds at which a tire can carry a load corresponding to its load index under certain operating conditions
• The maximum speed corresponding to the speed symbol should only be achieved under specified operating conditions (i.e., tire pressure, vehicle
loading, road conditions, and posted speed limits)
Load Identification:
Absence of the following load identification symbols on the sidewall of the tire indicates a Standard Load (SL) tire:
• XL= Extra load (or reinforced) tire, or
• LL= Light load tire or
• C, D, E, F, G = Load range associated with the maximum load a tire can carry at a specified pressure
Maximum Load – Maximum load indicates the maximum load this tire is designed to carry
Maximum Pressure – Maximum pressure indicates the maximum permissible cold tire inflation pressure for this tire
Tire Identification Number (TIN)
The TIN may be found on one or both sides of
the tire; however, the date code may only be
on one side. Tires with white sidewalls will
have the full TIN, including the date code, located on the white sidewall side of the tire.
Look for the TIN on the outboard side of black
sidewall tires as mounted on the vehicle. If
the TIN is not found on the outboard side,
then you will find it on the inboard side of the
tire.
EXAMPLE:
DOT MA L9 ABCD 0301
DOT = Department of Transportation
• This symbol certifies that the tire is in compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation tire safety standards and is approved for highway
use
MA = Code representing the tire manufacturing location (two digits)
L9 = Code representing the tire size (two digits)
259

EXAMPLE:
ABCD = Code used by the tire manufacturer (one to four digits)
03 = Number representing the week in which the tire was manufactured (two digits)
• 03 means the 3rd week
01 = Number representing the year in which the tire was manufactured (two digits)
• 01 means the year 2001
• Prior to July 2000, tire manufacturers were only required to have one number to represent the year in which the tire was manufactured. Example:
031 could represent the 3rd week of 1981 or 1991
Tire Terminology And Definitions
Term Definition
B-Pillar The vehicle B-Pillar is the structural member of the body located behind the front
door.
Cold Tire Inflation Pressure Cold tire inflation pressure is defined as the tire pressure after the vehicle has not
been driven for at least three hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) after sitting
for a minimum of three hours. Inflation pressure is measured in units of PSI (pounds
per square inch) or kPa (kilopascals).
Maximum Inflation Pressure The maximum inflation pressure is the maximum permissible cold tire inflation pres-
sure for this tire. The maximum inflation pressure is molded into the sidewall.
Recommended Cold Tire Inflation Pressure Vehicle manufacturer's recommended cold tire inflation pressure as shown on the tire
placard.
Tire Placard A label permanently attached to the vehicle describing the vehicle’s loading capacity,
the original equipment tire sizes and the recommended cold tire inflation pressures.
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
260

Tire Loading And Tire Pressure
NOTE:
The proper cold tire inflation pressure is
listed on the driver’s side B-Pillar or the rear
edge of the driver's side door.
Check the inflation pressure of each tire,
including the spare tire (if equipped), at least
monthly and inflate to the recommended
pressure for your vehicle.Tire And Loading Information PlacardThis placard tells you important information
about the:
1. Number of people that can be carried in
the vehicle.
2. Total weight your vehicle can carry.
3. Tire size designed for your vehicle.
4. Cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear, and spare tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must
not exceed the load carrying capacity of the
tire on your vehicle. You will not exceed the
tire's load carrying capacity if you adhere to
the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in “Vehicle
Loading” in the “Starting And Operating”
section of this manual.
NOTE:
Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition,
gross axle weight ratings (GAWRs) for the
front and rear axles must not be exceeded.
Example Tire Placard Location (Door)
Example Tire Placard Location (B-Pillar)
Tire And Loading Information Placard
261

WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is dangerous.
Overloading can cause tire failure, affect
vehicle handling, and increase your stop-
ping distance. Use tires of the recom-
mended load capacity for your vehicle.
Never overload them.
Tires — General Information
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to
the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle. Four primary areas are affected by
improper tire pressure:
• Safety and Vehicle Stability
• Economy
• Tread Wear
• Ride ComfortSafety
WARNING!
• Improperly inflated tires are dangerous
and can cause collisions.
• Underinflation increases tire flexing and
can result in overheating and tire failure.
• Overinflation reduces a tire's ability to cushion shock. Objects on the road and
chuckholes can cause damage that re-
sult in tire failure.
• Overinflated or underinflated tires can
affect vehicle handling and can fail sud-
denly, resulting in loss of vehicle con-
trol.
• Unequal tire pressures can cause steer-
ing problems. You could lose control of
your vehicle.
• Unequal tire pressures from one side of
the vehicle to the other can cause the
vehicle to drift to the right or left.
• Always drive with each tire inflated to
the recommended cold tire inflation
pressure. Both under-inflation and over-inflation affect
the stability of the vehicle and can produce a
feeling of sluggish response or over respon-
siveness in the steering.
NOTE:
• Unequal tire pressures from side to side
may cause erratic and unpredictable steer-
ing response.
• Unequal tire pressure from side to side may cause the vehicle to drift left or right.
Fuel Economy
Underinflated tires will increase tire rolling
resistance resulting in higher fuel consump-
tion.
Tread Wear
Improper cold tire inflation pressures can
cause abnormal wear patterns and reduced
tread life, resulting in the need for earlier tire
replacement.
Ride Comfort And Vehicle Stability
Proper tire inflation contributes to a comfort-
able ride. Over-inflation produces a jarring
and uncomfortable ride.
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
264