2018 Ram 4500 Chassis Cab stop start

Certain conditions, such as a loose or missing
gas cap, poor quality fuel, etc., may illumi-
nate the light after engine start. The vehicle
should be serviced if the light stays on
through several typical driving styles. In most
situations, the vehicle will drive normally and
will not require towing.
When the engine is running, the MIL may
flash to alert serious conditions that could
lead to immediate loss of power or severe
catalytic converter damage. The vehicle
should be serviced as soon as possible if this
occurs.
WARNING!
A malfunctioning catalytic converter, as
referenced above, can reach higher tem-
peratures than in normal operating condi-
tions. This can cause a fire if you drive
slowly or park over flammable substances
such as dry plants, wood, cardboard, etc.
This could result in death or serious injury
to the driver, occupants or others.
CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL) on could cause dam-
age to the vehicle control system. It also
could affect fuel economy and driveability.
If the MIL is flashing, severe catalytic
converter damage and power loss will soon
occur. Immediate service is required.
— Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Active Warning Light — If Equipped
This light will indicate when the Electronic
Stability Control system is Active. The “ESC
Indicator Light” in the instrument cluster will
come on when the ignition is placed in the
ON/RUN or ACC/ON/RUN position, and when
ESC is activated. It should go out with the
engine running. If the “ESC Indicator Light”
comes on continuously with the engine run-
ning, a malfunction has been detected in the
ESC system. If this light remains on after
several ignition cycles, and the vehicle has
been driven several miles (kilometers) at speeds greater than 30 mph (48 km/h), see
your authorized dealer as soon as possible to
have the problem diagnosed and corrected.
• The “ESC Off Indicator Light” and the
“ESC Indicator Light” come on momen-
tarily each time the ignition is placed in the
ON/RUN or ACC/ON/RUN position.
• The ESC system will make buzzing or click- ing sounds when it is active. This is normal;
the sounds will stop when ESC becomes
inactive.
• This light will come on when the vehicle is in an ESC event.
— Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off
Warning Light — If Equipped
This light indicates the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) is off.
Each time the ignition is turned to ON/RUN
or ACC/ON/RUN, the ESC system will be on,
even if it was turned off previously.
— Low Washer Fluid Warning Light —
If Equipped
This indicator will illuminate when the wind-
shield washer fluid is low.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
64

— Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) Warning Light
The warning light switches on and a message
is displayed to indicate that the tire pressure
is lower than the recommended value and/or
that slow pressure loss is occurring. In these
cases, optimal tire duration and fuel con-
sumption may not be guaranteed.
Should one or more tires be in the condition
mentioned above, the display will show the
indications corresponding to each tire in
sequence.
CAUTION!
Do not continue driving with one or more
flat tires as handling may be compro-
mised. Stop the vehicle, avoiding sharp
braking and steering. If a tire puncture
occurs, repair immediately using the dedi-
cated tire repair kit and contact your au-
thorized dealer as soon as possible.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la-
bel. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined
with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This se-
quence will continue upon subsequent ve-
hicle start-ups as long as the malfunction
exists. When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the ve-
hicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunc-
tion telltale after replacing one or more tires
or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
65

STARTING AND OPERATING
STARTING THE ENGINE — GASOLINE
ENGINE................... .120
Normal Starting...............120
STARTING THE ENGINE — 6.7L DIESEL
ENGINE................... .121
Keyless Enter-N-Go — Ignition ......122
Extreme Cold Weather ...........124
NORMAL OPERATION — 6.7L DIESEL
ENGINE................... .125
Cold Weather Precautions.........125
Engine Idling ................125
Stopping The Engine ............126
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS —
GASOLINE ENGINE.............127
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS —
6.7L DIESEL ................ .127
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ......128
Key Ignition Park Interlock........129Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock
System
....................129
Six–Speed Automatic Transmission —
If Equipped .................129
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION —
IF EQUIPPED ............... .131
Electronically Shifted Transfer Case
(Four-Position Switch) — If Equipped .132
SPEED CONTROL..............133
To Activate..................134
To Set A Desired Speed ..........134
To Vary The Speed Setting .........134
To Accelerate For Passing .........135
To Resume Speed .............135
To Deactivate ................135
PARKSENSE FRONT AND REAR PARK
ASSIST — IF EQUIPPED .........136
Cleaning The ParkSense System .....136
PARKVIEW REAR BACK UP CAMERA —
IF EQUIPPED............... .136REFUELING THE VEHICLE — GAS . . . .138
Materials Added To Fuel
..........139
REFUELING THE VEHICLE — DIESEL
CHASSIS CAB MODELS..........139
Diesel Exhaust Fluid............139
Diesel Exhaust Fluid Storage .......140
Adding Diesel Exhaust Fluid .......140
TRAILER TOWING.............142
Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings)...............142
Towing Requirements ...........142
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)............147
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another
Vehicle....................147
Recreational Towing — Two-Wheel Drive
Models .....................147
Recreational Towing — Four-Wheel Drive
Models ....................148
STARTING AND OPERATING
119

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 sec-
onds between such intervals will protect the
starter from overheating.
WARNING!
• When leaving the vehicle, always makesure the keyless ignition node is in the
"OFF" mode, 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 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.
WARNING!
• Do not leave the key fob in or near thevehicle, 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.
Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a warm or cold
engine is obtained without pumping or press-
ing 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 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 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 press-
ing 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.
STARTING AND OPERATING
120

2. The ignition switch will return to the OFFmode.
3. If the gear selector is not in PARK (with vehicle stopped) and the ENGINE START/
STOP button is pushed once, the trans-
mission 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 transmis-
sion is in PARK, the system will automatically
time out after 30 minutes of inactivity and
the ignition will switch to the OFF mode.Idle Shutdown — 6.4L Engine Only
This feature can be enabled so that the truck
will automatically shutdown when the truck
has been idling for a set period of time when
the engine is at operating temperature. Idle
time can be set in 5 minute increments
between 5 and 60 minutes. See your local
authorized dealer to enable this feature.
NOTE:
The idle shut down timer is disabled while the
PTO is active.
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.
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.
121

WARNING!
• Do not leave children or animals insideparked 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.
• 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-
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
STARTING AND OPERATING
122

“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
ignition from OFF or ACC to RUN, and will
illuminate the "Wait To Start" telltale. The
engine will not immediately crank, this is
normal operation.
2. The “Wait To Start" telltale will remain on for a period of time that varies depending
on the engine temperature.
123

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
126