2018 Ram 4500 Chassis Cab tow

Seat Belt Systems
Buckle up even though you are an excellent
driver, even on short trips. Someone on the
road may be a poor driver and could cause a
collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save
lives, and they can reduce the seriousness of
injuries in a collision. Some of the worst
injuries happen when people are thrown from
the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility
of ejection and the risk of injury caused by
striking the inside of the vehicle. Everyone in
a motor vehicle should be belted at all times.
Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert)
Driver and Passenger BeltAlert (if equipped)
BeltAlert is a feature intended to remind
the driver and outboard front seat passenger
(if equipped with outboard front passenger
seat BeltAlert) to buckle their seat belts. The
Belt Alert feature is active whenever the igni-
tion switch is in the START or ON/RUN posi-
tion. Initial Indication
If the driver is unbuckled when the ignition
switch is first in the START or ON/RUN posi-
tion, a chime will signal for a few seconds. If
the driver or outboard front seat passenger (if
equipped with outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert) is unbuckled when the ignition
switch is first in the START or ON/RUN posi-
tion the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn on
and remain on until both outboard front seat
belts are buckled. The outboard front passen-
ger seat BeltAlert is not active when an out-
board front passenger seat is unoccupied.
BeltAlert Warning Sequence
The BeltAlert warning sequence is activated
when the vehicle is moving above a specified
vehicle speed range and the driver or out-
board front seat passenger is unbuckled (if
equipped with outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert) (the outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert is not active when the outboard
front passenger seat is unoccupied). The
BeltAlert warning sequence starts by blinking
the Seat Belt Reminder Light and sounding
an intermittent chime. Once the BeltAlert
warning sequence has completed, the Seat Belt Reminder Light will remain on until the
seat belts are buckled. The BeltAlert warning
sequence may repeat based on vehicle speed
until the driver and occupied outboard front
seat passenger seat belts are buckled. The
driver should instruct all occupants to buckle
their seat belts.
Change of Status
If the driver or outboard front seat passenger
(if equipped with outboard front passenger
seat BeltAlert) unbuckles their seat belt
while the vehicle is traveling, the BeltAlert
warning sequence will begin until the seat
belts are buckled again.
The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert
is not active when the outboard front passen-
ger seat is unoccupied. BeltAlert may be
triggered when an animal or other items are
placed on the outboard front passenger seat
or when the seat is folded flat (if equipped). It
is recommended that pets be restrained in
the rear seat (if equipped) in pet harnesses or
pet carriers that are secured by seat belts,
and cargo is properly stowed.
SAFETY
78

3. When the seat belt is long enough to fit,insert the latch plate into the buckle until
you hear a “click.”
4. Position the lap belt so that it is snug and lies low across your hips, below your ab-
domen. To remove slack in the lap belt
portion, pull up on the shoulder belt. To
loosen the lap belt if it is too tight, tilt the
latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug
seat belt reduces the risk of sliding under
the seat belt in a collision. 5. Position the shoulder belt across the
shoulder and chest with minimal, if any
slack so that it is comfortable and not
resting on your neck. The retractor will
withdraw any slack in the shoulder belt.
6. To release the seat belt, push the red button on the buckle. The seat belt will
automatically retract to its stowed posi-
tion. If necessary, slide the latch plate
down the webbing to allow the seat belt to
retract fully.Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a
twisted lap/shoulder belt.
1. Position the latch plate as close as pos-sible to the anchor point.
2. At about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) above the latch plate, grasp and twist the
seat belt webbing 180 degrees to create a
fold that begins immediately above the
latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing. The folded webbing must
enter the slot at the top of the latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the folded webbing and the seat
belt is no longer twisted.
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the driver and front passenger seats, the
top of the shoulder belt can be adjusted
upward or downward to position the seat belt
away from your neck. Push or squeeze the
anchorage button to release the anchorage,
and move it up or down to the position that
serves you best.
Inserting Latch Plate Into Buckle
Positioning The Lap Belt
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1. Remove the mini-latch plate and regularlatch plate from its stowed position on the
seat.
2. Grasp the mini-latch plate and pull theseat belt over the seat.
3. Route the shoulder belt to the inside of the right head restraint.
4. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the mini-latch plate into the mini-
buckle until you hear a “click.” 5. Sit back in seat. Slide the regular latch
plate up the webbing as far as necessary
to allow the seat belt to go around your
lap.
6. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch plate into the buckle until
you hear a “click.”
7. Position the lap belt so that it is snug and lies low across your hips, below your ab-
domen. To remove slack in the lap belt
portion, pull up on the shoulder belt. To
loosen the lap belt if it is too tight, pull on
the lap belt. A snug seat belt reduces the
risk of sliding under the seat belt in a
collision.
8. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is comfortable and not resting on
your neck. The retractor will withdraw any
slack in the seat belt.
9. To release the seat belt, push the red button on the buckle.
Connect Mini-Latch To Mini-Buckle
Mini-Latch And Mini-Buckle Connected
83

10. To disengage the mini-latch plate fromthe mini-buckle for storage, insert the
regular latch plate into the center red
slot on the mini-buckle. The seat belt
will automatically retract to its stowed
position. If necessary, slide the latch
plate down the webbing to allow the seat
belt to retract fully. Insert the mini-latch
plate and regular latch plate into its
stowed position.WARNING!
• If the mini-latch plate and mini-buckleare not properly connected when the
seat belt is used by an occupant, the
seat belt will not be able to provide
proper restraint and will increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
• When reattaching the mini-latch plate
and mini-buckle, ensure the seat belt
webbing is not twisted. If the webbing is
twisted, follow the preceding procedure
to detach the mini-latch plate and mini-
buckle, untwist the webbing, and reat-
tach the mini-latch plate and mini-
buckle.
First Row Center Lap Belt Operating Instruc-
tions — If Equipped
The center seating position for the Crew Cab
front seat has a lap belt only. To buckle the
lap belt, slide the latch plate into the buckle
until you hear a "click." To lengthen the lap
belt, tilt the latch plate and pull. To remove slack, pull the loose end of the
webbing. Wear the lap belt snug against the
hips. Sit back and upright in the seat, then
adjust the seat belt as tightly as is comfort-
able.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is not long enough to fit properly,
even when the webbing is fully extended and
the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage
(if equipped) is in its lowest position, your
authorized dealer can provide you with a Seat
Belt Extender. The Seat Belt Extender should
be used only if the existing seat belt is not
long enough. When the Seat Belt Extender is
not required for a different occupant, it must
be removed.
WARNING!
• ONLY use a Seat Belt Extender if it is
physically required in order to properly
fit the original seat belt system. DO NOT
USE the Seat Belt Extender if, when
worn, the distance between the front
edge of the Seat Belt Extender buckle
Detaching Mini-Buckle With Seat Belt Tongue
SAFETY
84

LATCH-compatible child restraint systems
will be equipped with a rigid bar or a flexible
strap on each side. Each will have a hook or
connector to attach to the lower anchorage
and a way to tighten the connection to the
anchorage. Forward-facing child restraints
and some rear-facing child restraints will also
be equipped with a tether strap. The tether
strap will have a hook at the end to attach to
the top tether anchorage and a way to tighten
the strap after it is attached to the anchorage.
Center Seat LATCH
Regular Cab Or Crew Cab Full Bench Rear Seat:
No Lower Center LATCH Anchorages Available
WARNING!
• Do not install a child restraint in thecenter position using the LATCH system.
This position is not approved for install-
ing child seats using the LATCH attach-
ments. You must use the seat belt and
tether anchor to install a child seat in the
center seating position.
• Never use the same lower anchorage to
attach more than one child restraint.
WARNING!
Please refer to “To Install A LATCH-
Compatible Child Restraint” for typical
installation instructions.
Crew Cab Split Bench Rear Seat: Center LATCH
Anchorages Available
If a child restraint installed in the center
position blocks the seat belt webbing or
buckle for the outboard position, do not use
that outboard position. If a child seat in the
center position blocks the outboard LATCH
anchors or seat belt, do not install a child
seat in that outboard position.
WARNING!
Never use the same lower anchorage to
attach more than one child restraint.
Please refer to “To Install A LATCH-
Compatible Child Restraint” for typical
installation instructions.
Always follow the directions of the child re-
straint manufacturer when installing your
child restraint. Not all child restraint systems
will be installed as described here.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Re-
straint
If the selected seating position has a Switch-
able Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) seat
belt, stow the seat belt, following the instruc-
tions below. See the section “Installing Child
Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat Belt” to
check what type of seat belt each seating
position has.
1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on the tether strap of the child seat so
that you can more easily attach the hooks
or connectors to the vehicle anchorages.
2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. For
some second row seats, you may need to
recline the seat and / or raise the head
restraint to get a better fit. If the rear seat
can be moved forward and rearward in the
vehicle, you may wish to move it to its
rear-most position to make room for the
child seat. You may also move the front
seat forward to allow more room for the
child seat.
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3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors ofthe child restraint to the lower anchorages
in the selected seating position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage.
See the section “Installing Child Re-
straints Using the Top Tether Anchorage”
for directions to attach a tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward
into the seat. Remove slack in the straps
according to the child restraint manufac-
turer’s instructions.
6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the
child seat at the belt path. It should not
move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any
direction.How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR
(ALR) Seat Belt:
When using the LATCH attaching system to
install a child restraint, stow all ALR seat
belts that are not being used by other occu-
pants or being used to secure child restraints.
An unused belt could injure a child if they
play with it and accidentally lock the seat belt
retractor. Before installing a child restraint
using the LATCH system, buckle the seat belt
behind the child restraint and out of the
child’s reach. If the buckled seat belt inter-
feres with the child restraint installation,
instead of buckling it behind the child re-
straint, route the seat belt through the child
restraint belt path and then buckle it. Do not
lock the seat belt. Remind all children in the
vehicle that the seat belts are not toys and
that they should not play with them.
WARNING!
• Improper installation of a child restraintto the LATCH anchorages can lead to
failure of the restraint. The child could
be badly injured or killed. Follow the
WARNING!
child restraint manufacturer’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child
restraint.
• Child restraint anchorages are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed
by correctly-fitted child restraints. Un-
der no circumstances are they to be
used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or
for attaching other items or equipment
to the vehicle.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Ve-
hicle Seat Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt.
WARNING!
• Improper installation or failure to prop-erly secure a child restraint can lead to
failure of the restraint. The child could
be badly injured or killed.
SAFETY
106

WARNING!
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 fasteners 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.
• 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
WARNING!
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 accelerator,
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 ob-
jects could change the position of the
floor mat and may cause interference
with the accelerator, brake, or clutch
pedals.
• 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
WARNING!
check for interference with the accelera-
tor, 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 se-
cured 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 (including spare)
for proper cold inflation pressure.
117

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