2018 Ram 4500 Chassis Cab traction control

Electronically Shifted Transfer
Case (Four-Position Switch) —
If Equipped
The electronic shift transfer case is operated
by the 4WD Control Switch (Transfer Case
Switch), which is located on the instrument
panel.This electronically shifted transfer case pro-
vides four mode positions: • Two-Wheel Drive High Range (2WD)
• Four-Wheel Drive Lock High Range (4WD
LOCK)
• Four-Wheel Drive Low Range (4WD LOW)
• Neutral (NEUTRAL)
For additional information on the appropriate
use of each transfer case mode position, see
the information below:
2WD
Rear Wheel Drive High Range — This range is
for normal street and highway driving on dry,
hard surfaced roads.
4WD LOCK
Four-Wheel Drive Lock High Range — This
range maximizes torque to the front drive-
shaft, forcing the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed. This range provides
additional traction for loose, slippery road
surfaces only.
4WD LOW
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range
provides low speed four-wheel drive. It maxi-
mizes torque to the front driveshaft, forcing
Four-Position/Part Time Transfer Case
STARTING AND OPERATING
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the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same
speed. This range provides additional trac-
tion and maximum pulling power for loose,
slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed
25 mph (40 km/h).
NEUTRAL (N)
Neutral — This range disengages both the
front and rear driveshafts from the pow-
ertrain. To be used for flat towing behind
another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Tow-
ing” in this section for further information.
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if
you leave the vehicle unattended with the
transfer case in the NEUTRAL position
without first fully engaging the parking
brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL posi-
tion disengages both the front and rear
drive shafts from the powertrain and will
allow the vehicle to roll, even if the trans-
mission is in PARK. The parking brake
should always be applied when the driver
is not in the vehicle.This electronically shifted transfer case is
designed to be driven in the two-wheel drive
position (2WD) for normal street and highway
conditions on dry, hard surfaced roads.
When additional traction is required, the
transfer case 4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW po-
sitions can be used to maximize torque to the
front driveshaft, forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is
accomplished by rotating the 4WD Control
Switch to the desired position.
Refer to “Shifting Procedure” in the “Start-
ing And Operating” section of your Owner’s
Manual
locatedat
www.mopar.com/en-us/care/owners-manual.html
(U.S. Residents) or www.owners.mopar.ca
(Canadian Residents) for specific shifting in-
structions.
SPEED CONTROL
When engaged, the Speed Control takes over
accelerator operations at speeds greater than
25 mph (40 km/h). The Speed Control buttons are located on the
right side of the steering wheel.
Speed Control Buttons
1 — Push Cancel
2 — Push On/Off
3 — Push Resume/Accel
4 — Push Set/Decel
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It is recommended you contact your autho-
rized tire dealer or original equipment dealer
with any questions you may have on tire
specifications or capability. Failure to use
equivalent replacement tires may adversely
affect the safety, handling, and ride of your
vehicle.
WARNING!
• Do not use a tire, wheel size, load rating,or speed rating other than that specified
for your vehicle. Some combinations of
unapproved tires and wheels may
change suspension dimensions and per-
formance characteristics, resulting in
changes to steering, handling, and brak-
ing of your vehicle. This can cause un-
predictable handling and stress to steer-
ing and suspension components. You
could lose control and have a collision
resulting in serious injury or death. Use
only the tire and wheel sizes with load
ratings approved for your vehicle.
• Never use a tire with a smaller load index
or capacity, other than what was origi-
nally equipped on your vehicle. Using a
WARNING!
tire with a smaller load index could re-
sult in tire overloading and failure. You
could lose control and have a collision.
• Failure to equip your vehicle with tires
having adequate speed capability can
result in sudden tire failure and loss of
vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a
different size may result in false speedom-
eter and odometer readings.
Tire Types
All Season Tires — If Equipped
All Season tires provide traction for all sea-
sons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter).
Traction levels may vary between different all
season tires. All season tires can be identified
by the M+S, M&S, M/S or MS designation on
the tire sidewall. Use all season tires only in
sets of four; failure to do so may adversely
affect the safety and handling of your vehicle.
Summer Or Three Season Tires —
If Equipped
Summer tires provide traction in both wet
and dry conditions, and are not intended to
be driven in snow or on ice. If your vehicle is
equipped with Summer tires, be aware these
tires are not designed for Winter or cold
driving conditions. Install Winter tires on your
vehicle when ambient temperatures are less
than 40°F (5°C) or if roads are covered with
ice or snow. For more information, contact an
authorized dealer.
Summer tires do not contain the all season
designation or mountain/snowflake symbol
on the tire sidewall. Use Summer tires only in
sets of four; failure to do so may adversely
affect the safety and handling of your vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not use Summer tires in snow/ice con-
ditions. You could lose vehicle control,
resulting in severe injury or death. Driving
too fast for conditions also creates the
possibility of loss of vehicle control.
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CAUTION!
wheel's protective finish. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty. Only car wash soap, Mopar
Wheel Cleaner or equivalent is recom-
mended.
NOTE:
If you intend parking or storing your vehicle
for an extended period after cleaning the
wheels with wheel cleaner, drive your vehicle
and apply the brakes to remove the water
droplets from the brake components. This
activity will remove the red rust on the brake
rotors and prevent vehicle vibration when
braking.
Dark Vapor Chrome, Black Satin Chrome, or Low
Gloss Clear Coat Wheels
CAUTION!
If your vehicle is equipped with these
specialty wheels, DO NOT USE wheel
cleaners, abrasives, or polishing com-
pounds. They will permanently damage
this finish and such damage is not covered
CAUTION!
by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
HAND WASH ONLY USING MILD SOAP
AND WATER WITH A SOFT CLOTH. Used
on a regular basis; this is all that is re-
quired to maintain this finish.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADES
The following tire grading categories
were established by the National High-
way Traffic Safety Administration. The
specific grade rating assigned by the
tire's manufacturer in each category is
shown on the sidewall of the tires on
your vehicle.
All passenger vehicle tires must con-
form to Federal safety requirements in
addition to these grades.
Treadwear
The Treadwear grade is a comparative
rating, based on the wear rate of the
tire when tested under controlled con-
ditions on a specified government test
course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100. The rela-
tive performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart signifi-
cantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices,
and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
Traction Grades
The Traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. These
grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement, as measured
under controlled conditions on speci-
207

fied government test surfaces of as-
phalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hy-
droplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature Grades
The Temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat,
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance, which all pas-
senger vehicle tires must meet underthe Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dard No. 109. Grades B and A repre-
sent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel, than the
minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that is prop-
erly inflated and not overloaded. Ex-
cessive speed, under-inflation, or
excessive loading, either separately
or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
208