2018 Ram ProMaster warning

CAUTION!
If the “Generic Warning Light” remains on
and a “Service Fuel Filter” message dis-
plays, DO NOT START engine before you
drain the water from the fuel filter housing
to avoid engine damage. Please see your
authorized dealer for draining the fuel
filter/water separator and fuel filter re-
placement.
Normal Starting Procedure
The gear selector must be in the NEUTRAL
(N) position, and the brake pedal must be
pressed, to allow engine cranking. Place the
gear selector in NEUTRAL (N) and apply the
brake pedal BEFORE turning the key to the
START/AVV position; otherwise, the engine
will not crank and the key must be cycled
OFF, then back on, before cranking is al-
lowed.
Observe the instrument panel cluster lights
when starting the engine.NOTE:
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or press-
ing the accelerator pedal.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Place the gear selector into the NEUTRAL
(N) position while keeping the brake pedal
depressed.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN/ MAR position and watch the instrument
panel cluster lights.CAUTION!
If the “Generic Warning Light” remains on
and a “Service Fuel Filter” message dis-
plays, DO NOT START engine before you
drain the water from the fuel filter housing
to avoid engine damage. Please see your
authorized dealer for draining the fuel
filter/water separator and fuel filter re-
placement.
4. After the Glow Plug light turns off, turn the ignition switch to the AVV (START)
position to start the engine. Do not press
the accelerator during starting. 5. If you wish to stop the cranking of the
engine prior to the engine starting, release
the ignition key so that it turns back to the
ON/RUN position.
6. Check that the oil pressure warning light has turned off.
7. Release the parking brake.
To start the engine if the transmission is
faulty, the “Delayed startup” procedure may
be required.
NOTE:
Not all Transmission Failures requires the
“Delayed startup” Procedure, it depends on
the type of failure.(refer to "Instrument Clus-
ter Messages" under "Automated Manual
Transmission" in this section for further infor-
mation):
• Begin with the key in the OFF position.
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Turn the key to the START/AVV position and hold it there for at least seven seconds with
the brake depressed. The engine will start,
and the transmission will operate in recov-
ery mode (maximum gear permitted = 3rd,
75

automatic mode not available). If the en-
gine does not start, contact your authorized
dealer.
Extreme Cold Weather
Your vehicle may be equipped with three
heating elements; one engine block heater (a
resistance heater installed in the water jacket
of the engine) and two transmission heaters
(one resistance heater installed under the oil
reservoir of the hydraulic actuation system
and one on the differential cover of the trans-
mission). To ensure reliable starting/
operating in extreme cold temperatures, use
of an externally powered electric engine
block/transmission heater (available from
your authorized dealer) is recommended.
They require a 110–115 Volt AC electrical
outlet with a grounded, three-wire extension
cord. Their use is recommended for environ-
ments that routinely fall below -10°F
(-23°C). They should be used when the ve-
hicle has not been running overnight or lon-
ger periods and should be plugged in two
hours prior to start. Their use is required for
cold starts with temperatures under -17°F
(-27°C).NOTE:
The engine is designed to work at an ambient
temperature ranging from -22°F to + 122°F
(-30°C to + 50C°). Rubber, pipes, timing belt
cover and electronic devices are not designed
to work out of this range.
In the case of LOW temperature after Start-
ing, the Automated Manual Transmission
may not be able to engage first gear. In this
case a message "Shift not allowed" appears.
In this situation use the engine block heater.
NOTE:
The engine and transmission block heater
cord is a factory installed option. If your
vehicle is not equipped, heater cords are
available from your authorized Mopar dealer.
• A 12 Volt heater built into the fuel filter
housing aids in preventing fuel gelling. It is
controlled by a built-in thermostat.
• A Diesel Pre-Heat system both improves engine starting and reduces the amount of
white smoke generated by a warming
engine.
NORMAL OPERATION
Observe the following when the diesel engine
is operating.
• All message center lights are off.
• Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is off.
• Generic Warning Light is off.
• Engine Oil Pressure telltale is notilluminated.
Stopping The Diesel 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 diesel
engines.
NOTE:
Refer to the following chart for proper engine
shutdown.STARTING AND OPERATING
76

• Vary accelerator pedal position at highwayspeeds when carrying or towing significant
weight.
NOTE:
Light duty operation such as light trailer
towing or no load operation will extend the
time before the engine is at full efficiency.
Reduced fuel economy and power may be
seen at this time.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the
factory is a high-quality energy conserving
type lubricant. Oil changes should be consis-
tent with anticipated climate conditions un-
der which vehicle operations will occur. The
recommended viscosity and quality grades
are shown under “Fluids And Lubricants” in
the “Technical Specifications” chapter in
this manual. NON-DETERGENT OR
STRAIGHT MINERAL OILS MUST NEVER
BE USED.ELECTRIC PARK BRAKE (EPB) —
DIESEL ONLY (IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle is equipped with an Electric
Park Brake System (EPB) that offers simple
operation, and some additional features that
make the park brake more convenient and
useful.
The park brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked.
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that
the park brake is applied.
You can engage the park brake in two ways;
• Manually, by applying the park brake switch.
• Automatically, by the Auto Park Brake fea- ture whenever the vehicle speed is below
1.25 mph (2 km/h) and the ignition switch
is in the STOP/OFF position.
The park brake switch is located on the in-
strument panel to the right of the instrument
cluster. To apply the parking brake manually, pull and
tilt the top of the switch away from the
instrument panel momentarily. You may hear
a mechanical sound while the parking brake
operates; this is normal operating noise.
Once the parking brake is fully engaged, the
BRAKE warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter and an indicator on the switch will illumi-
nate. The park brake can be applied even
Electric Park Brake SwitchSTARTING AND OPERATING
78

when the ignition switch is OFF however, it
can only be released when the ignition switch
is in the ON/RUN position.
NOTE:
The EPB fault lamp will illuminate if the EPB
switch is held for longer than 20 seconds if
vehicle speed is less than 1.25 mph (2 kph),
or 60 seconds if vehicle speed is greater than
1.25 mph (2 kph), in either the released or
applied position. The light will extinguish
upon releasing the switch.
The park brake will automatically engage
whenever the ignition switch is turned OFF
and the vehicle speed is below 1.25 mph
(2 km/h) via the Auto Park Brake feature.
The electric park brake will automatically
release if the engine is on and all following
conditions are met:
1. Driver's weight is detected on the driver'sseat.
2. Driver's seat is locked in forward direction (if equipped with swivel seat).
3. Transmission is in forward or reverse gears. 4. The accelerator pedal is pressed.
Or
1. Driver’s weight is detected on the driver’s
seat.
2. Driver’s seat is locked in forward direction (if equipped with swivel seat).
3. Transmission is moved from NEUTRAL to DRIVE or REVERSE gears.
4. Brake pedal is pressed.
5. Vehicle is on a slope less than 5 percent.
To release the park brake manually, the igni-
tion switch must be in the ON/RUN position.
Put your foot on the brake pedal, then push
the parking brake switch down momentarily.
Once the park brake is fully disengaged, the
BRAKE warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter and the LED indicator on the switch will
extinguish.
If during drive away the driver pulls the EPB
switch (apply position) the drive away is
halted and EPB will be reapplied.WARNING!
To prevent SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:
• NEVER install a driver seat cover or any other accessory on your driver seat.
• NEVER make any modifications to the
driver seat components, assembly, or
factory installed seat cover.
• NEVER place objects under the driver
seat.
If your driver seat needs service for any
reason, take your vehicle to your autho-
rized dealer immediately.
NOTE:
• When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on
an uphill grade. The parking brake should
always be applied whenever the driver is not
in the vehicle.
• The Electronic Park Brake system commu- nicates with the Driver Presence Detection
sensor installed in the driver seat. The use
of seat covers or seat accessories could
79

prevent the Electronic Park Brake system
from working properly and result in unin-
tended vehicle movement.
WARNING!
• When leaving the vehicle, always removethe key fob from the ignition and lock
your 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 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.
• Be sure the parking brake is fully disen-
gaged before driving; failure to do so can
lead to brake failure and a collision.
WARNING!
• Always fully apply the parking brakewhen leaving your vehicle, or it may roll
and cause damage or injury.
CAUTION!
If the Brake System Warning Light remains
on with the parking brake released, a brake
system malfunction is indicated. Have the
brake system serviced by an authorized
dealer immediately.
If exceptional circumstances should make it
necessary to engage the park brake while the
vehicle is in motion, a buzzer repeats until
the park brake switch is released or vehicle
speed is below 1.25 mph (2 km/h).
To disengage the park brake while the vehicle
is in motion, release the switch. If the vehicle
is brought to a complete stop using the park
brake, when the vehicle reaches approxi-
mately 1.25 mph (2 km/h) the parking brake
will remain engaged.
WARNING!
Driving the vehicle with the parking brake
engaged, or repeated use of the parking
brake to slow the vehicle may cause seri-
ous damage to the brake system. Be sure
the parking brake is fully disengaged be-
fore driving; failure to do so can lead to
brake failure and a collision.
In the unlikely event of a malfunction of the
Electric Park Brake system, a yellow triangle
EPB fault lamp will illuminate. In this status
some EPB functionality may be deactivated,
in this event, urgent service of the electric
park brake system is required. Do not rely on
the parking brake to hold the vehicle station-
ary, wheel chocks or other mechanical secur-
ing of the vehicle is required to prevent roll-
ing.
Loss Of Electric Power
If electric power is not available and the EPB
must be released for towing the vehicle, the
EPB can be mechanically released by use of
STARTING AND OPERATING
80

an Allen wrench. EPB mechanical release
should only be performed by qualified service
personnel and only when the vehicle is se-
cured from rolling.
AUTOMATED MANUAL TRANSMISSION
— DIESEL ONLY
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave
the vehicle unattended without fully ap-
plying the parking brake. The parking
brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.
The automated manual transmission is a con-
ventional six-speed manual transmission
with an electronically-controlled hydraulic
system that controls the clutch and gear
shifting. In forward gears, this transmission
offers two modes of operation:
• MANUAL (M) Mode — where the driver con-
trols the transmission shifting. •
Automatic Mode (the DRIVE [D] position) —
where the electronic system controls the
gear shifts.
NOTE:
In either mode, there is no clutch pedal; the
electronic system always controls the clutch
operation.
Gear Selector/Transmission Gear Position
The transmission gear selector has REVERSE
(R), NEUTRAL (N), DRIVE (D) and MANUAL
(M) positions.
In the MANUAL (M) position, the lever can be
toggled rearward or forward (+/-) to upshift or
downshift the transmission to the next gear.
With the key ON and the engine OFF the gear
selector can be moved freely from NEUTRAL
(N) to DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R), however
the transmission will not actually shift unless
the brake pedal is pressed. Therefore, the
gear selector and the instrument cluster dis-
play may not correspond to the actual trans-
mission gear range. With the engine running
transmission shifts are allowed even if the
brake pedal is not pressed. NOTE:
• The Automated Manual Transmission must
be in NEUTRAL (N) to start the vehicle.
• The actual transmission gear range (R, N, D, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6) is displayed in the
instrument cluster display whenever the
engine is running.
• When the key is turned OFF the transmis- sion remains in its previous gear position,
regardless of the gear selector position.
• When the key is turned ON (engine off), the instrument cluster display may indicate the
gear selector position rather than the actual
transmission gear position.
To shift the transmission to a particular gear
range (with key ON/engine off), press and
hold the brake pedal, move the gear selector
to NEUTRAL (N), then move the gear selector
to the desired position.
To drive, press the brake pedal and start the
engine, then move the gear selector from
NEUTRAL (N) to the DRIVE (D) position for
automatic mode, the MANUAL (M) position
for manual mode or the REVERSE (R) posi-
tion.
81

NOTE:
Do not press the brake and accelerator pedals
at the same time. Use only one foot to operate
the brake and accelerator.
To operate in DRIVE (D) (Automatic mode):
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Move the gear selector to the DRIVE (D)position.
NOTE:
If the vehicle is moving, DRIVE engagement
will only occur if the vehicle speed is less
than 2 mph (3 km/h). Otherwise, a chime will
sound, the transmission will shift to NEU-
TRAL, and the DRIVE request must then be
repeated by returning the lever to NEUTRAL
and then back into DRIVE once the speed has
been sufficiently reduced.
• To drive, release the brake pedal and press the accelerator pedal.
When in DRIVE (D) the transmission will shift
gears automatically. The Automated Manual
Transmission uses a geartrain and clutch
similar to other manual transmissions. There- fore, you should become familiar with some
of the normal operational characteristics of
the Automated Manual Transmission:
• Engine torque will be interrupted briefly
during the transmission upshifts, making
these shifts more abrupt than with a typical
automatic transmission. This is normal.
• Although transmission shifting is per- formed automatically, the vehicle will not
"creep" when the brake pedal is released,
and may in fact roll down on an incline.
Leaving from a stop, the accelerator pedal
must be pressed to transmit driving torque
to the wheels.
• In Automatic Mode, the Automated Manual Transmission adapts the gear changing
strategy evaluating the road condition such
as slopes in the road.
• During low-speed driving conditions in first gear, vehicle momentum changes may feel
exaggerated in response to changes in ac-
celerator pedal position. This behavior is
normal and is similar to other vehicles
equipped with manual transmissions. • At low speeds you may hear mechanical
noises similar to a manual transmission as
the transmission changes gears. These
noises are normal and will not damage the
transmission.
• Very aggressive driving may result in some clutch odor. A warning message will display
in the instrument cluster display if cool
down actions are needed.
• Before and after the engine is started, you may hear a hydraulic pump for a short
period of time. This noise is normal and will
not damage the transmission.
During extremely cold temperatures, the
transmission will not operate if the oil tem-
perature is -22°F (-30°C) or below. Normal
operation will resume once the transmission
temperature has risen to a suitable level.
When transmission actuation oil temperature
is lower than -22°F (-30°C), engine start will
not be allowed. For this reason the block
heater is recommended below -17°F (-27°C).
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Manual (M) (Manual Mode)
In the MANUAL (M) position the driver is
responsible for choosing the best gear ratio to
engage, depending on driving conditions.
NOTE:
Do not press the brake and accelerator pedals
at the same time. Use only one foot to operate
the brake and accelerator.
To operate in MANUAL (M) mode:
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Move the gear selector to the MANUAL (M)position. The current gear will be displayed
in the instrument cluster.
• To drive, release the brake pedal and press the accelerator pedal.
• Tap the gear selector towards the (+) to engage a higher gear.
• Tap the gear selector towards the (–) posi- tion to engage a lower gear.
• The accelerator pedal need not be released during gear changes in MANUAL mode. • You can shift between DRIVE (D) and
MANUAL (M) positions at any speed, with-
out taking your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
• The system will shift down through the gears automatically (to prevent engine lug-
ging) during closed-throttle decelerations.
• The transmission will automatically down- shift to first gear when coming to a stop.
After a stop, the driver should manually
upshift (+) the transmission as the vehicle
is accelerated.
• You can start out, from a stop, in first or second gear. Tap (+) (at a stop) to select
second gear. Starting out in second gear
may be helpful in snowy or icy conditions.
• The system will ignore shift commands that would cause engine lugging or overspeed.
An audible beep will sound and a "Shift not
allowed" message will appear in the instru-
ment cluster if an inappropriate gear is
requested.
NOTE:
Avoid keeping your hand on the lever when
you are not requesting a gear shift.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer,
carrying a heavy load, etc., and frequent
transmission shifting occurs, press 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 oper-
ating in TOW/HAUL mode, the transmission
shift calibration is modified to accommodate
steep grades in the smoothest possible man-
ner. TOW/HAUL mode is only applicable in
the DRIVE (D) position.
Parking The Vehicle
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave
the vehicle unattended without fully ap-
plying the parking brake. The parking
brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.
To ensure proper parking performance, it is
essential to engage MANUAL (1st) gear,
DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R) gear while your
foot is on the brake pedal. Once MANUAL
STARTING AND OPERATING
84