2018 Ram ProMaster automatic transmission

• When count down is over (0 mile left),continuous message "Speed limited at re-
fuel or next engine start" is shown in the
Display. In this case, if an engine restart or
a diesel refuel action in engine-on condi-
tion is performed, vehicle’s speed will be
limited to 5 mph and continuous message
"Speed limited DEF low" is shown in the
Display.
• The restriction becomes inactive as soon as the DEF refill event is detected (minimum
quantity to be added is 1 gallon). Transmission Messages
Refer to “Instrument Cluster Messages” un-
der “Automated Manual Transmission” in
“Starting And Operating” for detailed infor-
mation on transmission warning messages.
•Gear unavailable
• Shift not allowed
• Manual unavailable
• Automatic unavailable
• Reduce gear changes
• Press brake and try again
• Transmission temperature high
• Press brake pedal
• Press brake pedal startup delayed
• Shift to neutral
• Tow/Haul ON
• Service transmission
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
32

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.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the
original equipment tires and wheels.
TPMS pressures and warning have been
established for the tire size equipped on
your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result when
using replacement equipment that is not
of the same size, type, and/or style. After-
market wheels can cause sensor damage.
Using aftermarket tire sealants may cause
the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) sensor to become inoperable. Af-
ter using an aftermarket tire sealant it is
recommended that you take your vehicle
to your authorized dealer to have your
sensor function checked.
— Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Warning Light — If Equipped
The “ESC Indicator Light” in the instrument
cluster will come on when the ignition is
placed in the ON/RUN or MAR/ON/RUN po-
sition, and when ESC is activated. It should
go out with the engine running. If the “ESC
Indicator Light” comes on continuously with
the engine running, 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 MAR/ON/RUN position.
• Each time the ignition is turned to ON/RUN or MAR/ON/RUN, the ESC system will be
on, even if it was turned off previously. • 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.
— Engine Check/Malfunction Indica-
tor Warning Light (MIL)
The Engine Check/Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) is a part of an Onboard Diagnostic
System called OBD II that monitors engine
and automatic transmission control systems.
The light will illuminate when the ignition is
in the ON/RUN position before engine start.
If the bulb does not come on when turning
the ignition switch from OFF to ON/RUN,
have the condition checked promptly.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
38

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

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

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

Only shift into DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R)
when the accelerator pedal is released and
the vehicle is stopped. It is necessary to keep
your foot on the brake pedal when shifting
between these gears.
Gear Ranges
Do not depress the accelerator pedal when
shifting from NEUTRAL into another gear
range.NOTE:
After selecting any gear range, wait to allow
the selected gear to engage before accelerat-
ing. This is especially important when the
engine is cold.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle back-
ward. Shift into REVERSE only after the ve-
hicle has come to a complete stop.
To engage REVERSE (R):
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Move the gear selector to the REVERSE (R)
position.
NOTE:
If the vehicle is moving, REVERSE engage-
ment will only occur if the vehicle speed is
less than 2 mph (3 km/h). Otherwise, a chime
will sound, a "Shift not allowed" message will
be displayed in the instrument cluster dis-
play, the transmission will shift to NEUTRAL,
and the REVERSE request must then be
repeated by returning the lever to NEUTRAL
then back into REVERSE once the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. • Release the brake pedal and gently press
the accelerator pedal.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing
for prolonged periods with the engine run-
ning. The engine can only be started in this
range. Apply the parking brake, shift the
transmission into gear, and turn the engine
OFF if you must exit vehicle.
With the engine running, you may shift to
NEUTRAL (N) at any time if the accelerator
pedal is released. Attempting to shift to NEU-
TRAL when the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed will display a "Shift not allowed"
message in the instrument cluster display,
and will activate a continuous chime until the
gear selector is returned to its previous posi-
tion.
DRIVE (D) (Automatic Mode)
This range may be used for both city and
highway driving. The transmission will shift
gears automatically, based on vehicle speed,
engine RPM and accelerator pedal position.
There are some instances where this mode
may be necessary (climbing slippery slopes).
Gear SelectorSTARTING AND OPERATING
82

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).
83

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