2019 Ram 1500 ignition

The conditions under which AutoPark will engage are
outlined on the following pages.
WARNING!
•Driver inattention could lead to failure to place the
vehicle in PARK. ALWAYS DO A VISUAL CHECK
that your vehicle is in PARK by verifying that a solid
(not blinking) “P” is indicated in the Instrument
Cluster Display and near the gear selector. If the P
indicator is blinking, your vehicle is not in PARK. As
an added precaution, always apply the parking brake
when exiting the vehicle.
• AutoPark is a supplemental feature. It is not de-
signed to replace the need to shift your vehicle into
PARK. It is a back up system and should not be
relied upon as the primary method by which the
driver shifts the vehicle into PARK.
If the vehicle is not in PARK and the driver turns off the
engine, the vehicle may AutoPark.
AutoPark will engage when all of these conditions are met:
• Vehicle is equipped with a rotary shifter and an 8-speed
transmission
• Vehicle is not in PARK •
Vehicle Speed is 1.2 MPH (1.9 km/h) or less
• Ignition switched from RUN to ACC
NOTE: For Keyless Go equipped vehicles, The engine will
turn off and the ignition switch will change to ACC mode.
After 30 minutes the ignition switches to OFF automati-
cally, unless the driver turns the ignition switch OFF.
If the vehicle is not in PARK and the driver exits the
vehicle with the engine running, the vehicle may Au-
toPark.
AutoPark will engage when all of these conditions are met:
• Vehicle is equipped with a rotary shifter and an 8-speed
transmission
• Vehicle is not in PARK
• Vehicle speed is 1.2 MPH (1.9 km/h) or less
• Driver ’s seat belt is unbuckled
• Driver ’s door is ajar
• Brake Pedal is not depressed
The MESSAGE “ AutoPark Engaged Shift to P then Shift
to Gear” will display in the instrument cluster.
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If Engine Fails To Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” procedure, it may be flooded. Push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there
while the engine is cranking. This should clear any excess
fuel in case the engine is flooded.
The starter motor will engage automatically, run for 10
seconds, and then disengage. Once this occurs, release the
accelerator pedal and the brake pedal, wait 10 to 15
seconds, then repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure.
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
• Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
mission cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel
could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine has started, ignite and damage the converter
and vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster cables
may be used to obtain a start from a booster battery
or the battery in another vehicle. This type of start
can be dangerous if done improperly. Refer to “Jump
Starting Procedure” in “In Case Of Emergency” for
further information.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 10 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to 15
seconds before trying again.
If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the ignition
button/key is released. If this occurs, continue cranking
with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to the floor.
Release the accelerator pedal and the ignition button/key
once the engine is running smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after a 10 second
period of engine cranking with the accelerator pedal held
to the floor, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the “Normal
Starting” procedure.
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NOTE:A new engine may consume some oil during its
first few thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This
should be considered a normal part of the break-in and not
interpreted as a problem. Please check your oil level with
the engine oil indicator often during the break in period.
Add oil as required.
PARKING BRAKE
Electric Park Brake (EPB)
Your vehicle is equipped with an Electric Park Brake
System (EPB) that offers simple operation, and some
additional features that make the parking brake more
convenient and useful.
The parking brake is primarily intended to prevent the
vehicle from rolling while parked. Before leaving the
vehicle, make sure that the park brake is applied. Also, be
certain to leave the transmission in PARK.
You can engage the park brake in two ways:
• Manually, by applying the park brake switch.
• Automatically, by enabling the Auto Park Brake feature
in the customer programmable features section of the
Uconnect settings. The park brake switch is located on the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel (below the headlamp switch).
To apply the park brake manually, pull up on the switch
momentarily. You may hear a slight whirring sound from
the back of the vehicle while the park brake engages. Once
the park brake is fully engaged, the BRAKE telltale light in
the instrument cluster and an indicator on the switch will
illuminate. If your foot is on the brake pedal while you
apply the park brake, you may notice a small amount of
brake pedal movement. The park brake can be applied
even when the ignition switch is OFF but the BRAKE
Electric Park Brake Switch
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telltale light will not illuminate, however, it can only be
released when the ignition is in the ON/RUN mode.
NOTE:The EPB fault light will illuminate if the EPB switch
is held for longer than 20 seconds in either the released or
applied position. The light will extinguish upon releasing
the switch.
If the Auto Park Brake feature is enabled, the parking brake
will automatically engage whenever the transmission is
placed into PARK. If your foot is on the brake pedal, you
may notice a small amount of brake pedal movement while
the park brake is engaging.
The park brake will release automatically when the igni-
tion is ON, the transmission is in DRIVE or REVERSE, the
driver seat belt is buckled, and an attempt is made to drive
away.
To release the park brake manually, the ignition switch
must be in the ON/RUN mode. Put your foot on the brake
pedal, then push the park brake switch down momentarily.
You may hear a slight whirring sound from the back of the
vehicle while the parking brake disengages. You may also
notice a small amount of movement in the brake pedal.
Once the park brake is fully disengaged, The BRAKE
telltale light in the instrument cluster and the LED indica-
tor on the switch will extinguish. 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. Apply the park
brake before placing the gear selector in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may make
it difficult to move the gear selector out of PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied whenever the
driver is not in the vehicle.
WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
• When exiting the vehicle, always remove the 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 unattended is dangerous for a number
of reasons. A child or others could be seriously or
fatally injured. Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the gear
selector.
(Continued)
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STARTING AND OPERATING 301

Auto Park Brake
The electric park brake can be programmed to be applied
automatically whenever the vehicle is at a standstill and
the automatic transmission is placed in PARK. Auto Park
Brake is enabled and disabled by customer selection
through the customer programmable features section of the
Uconnect Settings.
Any single auto park brake application can be bypassed by
pushing the EPB switch to the release position while the
transmission is placed in PARK.
SafeHold
SafeHold is a safety feature of the Electric Park Brake
System that will engage the park brake automatically if the
vehicle is left unsecured while the ignition is in ON/RUN.
For automatic transmissions, the park brake will automati-
cally engage if all of the following conditions are met:
•The vehicle is at a standstill.
• There is no attempt to depress the brake pedal or
accelerator pedal.
• The seat belt is unbuckled.
• The driver door is open. SafeHold can be temporarily bypassed by pushing the
Electric Park Brake Switch while the driver door is open.
Once manually bypassed, SafeHold will be enabled again
once the vehicle reaches 12 mph (20 km/h) or the ignition
is turned to the OFF position and back to ON again.
Brake Service Mode
We recommend having your brakes serviced by your
authorized dealer. You should only make repairs for which
you have the knowledge and the right equipment. You
should only enter Brake Service Mode during brake ser-
vice.
When servicing your rear brakes, it may be necessary for
you or your technician to push the rear piston into the rear
caliper bore. With the electric park brake system, this can
only be done after retracting the Electric Park Brake
actuator. Fortunately, actuator retraction can be done easily
by entering the Brake Service Mode through the Uconnect
Settings in your vehicle. This menu based system will
guide you through the steps necessary to retract the EPB
actuator in order to perform rear brake service.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 303

Service Mode has requirements that must be met in order
to be activated:
•The vehicle must be at a standstill.
• The park brake must be unapplied.
• The transmission must be in PARK or NEUTRAL.
While in service mode, the Electric Park Brake fault lamp
will flash continuously while the ignition is ON.
When brake service work is complete, the following steps
must be followed to reset the park brake system to normal
operation:
• Ensure the vehicle is at a standstill.
• Press the brake pedal with moderate force.
• Apply the Electric Park Brake Switch.
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Do only that service work for which you
have the knowledge and the right equipment. If you
have any doubt about your ability to perform a service
job, take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the
transmission gear selector out of PARK with the
brake pedal released. Make sure the transmission is
in PARK before exiting the vehicle.
• The transmission may not engage PARK if the ve-
hicle is moving. Always bring the vehicle to a
complete stop before shifting to PARK, and verify
that the transmission gear position indicator solidly
indicates PARK (P) without blinking. Ensure that the
vehicle is completely stopped, and the PARK posi-
tion is properly indicated, before exiting the vehicle.
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL if
the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your
foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
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304 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!(Continued)
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and your foot is firmly
pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you
should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always come to a
complete stop, then apply the parking brake, shift
the transmission into PARK, and turn the ignition
OFF. When the ignition is in the OFF mode, the
transmission is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
• When exiting the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition 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 unattended is dangerous for a number
of reasons. A child or others could be seriously or
fatally injured. Children should be warned not to
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the trans-
mission 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 in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop.
• Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL,
or DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
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Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with an Ignition Park Interlock
which requires the transmission to be in PARK before the
ignition can be turned to the OFF mode. This helps the
driver avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without
placing the transmission in PARK. This system also locks
the transmission in PARK whenever the ignition is in the
OFF mode.
NOTE:The transmission is NOT locked in PARK when
the ignition is in the ACC mode (even though the engine
will be off). Ensure that the transmission is in PARK, and
the ignition is OFF (not in ACC mode) before exiting the
vehicle.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock System (BTSI) that holds the transmission gear
selector in PARK unless the brakes are applied. To shift the
transmission out of PARK, the engine must be running and
the brake pedal must be pressed.
The brake pedal must also be pressed to shift from NEU-
TRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE when the vehicle is
stopped or moving at low speeds.
Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission
The transmission is controlled using a rotary electronic
gear selector located on the instrument panel. The trans-
mission gear range (PRND) is displayed both above the
gear selector and in the instrument cluster. To select a gear
range, simply rotate the gear selector. You must press the
brake pedal to shift the transmission out of PARK (or
NEUTRAL, when the vehicle is stopped or moving at low
speeds). To shift past multiple gear ranges at once (such as
PARK to DRIVE), simply rotate the gear selector to the
appropriate detent. Select the DRIVE range for normal
driving.
NOTE: In the event of a mismatch between the gear
selector position and the actual transmission gear (for
example, driver selects PARK while driving), the position
indicator will blink continuously until the selector is re-
turned to the proper position, or the requested shift can be
completed.
The electronically-controlled transmission adapts its shift
schedule based on driver inputs, along with environmental
and road conditions. The transmission electronics are self-
calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new vehicle
306 STARTING AND OPERATING