2019 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab ignition

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 159
Onboard Diagnostic System (OBD II) Cybersecurity
Your vehicle is required to have an Onboard Diagnostic
system (OBD II) and a connection port to allow access to
information related to the performance of your emissions
controls. Authorized service technicians may need to access
this information to assist with the diagnosis and service of
your vehicle and emissions system.
For further information, refer to “Cybersecurity” in “Multi-
media”.
EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass an
inspection of your vehicle's emissions control system. Failure
to pass could prevent vehicle registration.
For states that require an Inspection and Mainte -
nance (I/M), this check verifies the “Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL)” is functioning and is not on
when the engine is running, and that the OBD II system is
ready for testing.
Normally, the OBD II system will be ready. The OBD II
system may not be ready if your vehicle was recently
serviced, recently had a depleted battery or a battery replace -
ment. If the OBD II system should be determined not ready
for the I/M test, your vehicle may fail the test.
Your vehicle has a simple ignition actuated test, which you
can use prior to going to the test station. To check if your
vehicle's OBD II system is ready, you must do the following:
1. Cycle the ignition switch to the ON position, but do not crank or start the engine.
WARNING!
• ONLY an authorized service technician should connect equipment to the OBD II connection port in order to
read the VIN, diagnose, or service your vehicle.
• If unauthorized equipment is connected to the OBD II connection port, such as a driver-behavior tracking
device, it may:
• Be possible that vehicle systems, including safety related systems, could be impaired or a loss of
vehicle control could occur that may result in an
accident involving serious injury or death.

• Access, or allow others to access, information stored in your vehicle systems, including personal information.

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160 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
NOTE:
If you crank or start the engine, you will have to start this test
over.
2. As soon as you cycle the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion, you will see the “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)”
symbol come on as part of a normal bulb check.
3. Approximately 15 seconds later, one of two things will happen:

• The MIL will flash for about ten seconds and then return to being fully illuminated until you turn OFF the ignition or
start the engine. This means that your vehicle's OBD II
system is not ready and you should not proceed to the I/M
station.

• The MIL will not flash at all and will remain fully illumi -
nated until you place the ignition in the off position or start
the engine. This means that your vehicle's OBD II system
is ready and you can proceed to the I/M station. If your OBD II system is
not ready, you should see an autho -
rized dealer or repair facility. If your vehicle was recently
serviced or had a battery failure or replacement, you may
need to do nothing more than drive your vehicle as you
normally would in order for your OBD II system to update.
A recheck with the above test routine may then indicate that
the system is now ready.
Regardless of whether your vehicle's OBD II system is ready
or not, if the MIL is illuminated during normal vehicle oper -
ation you should have your vehicle serviced before going to
the I/M station. The I/M station can fail your vehicle
because the MIL is on with the engine running.

162 SAFETY
ABS is designed to function with the OEM tires. Modification
may result in degraded ABS performance.
Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light
The yellow “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” will turn on
when the ignition is turned to the ON/RUN mode and may
stay on for as long as four seconds.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” remains on or comes
on while driving, it indicates that the anti-lock portion of the
brake system is not functioning and that service is required.However, the conventional brake system will continue to
operate normally if the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is
on.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on, the brake
system should be serviced as soon as possible to restore the
benefits of anti-lock brakes. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning
Light” does not come on when the ignition is turned to the
ON/RUN mode, have the light repaired as soon as possible.
Electronic Brake Control System
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced Electronic Brake
Control system (EBC). This system includes Electronic Brake
Force Distribution (EBD), Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
Brake Assist System (BAS), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Traction
Control System (TCS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
and Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM). These systems work
together to enhance both vehicle stability and control in
various driving conditions.
Your vehicle may also be equipped with Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) and Hill Descent Control (HDC).
• The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase braking
or steering efficiency beyond that afforded by the
condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded.
• The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those resulting from excessive speed in turns, following
another vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
• The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
that could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.
WARNING! (Continued)

SAFETY 163
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
This function manages the distribution of the braking torque
between the front and rear axles by limiting braking pressure
to the rear axle. This is done to prevent overslip of the rear
wheels to avoid vehicle instability, and to prevent the rear
axle from entering ABS before the front axle.
Brake System Warning Light
The red “Brake System Warning Light” will turn on when
the ignition is turned to the ON/RUN mode and may stay on
for as long as four seconds.
If the “Brake System Warning Light” remains on or comes on
while driving, it indicates that the brake system is not func-
tioning properly and that immediate service is required. If
the “Brake System Warning Light” does not come on when
the ignition is turned to the ON/RUN mode, have the light
repaired as soon as possible. Brake Assist System (BAS)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking capa
-
bility during emergency braking maneuvers. The system
detects an emergency braking situation by sensing the rate
and amount of brake application and then applies optimum
pressure to the brakes. This can help reduce braking
distances. The BAS complements the anti-lock brake system
(ABS). Applying the brakes very quickly results in the best
BAS assistance. To receive the benefit of the system, you
must apply continuous braking pressure during the stop -
ping sequence, (do not “pump” the brakes). Do not reduce
brake pedal pressure unless braking is no longer desired.
Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is deactivated.
WARNING!
The Brake Assist System (BAS) cannot prevent the
natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor
can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. BAS cannot prevent collisions, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on
very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities
of a BAS-equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner, which could jeopardize
the user's safety or the safety of others.
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166 SAFETY
6. Push the “ESC Off” button located in the lower switchbank below the climate control four times within 20
seconds. The “ESC Off Indicator Light” should turn on
and turn off two times.
7. Rotate the steering wheel back to center and then an addi -
tional slightly more than one-half turn to the right.

8. Turn the ignition to the OFF mode and then back to ON. If the sequence was completed properly, the “ESC Off Indicator
Light” will blink several times to confirm HSA is disabled.

9. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to its previous setting.
Traction Control System (TCS)

This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of the
driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, the TCS may apply
brake pressure to the spinning wheel(s) and/or reduce engine
power to provide enhanced acceleration and stability. A
feature of the TCS, Brake Limited Differential (BLD), functions
similar to a limited slip differential and controls the wheel spin
across a driven axle. If one wheel on a driven axle is spinning
faster than the other, the system will apply the brake of the
spinning wheel. This will allow more engine power to be
applied to the wheel that is not spinning. BLD may remain
enabled even if TCS and ESC are in a reduced mode.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This system enhances directional control and stability of the
vehicle under various driving conditions. ESC corrects for
oversteering or understeering of the vehicle by applying the
brake of the appropriate wheel(s) to assist in counteracting
the oversteer or understeer condition. Engine power may
also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the desired path.
ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle path
intended by the driver and compares it to the actual path of
the vehicle. When the actual path does not match the
intended path, ESC applies the brake of the appropriate
wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer or understeer
condition.
• Oversteer — when the vehicle is turning more than appro
-
priate for the steering wheel position.
• Understeer — when the vehicle is turning less than appro -
priate for the steering wheel position.

SAFETY 169
ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And ESC
OFF Indicator Light The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light”
in the instrument cluster will come on when the igni -
tion is turned to the ON mode. It should go out with
the engine running. If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction
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 an authorized dealer as
soon as possible to have the problem diagnosed and
corrected.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” (located
in the instrument cluster) starts to flash as soon as the tires
lose traction and the ESC system becomes active. The “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” also flashes when
TCS is active. If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” begins to flash during acceleration, ease up on the
accelerator and apply as little throttle as possible. Be sure to
adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing road condi
-
tions.
NOTE:
• The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” and the “ESC OFF Indicator Light” come on momentarily each
time the ignition is turned ON.
• Each time the ignition is turned ON, the ESC system will be on even if it was turned off previously.
• The ESC system will make buzzing or clicking sounds when it is active. This is normal; the sounds will stop when
ESC becomes inactive following the maneuver that caused
the ESC activation.
WARNING!
• In the ESC “Full Off” mode, the engine torque reduc -
tion and stability features are disabled. Therefore,
enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC system is
unavailable. In an emergency evasive maneuver, the
ESC system will not engage to assist in maintaining
stability. ESC “Full Off” mode is intended for
off-highway or off-road use only.
• The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. ESC cannot prevent all accidents,
including those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro -
planing. ESC also cannot prevent collisions.
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SAFETY 181
NOTE:
When filling warm tires, the tire pressure may need to be
increased up to an additional 4 psi (28 kPa) above the recom-
mended cold placard pressure in order to turn the Tire Pres -
sure Monitoring Telltale Light off.
Service TPMS Warning
If a system fault is detected, the “Tire Pressure Monitoring
Telltale Light” will flash on and off for 75 seconds and then
remain on solid. The system fault will also sound a chime. In
addition, the instrument cluster will display a "SERVICE
TPM SYSTEM" message for a minimum of five seconds and
then display dashes (- -) in place of the pressure value to indi -
cate which sensor is not being received.
If the ignition switch is cycled, this sequence will repeat,
providing the system fault still exists. If the system fault no
longer exists, the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light”
will no longer flash, and the "SERVICE TPM SYSTEM"
message will no longer display, and a pressure value will
display in place of the dashes. A system fault can occur due
to any of the following:
• Signal interference due to electronic devices or driving next to facilities emitting the same radio frequencies as the
TPM sensors. • Installing aftermarket window tinting that contains mate
-
rials that may block radio wave signals.
• Accumulation of snow or ice around the wheels or wheel housings.
• Using tire chains on the vehicle.
• Using wheels/tires not equipped with TPM sensors.
A system fault may occur due to an incorrect TPM sensor
location condition. When a system fault occurs due to an
incorrect TPM sensor location, the “Tire Pressure Monitoring
Telltale Light” will flash on and off for 75 seconds and then
remain on solid. The system fault will also sound a chime. In
addition, the instrument cluster will display a “Tire Pressure
Temporarily Unavailable” message in place of the tire pres -
sure display screen. If the ignition switch is cycled, this
sequence will repeat, providing the system fault still exists. If
the system fault no longer exists, the “Tire Pressure Moni -
toring Telltale Light” will no longer flash and the tire pres -
sure display screen will be displayed showing the tire
pressure values the correct locations.
4

182 SAFETY
Vehicles With Non Matching Full Size Spare Or Compact
Spare
• The non matching full size spare or compact spare tiredoes not have a TPM sensor. Therefore, the TPMS will not
monitor the pressure in the non matching full size spare or
compact spare tire.

• If you install the non matching full size spare or compact spare tire in place of a road tire that has a pressure below the
low-pressure warning limit, upon the next ignition switch
cycle, the TPM Telltale Light and a “LOW TIRE” message
will remain ON and a chime will sound. In addition, the
graphic in the instrument cluster will still display a pressure
value in a different color and an “Inflate to XX” message.

• After driving the vehicle for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h), the TPM Telltale Light will flash on
and off for 75 seconds and then remain on solid. In addi -
tion, the instrument cluster will display a "SERVICE TPM
SYSTEM" message for a minimum of five seconds and then
display dashes (- -) in place of the pressure value.

• For each subsequent ignition switch cycle, a chime will sound, the TPM Telltale Light will flash on and off for 75
seconds and then remain on solid, and the instrument
cluster will display a "SERVICE TPM SYSTEM" message for
a minimum of five seconds and then display dashes (- -) in
place of the pressure value.
• Once you repair or replace the original road tire and rein
-
stall it on the vehicle in place of the non matching full size
spare or compact spare, the TPMS will update automati -
cally. In addition, the TPM Telltale Light will turn OFF and
the graphic in the instrument cluster will display a new
pressure value instead of dashes (- -), as long as no tire
pressure is below the low-pressure warning limit in any of
the four active road tires. The vehicle may need to be
driven for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h) in
order for the TPMS to receive this information.
Trailer Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TTPMS)
The Trailer Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TTPMS) is a
feature that will display the trailer tire pressure values and
warn the driver of a low trailer tire pressure, based on the
drivers set target tire pressure value, through the Instrument
Cluster (IC).
The TTPMS monitors the pressure of each tire and warns the
driver, through the IC, when either a low tire pressure condi -
tion or a TPM sensor or system malfunction condition exists.
The IC will display the actual tire pressure or dashes for each
of the trailer tires in the correct trailer position, based on
trailer configuration.