2019 RAM CHASSIS CAB torque

9
 DEALER SERVICE ........................................................... 417 
Engine Oil — Gas Engine .......................................... 418
Engine Oil Filter ......................................................... 419
Engine Air Cleaner Filter ......................................... 420
Air Conditioner Maintenance ................................. 421
Accessory Drive Belt Inspection ................................ 426
Body Lubrication ....................................................... 428
Windshield Wiper Blades ......................................... 428
Exhaust System ........................................................... 431
Cooling System ........................................................... 433
Brake System ............................................................... 438
Automatic Transmission ............................................ 439
Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle Fluid
Level .......................................................................... 442
Transfer Case ............................................................... 444
 HOISTING ......................................................................... 444
 TIRES .................................................................................. 444 
Tire Safety Information ............................................ 444
Tires — General Information ................................... 454
Tire Types ..................................................................... 460
Spare Tires — If Equipped ..................................... 461
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care ................................. 464
Tire Chains (Traction Devices) ................................. 465

Tire Rotation Recommendations ............................... 466  DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UNIFORM
TIRE QUALITY GRADES ...............................................468 
Treadwear .....................................................................469 
Traction Grades............................................................ 469 
Temperature Grades ................................................... 469
 STORING THE VEHICLE .............................................470
 BODYWORK ......................................................................470 
Protection From Atmospheric Agents ....................470 
Body And Underbody Maintenance .........................471 
Preserving The Bodywork .......................................... 471
 INTERIORS .......................................................................472 
Seats And Fabric Parts ................................................472 
Plastic And Coated Parts ............................................473 
Leather Parts.................................................................474 
Glass Surfaces ..............................................................474
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS  IDENTIFICATION DATA ...............................................475 
Vehicle Identification Number ................................. 475
 BRAKE SYSTEM ...............................................................476 
Hydraulic Brake Assist ...............................................476
 WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS .....476

Torque Specifications ................................................477

156 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
Refer to “Four-Wheel Drive Operation” in “Starting And
Operating” for further information on four-wheel drive
operation and proper use.
— 4WD Low Indicator Light — If Equipped
This light alerts the driver that the vehicle is in the
four-wheel drive LOW mode. The front and rear driveshafts
are mechanically locked together forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed. Low range provides a
greater gear reduction ratio to provide increased torque at
the wheels.
Refer to “Four-Wheel Drive Operation — If Equipped” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information on
four-wheel drive operation and proper use.
— 4WD High Indicator Light — If Equipped
This light alerts the driver that the vehicle is in the
four-wheel drive HIGH mode. The front and rear driveshafts
are mechanically locked together forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed. — NEUTRAL Indicator Light — If Equipped
This light alerts the driver that the 4WD power transfer case
is in the NEUTRAL mode and the front and rear driveshafts
are disengaged from the powertrain.
Green Indicator Lights
— Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Set With Target
Light — If Equipped
This will display when the ACC is set and a target vehicle is
detected.
Refer to “Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) — If Equipped” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information.
— Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Set With No Target
Detected Indicator Light — If Equipped
This light will turn on when the Adaptive Cruise Control is
SET and there is no target vehicle detected.
Refer to "Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) — If Equipped" in
"Starting And Operating" for further information.

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. 4

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. 4

260 STARTING AND OPERATING
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be started
in this range. Apply the parking brake and shift the transmis -
sion into PARK if you must exit the vehicle.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and downshifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission automatically
upshifts through underdrive first, second, and third gears,
direct fourth gear and overdrive fifth and sixth gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteristics
under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as when
operating the vehicle under heavy loading conditions, in
hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or while
towing a heavy trailer), use the Electronic Range Select (ERS)
shift control (refer to “Electronic Range Select (ERS) Opera -
tion” in this section for further information) to select a lower
gear range. Under these conditions, using a lower gear range
will improve performance and extend transmission life by
reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operating
limits, the powertrain controller will modify the transmis -
sion shift schedule and expand the range of torque converter
clutch engagement. This is done to prevent transmission
damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot or is in danger of
overheating, the “Transmission Temperature Warning
Light” may illuminate and the transmission may operate
differently until the transmission cools down.WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
that limit your response to changing traffic or road
conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and
have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “In Case Of Emergency” for further
information.

STARTING AND OPERATING 261
NOTE:
Use caution when operating a heavily loaded vehicle at low
speeds (such as towing a trailer up a steep grade, or in
stop-and-go traffic) during hot weather. In these conditions,
torque converter slip can impose a significant additional heat
load on the cooling system. Downshifting the transmission
to the lowest possible gear (when climbing a grade), or
shifting to NEUTRAL (when stopped in heavy traffic) can
help to reduce this excess heat generation.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may be
modified depending on engine and transmission tempera -
ture as well as vehicle speed. This feature improves warm up
time of the engine and transmission to achieve maximum
efficiency. Engagement of the torque converter clutch is
inhibited until the transmission fluid is warm (refer to the
“Note” under “Torque Converter Clutch” in this section).
On trucks with AS66RC transmission, fifth and sixth gears
may be inhibited briefly on cold starts below 41°F (5°C), and
during very cold temperatures (-4°F [-20°C] or below), oper -
ation may briefly be limited to third gear only. During this
condition, the ability of the vehicle to accelerate under
heavily loaded conditions may be reduced. In all cases,
normal operation will resume once the transmission
temperature has risen to a suitable level. Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission remains in
third gear regardless of which forward gear is selected. If an
AS66RC equipped truck enters Limp Home Mode at
highway speeds, it will initially engage fifth gear, until the
vehicle slows to a speed where third gear can be engaged.
PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL will continue to operate.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be illuminated.
Limp Home Mode allows the vehicle to be driven to an
authorized dealer for service without damaging the trans -
mission.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission can
be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Turn the ignition OFF.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds. 5

STARTING AND OPERATING 263
NOTE:
To select the proper gear position for maximum deceleration
(engine braking), simply push and hold the ERS (-) switch.
The transmission will shift to the range from which the
vehicle can best be slowed down.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (fifth and sixth gears). The transmis -
sion will automatically shift into Overdrive if the following
conditions are present:
• The gear selector is in the DRIVE position.
• The transmission fluid has reached an adequate temperature. • The engine coolant has reached an adequate temperature.
• Vehicle speed is sufficiently high.
• The TOW/HAUL switch has not been activated.
• The driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been
included in the automatic transmission on your vehicle. A
clutch within the torque converter engages automatically at
calibrated speeds. This may result in a slightly different
feeling or response during normal operation in the upper
gears. When the vehicle speed drops or during some acceler -
ations, the clutch automatically disengages.
NOTE:
• The torque converter clutch will not engage, until the
transmission fluid and engine coolant are warm [usually
after 1 to 3 miles (2 to 5 km) of driving]. Because engine
speed is higher when the torque converter clutch is not
engaged, it may seem as if the transmission is not shifting
properly when cold. This is normal. Using the Electronic
Range Select (ERS) shift control, when the transmission is
sufficiently warm, will demonstrate that the transmission
is able to shift into and out of Overdrive.WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their grip
and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
CAUTION!
When using ERS for engine braking while descending
steep grades, be careful not to overspeed the engine.
Apply the brakes as needed to prevent engine overspeed. 5

264 STARTING AND OPERATING
• If the vehicle has not been driven for several days, the first
few seconds of operation after shifting the transmission
into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to the fluid
partially draining from the torque converter into the trans -
mission. This condition is normal and will not cause
damage to the transmission. The torque converter will
refill within five seconds after starting the engine.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs,
push the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/HAUL
mode. This will improve performance and reduce the poten -
tial for transmission overheating or failure due to excessive
shifting. When operating in TOW/HAUL mode, transmis -
sion upshifts are delayed, and the transmission will automat -
ically downshift (for engine braking) when the throttle is
closed and/or during steady braking maneuvers. TOW/HAUL Switch
The “TOW/HAUL Indicator Light” will illuminate in the
instrument cluster to indicate that TOW/HAUL mode has
been activated. Pushing the switch a second time restores
normal operation. Normal operation is always the default at
engine start-up. If TOW/HAUL mode is desired, the switch
must be pushed each time the engine is started.