2020 Ram 1500 AC system

474 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
1. Connect the positive (+) end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+) post of the discharged vehicle.
NOTE:
Do not jump off fuses. Only jump directly off positive
post.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+) jumper cable
to the positive (+) post of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative (-) end of the jumper cable to the
negative (-) post of the booster battery.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-) jumper cable
to a good engine ground (exposed metal part of the
discharged vehicle’s engine) away from the battery and
the fuel injection system. 5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster battery,
let the engine idle a few minutes, and then start the
engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
6. Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in the reverse sequence:
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables
1. Disconnect the negative (-) end of the jumper cable from
the engine ground of the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
2. Disconnect the opposite end of the negative (-) jumper
cable from the negative (-) post of the booster battery.
3. Disconnect the positive (+) end of the jumper cable from
the positive (+) post of the booster battery.
4. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive (+) jumper
cable from the positive (+) post of the vehicle with the
discharged battery.
WARNING!
Do not connect the jumper cable to the negative (-) post
of the discharged battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode and could result in
personal injury. Only use the specific ground point, do
not use any other exposed metal parts.
CAUTION!
Do not connect jumper cable to any of the fuses on the
positive battery terminal. The resulting electrical current
will blow the fuse.
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 474

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 475
If frequent jump starting is required to start your vehicle you
should have the battery and charging system inspected at an
authorized dealer.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the poten-
tial for overheating by taking the appropriate action.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission in NEUTRAL (N), but do not increase the engine idle speed
while preventing vehicle motion with the brakes. NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow down an impending
overheat condition:
• If your Air Conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and turning
the A/C off can help remove this heat.
• You can also turn the temperature control to maximum heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control to
high. This allows the heater core to act as a supplement to
the radiator and aids in removing heat from the engine
cooling system.
CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle power outlets draw
power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not in use
(i.e., cellular devices, etc.). Eventually, if plugged in long
enough without engine operation, the vehicle’s battery
will discharge sufficiently to degrade battery life and/or
prevent the engine from starting.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine coolant
(antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If you see or
hear steam coming from under the hood, do not open the
hood until the radiator has had time to cool. Never try to
open a cooling system pressure cap when the radiator or
coolant bottle is hot.6
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 475

476 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
MANUAL PARK RELEASE
To push or tow the vehicle in cases where the transmission
will not shift out of PARK (P) (such as a dead battery), a
Manual Park Release is available.
Follow these steps to activate the Manual Park Release:
1. Apply firm pressure to the brake pedal while seated inthe driver’s seat.
2. Apply the parking brake if possible.
3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, remove the Manual Park Release cover, which is located to the lower
left of the steering column.
Manual Park Release Access Cover
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage your
vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads HOT (H), pull
over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the air
conditioner turned off until the pointer drops back into
the normal range. If the pointer remains on HOT (H),
and you hear continuous chimes, turn the engine off
immediately and call for service.
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully applying the
parking brake before activating the Manual Park
Release. In addition, you should be seated in the driver’s
seat with your foot firmly on the brake pedal when
activating the Manual Park Release. Activating the
Manual Park Release will allow your vehicle to roll away
if it is not secured by the parking brake, or by proper
connection to a tow vehicle. Activating the Manual Park
Release on an unsecured vehicle could lead to serious
injury or death for those in or around the vehicle.
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 476

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 477
NOTE:
When the lever is locked in the released position the access
cover cannot be reinstalled.
4. Behind the Manual Park Release access cover is theorange tether strap. Pull the tether strap out as far as it
will go, then release it. The tether and lever will remain
outside of the trim panel and the transmission should
now be in NEUTRAL, allowing the vehicle to be moved.
To Reset The Manual Park Release:
1. Apply firm pressure to the brake pedal while seated in the driver’s seat.
2. Pull the tether strap out again, then release it.
3. Allow the tether to retract with the lever back to its orig -
inal position.
4. Verify the transmission is in PARK.
5. Confirm that the tether has retracted fully and re-install the access cover. If the access cover cannot be reinstalled,
repeat steps 1 though 4.
6. Re-install the access cover.FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or snow, it can
often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the steering
wheel right and left to clear the area around the front wheels.
Then shift back and forth between DRIVE (D) and REVERSE
(R), while gently pressing the accelerator. Use the least
amount of accelerator pedal pressure that will maintain the
rocking motion, without spinning the wheels or racing the
engine.
NOTE:
Shifts between DRIVE and REVERSE can only be achieved at
wheel speeds of 5 mph (8 km/h) or less. Whenever the trans -
mission remains in NEUTRAL (N) for more than two
seconds, you must press the brake pedal to engage DRIVE or
REVERSE.
NOTE:
Push the “ESC Off” switch, to place the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system in “Partial Off” mode, before rocking
the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake Control” in “Safety”
for further information. Once the vehicle has been freed,
push the “ESC Off” switch again to restore “ESC On” mode.
6
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 477

478 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled
vehicle using a commercial towing service.
If the transmission and drivetrain are operable, disabled
vehicles may also be towed as described under “Recreational
Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.)” in the “Starting And
Operating” section.
NOTE:
Vehicles equipped with the Active-Level Four Corner Air
Suspension System must be placed in Transport mode,
before tying them down (from the body) on a trailer or
flatbed truck. If the vehicle cannot be placed in Transport
mode (for example, engine will not run), tie-downs must be
fastened to the axles (not to the body). Failure to follow these
instructions may cause fault codes to be set and/or cause loss
of proper tie-down tension.
Refer to "Active-Level Four Corner Air Suspension System
— If Equipped" in "Starting And Operating" for more infor-
mation.
WARNING!

Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces generated by
excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or even failure, of
the axle and tires. A tire could explode and injure someone.
Do not spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/ h) or for longer than 30 seconds continuously without
stopping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near a
spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.

CAUTION!
• Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to transmission overheating and failure. Allow the engine to
idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL for at least one
minute after every five rocking-motion cycles. This will
minimize overheating and reduce the risk of transmission
failure during prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
• When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting between DRIVE and REVERSE, do not spin the wheels faster than
15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may result.
• Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast may lead to transmission overheating and failure. It can also
damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels above 30 mph
(48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission shifting occur-
ring).

2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 478

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 481
Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped
Your vehicle may be equipped with emergency tow hooks.
NOTE:
For off-road recovery, it is recommended to use both of the
front tow hooks to minimize the risk of damage to the
vehicle.
ENHANCED ACCIDENT RESPONSE SYSTEM (EARS)
This vehicle is equipped with an Enhanced Accident
Response System.
Please refer to “Occupant Restraint Systems” in “Safety” for
further information on the Enhanced Accident Response
System (EARS) function.
EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR).
The main purpose of an EDR is to record data that will assist
in understanding how a vehicle’s systems performed under
certain crash or near crash-like situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle.
Please refer to “Occupant Restraint Systems” in “Safety” for
further information on the Event Data Recorder (EDR).
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require
-
ments can cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage. Damage from improper towing is not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
WARNING!
• Do not use a chain for freeing a stuck vehicle. Chains may break, causing serious injury or death.
• Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow hooks. Tow straps may become disengaged, causing serious
injury. CAUTION!
(Continued)
CAUTION!
Tow hooks are for emergency use only, to rescue a
vehicle stranded off road. Do not use tow hooks for tow
truck hookup or highway towing. You could damage
your vehicle.
6
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 481

482
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULED SERVICING
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic oil change indi-
cator system. The oil change indicator system will remind
you that it is time to take your vehicle in for scheduled main -
tenance.
Based on engine operation conditions, the oil change indi -
cator message will illuminate. This means that service is
required for your vehicle. Operating conditions such as
frequent short-trips, trailer tow, and extremely hot or cold
ambient temperatures will influence when the “Oil Change
Required” message is displayed. Severe Operating Condi -
tions can cause the change oil message to illuminate as early
as 3,500 miles (5,600 km) since last reset. Have your vehicle
serviced as soon as possible, within the next 500 miles
(805 km).
An authorized dealer will reset the oil change indicator
message after completing the scheduled oil change. If a
scheduled oil change is performed by someone other than your authorized dealer, the message can be reset by referring
to the steps described under “Instrument Cluster Display” in
“Getting To Know Your Instrument Panel”.
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed
10,000 miles (16,000 km), 12 months or 350 hours of engine
run time, whichever comes first. The 350 hours of engine run
or idle time is generally only a concern for fleet customers.
Severe Duty All Models
NOTE:
Change Engine Oil at 4,000 miles (6,500 km) or 350 hours of
engine run time if the vehicle is operated in a dusty and off
road environment or is operated predominantly at idle, or
only very low engine RPM. This type of vehicle use is consid
-
ered Severe Duty.
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 482

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 483
Once A Month Or Before A Long Trip:
• Check engine oil level.
• Check windshield washer fluid level.
• Check tire pressure and look for unusual wear or damage.Rotate tires at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it
occurs before the oil indicator system turns on.
• Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir, brake master cylinder, and fill as needed.
• Check function of all interior and exterior lights.Maintenance Plan
Required Maintenance
Refer to the Maintenance Plan on the following pages for
required maintenance.
NOTE:
Using white lithium grease, lubricate the door hinge roller pivot joints twice a year to prevent premature wear. At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change Indicator System:
• Change the oil and filter.
• Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator system turns on.
• Inspect the battery and clean and tighten terminals as required.
• Inspect the CV/Universal joints.
• Inspect the brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, and hoses.
• Inspect the engine cooling system protection and hoses.
• Inspect the exhaust system.
• Inspect the engine air cleaner if using in dusty or off-road conditions.
7
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 483