2020 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 471
3. Secure the tool bag straps to the jack.Jack And Tools Tied
4. Place the jack and tools in the storage position holding the jack by the jack turn-screw, slip the jack and tools under
the seat so that the bottom slot engages into the fastener
on the floor.
NOTE:
Ensure that the jack slides into the front hold down location. 5. Turn the wing bolt clockwise to secure to the floor pan.
Reinstall the plastic cover.
Jack Hold Down Wing Bolt
WARNING!
After using the jack and tools, always reinstall them in
the original carrier and location. While driving you may
experience abrupt stopping, rapid acceleration or sharp
turns. A loose jack, tools, bracket or other objects in the
vehicle may move around with force, resulting in serious
injury.
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472 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
JUMP STARTING
If your vehicle has a discharged battery, it can be jump
started using a set of jumper cables and a battery in another
vehicle, or by using a portable battery booster pack. Jump
starting can be dangerous if done improperly, so please
follow the procedures in this section carefully.
NOTE:
When using a portable battery booster pack, follow the
manufacturer's operating instructions and precautions.
Preparations For Jump Start
The battery in your vehicle is located in the front of the
engine compartment, behind the left headlight assembly.
NOTE:
The positive battery post may be covered with a protective
cap if equipped. Lift up on the cap to gain access to the posi-
tive battery post. Do not jump off fuses. Only jump directly
off positive post which has a positive (+) symbol on or
around the post.
Positive Battery Post
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump starting if the battery is frozen. It
could rupture or explode and cause personal injury.
CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any other
booster source with a system voltage greater than 12
Volts or damage to the battery, starter motor, alternator
or electrical system may occur.
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 473
1. Apply the parking brake, shift the automatic transmis-sion into PARK and turn the ignition OFF.
2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electrical accessories.
3. If using another vehicle to jump start the battery, park the vehicle within the jumper cables’ reach, apply the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
Jump Starting Procedure
Connecting The Jumper Cables
Jumper Cable Connections
WARNING!
• Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan whenever the hood is raised. It can start anytime the ignition
switch is ON. You can be injured by moving fan blades.
• Remove any metal jewelry such as rings, watch bands and bracelets that could make an inadvertent electrical
contact. You could be seriously injured.
• Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas which is flammable
and explosive. Keep open flames or sparks away from
the battery.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this could
establish a ground connection and personal injury could
result.
WARNING!
Failure to follow this jump starting procedure could
result in personal injury or property damage due to
battery explosion.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle or
the discharged vehicle.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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).

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