2020 Ram 1500 radiator

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE 91
NOTE:
• On vehicles equipped with a 12-inch display, reducing theblower control all the way down will turn the climate off.
• For Manual Climate Controls, if the system is in Mix, Floor or Defrost Mode, the A/C can be turned off, but the A/C
system shall remain active to prevent fogging of the
windows.
• If fog or mist appears on the windshield or side glass, select Defrost mode, and increase blower speed if needed.
• If your air conditioning performance seems lower than expected, check the front of the A/C condenser (located in
front of the radiator), for an accumulation of dirt or insects.
Clean with a gentle water spray from the front of the radi -
ator and through the condenser.
MAX A/C
MAX A/C sets the control for maximum cooling perfor -
mance.
Press and release to toggle between MAX A/C and the prior
settings. The button illuminates when MAX A/C is on.
In MAX A/C, the blower level and mode position can be
adjusted to desired user settings. Pressing other settings will
cause the MAX A/C operation to switch to the selected
setting and MAX A/C to exit. Recirculation
In cold weather, use of Recirculation mode may lead to
excessive window fogging. The Recirculation feature may be
unavailable (button on the touchscreen greyed out) if condi
-
tions exist that could create fogging on the inside of the
windshield.
Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) — If Equipped
Automatic Operation
1. Push the AUTO button on the faceplate, or the AUTO button on the touchscreen on the Automatic Temperature
Control (ATC) Panel.
2. Next, adjust the temperature you would like the system to maintain by adjusting the driver and passenger
temperature control buttons. Once the desired tempera -
ture is displayed, the system will achieve and automati -
cally maintain that comfort level.
3. When the system is set up for your comfort level, it is not necessary to change the settings. You will experience the
greatest efficiency by simply allowing the system to func -
tion automatically.
2
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STARTING AND OPERATING 429
Off-Road Driving Tips
Care should be taken when attempting to climb steep hills or
driving diagonally across a hill or slope. If natural obstacles
force you to travel diagonally up or down a hill, choose a
mild angle and keep as little side tilt as possible. Keep the
vehicle moving and make turns slowly and cautiously.
If you must back down a hill, back straight down using
REVERSE gear. Never back down in NEUTRAL or diago-
nally across the hill. When driving over sand, mud, and other soft terrain, shift to
low gear and drive steadily. Apply the accelerator slowly to
avoid spinning the wheels.
Do not reduce the tire pressures for this type of driving.
After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than
does most on-road driving. After going off-road, it is always
a good idea to check for damage. That way you can get any
problems taken care of right away and have your vehicle
ready when you need it.
• Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle. Check
tires, body structure, steering, suspension, and exhaust
system for damage.
• Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and clean as required.
• Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and suspension.
Retighten them, if required, and torque to the values spec -
ified in the Service Manual.
• Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These things could be a fire hazard. They might hide damage to fuel
lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and propeller shafts.
• Driving through standing water may cause damage to
your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always inspect
your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, transmission, axle,
etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e., fluid that is milky
or foamy in appearance) after driving through standing
water. Do not continue to operate the vehicle if any
fluid appears contaminated, as this may result in
further damage. Such damage is not covered by the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can cause it to lock up and stall out, and cause serious internal
damage to the engine. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. CAUTION!
(Continued)
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• After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or similardirty conditions, have the radiator, fan, brake rotors,
wheels, brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and
cleaned as soon as possible. • If you experience unusual vibration after driving in mud,
slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for impacted
material. Impacted material can cause a wheel imbalance
and freeing the wheels of it will correct the situation.
WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may cause
excessive wear or unpredictable braking. You might not
have full braking power when you need it to prevent a
collision. If you have been operating your vehicle in
dirty conditions, get your brakes checked and cleaned as
necessary.
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 430 430
STARTING AND OPERATING

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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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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490 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle's engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. Check the
oil level at regular intervals, such as every fuel stop. The best
time to check the engine oil level is about five minutes after
a fully warmed up engine is shut off.
Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Always main-
tain the oil level within the SAFE zone on the dipstick.
Adding one quart of oil when the reading is at the bottom of
the SAFE zone will result in a reading at the top of the safe
zone on these engines.
Adding Washer Fluid
The fluid reservoir is located under the hood and should be
checked for fluid level at regular intervals. Fill the reservoir
with windshield washer solvent only (not radiator anti -
freeze). When refilling the washer fluid reservoir, take some
washer fluid and apply it to a cloth or towel and wipe the
wiper blades clean. This will help blade performance. To prevent freeze-up of your windshield washer system in
cold weather, select a solution or mixture that meets or
exceeds the temperature range of your climate. This rating
information can be found on most washer fluid containers.
After the engine has warmed up, operate the defroster for a
few minutes to reduce the possibility of smearing or freezing
the fluid on the cold windshield. Windshield washer solu-
tion used with water as directed on the container, aids
cleaning action, reduces the freezing point to avoid line clog
-
ging, and is not harmful to paint or trim.
CAUTION!
Overfilling or underfilling will cause oil aeration or loss
of oil pressure. This could damage your engine.
WARNING!
Commercially available windshield washer solvents are
flammable. They could ignite and burn you. Care must
be exercised when filling or working around the washer
solution.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 501
NOTE:
Ensure the glove compartment door hinges and glove
compartment travel stops are fully engaged.
10. Reattach the glove compartment tension tether byinserting the tether clip in the glove compartment and
sliding the clip away from the face of the glove compart -
ment door.
Accessory Drive Belt Inspection
When inspecting accessory drive belts, small cracks that run
across the ribbed surface of a belt from rib to rib, are consid -
ered normal. These are not a reason to replace the belt.
However, cracks running along a rib (not across) are not
normal. Any belt with cracks running along a rib must be
replaced. Also have the belt replaced if it has excessive wear,
frayed cords or severe glazing.
Accessory Belt (Serpentine Belt)
WARNING!
• Do not attempt to inspect an accessory drive belt with vehicle running.
• When working near the radiator cooling fan, discon -
nect the fan motor lead. The fan is temperature
controlled and can start at any time regardless of igni -
tion mode. You could be injured by the moving fan
blades.
• You can be badly injured working on or around a motor vehicle. Only do service work for which you have the
knowledge and the proper equipment. If you have any
doubt about your ability to perform a service job, take
your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
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506 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
(Continued)
Under normal operating conditions, the catalytic converter
will not require maintenance. However, it is important to
keep the engine properly tuned to assure proper catalyst
operation and prevent possible catalyst damage.
NOTE:
Intentional tampering with emissions control systems can
result in civil penalties being assessed against you.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may suggest severe and
abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, stop the
vehicle, turn off the engine and allow it to cool. Service,
including a tune-up to manufacturer's specifications, should
be obtained immediately.To minimize the possibility of catalytic converter damage:
• Do not interrupt the ignition when the transmission is in
gear and the vehicle is in motion.
• Do not try to start the vehicle by pushing or towing the vehicle.
• Do not idle the engine with any ignition components disconnected or removed, such as when diagnostic testing,
or for prolonged periods during very rough idle or
malfunctioning operating conditions.Cooling System
• Damage to the catalytic converter can result if yourvehicle is not kept in proper operating condition. In the
event of engine malfunction, particularly involving
engine misfire or other apparent loss of performance,
have your vehicle serviced promptly. Continued opera -
tion of your vehicle with a severe malfunction could
cause the converter to overheat, resulting in possible
damage to the converter and vehicle. CAUTION!
(Continued)
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 open a cooling system pressure cap when the
radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
• Keep hands, tools, clothing, and jewelry away from the radiator cooling fan when the hood is raised. The fan
starts automatically and may start at any time, whether
the engine is running or not.
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