2020 Ram 1500 transfer case

6
STARTING AND OPERATING
STARTING THE ENGINE .............................................. 290
Automatic Transmission ............................................ 291
Tip Start Feature ......................................................... 291
Keyless Enter-N-Go — Ignition................................. 291
Normal Starting Using ENGINE START/STOP
Button ............................................................................ 292
Cold Weather Operation (Below –22°F Or
−30°C) ........................................................................... 296
After Starting................................................................ 296
 ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED .............. 296
 ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS ............ 297
 PARKING BRAKE ............................................................ 297
Electric Park Brake (EPB) ........................................... 297
 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ................................... 302
Ignition Park Interlock ................................................ 303
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System ........... 304
Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission ..................... 304
 FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION — IF
 EQUIPPED ........................................................................ 310
Four-Position Electronically Shifted Transfer Case
(Eight Speed Transmission Only) — If
Equipped ...................................................................... 311
Five-Position Electronically Shifted Transfer Case
(Eight Speed Transmission Only) — If
Equipped ...................................................................... 314 
ACTIVE-LEVEL FOUR CORNER AIR SUSPENSION
SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED ...............................................319
Description.................................................................... 319
Air Suspension Modes ................................................322
Instrument Cluster Display Messages ......................323
Operation ......................................................................323
 ACTIVE-LEVEL FOUR CORNER AIR SUSPENSION
SYSTEM (REBEL MODELS ONLY) — IF
EQUIPPED .........................................................................325
Description.................................................................... 325
Air Suspension Modes ................................................328
Instrument Cluster Display Messages ......................329
Operation ......................................................................329
 AXLE LOCKER SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED ..................331
 LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL — IF EQUIPPED ...... 332
 POWER STEERING ..........................................................333
Electric Power Steering ..............................................333
 FUEL SAVER TECHNOLOGY 5.7L ENGINES ONLY —
IF EQUIPPED .....................................................................333
 STOP/START SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED .....................334
Automatic Mode ..........................................................334
Possible Reasons The Engine Does Not
Autostop........................................................................334
To Start The Engine While In Autostop Mode ........335
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10
Brake System ............................................................... 512
Automatic Transmission ........................................... 513
Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle Fluid
Level ............................................................................. 515
Transfer Case ............................................................... 515
 HOISTING ......................................................................... 516
 TIRES................................................................................... 516
Tire Safety Information............................................... 516
Tires — General Information .................................... 525
Tire Types ..................................................................... 531
Spare Tires — If Equipped ......................................... 532
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care .................................... 535
Tire Chains (Traction Devices) .................................. 536
Tire Rotation Recommendations .............................. 537
 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UNIFORM
TIRE QUALITY GRADES ............................................... 538
Treadwear..................................................................... 538
Traction Grades ........................................................... 538
Temperature Grades ................................................... 538
 STORING THE VEHICLE................................................ 539
 BODYWORK...................................................................... 539
Protection From Atmospheric Agents ...................... 539
Body And Underbody Maintenance......................... 540
Preserving The Bodywork.......................................... 540 
INTERIORS .......................................................................543
Seats And Fabric Parts ................................................543
Plastic And Coated Parts ............................................544
Leather Parts.................................................................545
Glass Surfaces ..............................................................545
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
IDENTIFICATION DATA ...............................................546
Vehicle Identification Number ................................. 546
 BRAKE SYSTEM ...............................................................546
 WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS ....... 546
Torque Specifications ..................................................547
 FUEL REQUIREMENTS ..................................................548
3.6L Engine ..................................................................548
5.7L Engine ...................................................................549
Reformulated Gasoline ...............................................549
Materials Added To Fuel ............................................550
Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ......................................550
Do Not Use E-85 In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles ............551
CNG And LP Fuel System Modifications ................ 551
MMT In Gasoline .........................................................551
Fuel System Cautions ..................................................551
Carbon Monoxide Warnings......................................552
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13
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Dear Customer, congratulations on selecting your new
vehicle. Be assured that it represents precision workman-
ship, distinctive styling, and high quality.
This is a specialized utility vehicle. It can go places and
perform tasks that are not intended for conventional
passenger vehicles. It handles and maneuvers differently
from many passenger vehicles both on-road and off-road, so
take time to become familiar with your vehicle. If equipped,
the two-wheel drive version of this vehicle was designed for
on-road use only. It is not intended for off-road driving or
use in other severe conditions suited for a four-wheel drive
vehicle. Before you start to drive this vehicle, read the
Owner’s Manual. Be sure you are familiar with all vehicle
controls, particularly those used for braking, steering, trans -
mission, and transfer case shifting. Learn how your vehicle
handles on different road surfaces. Your driving skills will
improve with experience. When driving off-road, or
working the vehicle, don’t overload the vehicle or expect the
vehicle to overcome the natural laws of physics. Always
observe federal, state, provincial and local laws wherever
you drive. As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or
a collision. Refer to “Driving Tips” in “Starting and Oper
-
ating” for further information.
This Owner’s Manual has been prepared with the assistance
of service and engineering specialists to acquaint you with
the operation and maintenance of your vehicle. It is supple -
mented by Warranty Information, and customer oriented
documents located online. Within this information, you will
find a description of the services that FCA US LLC offers to
its customers, the Warranty Certificate and the details of the
terms and conditions for maintaining its validity. Please take
the time to read all of these publications carefully before
driving your vehicle for the first time. Following the instruc -
tions, recommendations, tips, and important warnings in
this manual will help assure safe and enjoyable operation of
your vehicle.
This Owner’s Manual describes all versions of this vehicle.
Options and equipment dedicated to specific markets or
versions are not expressly indicated in the text. Therefore,
you should only consider the information which is related to
the trim level, engine, and version that you have purchased.
Any content introduced throughout the Owner’s Informa -
1
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190 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
— Rear Axle Lock Indicator Light
This light indicates when the rear axle lock has been acti -
vated.
— 4WD Indicator Light — If Equipped
This light alerts the driver that the vehicle is in the
four-wheel drive mode, and the front and rear driveshafts
are mechanically locked together forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed.
— 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.
— Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Cleaning In Progress
Indicator Light — Diesel Versions With DPF Only
The symbol switches on constantly to indicate that the DPF
system needs to eliminate the trapped pollutants (particu-
late) through the regeneration process. The symbol does not
switch on during every DPF regeneration, but only when
driving conditions require that the driver is notified. To turn
off the symbol, keep the vehicle in motion until the regener -
ation process is over. On average, the process lasts
15 minutes.
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194 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
— Cruise Control Ready Indicator
This indicator light will illuminate when the cruise control is
ready, but not set. Refer to “Speed Control” in “Starting And
Operating” for further information.
— Speed Control SET Indicator Light — If Equipped
With 3.5 Inch Instrument Cluster Display
This light will turn on when the speed control is set.
Refer to “Speed Control” in “Starting And Operating” for
further information.
— Hill Descent Control (HDC) Indicator Light — If
Equipped
This indicator shows when the Hill Descent Control (HDC)
feature is turned on. The lamp will be on solid when HDC is
armed. HDC can only be armed when the transfer case is in
the “4WD LOW” position and the vehicle speed is less then
20 mph (32 km/h). If these conditions are not met while
attempting to use the HDC feature, the HDC indicator light
will flash on/off. — LaneSense Indicator Light — If Equipped
When the LaneSense system is ON, but not armed, the Lane -
Sense indicator light illuminates solid white. This occurs
when only left, right, or neither lane line has been detected.
If a single lane line is detected, the system is ready to provide
only visual warnings if an unintentional lane departure
occurs on the detected lane line.
Refer to “LaneSense — If Equipped” in “Starting And Oper -
ating” for further information.
Blue Indicator Lights
— High Beam Indicator Light
This indicator light will illuminate to indicate that the high
beam headlights are on. With the low beams activated, push
the multifunction lever forward (toward the front of the
vehicle) to turn on the high beams. Pull the multifunction
lever rearward (toward the rear of the vehicle) to turn off the
high beams. If the high beams are off, pull the lever toward
you for a temporary high beam on, “flash to pass” scenario.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 305
in the instrument cluster as 1, 2, 3, etc. Refer to “Electronic
Range Select (ERS) Operation” in this section for further
information. Some models will display both the selected gear
limit, and the actual current gear, while in ERS mode.Electronic Transmission Gear Selector
Gear Ranges
Do not depress the accelerator pedal when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range.
NOTE:
After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to allow the
selected gear to engage before accelerating. This is especially
important when the engine is cold. PARK (P)
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range. Never
attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in motion. Apply
the parking brake when exiting the vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the transmis
-
sion into PARK first, and then apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
shifting the transmission to PARK. As an added precaution,
turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade
and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
NOTE:
On four-wheel drive vehicles be sure that the transfer case is
in a drive position.
When exiting the vehicle, always:
• Apply the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the engine OFF.
• Remove the key fob.
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310 STARTING AND OPERATING
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.
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.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION — IF EQUIPPED
Four-wheel drive trucks are equipped with either a manu-
ally shifted transfer case or an electronically shifted transfer
case. Refer to the operating instructions for your transfer
case, located in this section for further information.
WARNING!
Do not use the “TOW/HAUL” feature when driving in
icy or slippery conditions. The increased engine braking
can cause the rear wheels to slide, and the vehicle to
swing around with the possible loss of vehicle control,
which may cause an accident possibly resulting in
personal injury or death.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 311
Four-Position Electronically Shifted Transfer Case
(Eight Speed Transmission Only) — If Equipped
This is an electronic shift transfer case and is operated by the
4WD Control Switch (Transfer Case Switch), which is
located on the instrument panel.Four-Position/On-Demand Transfer Case — Eight Speed Transmission Only
This electronically shifted transfer case provides four mode
positions:
• Two-Wheel Drive High Range (2WD)
• Four-Wheel Drive High Range (4WD HIGH) • Four-Wheel Drive Low Range (4WD LOW)
• Neutral (NEUTRAL)
For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position, see the information below:
2WD
Two-Wheel Drive High Range — This range is for normal
street and highway driving on dry hard surfaced roads.
4WD HIGH
Four-Wheel Drive High Range — This range provides torque
to the front driveshaft (engages four-wheel drive) which
allows front and rear wheels to spin at the same speed. This
provides additional traction for loose or slippery road
surfaces only.
4WD LOW
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range provides low
speed four-wheel drive. It maximizes torque (increased
torque over 4WD HIGH) to the front driveshaft; allowing
front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. This range
provides additional traction and maximum pulling power
for loose or slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed
25 mph (40 km/h) in this range.
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