2020 Ram 3500 check oil

230STARTING AND OPERATING
NOTE:
The block heater will require 110 Volts AC and
6.5 Amps to activate the heater element.
BLOCK HEATER USAGE
For ambient temperatures below 0°F (-18°C),
engine block heater usage is recommended.
For ambient temperatures below –20°F
(-29°C), engine block heater usage is required.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS —
GAS ENGINE
A long break-in period is not required for the
engine and drivetrain (transmission and axle) in
your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles
(500 km). After the initial 60 miles (100 km),
speeds up to 50 or 55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are
desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration
within the limits of local traffic laws contributes
to a good break-in. Wide-open throttle
acceleration in low gear can be detrimental and
should be avoided. The engine oil installed in the engine at the
factory is a high-quality energy conserving type
lubricant. Oil changes should be consistent with
anticipated climate conditions under which
vehicle operations will occur. For the
recommended viscosity and quality grades,
refer to “Fluids And Lubricants” in “Technical
Specifications”.
NOTE:
A new engine may consume some oil during its
first few thousand miles (kilometers) of opera
-
tion. This should be considered a normal part of
the break-in and not interpreted as a problem.
Please check your oil level with the engine oil
indicator often during the break in period. Add
oil as required.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS —
DIESEL ENGINE
The Cummins® Turbo Diesel engine does not
require a break-in period due to its construction.
Normal operation is allowed, providing the
following recommendations are followed:
Warm up the engine before placing it under
load.
Do not operate the engine at idle for
prolonged periods.
Use the appropriate transmission gear to
prevent engine lugging.
Observe vehicle oil pressure and tempera -
ture indicators.
Check the coolant and oil levels frequently.
Vary throttle position at highway speeds
when carrying or towing significant weight.
CAUTION!
Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight
Mineral Oil in the engine or damage may
result.

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344STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
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 diagonally 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.Driving through standing water limits your
vehicle’s braking capabilities, which
increases stopping distances. Therefore,
after driving through standing water, drive
slowly and lightly press on the brake pedal
several times to dry the brakes.
Failure to follow these warnings may result
in injuries that are serious or fatal to you,
your passengers, and others around you.
CAUTION!
Always check the depth of the standing
water before driving through it. Never drive
through standing water that is deeper than
the bottom of the tire rims mounted on the
vehicle.
Determine the condition of the road or the
path that is under water and if there are any
obstacles in the way before driving through
the standing water.
WARNING! (Continued)
Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when
driving through standing water. This will
minimize wave effects.
Driving through standing water may cause
damage to your vehicle’s drivetrain compo -
nents. 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)

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 344

372IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
6. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on
the lug wrench while at the end of the
handle for increased leverage. Tighten the
lug nuts in a star pattern until each nut has
been tightened twice. For the correct lug nut
torque refer to “Wheel And Tire Torque
Specifications” in “Technical Specifi -
cations”. If in doubt about the correct
tightness, have them checked with a torque
wrench by an authorized dealer or service
station.
7. Install the wheel center cap and remove the wheel blocks. Do not install chrome or
aluminum wheel center caps on the spare
wheel. This may result in cap damage. 8. Lower the jack to its fully closed position.
Stow the replaced tire, jack, and tools as
previously described.
NOTE:
The bottle jack will not lower by turning the dial
(thumbwheel) by hand, it may be necessary to
use the jack driver in order to lower the jack.
9. Adjust the tire pressure when possible.
NOTE:
Do not oil wheel studs. For chrome wheels, do
not substitute with chrome plated lug nuts.
TO STOW THE FLAT OR SPARE
NOTE:
Have the flat tire repaired or replaced immedi -
ately.

1. Turn the wheel so that the valve stem is facing the ground and toward the rear of
the vehicle for convenience in checking the
spare tire inflation. Slide the wheel retainer
through the center of the wheel.

Reinstalling The Retainer

2. Lift the spare tire with one hand to give clearance to tilt the retainer at the end of
the cable and position it properly across the
wheel opening.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a
collision or hard stop, could endanger the
occupants of the vehicle. Always stow the jack
parts and the spare tire in the places
provided.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a
collision or hard stop could endanger the
occupants of the vehicle. Always stow the jack
parts and the spare tire in the places
provided. Have the deflated (flat) tire repaired
or replaced immediately.

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385
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULED SERVICING — GAS ENGINE
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic oil
change indicator system. The oil change
indicator system will remind you that it is time to
take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance.

Based on engine operation conditions, the oil
change indicator message will illuminate. This
means that service is required for your vehicle.
Operating conditions such as frequent
short-trips, trailer tow, extremely hot or cold
ambient temperatures, and E85 fuel usage will
influence when the “Oil Change Required”
message is displayed. Severe Operating
Conditions 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 an 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 8,000 miles (13,000 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
considered Severe Duty.
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, power steering and
automatic transmission (six-speed only) and
fill as needed
Check function of all interior and exterior
lights7

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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE387
Mileage or time passed (whichever
comes first)
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
Or Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000
Additional Inspections
Inspect the CV/Universal joints. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Inspect front suspension, tie rod ends,
and replace if necessary. X
X X XX XX
Inspect the front and rear axle
surfaces. If gear oil leakage is
suspected, check the fluid level. If
using your vehicle for police, taxi, fleet,
off-road or frequent trailer towing,
change axle fluid. X
X X XX XX
Inspect the brake linings, replace as
necessary. X
X X XX XX
Adjust parking brake as necessary. X XX XX XX
Inspect transfer case fluid. XX X
7

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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE389
HEAVY DUTY USE OF THE VEHICLE
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 predominately at idle or only very
low engine RPM. This type of vehicle use is
considered Severe Duty.
SCHEDULED SERVICING— DIESEL ENGINE
Required Maintenance Intervals
Refer to the maintenance plan on the following
pages for the required maintenance intervals.
More frequent maintenance may be needed in
severe conditions, such as dusty areas and very
short trip driving. In some extreme conditions,
additional maintenance not specified in the
maintenance schedule may be required.
At Each Stop For Fuel
Check the engine oil level at least 30 minutes
after a fully warmed engine is shut off. Checking
the oil level while the vehicle is on level ground
will improve the accuracy of the oil level
reading. Add oil only when the level is at or
below the ADD or MIN mark. Once A Month
Inspect the batteries, and clean and tighten
the terminals as required.
Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir,
brake master cylinder, and automatic trans-
mission, and add as needed.
At Each Oil Change
Change the engine oil filter.
Inspect the exhaust system.
Inspect engine air filter. Replace the engine
air filter cleaner, if necessary.
Inspect the CV/Universal joints.
Check the coolant level, hoses, and clamps.
Inspect front end, and lubricate — If equipped
with serviceable fittings.
Inspect and replace the Evaporative System
Fresh Air Filter as necessary, replacement
may be more frequent if vehicle is operated
in extreme dusty conditions.
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or
around a motor vehicle. Do only service
work for which you have the knowledge and
the right equipment. If you have any doubt
about your ability to perform a service job,
take your vehicle to a competent mechanic.
Failure to properly inspect and maintain
your vehicle could result in a component
malfunction and effect vehicle handling
and performance. This could cause an acci -
dent.
CAUTION!
Failure to perform the required maintenance
items may result in damage to the vehicle.
7

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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE391
MAINTENANCE PLAN — CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE
Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first):
7,500
15,000
22,500
30,000
37,500
45,000
52,500
60,000
67,500
75,000
82,500
90,000
97,500
105,000
112,500
120,000
127,500
135,000
142,500
150,000
Or Months:6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
66
72
78
84
90
96
102
108
114
120
Or Kilometers:
12,000
24,000
36,000
48,000
60,000
72,000
84,000
96,000
108,000
120,000
132,000
144,000
156,000
168,000
180,000
192,000
204,000
216,000
228,000
240,000
Change engine oil every
15,000 miles (24,000 km) or
12 months or 500 Hours or sooner
if prompted by the oil change
indicator system, whichever comes
first.
1
X X X X X X X X X X
Additional Inspections
Check the Diesel Exhaust Fluid
(DEF) tank, refill if necessary. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Rotate the tires. X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X
In s

pect front end, and lubricate — If
equipped with serviceable fittings. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Inspect engine air filter, replace if
necessary.
2X X X X X X X X X X
Inspect the CV/Universal joints. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
7

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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE393
Inspect the front and rear axle
surfaces. If gear oil leakage is
suspected, check the fluid level. If
using your vehicle for police, taxi,
fleet, off-road or frequent trailer
towing change the axle fluid.
3
Inspect the transfer case fluid (4x4),
change for any of the following:
police, taxi, fleet, or frequent trailer
towing. X
XXX X
Change the transfer case fluid
(4x4). X
X
Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first):
7,500
15,000
22,500
30,000
37,500
45,000
52,500
60,000
67,500
75,000
82,500
90,000
97,500
105,000
112,500
120,000
127,500
135,000
142,500
150,000
Or Months:6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
66
72
78
84
90
96
102
108
114
120
Or Kilometers:
12,000
24,000
36,000
48,000
60,000
72,000
84,000
96,000
108,000
120,000
132,000
144,000
156,000
168,000
180,000
192,000
204,000
216,000
228,000
240,000
7

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