2020 Ram 4500 Chassis Cab service indicator

7
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULED SERVICING — GAS ENGINE ....... 329Maintenance Plan......................................330
Heavy Duty Use Of The Vehicle ................. 333
SCHEDULED SERVICING — DIESEL ENGINE .. 334
Oil Change Indicator System —
Cummins Diesel .........................................335 Perform Service Indicator —
Cummins Diesel ........................................335 Maintenance Plan — Cummins
Diesel Engine ............................................336
ENGINE COMPARTMENT ................................ 343
6.4L Engine ...............................................3436.7L Engine ................................................344
Checking Oil Level — Gas Engine .............345
Checking Oil Level — Diesel Engine ..........345
Adding Washer Fluid ................................345Maintenance-Free Battery .......................346
Pressure Washing ......................................346
DEALER SERVICE .............................................. 347
Engine Oil .................................................. 347Engine Oil Filter ........................................349
Engine Air Cleaner Filter .........................349
Air Conditioner Maintenance ................. 351
Accessory Drive Belt Inspection................354Draining Fuel/Water Separator Filter .....354
Engine Mounted Fuel Filter
Replacement ..............................................356 Underbody Mounted Fuel Filter
Replacement ..............................................357 Priming If The Engine Has Run
Out Of Fuel ................................................ 358 Intervention Regeneration Strategy —
Message Process Flow ............................. 359 Diesel Exhaust Fluid .................................. 359Body Lubrication ...................................... 360
Windshield Wiper Blades ........................ 360
Exhaust System ........................................ 362
Cooling System ......................................... 363
Charge Air Cooler — Inter-Cooler .............. 366
Brake System ............................................ 367Automatic Transmission............................ 368
Rear Axle And 4x4 Front Driving Axle Fluid
Level ....................................................... 370 Transfer Case ............................................ 371Noise Control System Required
Maintenance & Warranty ......................... 371
HOISTING ............................................................374
TIRES....................................................................374
Tire Safety Information ........................... 374
Tires — General Information .................... 382
Tire Types ................................................... 386
Spare Tires — If Equipped ....................... 387
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care .................. 389Tire Chains and Traction Devices ............ 390
Tire Rotation Recommendations .............. 391 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UNIFORM
TIRE QUALITY GRADES .................................... 392
Treadwear .................................................. 392
Traction Grades ......................................... 392Temperature Grades ................................. 393
STORING THE VEHICLE .................................. 393
BODYWORK ........................................................ 393 Protection From Atmospheric Agents ..... 393
Body And Underbody Maintenance .......... 394Preserving The Bodywork.......................... 394
INTERIORS ......................................................... 395
Seats And Fabric Parts .............................. 395
Plastic And Coated Parts........................... 396
Leather Parts ............................................. 396
Glass Surfaces .......................................... 396
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
IDENTIFICATION DATA ...................................... 397Vehicle Identification Number ................. 397
BRAKE SYSTEM ................................................ 397
Hydraulic Brake Assist — If Equipped....... 397
WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS .............................................. 397
Torque Specifications .............................. 398

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL89
5. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.
6. Fuel Gauge
The pointer shows the level of fuel in the fuel tank when the ignition switch is in
the ON/RUN position.
 The fuel pump symbol points
to the side of the vehicle where
the fuel filler door is located.
Refer to “Refueling The Vehicle — Diesel
Engine” in “Starting And Operating” for
further information. 7. Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Gauge
The DEF Gauge displays the actual level
of Diesel Exhaust Fluid in the DEF tank.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is required to
maintain normal vehicle operation and
emissions compliance. If something is
wrong with the gauge, a DEF Warning
Message or Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) will be displayed. More information
is available in the instrument cluster
display section under the heading of
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Warning
Messages. NOTE:The gauge may take up to five seconds to
update after adding a gallon or more of
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) to the DEF tank. If
you have a fault related to the DEF system,
the gauge may not update to the new level.
See an authorized dealer for service.
The DEF gauge may also not immediately
update after a refill if the temperature of the
DEF fluid is below 39°F (4°C). The DEF tank
heater will possibly warm up the DEF fluid
and allow the gauge to update after a period
of run time. Under very cold conditions, it is
possible that the gauge may not reflect the
new fill level for several drives.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL91
Diesel INSTRUMENT CLUSTER

1. Tachometer

Indicates the engine speed in revolutions
per minute (RPM x 1000).
2. Instrument Cluster Display
When the appropriate conditions exist, this display shows the instrument cluster
display messages. Refer to “Instrument
Cluster Display” in “Getting To Know Your
Instrument Panel” for further informa -
tion.
3. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.
4. Fuel Gauge
The pointer shows the level of fuel in the fuel tank when the ignition switch is in
the ON/RUN position.
 The fuel pump symbol points
to the side of the vehicle where
the fuel filler door is located. Refer to “Refueling The Vehicle — Diesel
Engine” in “Starting And Operating” for
further information.
5. Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Gauge
The DEF Gauge displays the actual level of Diesel Exhaust Fluid in the DEF tank.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is required to
maintain normal vehicle operation and
emissions compliance. If something is
wrong with the gauge, a DEF Warning
Message or Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) will be displayed. More information
is available in the instrument cluster
display section under the heading of
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Warning
Messages. NOTE:
The DEF tank on these vehicles is designed
with a large amount of full reserve. So the
level sensor will indicate a full reading even
before the tank is completely full. To put it
another way, there’s additional storage
capacity in the tank above the Full mark
that’s not represented in the gauge. You may
not see any movement in the reading – even
after driving up to 200 miles
(321 kilometers) in some cases.
The gauge may take up to five seconds to
update after adding a gallon or more of
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) to the DEF tank. If
you have a fault related to the DEF system,
the gauge may not update to the new level.
See an authorized dealer for service.
The DEF gauge may also not immediately
update after a refill if the temperature of the
DEF fluid is below 39°F (4°C). The DEF tank
heater will possibly warm up the DEF fluid
and allow the gauge to update after a period
of run time. Under very cold conditions, it is
possible that the gauge may not reflect the
new fill level for several drives.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL103
Diesel Messages And Warnings — 6.7L
Cummins Diesel Engine
Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Messages
The Cummins diesel engine meets all diesel
emissions standards, resulting in one of the
lowest emitting diesel engines ever produced.
To achieve these emissions standards, your
vehicle is equipped with a state-of-the-art
engine and exhaust system. These systems are
seamlessly integrated into your vehicle and
managed by the Powertrain Control Module
(PCM). The PCM manages engine combustion
to allow the exhaust system’s catalyst to trap
and burn Particulate Matter (PM) pollutants,
with no input or interaction on your part. Your vehicle has the ability to alert you to addi
-
tional maintenance required on your vehicle or
engine. The following messages may display in
your instrument cluster display:Perform Service — Your vehicle will require
emissions maintenance at a set interval. To
help remind you when this maintenance is
due, the instrument cluster display will
display “Perform Service”. When the
“Perform Service” message is displayed in
the instrument cluster display it is necessary
to have the emissions maintenance
performed. Emissions maintenance may
include replacing the Closed Crankcase
Ventilation (CCV) filter element. The proce -
dure for clearing and resetting the "Perform
Service" indicator message is located in the
appropriate Service Information.
Exhaust System — Regeneration Required
Now — "Exhaust Filter XX% Full Safely Drive at
Highway Speeds to Remedy" will be displayed
in the instrument cluster display if the
exhaust particulate filter reaches 80% of its
maximum storage capacity. Under conditions
of exclusive short duration and low speed
driving cycles, your Cummins diesel engine
and exhaust after-treatment system may
never reach the conditions required to remove the trapped PM. If this occurs, the
“Exhaust Filter XX% Full Safely Drive at
Highway Speeds to Remedy” message will be
displayed in the instrument cluster display. If
this message is displayed, you will hear one
chime to assist in alerting you of this condi
-
tion
By simply driving your vehicle at highway
speeds for as little as 45 minutes, you can
remedy the condition in the particulate filter
system and allow your Cummins diesel
engine and exhaust after-treatment system
to remove the trapped PM and restore the
system to normal operating condition.
Exhaust System — Regeneration In Process
Exhaust Filter XX% Full — Indicates that the
Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is self-cleaning.
Maintain your current driving condition until
regeneration is completed.
Exhaust System — Regeneration Completed
— This message indicates that the Diesel
Particulate Filter (DPF) self-cleaning is
completed. If this message is displayed, you
will hear one chime to assist in alerting you of
this condition.
WARNING!
A hot exhaust system can start a fire if you
park over materials that can burn. Such
materials might be grass or leaves coming
into contact with your exhaust system. Do not
park or operate your vehicle in areas where
your exhaust system can contact anything
that can burn.
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104GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
Exhaust Service Required — See Dealer Now
— This message indicates regeneration has
been disabled due to a system malfunction.
At this point the engine Powertrain Control
Module (PCM) will register a fault code, the
instrument panel will display a MIL light.
Exhaust Filter Full — Power Reduced See
Dealer — This message indicates the PCM
has derated the engine to limit the likelihood
of permanent damage to the after-treatment
system. If this condition is not corrected and
a dealer service is not performed, extensive
exhaust after-treatment damage can occur.
To correct this condition it will be necessary
to have your vehicle serviced by an autho -
rized dealer. NOTE:
Failing to follow the oil change indicator,
changing your oil and resetting the oil change
indicator by 0 miles remaining will prevent the
diesel exhaust filter from performing it's
cleaning routine. This will shortly result in a
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) and reduced
engine power. Only an authorized dealer will be
able to correct this condition.
Cold Ambient Derate Mode Messages
The vehicle will display messages when a
derate (engine power reduction) is activated to
protect the engine during start up in cold
ambient temperatures.
Engine Power Reduced During Warmup
—
This message will display during start up
when the ambient temperature is between
10°F (-12°C) and -10°F (-23°C).
Engine Power Reduced Up To 30 Sec
(Seconds) During Warmup — This message
will display during start up when the ambient
temperature is between -10°F (-23°C) and
-25°F (-32°C).
Engine Power Reduced Up To 2 Min
(Minutes) During Warmup — This message
will display during start up when the ambient
temperature is -25°F (-32°C) and below.
Your vehicle is equipped with an engine
warm up protection feature that may limit
engine performance after cold starting at low
ambient temperatures. The length of time
engine speed is limited is dependent upon
engine coolant temperature. Engine speed
may be briefly limited to 1,000 RPM after
starting with coolant temperature below
freezing conditions, and may be limited to
1,000 RPM for up to approximately two
minutes under more severe cold conditions.
Coolant Low — This telltale will turn on to indi -
cate the vehicle coolant level is low. Refer to
“Dealer Service” in “Servicing And Mainte -
nance” for more information.
CAUTION!
See an authorized dealer, as damage to the
exhaust system could occur soon with
continued operation.
CAUTION!
See an authorized dealer, as damage to the
exhaust system could occur soon with
continued operation.

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108GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
The battery was discharged by an electrical
load left on when the vehicle was parked.
The battery was used for an extended period
with the engine not running to supply radio,
lights, chargers, +12 Volt portable appli-
ances like vacuum cleaners, game consoles
and similar devices.
What to do when an electrical load reduction
action message is present (“Battery Saver On”
or “Battery Saver Mode”)
During a trip:
Reduce power to unnecessary loads if
possible:
Turn off redundant lights (interior or exte -
rior).
Check what may be plugged in to power outlets +12 Volts, 115 Volt AC, USB ports.
Check HVAC settings (blower, tempera -
ture).
Check the audio settings (volume). After a trip:
Check if any aftermarket equipment was
installed (additional lights, upfitter electrical
accessories, audio systems, alarms) and
review specifications if any (load and Ignition
Off Draw currents).
Evaluate the latest driving cycles (distance,
driving time and parking time).
The vehicle should have service performed if
the message is still present during consecu
-
tive trips and the evaluation of the vehicle
and driving pattern did not help to identify the
cause.
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
The warning/indicator lights will illuminate in
the instrument panel together with a dedicated
message and/or acoustic signal when appli -
cable. These indications are indicative and
precautionary and as such must not be consid -
ered as exhaustive. Always refer to the informa-
tion in this chapter in the event of a failure
indication. All active telltales will display first if
applicable. The system check menu may
appear different based upon equipment
options and current vehicle status. Some tell -
tales are optional and may not appear.
Red Warning Lights
Seat Belt Reminder Warning Light
This warning light indicates when the
driver or passenger seat belt is
unbuckled. When the ignition is first
placed in the ON/RUN or ACC/ON/
RUN position and if the driver’s seat belt is
unbuckled, a chime will sound and the light will
turn on. When driving, if the driver or front
passenger seat belt remains unbuckled, the
Seat Belt Reminder Light will flash or remain on
continuously and a chime will sound.
Refer to “Occupant Restraint Systems” in
“Safety” for further information.
Air Bag Warning Light
This warning light will illuminate to
indicate a fault with the air bag, and
will turn on for four to eight seconds
as a bulb check when the ignition is
placed in the ON/RUN or ACC/ON/RUN posi -
tion. This light will illuminate with a single chime
when a fault with the air bag has been detected,
it will stay on until the fault is cleared. If the light
is either not on during startup, stays on, or turns
on while driving, have the system inspected at
an authorized dealer as soon as possible.

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110GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
Vehicle Security Warning Light — If Equipped
This light will flash at a fast rate for
approximately 15 seconds when the
vehicle security alarm is arming, and
then will flash slowly until the vehicle
is disarmed.
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
This warning light warns of an over -
heated engine condition. If the engine
coolant temperature is too high, this
indicator will illuminate and a single
chime will sound. If the temperature reaches
the upper limit, a continuous chime will sound
for four minutes or until the engine is able to
cool, whichever comes first.
If the light turns on while driving, safely pull over
and stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is on,
turn it off. Also, shift the transmission into
NEUTRAL and idle the vehicle. If the tempera -
ture reading does not return to normal, turn the
engine off immediately and call for service.
Refer to “If Your Engine Overheats” in “In Case
Of Emergency” for further information.
Battery Charge Warning Light
This warning light will illuminate when
the battery is not charging properly. If
it stays on while the engine is running,
there may be a malfunction with the
charging system. Contact an authorized dealer
as soon as possible.
This indicates a possible problem with the elec -
trical system or a related component.
Oil Pressure Warning Light
This warning light will illuminate to
indicate low engine oil pressure. If the
light turns on while driving, stop the
vehicle, shut off the engine as soon as
possible, and contact an authorized dealer. A
chime will sound when this light turns on.
Do not operate the vehicle until the cause is
corrected. This light does not indicate how
much oil is in the engine. The engine oil level
must be checked under the hood.
Oil Temperature Warning Light
This warning light will illuminate to
indicate the engine oil temperature is
high. If the light turns on while driving,
stop the vehicle and shut off the
engine as soon as possible. Wait for oil
temperature to return to normal levels.
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) Warning
Light
This warning light will illuminate to
indicate a problem with the Electronic
Throttle Control (ETC) system. If a
problem is detected while the vehicle
is running, the light will either stay on or flash
depending on the nature of the problem. Cycle
the ignition when the vehicle is safely and
completely stopped and the transmission is
placed in the PARK position. The light should
turn off. If the light remains on with the vehicle
running, your vehicle will usually be drivable;
however, see an authorized dealer for service
as soon as possible.
NOTE:
This light may turn on if the accelerator and
brake pedals are pressed at the same time.

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL111
If the light continues to flash when the vehicle is
running, immediate service is required and you
may experience reduced performance, an
elevated/rough idle, or engine stall and your
vehicle may require towing. The light will come
on when the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN or
ACC/ON/RUN position and remain on briefly as
a bulb check. If the light does not come on
during starting, have the system checked by an
authorized dealer.
Electric Power Steering Fault Warning Light
This warning light will turn on when
there's a fault with the Electric Power
Steering (EPS) system. Refer to
“Power Steering” in “Starting And
Operating” for further information.
Trailer Brake Disconnected Warning Light
This warning light will illuminate when
the Trailer Brake has been discon -
nected.
Refer to “Trailer Towing” in “Starting And Oper -
ating” for further information.
Transmission Temperature Warning Light — If
Equipped
This warning light will illuminate to
warn of a high transmission fluid
temperature. This may occur with
strenuous usage such as trailer
towing. If this light turns on, stop the vehicle and
run the engine at idle or slightly faster, with the
transmission in PARK or NEUTRAL, until the
light turns off. Once the light turns off, you may
continue to drive normally.
Door Open Warning Light
This indicator will illuminate when a
door is ajar/open and not fully closed.
NOTE:
If the vehicle is moving there will also be a single
chime.
Yellow Warning Lights
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Fault Warning
Light — If Equipped
This warning light will illuminate to
indicate a fault in the ACC system.
Contact a local authorized dealer for
service.
For further information, refer to “Adaptive
Cruise Control (ACC)” in “Starting And Oper -
ating.”
WARNING!
Continued operation with reduced assist
could pose a safety risk to yourself and
others. Service should be obtained as soon
as possible.WARNING!
If you continue operating the vehicle when
the Transmission Temperature Warning Light
is illuminated you could cause the fluid to boil
over, come in contact with hot engine or
exhaust components and cause a fire.
CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Transmission
Temperature Warning Light illuminated will
eventually cause severe transmission
damage or transmission failure.
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