2023 RAM CHASSIS CAB manual transmission

STARTING AND OPERATING197
Shifting Out Of N (Neutral)
Use the following procedure to prepare your
vehicle for normal usage:

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving
it connected to the tow vehicle.

2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Start the engine, and shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
With manual shift transfer case, shift the
transfer case lever to the desired position.
With electronically shifted transfer case
with rotary selector switch, push and hold
the transfer case N (Neutral) button until
the N (Neutral) indicator light turns off. After
the N (Neutral) indicator light turns off,
release the N (Neutral) button. After the N
(Neutral) button has been released, the
transfer case will shift to the position indi -
cated by the selector switch.
With electronically shifted transfer case
with push-button selector switch, push and
hold the switch for the desired transfer case
position, until the N (Neutral) indicator light
turns off and the desired position indicator
light turns on.
NOTE:When shifting the transfer case out of N (Neutral),
turning the engine off is not required, but may be
helpful to avoid gear clash. With 8-speed auto -
matic transmission, the engine must remain
running, since turning the engine off will shift the
transmission to PARK (and the transmission must
be in NEUTRAL for the transfer case to shift out of
NEUTRAL).
5. Turn the engine off. Shift automatic transmission into PARK. On 8-speed
transmissions the shifter will automatically
select PARK when the engine is turned off.
6. Release the brake pedal.
7. Disconnect vehicle from the tow vehicle.
8. Start the engine.
9. Press and hold the brake pedal.
10. Release the parking brake.
11. Shift the transmission into gear, release the brake pedal, and check that the vehicle
operates normally.
NOTE:With electronically shifted transfer case:
Steps 3 and 4 are requirements that must be
met before pushing the button to shift out of N
(Neutral), and must continue to be met until the
shift has been completed. If any of these
requirements are not met before pushing the
button or are no longer met during the shift, the
N (Neutral) indicator light will flash continuously
until all requirements are met or until the button
is released.
The ignition must be in the ON/RUN position for
a shift to take place and for the position indi -
cator lights to be operable. If the ignition is not
in the ON/RUN position, the shift will not take
place and no position indicator lights will be on
or flashing.
A flashing N (Neutral) position indicator light
indicates that shift requirements have not been
met.
DRIVING TIPS
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other
slippery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to
pull erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon
occurs when there is a difference in the surface
traction under the rear (driving) wheels.
4

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276SAFETY
Feedback To The Driver
The instrument cluster has an HDC icon and the
HDC switch has an LED icon, which offers feedback
to the driver about the state HDC is in.
The cluster icon and switch lamp will illuminate
and remain on solid when HDC is enabled or
activated. This is the normal operating condition
for HDC.
The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash for
several seconds then extinguish when the driver
pushes the HDC switch but enable conditions
are not met.
The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash for
several seconds then extinguish when HDC
disables due to excess speed.
The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash when
HDC deactivates due to overheated brakes. The
flashing will stop and HDC will activate again
once the brakes have cooled sufficiently.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
HSA is designed to mitigate roll back from a
complete stop while on an incline. If the driver
releases the brake while stopped on an incline,
HSA will continue to hold the brake pressure for a
short period. If the driver does not apply the
throttle before this time expires, the system will
release brake pressure and the vehicle will roll
down the hill as normal.
The following conditions must be met in order for
HSA to activate:
The feature must be enabled.
The vehicle must be stopped.
The parking brake must be off.
The driver door must be closed.
The vehicle must be on a sufficient grade.
The gear selection must match vehicle uphill
direction (i.e., vehicle facing uphill is in forward
gear; vehicle backing uphill is in REVERSE gear).
HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all forward
gears. The system will not activate if the trans -
mission is in PARK or NEUTRAL. For vehicles
equipped with a manual transmission, if the
clutch is pressed, HSA will remain active.
Disabling And Enabling HSA
This feature can be turned on or turned off. To
change the current setting, proceed as follows:
If disabling HSA using your instrument cluster
display, see Ú page 89 for further information.
If disabling HSA using Uconnect Settings, see
Úpage 199 for further information.
WARNING!
HDC is only intended to assist the driver in
controlling vehicle speed when descending hills.
The driver must remain attentive to the driving
conditions and is responsible for maintaining a
safe vehicle speed.
WARNING!
There may be situations where the Hill Start
Assist (HSA) will not activate and slight rolling
may occur, such as on minor hills or with a
loaded vehicle, or while pulling a trailer. HSA is
not a substitute for active driving involvement. It
is always the driver’s responsibility to be
attentive to distance to other vehicles, people,
and objects, and most importantly brake
operation to ensure safe operation of the vehicle
under all road conditions. Your complete
attention is always required while driving to
maintain safe control of your vehicle. Failure to
follow these warnings can result in a collision or
serious personal injury.

23_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 276

SAFETY277
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll
back while towing a trailer.
Ready Alert Braking (RAB)
RAB may reduce the time required to reach full
braking during emergency braking situations. It
anticipates when an emergency braking situation
may occur by monitoring how fast the throttle is
released by the driver. The Electronic Brake
Control system will prepare the brake system for a
panic stop.
Traction Control System (TCS)
The TCS monitors the amount of wheel spin of
each of the driven wheels. If wheel spin is
detected, the TCS may apply brake pressure to the
spinning wheel(s) and/or reduce engine power to
provide enhanced acceleration and stability. A
feature of the TCS, Brake Limited Differential (BLD)
functions similarly to a limited slip differential and
controls the wheel spin across a driven axle. If one
wheel on a driven axle is spinning faster than the
other, the system will apply the brake of the
spinning wheel. This will allow more engine power
to be applied to the wheel that is not spinning. BLD
may remain enabled even if TCS and Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) are in reduced modes.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
TSC uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize an
excessively swaying trailer and will take the
appropriate actions to attempt to stop the sway.
NOTE:TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying. Always
use caution when towing a trailer and follow the
trailer tongue weight recommendations
Úpage 181. When TSC is functioning, the ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light will flash, the engine
power may be reduced and you may feel the
brakes being applied to individual wheels to
attempt to stop the trailer from swaying. TSC is
disabled when the ESC system is in the “Partial
Off” or “Full Off” modes.
AUXILIARY DRIVING SYSTEMS
BLIND SPOT ASSIST CAMERAS —
I
F EQUIPPED
Blind Spot Assist Cameras
There are cameras located in the exterior mirrors
to assist in blind spot detection. Refer to
Ú page 166 to learn more about how the cameras
function with turn signal engagement or refer to
Ú page 168 to learn how to activate the cameras
through the Camera's screen.
WARNING!
If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, the trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated with the brake switch. If so, there
may not be enough brake pressure to hold
both the vehicle and the trailer on a hill when
the brake pedal is released. In order to avoid
rolling down an incline while resuming accel -
eration, manually activate the trailer brake or
apply more vehicle brake pressure prior to
releasing the brake pedal.

HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when exiting your vehicle. Also,
be certain to place the transmission in PARK.

Failure to follow these warnings can result in a
collision or serious personal injury.
WARNING!
If TSC activates while driving, slow the vehicle
down, stop at the nearest safe location, and
adjust the trailer load to eliminate trailer sway.
6

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336IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE
6–SPEED TRANSMISSION —
I
F EQUIPPED
In order to move the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (P) (such as
a depleted battery), a Manual Park Release is
available.

1. Turn the engine OFF.

2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Tilt the steering wheel to the full up position.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake
pedal. 5. Insert a screwdriver or similar tool into the
access port (ringed circle) on the bottom of the
steering column, and push and hold the
override release lever up.

Gear Selector Override Access Port Location
Gear Selector Override Access Port Engaging The Access Port

6. Move the gear selector to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
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.

23_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 336

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY337
MANUAL PARK RELEASE
8–SPEED TRANSMISSION —
I
F EQUIPPED
In order to move the vehicle in cases where the
transmission will not shift out of PARK (P) (such as
a depleted battery), a Manual Park Release is
available. See the following steps to activate the Manual
Park Release:

1. Firmly apply the parking brake.

2. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool,
remove the Manual Park Release access
cover, which is just above the parking brake
release handle, below and to the left of the
steering column.

Manual Park Release Cover

3. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
4. Using the screwdriver or similar tool, push the Manual Park Release lever locking tab (just
below the middle of the lever) upwards.
Manual Park Release Pull Strap

5. While holding the locking tab in the disengaged position, pull the tether strap to
rotate the lever rearward, until it locks in place
pointing towards the driver's seat. Release the
locking tab and verify that the Manual Park
Release lever is locked in the released
position.
6. The vehicle is now out of PARK and can be towed. Release the parking brake only when
the vehicle is securely connected to a tow
vehicle.
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.
7

23_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 337

338IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
To Reset The Manual Park Release:

1. Push the locking tab to the right, to unlock the lever.

2. Rotate the Manual Park Release lever forward to its original position, until the locking tab
snaps into place to secure the lever.
3. Pull gently on the tether strap to confirm that the lever is locked in its stowed position.

Manual Park Release Tether In Stowed Position

4. Reinstall 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:
For trucks equipped with an 8–speed transmis
-
sion, shifts between DRIVE and REVERSE can
only be achieved at wheel speeds of 5 mph
(8 km/h) or less. Whenever the transmission
remains in NEUTRAL (N) for more than two
seconds, you must press the brake pedal to
engage DRIVE or REVERSE.
Push the ESC OFF button, to place the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system in “Partial Off”
mode, before rocking the vehicle Ú page 271.
Once the vehicle has been freed, push the ESC
OFF button again to restore ESC On mode.
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 transmis -
sion 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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429
B
Back Up Camera
............................................ 166Back-Up......................................................... 166Battery................................................. 104, 352Blanket...................................................... 123Charging System Light............................... 104Keyless Key Fob Replacement.................... 16Battery Saver Feature...................................... 55Belts, Seat..................................................... 322Blind Spot Assist Cameras............................. 277Bluetooth Connecting To A Particular Mobile PhoneOr Audio Device After Pairing
................238Body Builders Guide........................................ 10Body Mechanism Lubrication........................ 364B-Pillar Location............................................. 394Brake Assist System...................................... 271Brake Control System.................................... 271Brake Fluid.......................................... 371, 421Brake System...................................... 371, 411Fluid Check............................................... 371Master Cylinder......................................... 371Parking...................................................... 128Warning Light............................................ 103Brake/Transmission Interlock....................... 131Bulb Replacement......................................... 384Bulbs, Light.......................................... 324, 384
C
Cab Top Clearance Lights............................. 388Camera......................................................... 166Camera, AUX........................................ 173, 176Camera, Rear....................................... 166, 168Camera, Trailer Surround View..................... 173Capacities, Antifreeze (Engine Coolant)........ 418Capacities, Fluid........................................... 418Caps, FillerOil (Engine)............................................... 350Power Steering......................................... 148Radiator (Coolant Pressure)..................... 369Car Washes................................................... 408Carbon Monoxide Warning............................ 324Cargo Light....................................................... 54CD................................................................. 232Cellular Phone.............................................. 263Center High Mounted Stop Light................... 388Center Seat Storage Compartment.................. 66Changing A Flat Tire...................................... 329Charge Air Cooler.......................................... 370Chart, Tire Sizing........................................... 390Check Engine Light
(Malfunction Indicator Light)......................... 112Checking Your Vehicle For Safety................. 321Checks, Safety.............................................. 321Child Restraint.............................................. 305
Child RestraintsBooster Seats........................................... 308Child Seat Installation...................... 315, 317How To Stow An unused ALR Seat Belt..... 313Infant And Child Restraints....................... 307Locating The LATCH Anchorages.............. 312Lower Anchors And Tethers For Children.. 310Older Children And Child Restraints.......... 308Seating Positions...................................... 309Clean Air Gasoline......................................... 413CleaningWheels...................................................... 403Climate Control................................................58Automatic....................................................59Manual........................................................62Cold Weather Operation................................ 117Compact Spare Tire...................................... 401Connected Services...................................... 244Connected Services FAQ............................... 258Connected Services Features....................... 247Connected Services, Getting Started............ 246Connected Services, Introduction................. 244Contract, Service........................................... 424Controls........................................................ 224Cooling Pressure Cap (Radiator Cap)............ 369
11

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436 Service Manuals
............................................ 426Settings, Audio.............................................. 230Shift Lever Override....................................... 336Shifting.......................................................... 130Automatic Transmission.................. 132, 135Transfer Case............................................ 146Transfer Case, Shifting Into Transfer Case Neutral (N)............................................ 196Transfer Case, Shifting Out Of Transfer Case Neutral (N)................................... 197Signals, Turn..................................54, 110, 324Sirius Satellite Radio..................................... 226Favorites................................................... 229Replay....................................................... 228SiriusXM Satellite RadioBrowse in SXM.......................................... 229Favorites................................................... 229Replay....................................................... 228Sliding Rear Window, Power............................ 76Smart Watch.................................................. 258Snow Chains (Tire Chains)............................. 404Snow Plow..................................................... 192Snow Tires..................................................... 401SOS Call............................................... 247, 259
Spare Tires.......................................... 401, 402Speed ControlAccel/Decel.............................................. 150Cancel...................................................... 150Resume.................................................... 150Speed Control (Cruise Control)............ 149, 150Starting....................................... 113, 115, 117Automatic Transmission.................. 113, 117Button......................................................... 18Cold Weather............................................ 117Engine Block Heater................................. 119Engine Fails To Start................................. 116Starting And Operating.................................. 115Starting Procedures............................. 115, 117Starting Procedures (Diesel Engines)........... 117Starting Procedures (Gas Engines)............... 113SteeringPower....................................................... 148Tilt Column.................................................. 27Wheel, Heated...................................... 27, 28Wheel, Tilt.................................................... 27
Steering Wheel Audio Controls...................... 224Steering Wheel Mounted Sound System....... 224Stolen Vehicle Assistance.................... 255, 260Storage............................................................65Storage Compartment, Center Seat.................66Storage, Vehicle..................................... 65, 407Store Radio Presets...................................... 230Storing Your Vehicle...................................... 407Sunglasses Storage.........................................68Sway Control, Trailer..................................... 277Synthetic Engine Oil...................................... 354
T
Telescoping Steering Column...........................27Temperature Control, Automatic (ATC).............64TiltDown...........................................................33Up................................................................33Tilt Steering Column.........................................27Tip Start............................................... 115, 117Tire And Loading Information Placard........... 394Tire Markings................................................ 389Tire Safety Information.................................. 389

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