Get STARTING AND OPERATING -> Transmission Guide for Ram Pickup 1500 Light Truck 2023

122 STARTING AND OPERATING

To apply the parking brake manually, pull up on the switch

momentarily. You may hear a slight sound from the back

of the vehicle while the parking brake engages. Once the

park brake is fully engaged, the BRAKE telltale light in the

instrument cluster and an indicator on the switch will

illuminate. If your foot is on the brake pedal while you

apply the parking brake, you may notice a small amount of

brake pedal movement. The parking brake can be applied

even when the ignition switch is OFF but the BRAKE

telltale light will not illuminate, however, it can only be

released when the ignition is in the ON/RUN position.

ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS

PARKING BRAKE

ELECTRIC PARK BRAKE (EPB)

Your vehicle is equipped with an EPB that offers simple

operation, and some additional features that make the

parking brake more convenient and useful.

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.

The parking brake is primarily intended to prevent the

vehicle from rolling while parked. Before leaving the

vehicle, make sure that the parking brake is applied. Also,

be certain to leave the transmission in PARK.

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.

NOTE:

You can engage the parking brake in two ways:

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

The EPB Warning Light will illuminate if the EPB switch is

held for longer than 20 seconds in either the released or

applied position. The light will extinguish upon releasing

the switch.

 Manually, by applying the parking brake switch.

 Automatically, by enabling the Auto Park Brake feature

in the Customer Programmable Features section of the

Uconnect settings.

recommended viscosity and quality grades Ú page 396.

If the Auto Park Brake feature is enabled, the parking

brake will automatically engage whenever the

transmission is placed into PARK. If your foot is on the

brake pedal, you may notice a small amount of brake

pedal movement while the parking brake is engaging.

The parking brake switch is located on the instrument

panel to the left of the steering wheel (below the

headlamp switch).

CAUTION!

Never use Non-Detergent Oil or Straight Mineral Oil in

the engine or damage may result.

The parking brake will release automatically when the

ignition is ON, the transmission is in DRIVE or REVERSE,

the driver seat belt is buckled, and an attempt is made to

drive away.

NOTE:

A new engine may consume some oil during its first few

thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This should be

considered a normal part of the break-in and not inter-

preted as a problem. Please check your oil level with the

engine oil indicator often during the break-in period. Add

oil as required.

To release the parking brake manually, the ignition switch

must be in the ON/RUN position. Put your foot on the

brake pedal, then push the parking brake switch down

momentarily. You may hear a slight whirring sound from

the back of the vehicle while the parking brake

disengages.

Electric Park Brake Switch

STARTING AND OPERATING 123

You may also notice a small amount of movement in the

brake pedal. Once the parking brake is fully disengaged,

the BRAKE telltale light in the instrument cluster and the

LED indicator on the switch will extinguish.

To disengage the parking brake while the vehicle is in

motion, release the switch. If the vehicle is brought to a

complete stop using the parking brake, when the vehicle

reaches approximately 3 mph, (5 km/h) the parking brake

will remain engaged.

WARNING!

 Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, or in

a location accessible to children, and do not leave a

vehicle equipped with Keyless Enter ‘n Go™ in the

ACC or ON/RUNposition. A child could operate power

windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.

NOTE:

When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front

wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away from

the curb on an uphill grade. Applythe parking brake before

placing the gear selector in PARK, otherwise the load on

the transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult

to move the gear selector out of PARK.

WARNING!

Driving the vehicle with the parking brake engaged, or

repeated use of the parking brake to slow the vehicle,

may cause serious damage to the brake system.

Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged before

driving; failure to do so can lead to brake failure and a

collision.

 Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged before

driving; failure to do so can lead to brake failure and

a collision.

 Always fully apply the parking brake when leaving

your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage or

injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission in

PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to roll

and cause damage or injury.

WARNING!

 Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the

parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully

when parked to guard against vehicle movement and

possible injury or damage.

In the unlikely event of a malfunction of the EPB system, a

yellow EPB Warning Light will illuminate. This may be

accompanied by the BRAKE telltale light flashing. In this

event, urgent service of the EPB system is required. Do not

rely on the parking brake to hold the vehicle stationary.

CAUTION!

 When exiting the vehicle, always remove the key fob

from the ignition and lock your vehicle.

If the Brake System Warning Light remains on with the

parking brake released, a brake system malfunction is

indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an

authorized dealer immediately.

Auto Park Brake

 Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with

access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to

be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a

number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-

ously or fatally injured. Children should be warned

not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the

gear selector.

The Electric Park Brake (EPB) can be programmed to be

applied automatically whenever the vehicle is at a

standstill and the automatic transmission is placed in

PARK. Auto Park Brake is enabled and disabled by

customer selection through the Customer Programmable

Features section of the Uconnect Settings Ú page 206.

If exceptional circumstances should make it necessary to

engage the parking brake while the vehicle is in motion,

maintain upward pressureon theEPB switch for as long as

engagement is desired. The BRAKE telltale light will

illuminate, and a continuous chime will sound. The rear

stop lamps will also be illuminated automatically while the

vehicle remains in motion.

(Continued)

Anysingle Auto Park Brake application can be bypassed by

pushing the EPB switch to the release position while the

transmission is placed in PARK.

124 STARTING AND OPERATING

When servicing your rear brakes, it may be necessary for

you or your technician to push the rear piston into the rear

caliper bore. With the Electric Park Brake (EPB) system,

this can only be done after retracting the EPB actuator.

Fortunately, actuator retraction can be done easily by

entering the Brake Service mode through the Uconnect

Settings in your vehicle. This menu-based system will

guide you through the steps necessary to retract the EPB

actuator in order to perform rear brake service.

SafeHold

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SafeHold is a safety feature of the Electric Park Brake

(EPB) system that will engage the parking brake

automatically if the vehicle is left unsecured while the

ignition is in ON/RUN.

You must press and hold the brake pedal whileshifting out

of PARK.

WARNING!

The parking brake will automatically engage if all of the

following conditions are met:

 Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the

parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully

when exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle

movement and possible injury or damage.

 The vehicle is at a standstill.

Service Mode has requirements that must be met in order

to be activated:

 There is no attempt to press the brake pedal and accel-

erator pedal.

 Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if

it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the trans-

mission gear selector out of PARK with the brake

pedal released. Make sure the transmission is in

PARK before exiting the vehicle.

 The vehicle must be at a standstill.

 The seat belt is unbuckled.

 The driver door is open.

 The parking brake must be unapplied.

 The transmission must be in PARK or NEUTRAL.

SafeHold can be temporarily bypassed by pushing the EPB

switch while the driver door is open. Once manually

bypassed, SafeHold will be enabled again once the vehicle

reaches 12 mph (20 km/h) or the ignition is turned to the

OFF position and back to ON again.

While in Service Mode, the EPB Warning Light will flash

continuously while the ignition is in ON/RUN.

 The transmission may not engage PARK if the vehicle

is moving. Always bring the vehicle to a complete

stop before shifting to PARK, and verify that the

transmission gear position indicator solidly indicates

PARK (P) without blinking. Ensure that the vehicle is

completely stopped, and the PARK position is prop-

erly indicated, before exiting the vehicle.

When brake service work is complete, the following steps

must be followed to reset the park brake system to normal

operation:

Brake Service Mode

 Ensure the vehicle is at a standstill.

 Press the brake pedal with moderate force.

 Apply the EPB Switch.

We recommend having your brakes serviced by an

authorized dealer. You should only make repairs for which

you have the knowledge and the right equipment.

You should only enter Brake Service mode during

brake service.

 It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL if the

engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your foot is

not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle could

accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You could

lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or

something. Only shift into gear when the engine is

idling normally and your foot is firmly pressing the

brake pedal.

WARNING!

You can be badly injured working on or around a motor

vehicle. Do only that 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.

(Continued)

STARTING AND OPERATING 125

The brake pedal must also be pressed to shift from

NEUTRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE when the vehicle is

stopped or moving at low speeds.

WARNING!

CAUTION!

 Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure

those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you

should never exit a vehicle while the engine is

running. Before exiting a vehicle, always come to a

complete stop, then apply the parking brake, shift

the transmission into PARK, and turn the ignition

OFF. When the ignition is in the OFF position, the

transmission is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle

against unwanted movement.

 Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after the

vehicle has come to a complete stop.

8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Rotary Shifter — If Equipped

 Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL, or

DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.

The transmission is controlled using a rotary electronic

gear selector located on the instrument panel. The

transmission gear range (PRND) is displayed both above

the gear selector and in the instrument cluster. To select

a gear range, simply rotate the gear selector. You must

press the brake pedal to shift the transmission out of

PARK (or NEUTRAL, when the vehicle is stopped or moving

at low speeds). To shift past multiple gear ranges at once

(such as PARK to DRIVE), simply rotate the gear selector

to the appropriate detent. Select the DRIVE range for

normal driving.

 Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is

firmly pressing the brake pedal.

IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK

 When exiting the vehicle, always make sure the

ignition is in the OFF position, remove the key fob

from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.

This vehicle is equipped with an Ignition Park Interlock

which requires the transmission to be in PARK before the

ignition can be turned to the OFF position. This helps the

driver avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without

placing the transmission in PARK. This system also locks

the transmission in PARK whenever the ignition is in the

OFF position.

 Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with

access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to

be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a

number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-

ously or fatally injured. Children should be warned

not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the

transmission gear selector.

NOTE:

In the event of a mismatch between the gear selector

position and the actual transmission gear (for example,

driver selects PARK while driving), the position indicator

will blink continuously until the selector is returned to the

proper position, or the requested shift can be completed.

NOTE:

The transmission is NOT locked in PARK when the ignition

is in the ACC position (even though the engine will be off).

Ensure that the transmission is in PARK, and the ignition

is OFF (not in ACC position) before exiting the vehicle.

 Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle

(or in a location accessible to children), and do not

leave the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN position.

A child could operate power windows, other controls,

or move the vehicle.

The electronically controlled transmission adapts its shift

schedulebased on driver inputs, along with environmental

and road conditions. The transmission electronics are

self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new

vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal

condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few

hundred miles (kilometers).

BRAKE/TRANSMISSION SHIFT

INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM

This vehicle is equipped with a BTSI system that holds the

transmission gear selector in PARK unless the brakes are

applied. To shift the transmission out of PARK, the engine

must be running and the brake pedal must be pressed.

126 STARTING AND OPERATING

Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the

accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.

Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when shifting

between these gears.

You must also press the brake pedal to shift from NEUTRAL

(N) into DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R) when the vehicle is

stopped ormoving at low speeds. Select the DRIVE range for

normal driving.

The transmission gear selector has only PARK, REVERSE,

NEUTRAL, and DRIVE positions. Manual downshifts can be

made using the Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control.

Pushing the GEAR “-”/GEAR “+” switches (on the steering

wheel) while in the DRIVE position will select the highest

available transmission gear, and will display that gear limit

in the instrument cluster as 1, 2, 3, etc. Ú page 128. Some

models will display both the selected gear limit, and the

actual current gear, while in ERS mode.

NOTE:

 The transmission electronics are self-calibrating; there-

fore, the first few shifts on a new vehicle may be some-

what abrupt. This is a normal condition, and precision

shifts will develop within a few hundred miles

(kilometers).

 In the event of a mismatch between the gear selector

position and the actual transmission gear (for example,

driver selects PARK while driving), the position indi-

cator will blink continuously until the selector is

returned to the proper position, or the requested shift

can be completed.

Gear Selector

NOTE:

If the gear selector cannot be moved to the PARK,

REVERSE, or NEUTRAL position (when pushed forward), it

is probably in the AutoStick (+/-) position (beside the

DRIVE position). In AutoStick mode, the transmission gear

(1, 2, 3, etc.) is displayed in the instrument cluster. Move

the gear selector to the right (into the DRIVE position) for

access to PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL.

The electronically controlled transmission adapts its shift

schedulebased on driver inputs, along with environmental

and road conditions.

Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the

accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.

Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when shifting

between these gears.

Gear Ranges

Do not press the accelerator pedal when shifting from

PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range.

The transmission gear selector provides PARK, REVERSE,

NEUTRAL, and SPORT (S) (AutoStick) shift positions.

Manual shifts can be made using the AutoStick shift

control. Toggling the gear selector forward (-) or rearward

(+) while in the SPORT (AutoStick) position (beside the

DRIVE position), or tapping the paddle shifters (+/-) (if

equipped), will manually select the transmission gear, and

will display the current gear in the instrument cluster

Ú page 129.

NOTE:

Electronic Transmission Gear Selector

After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to allow the

selected gear to engage before accelerating. This is espe-

cially important when the engine is cold.

Console Shifter — If Equipped

The transmission gear range is displayed both beside the

gear selector and in the instrument cluster. To select a gear

range, push the lock button on the gear selector and move

the selector rearward or forward. To shift the transmission

out of PARK (P), the engine must be running and the brake

pedal must be pressed.

STARTING AND OPERATING 127

CAUTION!

PARK (P)

The following indicators should be used to ensure that you

have properly engaged the transmission into the PARK

position:

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.

Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other

reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause

severe transmission damage.

 Look at the transmission gear position display and

verify that it indicates the PARK position (P), and is not

blinking.

For Recreational Towing Ú page 187.

When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before

shifting the transmission to PARK. As an added

 With the brake pedal released, verify that the gear

selector will not move out of PARK.

For Towing A Disabled Vehicle Ú page 330.

precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a

downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.

REVERSE (R)

DRIVE (D)

This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into

REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete

stop.

NOTE:

This range should be used for most city and highway

driving. Itprovides thesmoothest upshifts and downshifts,

and the best fuel economy. The transmission

On four-wheel drive vehicles be sure that the transfer case

is in a drive position.

NEUTRAL (N)

automatically upshifts through all forward gears.

When exiting the vehicle, always:

 Apply the parking brake.

Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged

periods with the engine running. Apply the parking brake

and shift the transmission into PARK if you must exit the

vehicle.

When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as

when operating the vehicle under heavy loading

conditions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head

winds, or while towing a heavy trailer), select TOW/HAUL

mode or use the Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift

control to select a lower gear range Ú page 128. Under

these conditions, using a lower gear range will improve

performance and extend transmission life by reducing

excessive shifting and heat buildup.

 Shift the transmission into PARK.

 Turn the engine off.

 Remove the key fob from the vehicle.

WARNING!

Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the ignition

to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices that

limit your response to changing traffic or road

conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and

have a collision.

CAUTION!

 DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or

NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this can

damage the drivetrain.

During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or

below), transmission operation may be modified

 Before moving the transmission gear selector out of

PARK, you must start the engine, and also press the

brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the gear selector

could result.

depending on engine and transmission temperature as

well as vehicle speed. Normal operation will resume once

the transmission temperature has risen to a suitable level.

STARTING AND OPERATING -> Transmission for Your Ram Pickup 1500 Light Truck 2023

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