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), use the Electronic Range Select
(ERS) shift control (refer to “Electronic Range Select (ERS)
Operation” in this section for further information) to select
a lower gear range. Under these conditions, using a lower
gear range will improve performance and extend transmis-
sion life by reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operating
limits, the powertrain controller will modify the transmis-
sion shift schedule and expand the range of torque con-
verter clutch engagement. This is done to prevent trans-
mission damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot or is in danger
of overheating, the “Transmission Temperature Warning
Light” may illuminate and the transmission may operate
differently until the transmission cools down.
NOTE:
Use caution when operating a heavily loaded
vehicle at low speeds (such as towing a trailer up a steep
grade, or in stop-and-go traffic) during hot weather. In
these conditions, torque converter slip can impose a sig-
nificant additional heat load on the cooling system. Down-
shifting the transmission to the lowest possible gear (when
climbing a grade), or shifting to NEUTRAL (when stopped
in heavy traffic) can help to reduce this excess heat
generation.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may be
modified depending on engine and transmission tempera-
ture as well as vehicle speed. This feature improves warm
up time of the engine and transmission to achieve maxi-
mum efficiency. Engagement of both the torque converter
clutch and the top overdrive gear are inhibited until the
transmission fluid is warm (refer to the “Note” under
“Torque Converter Clutch” in this section). During ex-
tremely cold temperatures (-16°F [-27°C] or below), opera-
tion may briefly be limited to first and direct gears only.
Normal operation will resume once the transmission tem-
perature has risen to a suitable level.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING
395
Summary of Contents for RAM 1500 2017
Page 4: ......
Page 7: ...1 INTRODUCTION 5 ...
Page 10: ......
Page 157: ...Slow Tone Fast Tone 3 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 155 ...
Page 228: ......
Page 332: ...8 4 8 4 NAV With Manual Temperature Controls 330 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL ...
Page 333: ...8 4 8 4 NAV With Automatic Temperature Controls 4 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 331 ...
Page 560: ......
Page 612: ......
Page 681: ...MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES CONTENTS 䡵 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE 680 Maintenance Chart 681 8 ...
Page 693: ...INDEX 10 ...