2006 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual - Page 305
2006 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup Manual
Page 305 highlights
STARTING AND OPERATING 305 To shift into Reverse, come to a complete stop. Depress the clutch and pause briefly to allow the gear train to stop. Move the shift lever from the Neutral position straight across and back into Reverse. Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, or attempt to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal partially engaged, as this will cause abnormal wear on the clutch. Recommended Vehicle Shift Speeds To utilize your manual transmission efficiently for both fuel economy and performance, it should be upshifted as listed in recommended shift speed chart. Shift at the vehicle speeds listed for acceleration. Earlier upshifts during cruise conditions (steady speeds) will result in increased fuel economy, and may be used as indicated. Manual Transmission - 6 Speed (G56) 2500 and 3500 models are equipped with the G56 manual transmission. This transmission has a "creeper" 1st gear which should be used to start from a standing position when carrying a payload or towing a trailer. Damage to the clutch can result from starting in 2nd or 3rd gear with a loaded vehicle. An unloaded vehicle may be launched in 2nd gear. Use each gear in numerical order - do not skip a gear. For most city driving you may find it easier to use only 1st through 5th gear ranges. For steady highway driving with light accelerations, 6th gear is recommended. To shift into 5th gear, move the shift lever to the right beyond the spring pressure point and push it forward. When shifting from 5th to 4th gear, pull the lever down toward you in one motion. Do not pull the lever sharply left as you may shift accidentally into 2nd gear and damage the transmission. To shift into Reverse, come to a complete stop. Depress the clutch and pause briefly to allow the gear train to stop. Reverse has a "crash-through" lockout feature. 5