2004 Dodge Ram 3500 Pickup Owner Manual Diesel - Page 223

STARTING AND OPERATING 223 Truck models with manual transmission are equipped with a clutch interlocking ignition system. The clutch pedal must be fully depressed to start the vehicle. Fully depress the clutch pedal before shifting gears. As you release the clutch pedal, lightly depress the accelerator pedal. When launching a stationary vehicle, keep the engine speed low until the clutch is fully engaged. Damage to the clutch can result from starting in 2nd or 3rd gear. Use each gear in numerical order - do not skip a gear. from 5th to 4th, 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 and engine. 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. Downshifting Moving from a high gear down to a lower gear is recommended to preserve brakes when driving down steep hills. In addition, downshifting at the right time provides better acceleration when you desire to resume speed. Downshifting progressively. Do not skip gears to 5 For improved clutch life, all five forward gears should be used for all load conditions. For steady highway driving with light acceleration, 5th 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