How to Operate Dodge RAM 4 Wheel Drive

by Robert Moore

As the owner of a 2014 Ram pickup, if you wanted to thank someone for the invention of four-wheel drive, you would have to talk to Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spyker, who introduced the first mechanical four-wheel drive system back in 1902. Their first-of-its-kind, four-wheel-drive system paved the road for modern four-wheel-drive systems like yours. Whether your truck has the manually shifted transfer case or the electronically shifted transfer case, there is a special procedure you have to follow to engage four-wheel drive.

Setting Four-High and Automatic Four-Wheel Drive

You can shift into four-high or auto four-wheel drive, if equipped, on the fly as long as you're traveling less than 55 mph. To engage four-high range or auto, let off the throttle and shift into four-high mode or auto mode. On manually shifted models, the "4WD" light on the instrument cluster will illuminate. On electronically shifted models, the "4WD" will flash during engagement and will turn solid when engagement is complete.

To disengage either mode, move the shifter lever or knob back to the two-high range. The "4WD" light will turn off when the shift is complete.

Finding Four-Low

You must shift into four-wheel drive low range with the Ram moving at only 2 or 3 mph. Slow the truck down to 2 or 3 mph, and then shift the transmission into neutral. Next, shift the transfer case into four-low range. It is safe to put the transmission back into gear as soon as the "4Low" light illuminates in the instrument cluster.

To shift back into two-wheel drive or into four-high, slow down to 2 or 3 mph. Shift the transmission into neutral and shift the transfer case into the desired gear. The lights will turn off when engagement of two-wheel drive is complete, or "4WD" will illuminate if you shift into four-high.

Setting Transfer Case Neutral

To set the transfer case into neutral, the truck must be at a complete stop and ready for flat towing. Turn the ignition key to the "On" position, and then shift the transfer case into neutral. Do not attempt to drive the vehicle with the transfer case in neutral.

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