traction control Ram 1500 2011 User Guide

freshbite into the surface and will usually provide
enough traction to complete the climb. If you do not
make it to the top, place the vehicle in REVERSE and
back straight down the grade using engine resistance
along with the vehicle brakes.
WARNING!
Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn
around on a steep grade. Driving across an incline
increases the risk of a roll over, which may result in
severe injury.
•Driving Down Hill – Before driving down a steep hill
you need to determine if it is too steep for a safe
descent. What is the surface traction? Is the grade too
steep to maintain a slow controlled descent? Are there
obstacles? Is it a straight descent? Is there plenty of
distance at the base of the hill to regain control if the
vehicle descends too fast? If you feel confident in your ability to proceed then make sure you are in 4L (Low
Range) with the transmission in first gear (manually
select first gear on automatic transmissions) and pro-
ceed with caution. Allow engine braking to control the
descent and apply your brakes if necessary, but do not
allow the tires to lock.
WARNING!
Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use
vehicle brakes in conjunction with engine braking.
Descending a grade too fast could cause you to lose
control and be seriously injured.
•Driving Across An Incline
– If at all possible avoid
driving across an incline. If it is necessary, know your
vehicle’s abilities. Driving across an incline places
more weight on the down hill wheels, which increases
the possibilities of a down hill slide or rollover. Make
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sure the surface has good traction with firm and stable
soils. If possible transverse the incline at an angle
heading slightly up or down.
WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of a
rollover, which may result in severe injury.
•If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway– If you stall
or begin to lose headway while climbing a steep hill,
allow your vehicle to come to a stop and immediately
apply the brake. Restart the engine and shift into
REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill allowing the
compression braking of the engine and transmission to
help regulate your speed. If the brakes are required to
control vehicle speed, apply them lightly and avoid
locking or skidding the tires.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never
attempt to turn around. To do so may result in
tipping and rolling the vehicle, which may result in
severe injury. Always back carefully straight down a
hill in REVERSE. Never back down a hill in NEU-
TRAL using only the vehicle brakes. Never drive
diagonally across a hill, always drive straight up or
down.
Driving Through Water
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type of water.
Water crossings should be avoided if possible and only
be attempted when necessary, in a safe responsible
manner. You should only drive through areas which are
designated and approved. You should tread lightly and
avoid damage to the environment. You should know
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downstream out of control if the water is deep enough
to push on the large surface area of the vehicle’s body.
Before you proceed determine the speed of the current,
the water’s depth, approach angle, bottom condition
and if there are any obstacles, then cross at an angle
heading slightly upstream using the low and slow
technique.
WARNING!
Never drive through fast moving deep water. It can
push your vehicle downstream, sweeping it out of
control. This could put you and your passengers at
risk of injury or drowning.
Airing Down For Off-Road Driving
Running lower tire pressure off-road can improve your
ride comfort and vehicle traction. Reducing the tire air
pressure allows the tire to bulge slightly, improving its
surface area for better flotation and ability to mold orform to the ground contour. Different terrain, tires, and
vehicles require different tire pressure. Hard surfaces like
rock and heavier vehicles require higher pressures than
softer surfaces such as sand and lighter vehicles. You will
need to experiment to determine what is right for your
situation. It is easier and faster to let air out than it is to
replace it so, start high and lower it as required. Remem-
ber you must return the tires to normal air pressure
before driving on road or at highway conditions. Be sure
you have a way to return the tires to their normal on road
air pressure.
CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressure increases the risk of tire dam-
age and may cause tire unseating with total loss of air
pressure. To reduce the risk of tire unseating, while at
a reduced tire pressure, drive at slower speeds and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
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LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL
The limited-slip differential provides additional traction
on snow, ice, mud, sand and gravel, particularly when
there is a difference between the traction characteristics
of the surface under the right and left rear wheels. During
normal driving and cornering, the limited-slip unit per-
forms similarly to a conventional differential. On slip-
pery surfaces, however, the differential delivers more of
the driving effort to the rear wheel having the better
traction.
The limited-slip differential is especially helpful during
slippery driving conditions. With both rear wheels on a
slippery surface, a slight application of the accelerator
will supply maximum traction. When starting with only
one rear wheel on an excessively slippery surface, slight
momentary application of the parking brake may be
necessary to gain maximum traction.WARNING!
On vehicles equipped with a limited-slip differential
never run the engine with one rear wheel off the
ground since the vehicle may drive through the rear
wheel remaining on the ground. You could lose
control of the vehicle.
Care should be taken to avoid sudden accelerations when
both rear wheels are on a slippery surface. This could
cause both rear wheels to spin, and allow the vehicle to
slide sideways on the crowned surface of a road or in a
turn.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
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erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under
the rear (driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the rear
wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle and
possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as hydroplaning and may cause
partial or complete loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the following precau-
tions should be observed:1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads are
slushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace tires when tread wear indicators first become
visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a sudden
stop.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to ensure
safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
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NOTE:Under cold temperatures, pedal effort will be
higher than normal until the power steering fluid reaches
operating temperature.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced electronic
brake control system that includes Anti-Lock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), Brake Assist
System (BAS), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) and Trailer Sway Control (TSC). All of the
systems work together to enhance vehicle stability and
control in various driving conditions, and are commonly
referred to as ESC.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS aids the driver in maintaining vehicle control
under adverse braking conditions. The system controls
hydraulic brake pressure to prevent wheel lockup and
help avoid skidding on slippery surfaces during braking. NOTE:
ABS improves steering control of the vehicle
during hard braking maneuvers.
WARNING!
•ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking or steering efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes and
tires or the traction afforded.
•The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns,
following another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing.
•The capabilities of an ABS-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s safety
or the safety of others.
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Traction Control System (TCS) – If Equipped
The TCS monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, brake
pressure is applied to the slipping wheel(s), and engine
power is reduced to provide enhanced acceleration and
stability. A feature of the TCS functions similarly to a
limited-slip differential and controls the wheel spin
across a driven axle. If one wheel on a driven axle is
spinning faster than the other, the system will apply the
brake of the spinning wheel. This will allow more engine
torque to be applied to the wheel that is not spinning.
This feature remains active even if TCS and ESC are in
the “Partial Off” mode. Refer to “Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)” in this section of this manual. This brake
pressure modulation transfers drive torque from slipping
to non-slipping wheels to provide optimal forward
traction.
Brake Assist System (BAS) – If Equipped
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking
capability during emergency braking maneuvers. The
BAS detects an emergency braking situation by sensing
the rate and amount of brake application and then
applies optimum pressure to the brakes. The system
applies optimum pressure to the brakes in emergency
braking conditions. This can help reduce braking dis-
tances. The BAS complements the ABS. Applying the
brakes very quickly results in the best BAS assistance. To
receive the benefit of BAS, you must apply continuous
braking pressure during the stopping sequence. Do not
reduce brake pedal pressure unless braking is no longer
desired.
Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is deactivated.
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WARNING!
•The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of phys-
ics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking efficiency beyond that afforded by the
condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or the
traction afforded.
•The BAS cannot prevent collisions, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns,
following another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing.
•The capabilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user ’s safety
or the safety of others.
Hill Start Assist (HSA) – If Equipped
The HSA system is designed to assist the driver in
launching a vehicle on an incline. HSA will maintain thelevel of brake pressure the driver inputs for a short
duration once the driver takes his foot off of the brake
pedal. If the driver does not apply the throttle during this
short duration, the system will release brake pressure
and the vehicle will roll down the incline. The system will
release brake pressure in proportion to the amount of
throttle applied.
During operation, HSA will activate the brake control
system and a clicking noise may occur. If your foot is on
the brake pedal during operation you may feel a slight
pedal movement. The clicking and pedal movement is
normal and both will stop when HSA becomes inactive.
HSA Activation Criteria
The following criteria must be met in order for HSA to
activate:
•Vehicle must be stopped
•Vehicle must be on a 7% or greater incline
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Light” comes on continuously with the engine running, a
malfunction has been detected in the ESC system. If this
light remains on after several ignition cycles, and the
vehicle has been driven several miles (kilometers) at
speeds greater than 30 mph (48 km/h), see your autho-
rized dealer as soon as possible to have the problem
diagnosed and corrected.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” (lo-
cated in the instrument cluster) starts to flash as soon as
the tires lose traction and the ESC system becomes active.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” also
flashes when TCS is active. If the “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” begins to flash during ac-
celeration, ease up on the accelerator and apply as little
throttle as possible. Be sure to adapt your speed and
driving to the prevailing road conditions.NOTE:
•The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light”
and the “ESC OFF Indicator Light” come on momen-
tarily each time the ignition switch is turned ON.
•Each time the ignition is turned ON, the ESC system
will be ON even if it was turned off previously.
•The ESC system will make buzzing or clicking sounds
when it is active. This is normal; the sounds will stop
when ESC becomes inactive following the maneuver
that caused the ESC activation.
The “ESC OFF Indicator Light” indicates the
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is off.
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UNIFORM
TIRE QUALITY GRADES
The following tire grading categories were established by
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The
specific grade rating assigned by the tire’s manufacturer
in each category is shown on the sidewall of the tires on
your vehicle.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements in addition to these grades.
Treadwear
The Treadwear grade is a comparative rating, based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and may departsignificantly from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices, and differences in road charac-
teristics and climate.
Traction Grades
The Traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. These grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on
wet pavement, as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics.
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IF YOU NEED CONSUMER ASSISTANCE 611