tailgate Ram 1500 2011 Owner's Manual

▫Power Sliding Rear Window —
If Equipped ........................ 181
▫ Manual Sliding Rear Window —
If Equipped ........................ 181
 Fold Flat Load Floor — If Equipped ........ 181
 Rambox — If Equipped ................ 184
▫ Rambox Integrated Box Side Storage Bins . . 184
▫ Rambox Safety Warning ............... 187
▫ Bed Extender — If Equipped ............ 188▫
Bed Rail Tie-Down System .............. 196
 Slide-In Campers ...................... 198
▫ Camper Applications .................. 198
 Easy-Off Tailgate ...................... 198
▫ Disconnecting The Rear Camera — If
Equipped .......................... 198
▫ Removing The Tailgate ................ 199
▫ Locking Tailgate ..................... 200
92 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

object as a sensor problem, causing the “SERVICE
PARK ASSIST SYSTEM” message to be displayed in
the instrument cluster.
•On vehicles equipped with a tailgate, ParkSense
should be disabled when the tailgate is in the lowered
or open position and the vehicle is in REVERSE. A
lowered tailgate could provide a false indication that
an obstacle is behind the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•ParkSense is only a parking aid and it is unable
to recognize every obstacle, including small ob-
stacles. Parking curbs might be temporarily de-
tected or not detected at all. Obstacles located
above or below the sensors will not be detected
when they are in close proximity.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•The vehicle must be driven slowly when using
ParkSensein order to be able to stop in time
when an obstacle is detected. It is recommended
that the driver looks over his/her shoulder when
using ParkSense.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 145

PARKVIEWREAR BACK UP CAMERA — IF
EQUIPPED
Your vehicle may be equipped with the ParkView Rear
Back Up Camera that allows you to see an on-screen
image of the rear surroundings of your vehicle whenever
the shift lever is put into REVERSE. The image will be
displayed on the Navigation/Multimedia radio display
screen along with a caution note to “check entire sur-
roundings” across the top of the screen. After five sec-
onds this note will disappear. The ParkView camera is
located to the left of the tailgate handle.
When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE, the rear
camera mode is exited and the navigation or audio screen
appears again. When displayed, static grid lines will illustrate the width
of the vehicle while a dashed center-line will indicate the
center of the vehicle to assist with aligning to a hitch/
receiver. The static grid lines will show separate zones
that will help indicate the distance to the rear of the
vehicle. The following table shows the approximate
distances for each zone:
Zones
Distance to the rear of
the vehicle
Red 0 - 1 ft (0 - 30 cm)
Yellow 1 ft - 3 ft (30 cm - 1 m)
Green 3 ft or greater (1 m or
greater)
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 147

4. Rotate the center handle horizontally to secure the side
gates in the closed position.
5. Lock the center handle to secure the panel into place
and assist against theft.Extender Position
The extender position allows you to load the bed of the
truck beyond the tail gate. The bed extender will add an
additional 15 in (38 cm) in the back of the truck when
additional cargo room is needed. The extender position
utilizes a locating pin and rotating handle located on both
sides of the truck bed near the tailgate.
Side Gates Closed
Extender Position
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 193

To install the bed extender into the extender position
perform the following:
1. Lower the tailgate.
2. Make sure the center handle is unlocked and rotate the
center handle vertically in order to release the extender
side gates.
3. Fit the end of the side gate ends onto the pin and
handle.
Extender Installation
194 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

4. Rotate the handles to the horizontal position to secure
into place.WARNING!
To reduce the risk of potential injury or property
damage:
•Cargo must be secured.
•Do not exceed cargo load rating of your vehicle.
•Secure all loads to truck utilizing cargo tie downs.
•Extender should not be used as cargo tie down.
•When vehicle is in motion do not exceed 150 lbs
(68 kg) load on the tailgate.
•The bed extender is not intended for off road use.
•When not in use, the extender/divider should be in
stowed or divider position with the tailgate closed.
•When in use all handles are to be in the locked
position.Locking Tab
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 195

SLIDE-IN CAMPERS
Camper Applications
Certain truck models are not recommended for slide-in
campers. To determine if your vehicle is excluded, please
refer to the “Consumer Information Truck-Camper Load-
ing” document available from your authorized dealer.
For safety reasons, follow all instructions in this impor-
tant document.
NOTE:When a cap or pickup camper is installed on a
vehicle, an alternate Center High-Mounted Stop Light
(CHMSL) must be provided.
EASY-OFF TAILGATE
To simplify mounting of a camper unit with an overhang,
the tailgate can be removed.
NOTE: If your vehicle is equipped with a rear camera
the electrical connector must be disconnected prior to
removing the tailgate.
Disconnecting the Rear Camera — If Equipped
1. Open the tailgate to access the rear camera connector
bracket located on the rear sill.
Connector Bracket
198 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

2. Remove the connector bracket from the sill by press-
ing inward in the locking tab.
3. Disconnect the chassis wiring harness, ensuring the
connector bracket does not fall into the sill.4. Connect the chassis plug and bracket (provided in the
glove box) to the chassis wiring harness and insert the
bracket back into the sill.
5. Connect the tailgate plug (provided in the glove box)
to the tailgate wiring harness to ensure that the terminals
do not corrode.
6. Tape the tailgate harness and bracket against the
forward-facing surface of the tailgate. This will prevent
damaging the connector and bracket when storing or
reinstalling the tailgate.
Removing The Tailgate
1. Disconnect the wiring harness for the rear camera (if
equipped), refer to “Disconnecting the Rear Camera — If
Equipped” in this section.
2. Unlatch the tailgate and remove the support cables by
releasing the lock tang from the pivot.
Locking Tab
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 199

NOTE:Make sure tailgate is supported when removing
support cables.
3. Raise the tailgate to a 45 degree angle.
4. Raise the right side of the tailgate until the right side
pivot clears the hanger bracket. 5. Slide the entire tailgate to the right to free the left side
pivot.
6. Remove the tailgate from the vehicle.
NOTE:
Do not carry the tailgate loose in the truck
pickup box.
WARNING!
To avoid inhaling carbon monoxide, which is deadly,
the exhaust system on vehicles equipped with “Cap
or Slide-In Campers” should extend beyond the
overhanging camper compartment and be free of
leaks.
Locking Tailgate
The lock is located next to the tailgate handle. The
tailgate can be locked using the vehicle key.
Locking Tang
200 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

Removing The Spare Tire
Remove the spare tire before attempting to jack up the
truck. Attach the wheel wrench to the jack extension tube.
Insert the tube through the access hole between the lower
tailgate and the top of the bumper and into the winch
mechanism tube. Rotate the wheel wrench handle coun-
terclockwise until the spare tire is on the ground withenough cable slack to allow you to pull it out from under
the vehicle. When the spare is clear, tilt the retainer at the
end of the cable and pull it through the center of the wheel.
NOTE:
Always stow the spare tire with the valve stem
facing the ground.
Jack And Tools (2500/3500 Series)
Removing The Spare Tire
1 — Wheel Wrench
2 — Spare Tire
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 497