DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL 2009 4.G Owners Manual

Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight
Ratings)NOTE:For additional trailer towing information (maxi-
mum trailer weight ratings) refer to the following website
addresses:•
http:// www.dodge.com/towing.
•
http:// www.dodge.ca (Canada).
Trailer and Tongue WeightAlways load a trailer with 60% to 65% of the weight in
the front of the trailer. This places 10% to 15% of the
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) on the tow hitch of your
vehicle. Loads balanced over the wheels or heavier in the
rear can cause the trailer to sway severelyside to side
which will cause loss of control of vehicle and trailer.
Failure to load trailers heavier in front is the cause of
many trailer accidents. Never exceed the maximum tongue weight stamped on
your bumper or trailer hitch.
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Consider the following items when computing the
weight on the rear axle of the vehicle:•
The tongue weight of the trailer.
•
The weight of any other type of cargo or equipment
put in or on your vehicle.
•
The weight of the driver and all passengers.
NOTE: Remember that everything put into or on the
trailer adds to the load on your vehicle. Also, additional
factory-installed options, or dealer-installed options,
must be considered as part of the total load on your
vehicle. Refer to the Tire and Loading Information plac-
ard in the “Tire Safety Information” section of this
manual.
Towing RequirementsTo promote proper break-in of your new vehicle drive-
train components the following guidelines are recom-
mended:
CAUTION!
•
Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles
(805 km) of vehicle operation. Doing so may dam-
age your vehicle.
•
During the first 500 miles (805 km) of trailer
towing, limit your speed to 50 mph (80 km/h).
Perform the maintenance listed in Section 8 of this
manual. When towing a trailer, never exceed the GAWR,
or GCWR, ratings.
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WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.•
When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a
loss of control, poor performance or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transmission, steering, suspension, chas-
sis structure or tires.
•
Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to theframe or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
•
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade.
When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow
vehicle. Put the tow vehicle automatic transmission in
PARK. With four-wheel-drive vehicles, make sure the
transfer case is not in neutral. Always, block or
chock
the trailer wheels.
•
GCWR must not be exceeded.
•
Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
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4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch utilized
(This requirement may limit the ability to always
achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue weight as a
percentage of total trailer weight).Towing Requirements — Tires

Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact
spare tire.

Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe
and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to
“Tires–General Information” for proper tire inflation
procedures.

Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation pres-
sures before trailer usage.

Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage
before towing a trailer. Refer to “Tires–General Infor-
mation” for the proper inspection procedure.

When replacing tires, refer to “Tires–General Informa-
tion” for proper tire replacement procedures. Replac-
ing tires with a higher load carrying capacity will not
increase the vehicle’s GVWR and GAWR limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes

Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake system or
vacuum system of your vehicle with that of the trailer.
This could cause inadequate braking and possible
personal injury.

An electronically actuated trailer brake controller is
required when towing a trailer with electronically
actuated brakes. When towing a trailer equipped with
a hydraulic surge actuated brake system, an electronic
brake controller is not required.

Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers over
1,000 lbs (454 kg) and required for trailers in excess of
2,000 lbs (907 kg).
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CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (454 kg)
loaded, it should have its own brakes and they
should be of adequate capacity. Failure to do this
could lead to accelerated brake lining wear, higher
brake pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
WARNING!
•
Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle’s
hydraulic brake lines. It can overload your brake
system and cause it to fail. You might not have
brakes when you need them and could have an
accident.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•
Towing any trailer will increase your stopping
distance. When towing you should allow for addi-
tional space between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front of you. Failure to do so could result in an
accident.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights & WiringWhenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stop lights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may include a 4 and 7–pin
wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer harness
and connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicles
wiring harness.
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The electrical connections are all complete to the vehicle
but you must mate the harness to a trailer connector.
Refer to the following illustrations.
4-Pin Connector
1 — Female Pins4 — Park
2 — Male Pin 5 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Ground 6 — Right Stop/Turn
7-Pin Connector
1 — Battery5 — Ground
2 — Backup Lamps 6 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Right Stop/Turn 7 — Running Lamps
4 — Electric Brakes
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WARNING!
Any work done to the vehicles electrical system, or
wiring, should be performed by a qualified automo-
tive technician, if done improperly it may cause
damage to the electrical system wiring and could
result in serious or fatal injury.Towing TipsBefore setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.Automatic TransmissionThe “DRIVE” range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, the
“TOW HAUL” or “OD/OFF” range should be selected.NOTE:
Using the “TOW HAUL” or “OD/OFF” range
while operating the vehicle under heavy operating con-
ditions will improve performance and extend transmis-
sion life by reducing excessive shifting and heat build up.
This action will also provide better engine braking.
The automatic transmission fluid and filter should be
changed if you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than
45 minutes of continuous operation. Refer to the “Main-
tenance Schedule” in Section 8 for the proper mainte-
nance intervals.
NOTE: Check the automatic transmission fluid level
before towing.
Tow/Haul — If EquippedTo reduce potential for automatic transmission overheat-
ing, turn the “TOW HAUL OD/OFF” feature ON when
driving in hilly areas or shift the transmission to Drive
position 2 on more severe grades.
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Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped

Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.

When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.

Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
Cooling SystemTo reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
NOTE: Engine power may be temporarily reduced in
order to maintain oil and coolant temperatures under
extreme trailer tow operating conditions.
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, put transmission
in neutral and increase engine idle speed.

Highway Driving
Reduce speed.

Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
SNOWPLOWSnowplow Prep Packages are available as a factory-
installed option. These packages include components
necessary to equip your vehicle with a snowplow.
NOTE: Before installation of a snowplow, it is highly
recommended that the owner/installer obtain and follow
the recommendations contained within the current
Dodge Body Builder’s Guide. See your authorized dealer,
installer or snowplow manufacturer for this information.
There are unique electrical systems that must be con-
nected to properly assure operator safety, and to prevent
overloading vehicle systems.
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WARNING!
Attaching a snowplow to this vehicle could adversely
affect performance of the airbag system in an acci-
dent. Do not expect that the airbag will perform as
described earlier in this manualRECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
CAUTION!
Front or rear wheel lifts should not be used. Internal
damage to the transmission or transfer case will occur
if a front or rear wheel lift is used when recreational
towing.
Recreational Towing – Two-Wheel Drive ModelsRecreational towing of two-wheel drive models is not
allowed.Towing with the rear wheels on the ground can
result in severe transmission damage.Recreational Towing – Four-Wheel Drive Models
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these requirements can cause severe
damage to the transmission and/or transfer case.
NOTE: Both the manual shift and electronic shift trans-
fer cases must be shifted into NEUTRAL for recreational
towing. Automatic transmissions must be shifted into the
PARK position for recreational towing. Refer to the
following for the proper transfer case NEUTRAL shifting
procedure for your vehicle.
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Recreational Towing Procedure — Manual Shift
Transfer Case — If EquippedUse the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing:
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL before recre-
ational towing to prevent damage to internal parts.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Shut OFF the engine.
3. Depress the brake pedal.
4. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
5. Shift the transfer case lever into NEUTRAL. 6. Start the engine.
7. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
8. Release the brake pedal for five seconds and ensure
that there is no vehicle movement.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with the transmission in DRIVE.
10. Shut OFF the engine and place the ignition key in the
unlocked OFF position.
11. Shift the transmission into PARK.
12. Apply the parking brake.
13. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle with the tow bar.
14. Release the parking brake.398 STARTING AND OPERATING