trailer Ram 1500 2009 Owner's Guide

Gooseneck Hitch
The gooseneck hitch employs a pivoted coupling arm
which attaches to a ball mounted in the bed of a pickup
truck. The coupling arm connects to the hitch mounted
over the rear axle in the truck bed.
Trailer Hitch Classification
The rear bumper is intended to tow trailers up to
5,000 lbs (2 268 kg) without added equipment or alter-
ations to the standard equipment. Your vehicle may be
factory equipped for safe towing of trailers weighing
over 5,000 lbs (2 268 kg) with the optional Trailer Tow
Prep Package. See your dealer for package content.
The following chart provides the industry standard for
the maximum trailer weight a given trailer hitch class can
tow and should be used to assist you in selecting the
correct trailer hitch for your intended towing condition.
Refer to “Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum TrailerWeight Ratings)” for the website address that contains
the necessary information for your specific drivetrain.
Trailer Hitch Classification Definitions
Class Max. Trailer Hitch Industry Standards
Class I - Light Duty 2,000 lbs (907 kg)
Class II - Medium
Duty 3,500 lbs (1587 kg)
Class III - Heavy Duty 5,000 lbs (2268 kg)
Class IV - Extra
Heavy Duty 10,000 lbs (4540 kg)
Fifth Wheel/
Gooseneck Greater than 10,000 lbs
(4540 kg)
Refer to the “Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum
Trailer Weight Ratings)” for the Maximum Gross
Trailer Weight (GTW) towable for your given drive-
train.
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All trailer hitches should be professionally installed on
your vehicle.
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.
•http:// www.dodge.ca (Canada).
Trailer and Tongue Weight
Always load a trailer with 60% to 65% of the weight in
the front of the trailer. This places 10% to 15% of the 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
the 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.
Consider the following items when computing the
weight on the rear axle of the vehicle:
•The tongue weight of the trailer
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•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 Placard under
“Tire Safety Information” in this section.
Towing Requirements
To 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).
WARNING!
•Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer tow-
ing as safe as possible:
(Continued)
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WARNING! (Continued)
•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 overload
your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a loss of
control, poor performance or damage to brakes, axle,
engine, transmission, steering, suspension, chassis struc-
ture or tires.
Safety chains must always be used between your vehicle
and trailer. Always connect the chains to the frame 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 transmission in PARK. With four-
wheel-drive vehicles, make sure the transfer case is not in
NEUTRAL. Always, block or chockthe trailer wheels.
GCWR must not be exceeded.
Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer so that the following four ratings
are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
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).
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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
•
Donot 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 and Wiring
Whenever 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 will include a four and seven-
pin wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer har-
ness and connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicle’s
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.
Four-Pin Connector
1 — Female Pins4 — Park
2 — Male Pin 5 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Ground 6 — Right Stop/Turn
Seven-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 vehicle’s 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 Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer up in an area away from heavy
traffic.
Automatic Transmission
The “DRIVE” range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, select
“TOW/HAUL” mode (if equipped) or select a lower gear
using the Electronic Range Select (ERS) feature.NOTE:
Using “TOW/HAUL” mode or a lower gear
range while operating the vehicle under heavy operating
conditions will improve performance and extend trans-
mission 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
To reduce potential for automatic transmission overheat-
ing, turn the “TOW/HAUL” feature ON when driving in
hilly areas, or select a lower gear range (using the
Electronic Range Select (ERS) feature) on more severe
grades.
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FUSES
Totally Integrated Power Module
The totally integrated power module (TIPM) is located in
the engine compartment near the battery. This center
contains cartridge fuses and mini fuses. A description of
each fuse and component may be stamped on the inside
cover, otherwise the cavity number of each fuse is
stamped on the inside cover that corresponds to the
following chart.
Cavity CartridgeFuseMini
Fuse Description
J01 30 Amp Pink Bat — Presafe #1
J02 30 Amp Pink Bat — Trailer Tow
Main
Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM)
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 475

18,000 Miles (30,000 km) or
18 Months Maintenance
Service Schedule
❏Change the engine oil and engine oil
filter.
❏ Rotate the tires.
❏ Inspect the front and rear axle fluid,
change if using your vehicle for police,
taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent trailer
towing.
Odometer Reading Date
Repair Order #Dealer Code
Signature Authorized Chrysler Dealer
24,000 Miles (40,000 km) or 24 Months Maintenance Service
Schedule
❏Change the engine oil and engine oil filter.
❏ Rotate the tires.
❏ If using your vehicle for any of the following: Dusty or off-road conditions. Inspect the
engine air cleaner filter; replace if necessary.
❏ Inspect the brake linings, replace if necessary.
❏ Inspect the CV joints.
❏ Inspect exhaust system.
❏ Inspect the front suspension, tie rod ends and boot seals for cracks or leaks and all parts for
damage, wear, improper looseness or end play; replace if necessary.
Odometer Reading Date
Repair Order #Dealer Code
Signature Authorized Chrysler Dealer
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S496 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES