Manual Brake Ram 1500 2015 User Guide

WARNING!(Continued)
•The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, following
another vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
•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.
ABS Warning Light
The ABS includes an amber warning light. When the light
is illuminated, the ABS is not functioning. The system
reverts to standard, non-anti-lock brakes.
Traction Control System (TCS)
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 trac-
tion.
Brake Assist System (BAS)
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
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Towing And Hauling With HSA
The HSA system does not know if your vehicle is loaded
or towing a trailer unless the TOW/HAUL switch, lo-
cated on the center stack, is selected. When activated, the
“TOW/HAUL Indicator Light” will illuminate in the
instrument cluster. Refer to “Automatic Transmission” in
“Starting and Operating” for further information. In
order to accommodate the extra weight entailed under
towing and hauling conditions and to increase driver
comfort while launching on a hill, the system recognizes
when the TOW/HAUL switch is activated and compen-
sates by releasing brake pressure at a slower rate while
throttle is applied in order to prevent the vehicle from
rolling down the hill.
WARNING!
•If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, your trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated with the brake switch. If so, when the
brake pedal is released, there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold the vehicle and trailer on a
hill and this could cause a collision with another
vehicle or object behind you. In order to avoid
rolling down the incline while resuming accelera-
tion, manually activate the trailer brake or apply
more vehicle brake pressure prior to releasing the
brake pedal. Always remember the driver is re-
sponsible for braking the vehicle.
(Continued)
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Feedback to the driver:
The instrument cluster has a HDC icon and a HDC
switch which has an LED which offers feedback to the
driver about the state HDC is in.
•While HDC is Enabled or Active the gear position
typically associated with ERS manual mode will indi-
cate target set speed not the top gear limit which is
typical of ERS manual mode.
•The cluster icon and switch lamp will illuminate and
remain on solid when HDC is enabled or activated.
This is the normal operating condition for HDC.
•The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash for several
seconds then extinguish when the driver presses the
HDC switch but enable conditions are not met.
•The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash for several
seconds then extinguish when HDC deactivates due to
excess speed.
•The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash when HDC
deactivates due to overheated brakes. The flashing will
stop and HDC will activate again once the brakes have
cooled sufficiently.
WARNING!
HDC is only intended to assist the driver in control-
ling vehicle speed when descending hills. The driver
must remain attentive to the driving conditions and
is responsible for maintaining a safe vehicle speed.
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items down low and be sure that the weight is distributed
equally. Stow all loose items securely before driving.
Improper weight distributions can have an adverse effect
on the way your vehicle steers and handles and the way
the brakes operate.
CAUTION!
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the GVWR
or the maximum front and rear GAWR. If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, or it can change the
way your vehicle handles. This could cause you to
lose control. Also overloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle.
TRAILER TOWING
In this section you will find safety tips and information
on limits to the type of towing you can reasonably do
with your vehicle. Before towing a trailer, carefully
review this information to tow your load as efficiently
and safely as possible.
To maintain the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage,
follow the requirements and recommendations in this
manual concerning vehicles used for trailer towing.
Common Towing Definitions
The following trailer towing related definitions will assist
you in understanding the following information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable weight of your vehicle.
This includes driver, passengers, cargo and tongue
weight. The total load must be limited so that you do not
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The user interface consists of the following:
Manual Brake Control Lever
Slide the manual brake control lever to the left to activate
power to the trailer’s electric brakes independent of the
tow vehicle’s brakes. If the manual brake control lever is
activated while the brake is also applied, the greater of
the two inputs determines the power sent to the trailer
brakes.
The trailer and the vehicle’s brake lamps will come on
when either vehicle braking or manual trailer brakes are
applied.
Trailer Brake Status Indicator Light
This light indicates the trailer electrical connection status.
If no electrical connection is detected after the ignition is
turned on, pressing the GAIN adjustment button or
Integrated Trailer Brake Module (ITBM)
1—GAINAdjustmentButton2—GAINAdjustmentButton3—ManualBrakeControlLever
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sliding the manual brake control lever will display the
GAIN setting for 10 seconds and the “Trailer Brake Status
Indicator Light” will not be displayed.
If a fault is detected in the trailer wiring or the Integrated
Trailer Brake Module (ITBM), the “Trailer Brake Status
Indicator Light” will flash.
GAIN Adjustment Buttons (+/-)
Pressing these buttons will adjust the brake control
power output to the trailer brakes in 0.5 increments. The
GAIN setting can be increased to a maximum of 10 or
decreased to a minimum of 0 (no trailer braking).
GAIN
The GAIN setting is used to set the trailer brake control
for the specific towing condition and should be changed
as towing conditions change. Changes to towing condi-
tions include trailer load, vehicle load, road conditions
and weather.
Adjusting GAIN
NOTE:This should only be performed in a traffic free
environment at speeds of approximately 20–25 mph
(30–40 km/h).
1. Make sure the trailer brakes are in good working
condition, functioning normally and properly ad-
justed. See your trailer dealer if necessary.
2.Hook up the trailer and make the electrical connections
according to the trailer manufacturer’s instructions.
3. When a trailer with electric/EOH brakes is plugged
in, the trailer connected message should appear in the
EVIC/DID (if the connection is not recognized by the
ITBM, braking functions will not be available), the
GAIN setting will illuminate and the correct type of
trailer must be selected from the EVIC/DID options.
4. Press the UP or DOWN button on the steering wheel
until “TRAILER TOW” appears on the screen.
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5. Press the RIGHT arrow on the steering wheel to enter
“TRAILER TOW”.
6. Press the UP or DOWN buttons until Trailer Brake
Type appears on the screen.
7. Press the RIGHT arrow and then press the UP or
DOWN buttons until the proper Trailer Brake Type
appears on the screen.
8.In a traffic-free environment, tow the trailer on a dry,
level surface at a speed of 20–25 mph (30–40 km/h) and
squeeze the manual brake control lever completely.
9. If the trailer wheels lockup (indicated by squealing
tires), reduce the GAIN setting; if the trailer wheels
turn freely, increase the GAIN setting.
Repeat steps 8 and 9 until the GAIN setting is at a point
just below trailer wheel lockup. If towing a heavier
trailer, trailer wheel lockup may not be attainable even
with the maximum GAIN setting of 10.
Light Electric Heavy Electric Light EOHHeavy EOH
Type of Trailer BrakesElectric Trailer Brakes Electric Trailer Brakes Electric over Hydrau-
lic Trailer Brakes
Electric over Hydrau-
lic Trailer Brakes
Load*Under 10,000 lbs *Above 10,000 lbs *Under 10,000 lbs *Above 10,000 lbs
* The suggested selection depends and may change
depending on the customer preferences for braking per-
formance. Condition of the trailer brakes, driving and
road state may also affect the selection.
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NOTE:Vehicles equipped with air suspension must be
placed in Transport mode before tying them down (from
the body) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to “Air
Suspension – If Equipped” for more information. If the
vehicle cannot be placed in Transport mode (for example,
engine will not run), tie-downs must be fastened to the
axles (not to the body). Failure to follow these instruc-
tions may cause fault codes to be set and/or cause loss of
proper tie-down tension.
Recreational Towing — Two-Wheel Drive Models
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.
Recreational towing (for two-wheel drive models) is
allowedONLYif the rear wheels areOFFthe ground.
This may be accomplished using a tow dolly or vehicle
trailer. If using a tow dolly, follow this procedure:
1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow vehicle, following
the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
NOTE:If vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure
the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly.
3. Firmly apply the parking brake. Place automatic trans-
mission in PARK, manual transmission in gear (not in
NEUTRAL).
4. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following
the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and
remove the Key Fob.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for tow-
ing, to secure the front wheels in the straight position.
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WARNING!(Continued)
the parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL (N)
position disengages both the front and rear drive-
shafts from the powertrain and will allow the vehicle
to roll, even if the transmission is in PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL (N) before
recreational towing to prevent damage to internal
parts.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, with the engine
running. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
NOTE:If vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure
the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
•With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer
case lever into NEUTRAL (N).
•With electronic shift transfer case, press and hold the
transfer case NEUTRAL (N) button. Some models
have a small, recessed#N#button (at the center of the
transfer case switches) that must be pressed using a
ballpoint pen or similar object. Other models have a
rectangular NEUTRAL switch, below the rotary
transfer case control knob. The NEUTRAL (N) indi-
cator light will blink while the shift is in progress.
The light will stop blinking (stay on solid) when the
shift to NEUTRAL (N) is complete. After the shift is
completed and the NEUTRAL (N) light stays on,
release the NEUTRAL (N) button.
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5. Release the parking brake.
6. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
7. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual
transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.
8. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with automatic transmission in
DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.
9. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL. Firmly apply the
parking brake. Turn OFF the engine. For vehicles with
Keyless Enter-N-Go™, press and hold the ENGINE
START/STOP button until the engine shuts off.
10. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual
transmission in gear (NOT in Neutral). On 8-speed
transmissions the shifter will automatically select
PARK when the engine is turned off.
11. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position, then
cycle the key or the Keyless Enter-N-Go™ button to
the RUN position and back to the OFF position.
12. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable
tow bar.
13. Release the parking brake.
NOTE:With electronic shift transfer case:
•Steps 2 through 4 are requirements that must be met
before pressing the NEUTRAL (N) button, and must
continue to be met until the shift has been completed.
If any of these requirements are not met before press-
ing the NEUTRAL (N) button or are no longer met
during the shift, the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will
flash continuously until all requirements are met or
until the NEUTRAL (N) button is released.
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