towing Ram 1500 2016 User Guide

•Automatic Aero Mode (1500 Model Only)
When this feature is selected the Ride Height will auto-
matically be adjusted depending on the vehicle speed. To
make your selection, press the “Aero Mode” button on
the touchscreen, select “On” or “Off.”
•Tire Jack Mode
When this feature is selected the air suspension system is
disabled to prevent auto leveling of the suspension, while
the vehicle is on a jack changing a tire. To make your
selection, press the “Tire Jack Mode” button on the
touchscreen, select “On” or “Off.”
•Transport Mode
When this feature is selected the air suspension system is
disabled to assist with flat bed towing. To make your
selection, press the “Transport Mode” button on the
touchscreen, select “On” or “Off.”•Wheel Alignment Mode
This feature prevents auto leveling of the air suspension
while performing a wheel alignment service. Before
performing a wheel alignment this mode must be en-
abled. Refer to your authorized dealer for further infor-
mation.
Trailer Brake
After pressing the “Trailer Brake” button on the touch-
screen the following settings will be available:
•Trailer Select
When this feature is selected, the Trailer Type can be
selected between “Trailer 1,” “Trailer 2,” “Trailer 3” and
“Trailer 4.”
•Trailer Brake Type
When this feature is selected, the Trailer Brake Type can
be changed between “Light Electric,” “Heavy Electric,”
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 393

the feature showing the system has been activated or the
check-mark is removed showing the system has been
deactivated.
•Transport Mode
When this feature is selected the air suspension system
lowers and then disables to assist with flat bed towing.
Press the box next to your selection and a check-mark
appears next to the feature showing the system has been
activated or the check-mark is removed showing the
system has been deactivated.
•Wheel Alignment Mode
Before performing a wheel alignment this mode must be
enabled. Refer to your authorized dealer for further
information.
Trailer Brake
After pressing the “Trailer Brake” button on the touch-
screen the following settings will be available:•Trailer Select
When this feature is selected, the Trailer Type can be
selected between “Trailer 1,” “Trailer 2,” “Trailer 3” and
“Trailer 4.” To make your selection, scroll up or down
until the preferred setting is highlighted, then press and
release the SELECT button until a check-mark appears
next to the setting, showing that the setting has been
selected.
•Trailer Brake Type
When this feature is selected, the Trailer Brake Type can
be changed between “Light Electric,” “Heavy Electric,”
“Light EOH” and “Heavy EOH.” To make your selection,
scroll up or down until the preferred setting is high-
lighted, then press and release the SELECT button until a
check-mark appears next to the setting, showing that the
setting has been selected. Refer to “Integrated Trailer
Brake Module” in “Starting And Operating.”
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 413

▫Ethanol Fuel (E-85)....................680
▫Fuel Requirements....................681
▫Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles.............681
▫Starting............................682
▫Cruising Range.......................682
▫Replacement Parts....................682
▫Maintenance........................683
ADDING FUEL........................683
▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message............685
VEHICLE LOADING....................686
▫Certification Label....................686TRAILER TOWING.....................688
▫Common Towing Definitions.............688
▫Trailer Hitch Type and Maximum Trailer
Weight.............................696
▫Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight
Ratings)............................697
▫Trailer And Tongue Weight..............697
▫Towing Requirements..................698
▫Towing Tips.........................708
SNOWPLOW.........................710
▫1500 Models Only.....................710
▫2500/3500 Models Only.................711
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 475

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)...................714
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle . .714▫Recreational Towing — Two-Wheel Drive
Models.............................715
▫Recreational Towing — Four-Wheel Drive
Models.............................716
476 STARTING AND OPERATING

REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. Apply the parking
brake and shift the transmission into PARK if you must
leave the vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteris-
tics under all normal operating conditions.
494 STARTING AND OPERATING

When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or
while towing heavy trailers), select TOW/HAUL mode
or use the Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control
(refer toElectronic Range Select (ERS) Operationin this
section for further information) to select a lower gear
range. Under these conditions, using a lower gear range
will improve performance and extend transmission life
by reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or
below), transmission operation may be modified depend-
ing on engine and transmission temperature as well as
vehicle speed. Normal operation will resume once the
transmission temperature has risen to a suitable level.Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission may
operate only in certain gears, or may not shift at all.
Vehicle performance may be severely degraded and the
engine may stall. In some situations, the transmission
may not re-engage if the engine is turned off and
restarted. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be
illuminated. A message in the instrument cluster will
inform the driver of the more serious conditions, and
indicate what actions may be necessary.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 495

WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
When to Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting oc-
curs, press the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/
HAUL mode. This will improve performance and reduce
the potential for transmission overheating or failure due
to excessive shifting.The “TOW/HAUL Indicator Light” will illuminate in the
instrument cluster to indicate that TOW/HAUL mode
has been activated. Pushing the switch a second time
restores normal operation. Normal operation is always
TOW/HAUL Switch
498 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Release the shift lever and make sure it is fully seated
in the PARK gate.
•Look at the transmission gear position display and
verify that it indicates the PARK position (P).
•With brake pedal released, verify that the shift lever
will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
Reverse only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Apply the parking brake and shift
the transmission into PARK if you must leave the vehicle.WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 503

DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through underdrive first and sec-
ond gears, direct third gear and overdrive fourth and
fifth gears. The DRIVE position provides optimum driv-
ing characteristics under all normal operating conditions.
To access all six available gears, you must use the
Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control, described
below.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or
while towing heavy trailers), use the Electronic Range
Select (ERS) shift control (refer to “Electronic RangeSelect (ERS) Operation” in this section for further infor-
mation) to select a lower gear range. Under these condi-
tions, using a lower gear range will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shift-
ing and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operat-
ing limits, the powertrain controller will modify the
transmission shift schedule and expand the range of
torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to
prevent transmission damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot or is in danger
of overheating, the “Transmission Temperature Warning
Light” may illuminate and the transmission may operate
differently until the transmission cools down.
504 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:Use caution when operating a heavily loaded
vehicle at low speeds (such as towing a trailer up a steep
grade, or in stop-and-go traffic) during hot weather. In
these conditions, torque converter slip can impose a
significant additional heat load on the cooling system.
Downshifting the transmission to the lowest possible
gear (when climbing a grade), or shifting to NEUTRAL
(when stopped in heavy traffic) can help to reduce this
excess heat generation.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may
be modified depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature im-
proves warm up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency. Engagement of both the
torque converter clutch and the top overdrive gear are
inhibited until the transmission fluid is warm (refer to the
“Note” under “Torque Converter Clutch” in this section).During extremely cold temperatures (-16°F [-27°C] or
below), operation may briefly be limited to first and
direct gears only. Normal operation will resume once the
transmission temperature has risen to a suitable level.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, the transmission remains
in direct gear regardless of which forward gear is se-
lected. PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL will continue to
operate. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be
illuminated. Limp Home Mode allows the vehicle to be
driven to an authorized dealer for service without dam-
aging the transmission.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 505