Ram 2500 2014 Diesel Supplement

•Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe
and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to
“Tires – General Information” in “Starting and Oper-
ating” 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
Information” in “Starting and Operating” for the
proper inspection procedure.
•When replacing tires, refer to “Tires – General Infor-
mation” in “Starting and Operating” for proper tire
replacement procedures. Replacing tires with a higher
load carrying capacity will not increase the vehicle’s
GVWR and GAWR limits.Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
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.
•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.
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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.
•Donotinterconnect 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
1,653 lbs (750 kg).
Integrated Trailer Brake Module — If Equipped
Your vehicle may have an Integrated Trailer Brake Mod-
ule (ITBM) for Electric and Electric Over Hydraulic
(EOH) trailer brakes.
NOTE:This module has been designed and verified with
electric trailer brakes and new electric over hydraulic
systems. Some previous EOH systems may not be com-
patible with ITBM.
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The user interface consists of the following:
Manual Brake Control Lever
Slide the manual brake control lever to the right 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 — GAIN Adjustment Button
2 — GAIN Adjustment Button
3 — Manual Brake Control Lever
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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 (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 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.
NOTE: 1500 Models Only— Light Electric and Heavy
Electric will only be available due to the tow capacities of
the vehicle.
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 EOH Heavy EOH
Type of Trailer
BrakesElectric Trailer
BrakesElectric Trailer
BrakesElectric over Hy-
draulic Trailer
BrakesElectric over Hy-
draulic Trailer
Brakes
Load *Under 10,000 lbs *Above 10,000 lbs *Under 10,000 lbs *Above 10,000 lbs
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* 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.
EVIC Display Messages
The trailer brake control interacts with the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC). Display messages,
along with a single chime, will be displayed when a
malfunction is determined in the trailer connection,
trailer brake control, or on the trailer. Refer to “Electronic
Vehicle Information Center” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.CAUTION!
Connecting a trailer that is not compatible with the
ITBM system may result in reduced or complete loss
of trailer braking. There may be a increase in stop-
ping distance or trailer instability which could result
in damage to your vehicle, trailer, or other property.
WARNING!
Connecting a trailer that is not compatible with the
ITBM system may result in reduced or complete loss
of trailer braking. There may be a increase in stop-
ping distance or trailer instability which could result
in personal injury.
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NOTE:
•An aftermarket controller may be available for use
with trailers with air or electric-over-hydraulic trailer
brake systems. To determine the type of brakes on
your trailer and the availability of controllers, check
with your trailer manufacturer or dealer.
•Removal of the ITBM will cause errors and it may
cause damage to the electrical system and electronic
modules of the vehicle. See your authorized dealer if
an aftermarket module is to be installed.Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights And Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stoplights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may 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 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.
Four-Pin Connector
1 — Female Pins 4 — Park
2 — Male Pin 5 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Ground 6 — Right Stop/Turn
Seven-Pin Connector
1 — Battery 5 — Ground
2 — Backup Lamps 6 — Left Stop/Turn
3 — Right Stop/Turn 7 — Running Lamps
4 — Electric Brakes 276 STARTING AND OPERATING

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. The
transmission controls include a drive strategy to avoid
frequent shifting when towing. However, if frequent
shifting does occur while in DRIVE, select TOW/HAUL
mode or select a lower gear range (using the Electronic
Range Select (ERS) shift control).
NOTE:Using TOW/HAUL mode or selecting a lower
gear range (using the ERS shift control) while operating
the vehicle under heavy loading conditions will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat build up. This action will also
provide better engine braking.When towing a loaded trailer up steep grades at low
speeds (20 mph [32 km/h] or below), holding your
vehicle in first gear (using the ERS shift control) can help
to avoid transmission overheating.
If you regularly tow a trailer for more than 45 minutes of
continuous operation, then change the automatic trans-
mission fluid and filter(s) as specified forpolice, taxi,
fleet, or frequent trailer towing.Refer to the “Mainte-
nance Schedule” for the proper maintenance intervals.
NOTE:Check the automatic transmission fluid level
before towing.
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Tow/Haul Mode
To reduce potential for automatic transmission overheat-
ing, activate TOW/HAUL mode when driving in hilly
areas, or select a lower gear range (using the Electronic
Range Select (ERS) shift control) on more severe grades.
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 System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
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