weight Ram 2500 2019 User Guide

SAFETY 267
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
What is the weight limit (child’s weight
+ weight of the child restraint) for using
the LATCH anchorage system to attach
the child restraint? 65 lbs (29.5 kg)Use the LATCH anchorage system until the
combined weight of the child and the child
restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the seat belt
and tether anchor instead of the LATCH
system once the combined weight is more
than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the
seat belt be used together to attach a
rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraint? NoDo not use the seat belt when you use the
LATCH anchorage system to attach a
rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Booster seats may be attached to the LATCH
anchorages if allowed by the booster seat
manufacturer. See your booster seat owner’s
manual for more information.
Can a child seat be installed in the
center position using the inner LATCH
lower anchorages from the outboard
seating positions? No – Crew Full Bench
N/A – Mega / Crew Split BenchRegular Cab Front / Crew Cab with full
bench rear seat: use the seat belt and tether
anchor to install a child seat in the center
seating position
Crew Cab with split bench rear seat / Mega
Cab: Child restraints can be installed using
the supplied lower anchorages for the center
seating position.
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276 SAFETY
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
What is the weight limit (child’s weight
+ weight of the child restraint) for using
the Tether Anchor with the seat belt to
attach a forward facing child restraint? Weight limit of the Child Restraint Always use the tether anchor when
using the seat belt to install a forward
facing child restraint, up to the
recommended weight limit of the child
restraint.
Can the rear-facing child restraint
touch the back of the front passenger
seat? Yes Contact between the front passenger
seat and the child restraint is allowed, if
the child restraint manufacturer also
allows contact.
Can the rear head restraints be
removed? Yes The head restraints can be removed in
every rear seating position if they
interfere with the installation of the
child restraint. Refer to “Head
Restraints” in “Getting To Know Your
Vehicle” for further information.
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to
tighten the seat belt against the belt
path of the child restraint? Yes – Cinching Latch Plate
No – ALR In positions with cinching latch plates
(CINCH), the buckle stalk may be
twisted up to 3 full turns. Do not twist
the buckle stalk in a seating position
with an ALR retractor.

STARTING AND OPERATING 329
Getting High Centered
If you get hung up or high centered on an object, get out of
the vehicle and try to determine what the vehicle is hung up
on, where it is contacting the underbody and what is the best
direction to recover the vehicle. Depending on what you are
in contact with, jack the vehicle up and place a few rocks
under the tires so the weight is off of the high point when
you let the vehicle down. You can also try rocking the vehicle
or winching the vehicle off the object.
Hill Climbing
Hill climbing requires good judgment and a good under-
standing of your abilities and your vehicle's limitations. Hills
can cause serious problems. Some are just too steep to climb
and should not be attempted. You should always feel confi -
dent with the vehicle and your abilities. You should always
climb hills straight up and down. Never attempt to climb a
hill on an angle. •
Before Climbing A Steep Hill – As you approach a hill
consider its grade or steepness. Determine if it is too steep.
Look to see what the traction is on the hill side trail. Is the
trail straight up and down? What is on top and the other
side? Are there ruts, rocks, branches or other obstacles on
the path? Can you safely recover the vehicle if something
goes wrong? If everything looks good and you feel confi -
dent, then change transmission into a lower gear, shift the
transfer case into 4LO (Low) and proceed with caution.
You should use first gear and 4LO (Low Range) for very
steep hills.
• Driving Up Hill – Once you have determined your ability
to proceed and have shifted into the appropriate gear, line
your vehicle up for the straightest possible run. Accelerate
with an easy constant throttle and apply more power as
you start up the hill. Do not race forward into a steep
grade, the abrupt change of grade could cause you to lose
control. If the front end begins to bounce, ease off the
throttle slightly to bring all four tires back on the ground.
As you approach the crest of the hill ease off the throttle
and slowly proceed over the top. If the wheels start to slip
as you approach the crest of a hill, ease off the accelerator
and maintain headway by turning the steering wheel no
more than a ¼ turn quickly back and forth. This will
provide a fresh "bite" into the surface and will usually
CAUTION!
Winching or rocking the vehicle off hard objects
increases the risk of underbody damage.
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330 STARTING AND OPERATING
provide enough traction to complete the climb. If you do
not make it to the top, place the vehicle in REVERSE and
back straight down the grade using engine resistance
along with the vehicle brakes.
• Driving Down Hill – Before driving down a steep hill you
need to determine if it is too steep for a safe descent. What
is the surface traction? Is the grade too steep to maintain a
slow controlled descent? Are there obstacles? Is it a
straight descent? Is there plenty of distance at the base of
the hill to regain control if the vehicle descends too fast? If
you feel confident in your ability to proceed then make
sure you are in 4LO (Low Range) with the transmission in
first gear (manually select first gear on automatic transmis -
sions) and proceed with caution. Allow engine braking to
control the descent and apply your brakes if necessary, but
do not allow the tires to lock. •
Driving Across An Incline – If at all possible avoid
driving across an incline. If it is necessary, know your
vehicle's abilities. Driving across an incline places more
weight on the down hill wheels, which increases the possi -
bilities of a down hill slide or rollover. Make sure the
surface has good traction with firm and stable soils. If
possible transverse the incline at an angle heading slightly
up or down.
• If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway – If you stall or
begin to lose headway while climbing a steep hill, allow
your vehicle to come to a stop and immediately apply the
brake. Restart the engine and shift into REVERSE. Back
slowly down the hill allowing the compression braking of
the engine and transmission to help regulate your speed. If
WARNING!
Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn around
on a steep grade. Driving across an incline increases the
risk of a roll over, which may result in severe injury or
death.
WARNING!
Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use vehicle
brakes in conjunction with engine braking. Descending
a grade too fast could cause you to lose control and be
seriously injured or killed.
WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of a rollover,
which may result in severe injury.

STARTING AND OPERATING 335
•Winching (Refer To “Winch Operation” For Additional
Information) – Winching is most commonly used in the
following situations: there is no support vehicle available,
a high controlled force is required to recover the vehicle,
there is a high risk of environmental or vehicle damage, or
where nothing else seems to work. A winch can deliver a
high pulling force with a great deal of control. It allows
you to walk the vehicle out of the situation in a slow
controlled manner. This control works well for avoiding
further vehicle damage. Once you decide it is time to use
the winch look for a good anchor point. It needs to be
strong enough to hold more than the vehicle's weight and
provide a direction of pull as straight as possible. Use
block and tackle if necessary to improve the angle of pull
or increase the winch's pulling force. If the anchor point is a tree use a strap around its base and hook the cable to the
strap. If it is another vehicle, then place that vehicle in
PARK and block the front tires. If you cannot find an
anchor point within reach try using your spare tire by
burying it. Once you have determined an anchor point
hook up the cable, ensuring there are a least five wraps of
cable left on the drum, and place a floor mat or something
else over the strung out cable. Placing something over the
strung out cable helps keep the cable on the ground if it
breaks. Next, place the vehicle in first gear and apply a
very light throttle as you power the winch in. Be careful
not to allow slack in the cable as you recover the vehicle.
Do not try to guide the cable into the drum. If it starts to
bunch up on one end, let it. You can re-spool the cable
afterwards. Never use a winch cable as a tow strap and
always stand back while winching.
WARNING!
Never use tow straps with end hooks or link two straps
with a clevis pin. These heavy metal objects could
become projectiles if a strap breaks, which could cause
severe injury. Never leave more than 2 to 3 feet (.6 to
1 meter) of slack in the strap. More slack than this greatly
increases the risk of injury and vehicle damage. Always
keep everyone at least 30 feet (9 meters) away from a
strapping or winching situation.
WARNING!
Winch cables are under high tension when in use and
can become a projectile if they fail. Never stand over or
straddle the winch cable. Never jerk or overload the
winch cable. Never stand in front of the vehicle while
winching. Failure to follow these instructions can result
in serious or fatal injury.
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340 STARTING AND OPERATING
1.Motor: The winch motor is powered by the vehicle
charging system.
2. Remote Socket: The remote socket (which will be located
on the bumper assembly) allows the remote control to be
attached to the control pack to allow the winch to func -
tion.
3. Winch Drum With Integral Brake: The winch drum
allows the rope to be stored on the winch and transmits
force to the rope. The winch is equipped with an integral
brake that will stop rotation of the winch drum if the
winch motor is stopped.
4. Synthetic Rope: The synthetic rope allows the winch to
be connected to an anchor to provide a pulling force. This
synthetic rope is highly flexible, lightweight, and it floats. 5.
Clutch Lever: The clutch lever allows the winch drum to
be disconnected from the winch motor to allow the rope
to be pulled from the winch by hand.
6. Remote Control: The remote control provides the inter -
face between the winch operator and the winch. The
remote control provides the ability to power the winch in,
out, and stop the winch. To operate the winch, the toggle
switch is pressed down to power the winch in and up to
power the winch out. The winch will stop if the switch is
left in the neutral (center) position.
Fairlead: The hawse fairlead acts as a guide for the synthetic
rope and minimizes damage to the rope. CAUTION!
If not installed, the hook strap must be placed on the
hook.

410 STARTING AND OPERATING
Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message
If the vehicle diagnostic system determines that the
fuel filler cap is loose, improperly installed, or
damaged, a loose gascap indicator will display in the
instrument cluster telltale display area. Refer to “Instrument
Cluster Display” in “Getting To Know Your Instrument
Panel” for further information. Tighten the fuel filler cap
properly and push the RIGHT button to turn off the message.
If the problem continues, the message will appear the next
time the vehicle is started.
VEHICLE LOADING
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total permissible weight of your vehicle
including driver, passengers, vehicle, options and cargo. The
label also specifies maximum capacities of front and rear axle
systems (GAWR). Total load must be limited so GVWR and
front and rear GAWR are not exceeded.
Payload
The payload of a vehicle is defined as the allowable load
weight a truck can carry, including the weight of the driver,
all passengers, options and cargo.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible load on the front
and rear axles. The load must be distributed in the cargo area
so that the GAWR of each axle is not exceeded.
Each axle GAWR is determined by the components in the
system with the lowest load carrying capacity (axle, springs,
tires or wheels). Heavier axles or suspension components
sometimes specified by purchasers for increased durability
does not necessarily increase the vehicle's GVWR.
Tire Size
The tire size on the Vehicle Certification Label represents the
actual tire size on your vehicle. Replacement tires must be
equal to the load capacity of this tire size.
Rim Size
This is the rim size that is appropriate for the tire size listed.
Inflation Pressure
This is the cold tire inflation pressure for your vehicle for all
loading conditions up to full GAWR.

STARTING AND OPERATING 411
Curb Weight
The curb weight of a vehicle is defined as the total weight of
the vehicle with all fluids, including vehicle fuel, at full
capacity conditions, and with no occupants or cargo loaded
into the vehicle. The front and rear curb weight values are
determined by weighing your vehicle on a commercial scale
before any occupants or cargo are added.
Loading
The actual total weight and the weight of the front and rear
of your vehicle at the ground can best be determined by
weighing it when it is loaded and ready for operation.
The entire vehicle should first be weighed on a commercial
scale to insure that the GVWR has not been exceeded. The
weight on the front and rear of the vehicle should then be
determined separately to be sure that the load is properly
distributed over the front and rear axle. Weighing the vehicle
may show that the GAWR of either the front or rear axles has
been exceeded but the total load is within the specified
GVWR. If so, weight must be shifted from front to rear or
rear to front as appropriate until the specified weight limita-
tions are met. Store the heavier 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.
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 infor
-
mation 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. 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.
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412 STARTING AND OPERATING
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 exceed the
GVWR. Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle Certification
Label” in “Starting And Operating” for further information.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus the weight of all
cargo, consumables and equipment (permanent or tempo-
rary) loaded in or on the trailer in its "loaded and ready for
operation" condition.
The recommended way to measure GTW is to put your fully
loaded trailer on a vehicle scale. The entire weight of the
trailer must be supported by the scale. Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)
The GCWR is the total allowable weight of your vehicle and
trailer when weighed in combination.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum capacity of the front and rear
axles. Distribute the load over the front and rear axles evenly.
Make sure that you do not exceed either front or rear GAWR.
Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle Certification Label” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information.
WARNING!
If the gross trailer weight is 5,000 lbs (2,267 kg) or more,
it is recommended to use a weight-distributing hitch to
ensure stable handling of your vehicle. If you use a
standard weight-carrying hitch, you could lose control of
your vehicle and cause a collision.
WARNING!
It is important that you do not exceed the maximum front
or rear GAWR. A dangerous driving condition can result
if either rating is exceeded. You could lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.

STARTING AND OPERATING 413
Tongue Weight (TW)
The tongue weight is the downward force exerted on the
hitch ball by the trailer. You must consider this as part of the
load on your vehicle.
Trailer Frontal Area
The frontal area is the maximum height multiplied by the
maximum width of the front of a trailer.
Trailer Sway Control
The trailer sway control can be a mechanical telescoping link
that can be installed between the hitch receiver and the
trailer tongue that typically provides adjustable friction asso-
ciated with the telescoping motion to dampen any unwanted
trailer swaying motions while traveling.
If equipped, the electronic Trailer Sway Control (TSC) recog -
nizes a swaying trailer and automatically applies individual
wheel brakes and/or reduces engine power to attempt to
eliminate the trailer sway. Weight-Carrying Hitch
A weight-carrying hitch supports the trailer tongue weight,
just as if it were luggage located at a hitch ball or some other
connecting point of the vehicle. These kinds of hitches are the
most popular on the market today and they are commonly
used to tow small and medium sized trailers.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
A weight-distributing system works by applying leverage
through spring (load) bars. They are typically used for
heavier loads to distribute trailer tongue weight to the tow
vehicle's front axle and the trailer axle(s). When used in
accordance with the manufacturer's directions, it provides
for a more level ride, offering more consistent steering and
brake control, thereby enhancing towing safety. The addi
-
tion of a friction/hydraulic sway control also dampens sway
caused by traffic and crosswinds and contributes positively
to tow vehicle and trailer stability. Trailer sway control and
a weight distributing (load equalizing) hitch are recom -
mended for heavier Tongue Weights (TW) and may be
required depending on vehicle and trailer configuration/
loading to comply with GAWR requirements.
5