trailer Ram 3500 2020 Owner's Guide

SAFETY147
ESC Operating Modes
NOTE:
Depending upon model and mode of operation,
the ESC system may have multiple operating
modes. ESC On
This is the normal operating mode for the ESC.
Whenever the vehicle is started, the ESC system
will be in this mode. This mode should be used
for most driving conditions. Alternate ESC
modes should only be used for specific reasons
as noted in the following paragraphs.
Partial Off
The “Partial Off” mode is intended for times
when a more spirited driving experience is
desired. This mode may modify TCS and ESC
thresholds for activation, which allows for more
wheel spin than normally allowed. This mode
may be useful if the vehicle becomes stuck.
To enter the “Partial Off” mode, momentarily
push the “ESC OFF” switch and the “ESC OFF
Indicator Light” will illuminate. To turn the ESC
on again, momentarily push the “ESC OFF”
switch and the “ESC OFF Indicator Light” will
turn off.
NOTE:
For vehicles with multiple partial ESC modes, a
momentary button push will toggle the ESC
mode. Multiple momentary button pushes may
be required to return to ESC On.
Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly
maintain your vehicle, may change the
handling characteristics of your vehicle,
and may negatively affect the performance
of the ESC system. Changes to the steering
system, suspension, braking system, tire
type and size or wheel size may adversely
affect ESC performance. Improperly
inflated and unevenly worn tires may also
degrade ESC performance. Any vehicle
modification or poor vehicle maintenance
that reduces the effectiveness of the ESC
system can increase the risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
WARNING!
(Continued)
WARNING!
When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS func -
tionality of ESC, (except for the limited slip
feature described in the TCS section), has
been disabled and the “ESC Off Indicator
Light” will be illuminated. When in “Partial
Off” mode, the engine power reduction
feature of TCS is disabled, and the
enhanced vehicle stability offered by the
ESC system is reduced.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) is disabled when
the ESC system is in the “Partial Off” mode.
4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 147

152SAFETY
Disabling And Enabling HSA
This feature can be turned on or turned off. To
change the current setting, proceed as follows:
If disabling HSA using your instrument cluster
display, refer to “Instrument Cluster Display”
in “Getting To Know Your Instrument Panel”
for further information.
If disabling HSA using Uconnect Settings,
refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Multimedia”
for further information.
For vehicles not equipped with an instrument
cluster display, perform the following steps:

1. Center the steering wheel (front wheels pointing straight forward).

2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Start the engine.
5. Rotate the steering wheel slightly more than one-half turn to the left.
6. Push the “ESC OFF” button located in the lower switch bank below the climate control
four times within 20 seconds. The “ESC OFF
Indicator Light” should turn on and turn off
two times.
7. Rotate the steering wheel back to center and then an additional slightly more than
one-half turn to the right.
8. Place the ignition in the OFF mode and then back to ON. If the sequence was completed
properly, the “ESC OFF Indicator Light” will blink several times to confirm HSA is
disabled.
9. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to its previous setting.
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll
back while towing a trailer.
WARNING!
There may be situations where the Hill Start
Assist (HSA) will not activate and slight rolling
may occur, such as on minor hills or with a
loaded vehicle, or while pulling a trailer. HSA
is not a substitute for active driving
involvement. It is always the driver’s
responsibility to be attentive to distance to
other vehicles, people, and objects, and most
importantly brake operation to ensure safe
operation of the vehicle under all road
conditions. Your complete attention is always
required while driving to maintain safe control
of your vehicle. Failure to follow these
warnings can result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
WARNING!

If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, the trailer brakes may be activated
and deactivated with the brake switch. If so,
there may not be enough brake pressure to
hold both the vehicle and the trailer on a hill
when the brake pedal is released. In order to
avoid rolling down an incline while resuming
acceleration, manually activate the trailer
brake or apply more vehicle brake pressure
prior to releasing the brake pedal.

HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply
the parking brake fully when exiting your
vehicle. Also, be certain to place the trans -
mission in PARK.
Failure to follow these warnings can result
in a collision or serious personal injury.

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 152

SAFETY153
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin
of each of the driven wheels. If wheel spin is
detected, the Traction Control System (TCS)
may apply brake pressure to the spinning
wheel(s) and/or reduce engine power to provide
enhanced acceleration and stability. A feature
of the TCS, Brake Limited Differential (BLD),
functions similar 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 power to be applied to the wheel that is
not spinning. BLD may remain enabled even if
TCS and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are in
a reduced mode.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) uses sensors in the
vehicle to recognize an excessively swaying
trailer and will take the appropriate actions to
attempt to stop the sway. TSC will become active automatically once an excessively
swaying trailer is recognized.
NOTE:
TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying.
Always use caution when towing a trailer and
follow the trailer tongue weight recommenda
-
tions. Refer to “Trailer Towing” in “Starting And
Operating” for further information.
When TSC is functioning, the “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” will flash, the
engine power may be reduced and you may feel
the brakes being applied to individual wheels to
attempt to stop the trailer from swaying. TSC is
disabled when the ESC system is in the “Partial
Off” or “Full Off” modes.
AUXILIARY DRIVING SYSTEMS
BLIND SPOT MONITORING (BSM) — IF
E
QUIPPED
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system uses
two radar-based sensors, located inside the
taillights, to detect highway licensable vehicles
(automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) that
enter the blind spot zones from the rear/front/
side of the vehicle.

Rear Detection Zones

When the vehicle is started, the BSM warning
light will momentarily illuminate in both outside
rearview mirrors to let the driver know that the
system is operational. The BSM system sensors
WARNING!
If TSC activates while driving, slow the vehicle
down, stop at the nearest safe location, and
adjust the trailer load to eliminate trailer
sway.
4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 153

SAFETY157
When RCP is on and the vehicle is in REVERSE,
the driver is alerted using both the visual and
audible alarms, including reducing the radio
volume.
Modes Of Operation
Three selectable modes of operation are
available in the Uconnect System.
Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Multimedia”
for further information. Blind Spot Alert Lights Only
When operating in Blind Spot Alert mode, the
BSM system will provide a visual alert in the
appropriate side view mirror based on a
detected object. However, when the system is
operating in Rear Cross Path (RCP) mode, the
system will respond with both visual and
audible alerts when a detected object is
present. Whenever an audible alert is
requested, the radio is muted.
Blind Spot Alert Lights/Chime
When operating in Blind Spot Alert Lights/
Chime mode, the BSM system will provide a
visual alert in the appropriate side view mirror
based on a detected object. If the turn signal is
then activated, and it corresponds to an alert
present on that side of the vehicle, an audible
chime will also be sounded. Whenever a turn
signal and detected object are present on the
same side at the same time, both the visual and
audible alerts will be issued. In addition to the
audible alert the radio (if on) will also be muted.
NOTE:
Whenever an audible alert is requested by the
BSM system, the radio is also muted.
When the system is in RCP, the system shall
respond with both visual and audible alerts
when a detected object is present. Whenever
an audible alert is requested, the radio is also
muted. Turn/hazard signal status is ignored;
the RCP state always requests the chime.
Blind Spot Alert Off
When the BSM system is turned off there will be
no visual or audible alerts from either the BSM
or RCP systems.
NOTE:
The BSM system will store the current operating
mode when the vehicle is shut off. Each time
the vehicle is started the previously stored
mode will be recalled and used.Trailer Merge Assist
NOTE:
When Trailer Merge Assist is activated, Rear
Cross Path is disabled.
WARNING!
Rear Cross Path Detection (RCP) is not a back
up aid system. It is intended to be used to
help a driver detect an oncoming vehicle in a
parking lot situation. Drivers must be careful
when backing up, even when using RCP.
Always check carefully behind your vehicle,
look behind you, and be sure to check for
pedestrians, animals, other vehicles,
obstructions, and blind spots before backing
up. Failure to do so can result in serious
injury or death.
4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 157

158SAFETY
NOTE:
When a trailer with an electric brake is
connected to the vehicle, the instrument cluster
display will provide a menu to allow a selection
of the trailer type. There will be two options
provided: Conventional and Goose/Fifth Wheel.
Goose/Fifth Wheel Trailer is incompatible and
when selected, the BSM system will disable
until the trailer is disconnected. If the wrong
option is selected, the system can be reset by
either disconnecting and reconnecting the
trailer harness connector or disabling then
re-enabling the Blind Spot Monitoring System in
the customer settings in the Uconnect. This will
prompt the trailer selection menu again to allow
for the correct selection.
Trailer Merge Assist is a function of the Blind
Spot Monitoring (BSM) system that extends the
blind spot zone to work while pulling a trailer.
Trailer Merge Assist consists of three sub
functions:
Automatic Trailer Detection
Trailer Length Detection
Trailer Merge Warning
Blind Spot Zones With Trailer Merge Assist

Automatic Trailer Detection
There are two modes of operation for the
detection of the trailer length:
Automatic Mode — When “Auto Mode” is
selected, the system will use the blind spot
sensors to automatically determine the pres -
ence and length of a trailer. The presence of
a trailer will be detected using the blind spot
radar within 90 seconds of forward move -
ment of the vehicle. The vehicle must be
moving above 6 mph (10 km/h) to activate the feature. Once the trailer has been
detected, the system will default to the maximum blind spot zone until the length has
been verified. You will see “Auto” in the
instrument panel cluster .
Max Mode
— When “Max Mode” is selected,
the system will default to the maximum blind
spot zone regardless of what size trailer is
attached .
NOTE:
Selected setting is stored when the ignition is
placed in the OFF position. To change this
setting, it must be selected through the Ucon -
nect Settings. Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in
“Multimedia” for further information.
Trailer Length Detection
Once the trailer presence has been established,
the trailer length will be established (by making
a 90 degree turn) and then the trailer length
category (e.g. 10-20 ft (3 m to 6 m)) will be
displayed. This can take up to 30 seconds after
completing the turn.
NOTE:
During the same ignition cycle, if the vehicle is
at a standstill for a minimum of 90 seconds, a
new “trailer detection request” is enabled by
the system once the vehicle resumes motion.
1 — Vehicle
2 — Trailer

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 158

SAFETY159
Maximum length supported by the Trailer Merge
Assist feature is 39.5 ft (12 m). Trailer length is
considered the forward most portion of the
trailer hitch to the rearward most portion of the
body, bumper, or ramp of the trailer.
Maximum width supported by the Trailer Merge
Assist feature is 8.5 ft (2.59 m). Trailer width is
measured at the widest portion of the trailer
and may include wheels, tires, finders, or rails.
NOTE:
Fifth wheel or gooseneck trailers are not
supported by Trailer Merge Assist.

Trailer Length Detection
Trailer length will be identified and placed into
one of the following categories:
Trailer length up to 10 ft (3 m) — Blind spot
zone will be adjusted to 10 ft (3 m) .
Trailer length between 10 ft to 20 ft (3 m to
6 m) — Blind spot zone will be adjusted to
20 ft (6 m) .
Trailer length between 20 ft to 30 ft (6 m to
9 m) — Blind spot zone will be adjusted to
30 ft (9 m) .
Trailer length between 30 ft and 39.5 ft (9 m
to 12 m) — Blind spot zone will be adjusted to
MAX distance .
NOTE:
Trailer length is determined within +/- 3 ft (1 m)
of actual length. Trailers that are the same size
as the category limit, 10/20/30 ft (3/6/9 m),
could be subject to being placed in the category
above or below the correct one.
Trailer Merge Warning
Trailer Merge Warning is the extension of the
blind spot function to cover the length of the
trailer, plus a safety margin, to warn the driver when there is a vehicle in the adjacent lane. The
driver is alerted by the illumination of the BSM
warning light located in the outside mirror on
the side the other vehicle is detected. In
addition, an audible (chime) alert will be heard
and radio volume reduced. Refer to “Modes Of
Operation” in this section for further
information.
NOTE:
The Trailer Merge Alert system DOES NOT
alert the driver about rapidly approaching
vehicles that are outside the detection zones.
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system may
experience drop outs (blinking on and off) of
the side mirror warning indicator lamps when
a motorcycle or any small object remains at
the side of the vehicle for extended periods of
time (more than a couple of seconds).
Crowded areas such as parking lots, neigh
-
borhoods, etc. May lead to an increased
amount of false alerts. This is normal opera -
tion.
1 — Trailer Length
2 — Trailer Width
3 — Trailer Hitch
4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 159

SAFETY161
braking but has not applied sufficient brake
force, the system will compensate and provide
additional brake force as required. When towing
a trailer, the system will also respond to activate
the trailer brakes (if equipped).
If a FCW with Mitigation event begins at a speed
below 32 mph (52 km/h), the system may
provide the maximum braking possible to miti -
gate the potential forward collision. If the
Forward Collision Warning with Mitigation event
stops the vehicle completely, the system will
hold the vehicle at standstill for two seconds
and then release the brakes.

FCW Message

When the system determines a collision with
the vehicle in front of you is no longer probable,
the warning message will be deactivated. NOTE:
The minimum speed for FCW activation is
3 mph (5 km/h).
The FCW alerts may be triggered on objects
other than vehicles such as guard rails or
sign posts based on the course prediction.
This is expected and is a part of normal FCW
activation and functionality.
It is unsafe to test the FCW system. To
prevent such misuse of the system, after four
Active Braking events within a key cycle, the
Active Braking portion of FCW will be deacti
-
vated until the next key cycle.
The FCW system is intended for on-road use
only. If the vehicle is taken off-road, the FCW
system should be deactivated to prevent
unnecessary warnings to the surroundings.
FCW may not react to irrelevant objects such
as overhead objects, ground reflections,
objects not in the path of the vehicle,
stationary objects that are far away,
oncoming traffic, or leading vehicles with the
same or higher rate of speed.
FCW will be disabled like ACC, with the
unavailable screens.
During a FCW event when towing a trailer,
your Electronic Brake system will respond, to
activate the trailer brakes (if equipped).
Turning FCW On or Off
The FCW button is located in the Uconnect
display in the control settings. Refer to
“Uconnect Settings” in “Multimedia” for further
information.
To turn the FCW system on, press the forward
collision button once.
To turn the FCW system off, press the forward
collision button once.
WARNING!
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is not
intended to avoid a collision on its own, nor
can FCW detect every type of potential
collision. The driver has the responsibility to
avoid a collision by controlling the vehicle via
braking and steering. Failure to follow this
warning could lead to serious injury or death.
4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 161

SAFETY167
If you install the non-matching full size spare
or compact spare tire in place of a road tire
that has a pressure below the low-pressure
warning limit, upon the next ignition switch
cycle, the TPM Warning Light and a “LOW
TIRE” message will remain on and a chime
will sound. In addition, the graphic in the
instrument cluster will still display a pressure
value in a different color and an “Inflate to
XX” message.
After driving the vehicle for up to 20 minutes
above 15 mph (24 km/h), the TPM Warning
Light will flash on and off for 75 seconds and
then remain on solid. In addition, the instru -
ment cluster will display a "SERVICE TPM
SYSTEM" message for a minimum of five
seconds and then display dashes (- -) in place
of the pressure value.
For each subsequent ignition switch cycle, a
chime will sound, the TPM Warning Light will
flash on and off for 75 seconds and then
remain on solid, and the instrument cluster
will display a "SERVICE TPM SYSTEM"
message for a minimum of five seconds and
then display dashes (- -) in place of the pres -
sure value.
Once you repair or replace the original road
tire and reinstall it on the vehicle in place of
the non matching full size spare or compact
spare, the TPMS will update automatically. In
addition, the TPM Warning Light will turn off
and the graphic in the instrument cluster will
display a new pressure value instead of
dashes (- -), as long as no tire pressure is
below the low-pressure warning limit in any of
the four active road tires. The vehicle may
need to be driven for up to 20 minutes above
15 mph (24 km/h) in order for the TPMS to
receive this information.
Trailer Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TTPMS) — If Equipped
The Trailer Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TTPMS) is a feature that displays the trailer tire
pressure values and warn the driver of a low tire
pressure event based on the drivers set target
tire pressure value, through TTPMS settings
found in the radio.
The TTPMS monitors the pressure of each tire
and warns the driver through the instrument
cluster, when either a low tire pressure
condition falls below 25% of the drivers set
pressure or if a system malfunction occurs. The
instrument cluster will display the actual tire pressure or dashes for each of the trailer tires in
the correct trailer position, based on trailer
configuration. The TTPMS system can support
up to 12 trailer tires per configured trailer on up
to four configurable trailers. Refer to “Uconnect
Settings” in “Multimedia” for further
information.

Trailer Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Trailer Tire Pressure Sensor Pairing
In order use this feature, the provided tire
pressure sensors must be installed in the
desired trailer tires and the sensors must be
paired to the truck. If the target trailer requires
more than the provided four sensors, additional
sensors can be purchased at an authorized
Ram dealership.
4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 167

168SAFETY
With the sensors installed and the trailer near
or connected to your Ram truck, initiate the
pairing process by entering the settings menu in
the radio and select trailer. Refer to “Uconnect
Settings” in “Multimedia” for further
information. Select the desired trailer profile to
pair to, open the “Tire Pressure” menu, and hit
“Setup All Tires.”
NOTE:
The vehicle may not be driven until the pairing
process is complete.

Trailer Tire Pressure Settings Trailer Tire Pressure Pairing

Follow the on screen prompts to select the
number of axles (1 - 3), the number of trailer
tires (2, 4, 6, 8, or 12), and the set trailer tire
pressure. The range is selectable anywhere
between 25-125 PSI (172-862 kPa).
Once PSI (kPa) is programmed, the pairing
screen appears. Tire sensors must be paired in
order shown. Starting with Tire 1, deflate tire by
5 PSI (34 kPa) and wait for a horn chirp. It may
take up to 3 minutes for the chirp to occur,
indicating that the sensor has paired. Repeat
process on each tire, in order, until complete.
Do not exit the pairing screen until process is
complete. If pairing was unsuccessful, a double
horn chirp will sound, and a prompt on the touchscreen will allow you to retry the
procedure; “Retry” will only appear when setup
fails. Each tire must be successfully paired
during a single pairing process to receive the
success screen.
NOTE:
If the pairing process times out after three
minutes of no communication with a sensor, a
double horn chip will occur indicating the
pairing has failed and a message will display on
the radio indicating the process was unsuc
-
cessful. Under certain circumstances, the
double horn chirp may continue to happen
every three minutes indicating the failed
pairing. If this happens, the horn chirping may
be canceled by cycling the ignition button off
and then back to run position.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Low Pressure
Warnings
When a tire pressure low in one or more of the
active road tires is detected, the instrument
cluster will display a message stating “Trailer
Tire Pressure Low”. The instrument cluster will
then display the TTPMS graphic showing the
pressure values of each tire with the low tire
pressure values in a different color.

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 168

SAFETY169
Should this occur, you should stop as soon as
possible and inflate the tires with a low pressure
condition (those in a different color in the
instrument cluster graphic) to the customer
programmed target tire pressure value as
shown at the top of the TTPMS instrument
cluster graphic. Once the tire(s) are inflated, the
system will automatically update the graphic
display in the instrument cluster, returning to
it’s original color. The vehicle may need to be
driven for up to 10 minutes above 15 mph
(24 km/h) in order for the TTPMS to receive the
updated information.
Service TTPMS Warning
If a system fault is detected, the instrument
cluster will display a “Trailer Tire Pressure
System Service Required” message for a
minimum of five seconds.
Once the system fault is corrected the "Trailer
Tire Pressure System Service Required"
message will no longer be displayed. The
vehicle may need to be driven for up to
10 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h) in order
for the TTPMS to receive the trailer tire pressure
information. Trailer Tire Pressure System Not Configured
A “Trailer Tire Pressure System Not Configured”
message will be displayed in the Instrument
Cluster on the TTPM instrument cluster graphic
when a trailer number is selected that has not
had trailer tire pressure sensors paired. To
correct this condition, see “Trailer Tire Pressure
Sensor Pairing” in “Multimedia”.
Trailer Sensors Detected Do Not Match Active
Trailer
The “Trailer Sensors Detected Do Not Match
Active Trailer” message will be displayed in the
Instrument Cluster when the trailer sensors
being received by the TTPM module do not
match the trailer sensors paired to the current
trailer number selected. This message will be
displayed when the sensors being received
completely match the sensors paired to another
trailer number configured in the TTPM module.
To correct this condition, the correct trailer
number must be selected in the radio. Refer to
the “Uconnect Settings” in “Multimedia” for
further information.Tire Fill Alert
This feature notifies the user when the placard
tire pressure is attained while inflating or
deflating the tire.
The customer may choose to disable or enable
the Tire Fill Alert feature through use of the
customer settings in the radio.
NOTE:
Only one tire can be filled at a time when
using the Tire Fill Alert system.
The Tire Fill Alert feature cannot be entered if
an existing TPMS fault is set to “active” or if
the system is in deactivation mode (if
equipped).
The system will be activated when the system
detects a increase of tire pressure, while filling
the fire. The ignition must be in the RUN mode,
with the transmission in PARK (P).
NOTE:
It is not required to have the engine running to
enter Tire Fill Alert mode.

The hazard lamps will come on to confirm the
vehicle is in Tire Fill Alert mode.

4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 169