RAM CHASSIS CAB 2019 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: RAM, Model Year: 2019, Model line: CHASSIS CAB, Model: RAM CHASSIS CAB 2019Pages: 607, PDF Size: 12.68 MB
Page 361 of 607

STARTING AND OPERATING 359
(Continued)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 allowed
ONLY   if  the  rear  wheels  are  OFF   the  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.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly.
3. Firmly  apply  the  parking  brake.  Place  automatic  trans -
mission in PARK.
4. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following the
dolly manufacturer's instructions.
5. Turn the ignition OFF and remove the key fob.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for towing, to
secure the front wheels in the straight position. Recreational Towing — Four-Wheel Drive Models
NOTE:
Both the manual shift and electronic shift transfer cases must
be shifted into NEUTRAL (N) for recreational towing. Auto -
matic  transmissions  must  be  shifted  into  PARK  for  recre -
ational towing. Refer to the following for the proper transfer
case NEUTRAL (N) shifting procedure for your vehicle. CAUTION!
• Towing  with  the rear  wheels on the ground  will  cause
severe  transmission  damage.  Damage  from  improper
towing  is  not  covered  under  the  New  Vehicle  Limited
Warranty.
• Do  not  disconnect  the  driveshaft  because  fluid  may
leak from the transmission, causing damage to internal
parts.
CAUTION!
• DO  NOT  dolly  tow  any  4WD  vehicle.  Towing  with
only one set of wheels on the ground (front or rear) will
cause severe transmission and/or transfer case damage.
Tow with all four wheels either ON the ground, or OFF
the ground (using a vehicle trailer). 5 
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360 STARTING AND OPERATING
Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N) 
Use  the  following  procedure  to  prepare  your  vehicle  for
recreational towing.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop on level ground, with
the engine running. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.• Tow only in the forward direction. Towing this vehicle
backwards can cause severe damage to the transfer case.
• Before recreational towing, the transfer case must be in
NEUTRAL.  To  be  certain  the  transfer  case  is  fully  in
NEUTRAL,  perform  the  procedure  outlined  under
“Shifting  Into  NEUTRAL”.  Internal  transmission
damage  will  result,  if  the  transfer  case  is  not  in
NEUTRAL during towing.
• The  transmission  must  be  placed  in  PARK  for  recre -
ational towing.
• Towing  this  vehicle  in  violation  of  the  above  require -
ments  can  cause  severe  transmission  and/or  transfer
case  damage.  Damage  from  improper  towing  is  not
covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• Do not disconnect the rear driveshaft because fluid will
leak from the transfer case, causing damage to internal
parts.
• Do  not  use  a  bumper-mounted  clamp-on  tow  bar  on
your vehicle. The bumper face bar will be damaged. CAUTION!  (Continued)
WARNING!
You  or  others  could  be  injured  or  killed  if  you  leave  the
vehicle  unattended  with  the  transfer  case  in  the
NEUTRAL  (N)  position  without  first  fully  engaging  the
parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL (N) position
disengages  both  the  front  and  rear  driveshafts  from  the
powertrain, and will allow the vehicle to roll, even if the
automatic  transmission  is  in  PARK  (or  manual
transmission  is  in  gear).  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. 
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STARTING AND OPERATING 361
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Shift the transfer case into NEUTRAL:
• With  manual  shift  transfer  case,  shift  the  transfer  case
lever into NEUTRAL (N).
• With  electronic  shift  transfer  case,  push  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.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
7. Release  the brake  pedal  for five  seconds and  ensure that
there is no vehicle movement.
8. Repeat  steps  six  and  seven  with  automatic  transmission
in DRIVE. 9. Shift  the  transmission  to  NEUTRAL.  Firmly  apply  the
parking  brake.  Turn  OFF  the  engine.  For  vehicles  with
Keyless  Enter-N-Go,  push  and  hold  the  ENGINE
START/STOP button until the engine shuts off.
10. Shift the transmission into PARK.
11. Place  the  ignition  in  the  OFF  mode,  and  remove  the  key
fob.
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 3 are requirements that must be met before
pushing  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  pushing  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. 5 
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362 STARTING AND OPERATING
• The  ignition  must  be  in  the  ON/RUN  mode  for  a  shift  to
take place and for the position indicator lights to be oper -
able. If the ignition is not in the ON/RUN mode, the shift
will not take place and no position indicator lights will be
on or flashing.
• A  flashing  NEUTRAL  (N)  position  indicator  light  indi -
cates that shift requirements have not been met.
Shifting Out Of NEUTRAL (N) 
Use  the  following  procedure  to  prepare  your  vehicle  for
normal usage:
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving it connected
to the tow vehicle.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Start  the  engine,  and  shift  the  transmission  into
NEUTRAL.
• With  manual  shift  transfer  case,  shift  the  transfer  case
lever to the desired position.
• With  electronic  shift  transfer  case  with  rotary  selector
switch, push and hold the transfer case NEUTRAL (N)
button until the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light turns off. After  the  NEUTRAL  (N)  indicator  light  turns  off,
release the NEUTRAL (N) button. After the NEUTRAL
(N) button has been released, the transfer case will shift
to the position indicated by the selector switch.
• With  electronic  shift  transfer  case  with  push-button
selector  switch,  push  and  hold  the  switch  for  the
desired transfer case position, until the NEUTRAL (N)
indicator  light  turns  off  and  the  desired  position  indi -
cator light turns on.
NOTE:
When  shifting  out  of  transfer  case  NEUTRAL  (N),  turning
the engine OFF is not required, but may be helpful to  avoid
gear clash. With 8-speed automatic transmission, the engine
must remain running, since turning the engine OFF will shift
the transmission  to  PARK (and  the transmission  must  be in
NEUTRAL for the transfer case to shift out of NEUTRAL).
5. Turn  the  engine  OFF.  Shift  automatic  transmission  into
PARK.  On  8-speed  transmissions  the  shifter  will  auto -
matically select PARK when the engine is turned off.
6. Release the brake pedal.
7. Disconnect vehicle from the tow vehicle.
8. Start the engine. 
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STARTING AND OPERATING 363
9. Press and hold the brake pedal.
10. Release the parking brake.
11. Shift  the  transmission  into  gear,  release  the  brake  pedal,
and check that the vehicle operates normally.
NOTE:
With electronic shift transfer case: 
• Steps  3  and  4  are  requirements  that  must  be  met  before
pushing the button to shift out of NEUTRAL (N), and must
continue  to  be  met  until  the  shift  has  been  completed.  If
any of these requirements  are not met before  pushing the
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 button is released.
• The  ignition  must  be  in  the  ON/RUN  mode  for  a  shift  to
take place and for the position indicator lights to be oper -
able. If the ignition is not in the ON/RUN mode, the shift
will not take place and no position indicator lights will be
on or flashing.
• A  flashing  NEUTRAL  (N)  position  indicator  light  indi -
cates that shift requirements have not been met. DRIVING TIPS
Driving On Slippery Surfaces 
Acceleration
Rapid  acceleration  on  snow  covered,  wet,  or  other  slippery
surfaces  may  cause  the  driving  wheels  to  pull  erratically  to
the  right  or  left.  This  phenomenon  occurs  when  there  is  a
difference  in  the  surface  traction  under  the  rear  (driving)
wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid  acceleration  on  slippery  surfaces  is  dangerous.
Unequal  traction  can  cause  sudden  pulling  of  the  rear
wheels.  You  could  lose  control  of  the  vehicle  and
possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and carefully
whenever  there  is  likely  to  be  poor  traction  (ice,  snow,
wet, mud, loose sand, etc.). 5 
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364 STARTING AND OPERATING
Driving Through Water 
Driving  through water  more than a  few inches/centimeters
deep will require extra caution to ensure safety and prevent
damage to your vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through shallow
standing water, consider the following Cautions  and  Warn -
ings before doing so.
WARNING!
Do  not  drive  on  or  across  a  road  or  path  where  water  is
flowing  and/or  rising  (as  in  storm  run-off).  Flowing
water can wear away the road or path's surface and cause
your  vehicle  to  sink  into  deeper  water.  Furthermore,
flowing  and/or  rising  water  can  carry  your  vehicle  away
swiftly.  Failure  to  follow  this  warning  may  result  in
injuries  that  are  serious  or  fatal to you,  your  passengers,
and others around you. WARNING!
• Driving  through  standing  water  limits  your  vehicle’s
traction  capabilities.  Do  not  exceed  5 mph  (8 km/h)
when driving through standing water.
• Driving  through  standing  water  limits  your  vehicle’s
braking  capabilities,  which  increases  stopping
distances.  Therefore,  after  driving  through  standing
water, drive slowly and lightly press on the brake pedal
several times to dry the brakes.
• Failure to follow these warnings may result in injuries
that  are  serious  or  fatal  to  you,  your  passengers,  and
others around you. 
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STARTING AND OPERATING 365
CAUTION!
• Always  check  the  depth  of  the  standing  water  before
driving through it. Never drive through standing water
that is deeper than the bottom of the tire rims mounted
on the vehicle.
• Determine the condition of the road or  the path that  is
under  water  and  if  there  are  any  obstacles  in  the  way
before driving through the standing water.
• Do  not  exceed  5 mph  (8 km/h)  when  driving  through
standing water. This will minimize wave effects.
• Driving  through  standing  water  may  cause  damage  to
your  vehicle’s  drivetrain  components.  Always  inspect
your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, transmission, axle,
etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e., fluid that is milky
or foamy in appearance) after driving through standing
water.  Do  not  continue  to  operate  the  vehicle  if  any
fluid  appears  contaminated,  as  this  may  result  in
further  damage.  Such  damage  is  not  covered  by  the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can cause it
to  lock  up  and  stall  out,  and  cause  serious  internal
damage  to  the  engine.  Such  damage  is  not  covered  by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. 5 
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366
IN CASE OF EMERGENCYHAZARD WARNING FLASHERS   
The Hazard Warning switch is located on the upper
switch bank just below the radio.
NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with a 12–inch Uconnect display,
the Hazard Warning switch is located above the display.
Push  the  switch  to  turn  on  the  Hazard  Warning  flasher.
When the switch is activated, all directional turn signals will
flash  on  and  off  to  warn  oncoming  traffic  of  an  emergency.
Push  the  switch  a  second  time  to  turn  off  the  Hazard
Warning flashers.
This  is  an  emergency  warning  system  and  it  should  not  be
used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your vehicle
is disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for other motor -
ists.
When  you  must  leave  the  vehicle  to  seek  assistance,  the
Hazard  Warning  flashers  will  continue  to  operate  even
though the ignition is placed in the OFF position. NOTE:
With  extended  use  the  Hazard  Warning  flashers  may  wear
down your battery.
ASSIST AND SOS SYSTEM — IF EQUIPPED
Assist And SOS Buttons1 — ASSIST Button
2 — SOS Button 
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 367
If equipped, the overhead console contains an ASSIST and a
SOS button.
NOTE:
• Your  vehicle  may  be  transmitting  data  as  authorized  by
the subscriber.
• The SOS and ASSIST buttons will only function if you are
connected  to  an  operable  LTE  (voice/data)  or  4G  (data)
network. Other Uconnect services will only be operable if
your  SiriusXM  Guardian™  service  is  active  and  you  are
connected  to  an  operable  LTE  (voice/data)  or  4G  (data)
network. ASSIST Call
The  ASSIST  Button  is  used  to  automatically  connect  you  to
any one of the following support centers:
• Roadside Assistance – If you get a flat tire, or need a tow,
just  push  the  ASSIST  button  and  you’ll  be  connected  to
someone  who  can  help.  Roadside  Assistance  will  know
what  vehicle  you’re  driving  and  its  location.  Additional
fees may apply for roadside assistance.
• SiriusXM Guardian™ Customer Care – In-vehicle support
for SiriusXM Guardian™.
• Vehicle Customer Care – Total support for all other vehicle
issues.
SOS Call
1. Push the SOS Call button on the overhead console.
NOTE:
In case the SOS Call button is pushed in error, there will be a
ten second delay before the SOS Call system initiates a call to
a SOS operator. To cancel the SOS Call connection, push the
SOS call button on the overhead console or press the cancel -
lation  button  on  the  Device  Screen.  Termination  of  the  SOS
Call  will  turn  off  the  green  LED  light  on  the  overhead
console.WARNING!
ALWAYS obey traffic laws and pay attention to the road.
ALWAYS  drive  safely  with  your  hands  on  the  steering
wheel.  You  have  full responsibility  and assume  all risks
related  to the use of the features  and applications in this
vehicle. Only use the features and applications when it is
safe  to  do  so.  Failure  to  do  so  may  result  in  an  accident
involving serious injury or death.
6 
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368 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
(Continued)2. The  LED  light  located  between  the  ASSIST  and  SOS
buttons  on  the  overhead  console  will  turn  green  once  a
connection to a SOS operator has been made.
3. Once  a  connection  between  the  vehicle  and  a  SOS  oper -
ator  is  made,  the  SOS  Call  system  may  transmit  the
following  important  vehicle  information  to  a  SOS  oper -
ator: 
• Indication that the occupant placed a SOS Call.
• The vehicle brand.
• The last known GPS coordinates of the vehicle.
4. You  should  be  able  to  speak  with  the  SOS  operator
through  the  vehicle  audio  system  to  determine  if  addi -
tional help is needed. NOTE:
• Your vehicle may be transmitting data as authorized by
the subscriber.
• Once  a  connection  is  made  between  the  vehicle’s  SOS
Call  system  and  the  SOS  operator,  the  SOS  operator
may be able to open a voice connection with the vehicle
to determine if additional help is needed. Once the SOS
operator  opens  a  voice  connection  with  the  vehicle’s
SOS  Call  system,  the operator  should  be  able  to  speak
with  you  or  other  vehicle  occupants  and  hear  sounds
occurring in the vehicle. The vehicle’s SOS Call system
will attempt to remain connected with the SOS operator
until the SOS operator terminates the connection.
5. The  SOS  operator  may  attempt  to  contact  appropriate
emergency responders and provide them with important
vehicle information and GPS coordinates.
WARNING!
ALWAYS obey traffic laws and pay attention to the road.
ALWAYS  drive  safely  with  your  hands  on  the  steering
wheel.  You  have  full responsibility  and assume  all risks
related  to the use of the features  and applications in this
vehicle. Only use the features and applications when it is
safe  to  do  so.  Failure  to  do  so  may  result  in  an  accident
involving serious injury or death. WARNING!
• If anyone in the vehicle could be in danger (e.g., fire or
smoke  is  visible,  dangerous  road  conditions  or  loca -
tion),  do not  wait for voice contact from an Emergency
Services  Agent.  All  occupants  should  exit  the  vehicle
immediately and move to a safe location.