weight RAM CHASSIS CAB 2021 User Guide

206STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
Towing Requirements — Tires
Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire.
Do not drive more than 50 mph (80 km/h) when towing while using a full size spare tire.
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential
to the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle.
Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire
damage before towing a trailer.
For the proper tire replacement procedures.
Replacing tires with a higher load carrying
capacity will not increase the vehicle's GVWR
and GAWR limits.
For further information Ú page 406.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake
system or vacuum system of your vehicle
with that of the trailer. This could cause inad -
equate 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 (453 kg) and required for
trailers in excess of 2,000 lbs (907 kg).
WARNING!

Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and will not shift during travel. When
trailering cargo that is not fully secured,
dynamic load shifts can occur that may be diffi -
cult for the driver to control. You could lose
control of your vehicle and have a collision.

When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do
not overload your vehicle or trailer. Over -
loading can cause a loss of control, poor
performance or damage to brakes, axle,
engine, transmission, steering, suspension,
chassis structure or tires.
Safety chains must always be used
between your vehicle and trailer. Always
connect the chains to the hook retainers of
the vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under
the trailer tongue and allow enough slack
for turning corners.
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked
on a grade. When parking, apply the
parking brake on the tow vehicle. Put the
tow vehicle transmission in PARK. For
four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure the
transfer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always,
block or "chock" the trailer wheels.
GCWR must not be exceeded.
Total weight must be distributed between
the tow vehicle and the trailer such that the
following four ratings are not exceeded :
GVWR
GTW
GAWR
Tongue weight rating for the trailer
hitch utilized.
WARNING! (Continued)

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STARTING AND OPERATING213
The loaded vehicle weight, including the
snowplow system, all aftermarket accessories,
driver, passengers, options, and cargo, must
not exceed either the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) or Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). These weights are specified on the
Safety Compliance Certification Label on the
driver's side door opening.
NOTE:
Detach the snowplow when transporting
passengers.

Vehicle front end wheel alignment was
set to specifications at the factory without
consideration for the weight of the plow.
Front end toe-in should be checked and reset
if necessary at the beginning and end of the
snowplow season. This will help prevent uneven
tire wear.

The blade should be lowered whenever the
vehicle is parked.

Maintain and operate your vehicle and snowplow
equipment following the recommendations
provided by the specific snowplow manufacturer.
OVER THE ROAD OPERATION WITH
S
NOWPLOW ATTACHED

The blade restricts air flow to the radiator and
causes the engine to operate at higher than
normal temperatures. Therefore, when
transporting the plow, angle the blade completely
and position it as low as road or surface
conditions permit. Do not exceed 40 mph
(64 km/h). The operator should always maintain
a safe stopping distance and allow adequate
passing clearance.

OPERATING TIPS
Under ideal snow plowing conditions, 20 mph
(32 km/h) should be maximum operating
speed. The operator should be familiar with the
area and surface to be cleaned. Reduce speed
and use extreme caution when plowing
unfamiliar areas or under poor visibility.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Snowplows should be maintained in
accordance with the plow manufacturer's
instructions.
Keep all snowplow electrical connections and
battery terminals clean and free of corrosion.
When plowing snow, to avoid transmission and
drivetrain damage, the following precautions
should be observed.
Operate with transfer case in 4L when
plowing small or congested areas where
speeds are not likely to exceed 15 mph
(24 km/h). At higher speeds operate in
4WD High.
Vehicles with automatic transmissions
should use 4WD Low range when plowing
deep or heavy snow for extended periods of
time to avoid transmission overheating.
Do not shift the transmission unless the
engine has returned to idle and wheels have
stopped. Make a practice of stepping on the
brake pedal while shifting the transmission.
4

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SAFETY281
Traction Control System (TCS)
TCS monitors the amount of wheel spin of each
of the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected,
the 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 similarly 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 reduced modes.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
TSC uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize an
excessively swaying trailer and will take the
appropriate actions to attempt to stop the sway.
NOTE:
TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying.
Always use caution when towing a trailer and
follow the trailer tongue weight recommenda -
tions Ú page 200.
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
FORWARD COLLISION WARNING (FCW)
W
ITH MITIGATION — IF EQUIPPED
FCW with Mitigation provides the driver with
audible warnings, visual warnings (within the
instrument cluster display), and may apply a
brake jerk to warn the driver when it detects a
potential frontal collision. The warnings and
limited braking are intended to provide the
driver with enough time to react, avoid or
mitigate the potential collision.
NOTE:
FCW monitors the information from the forward
looking sensors as well as the Electronic Brake
Controller (EBC), to calculate the probability of a
forward collision. When the system determines
that a forward collision is probable, the driver
will be provided with audible and visual warn-
ings as well as a possible brake jerk warning.
If the driver does not take action based upon
these progressive warnings, then the system
will provide a limited level of active braking to
help slow the vehicle and mitigate the potential
forward collision. If the driver reacts to the warn -
ings by braking and the system determines that
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.
WARNING! (Continued)
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.
6

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284SAFETY
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
S
YSTEM (TPMS)
(Vehicles Under 10K Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) Only)
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
will warn the driver of a low tire pressure based
on the vehicle recommended cold placard
pressure.
NOTE:
The TPMS Warning Light will illuminate in the
instrument cluster and a chime will sound when
tire pressure is low in one or more of the four
active road tires. In addition, the instrument
cluster will display a graphic showing the pres -
sure values of each tire with the low tire pres -
sure values in a different color, or the Uconnect
radio will display a TPMS message. When this
occurs you must increase the tire pressure to
the recommended cold placard pressure in
order for the TPMS Warning Light to turn off.
The tire pressure will vary with temperature
by about 1 psi (7 kPa) for every 12°F (6.5°C).
This means that when the outside temperature
decreases, the tire pressure will decrease.
Tire pressure should always be set based on
cold inflation tire pressure. This is defined as the tire pressure after the vehicle has not been
driven for at least three hours, or driven less
than 1 mile (1.6 km) after a three hour period.
The cold tire inflation pressure must not exceed
the maximum inflation pressure molded into
the tire sidewall. The tire pressure will also
increase as the vehicle is driven — this is normal
and there should be no adjustment for this
increased pressure.
See
Úpage 406 on how to properly inflate the
vehicle’s tires.
The TPMS will warn the driver of a low tire
pressure if the tire pressure falls below the
low-pressure warning limit for any reason,
including low temperature effects and natural
pressure loss through the tire.
The TPMS will continue to warn the driver of low
tire pressure as long as the condition exists,
and will not turn off until the tire pressure is
at or above the recommended cold placard
pressure. Once the low TPMS Warning Light
illuminates, you must increase the tire pressure
to the recommended cold placard pressure in
order for the TPMS Warning Light to turn off.
The system will automatically update and the
TPMS Warning Light will turn off once the
system receives the updated tire pressures. 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.
NOTE:
When filling warm tires, the tire pressure may
need to be increased up to an additional 4 psi
(28 kPa) above the recommended cold placard
pressure in order to turn the TPMS Warning
Light off.

For example, your vehicle may have a
recommended cold (parked for more than
three hours) placard pressure of 30 psi
(207 kPa). If the ambient temperature is 68°F
(20°C) and the measured tire pressure is 27 psi
(186 kPa), a temperature drop to 20°F (-7°C) will
decrease the tire pressure to approximately
23 psi (158 kPa). This tire pressure is sufficiently
low enough to turn on the TPMS Warning Light.
Driving the vehicle may cause the tire pressure to
rise to approximately 27 psi (186 kPa), but the
TPMS Warning Light will still be on. In this
situation, the TPMS Warning Light will turn off
only after the tires are inflated to the vehicle’s
recommended cold placard pressure value

Ú

page 449.

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SAFETY313
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Infant And Child Restraints

Safety experts recommend that children ride
rear-facing in the vehicle until they are two years
old or until they reach either the height or weight
limit of their rear-facing child restraint. Two types
of child restraints can be used rear-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children from
birth until they reach the weight or height limit of
the infant carrier. Convertible child seats can be
used either rear-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a
higher weight limit in the rear-facing direction
than infant carriers do, so they can be used
rear-facing by children who have outgrown their
infant carrier but are still less than at least two
years old. Children should remain rear-facing
until they reach the highest weight or height
allowed by their convertible child seat.
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and Toddlers
Children who are two years old or younger and
who have not reached the height or weight limits
of their child restraint
Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible Child
Restraint, facing rearward in a rear seat of the
vehicle

Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who
have outgrown the height or weight limit of their
rear-facing child restraint
Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a five-point
Harness, facing forward in a rear seat of the vehicle

Larger Children Children who have outgrown their forward-facing
child restraint, but are too small to properly fit the
vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the vehicle seat
belt, seated in a rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who have
outgrown the height or weight limit of their
booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in a rear seat of the
vehicle
6

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314SAFETY
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child seat
can ride forward-facing in the vehicle.
Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are
for children who are over two years old or who
have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height
limit of their rear-facing convertible child seat.
Children should remain in a forward-facing child
seat with a harness for as long as possible, up
to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above
the forward-facing limit for the child seat should
use a belt-positioning booster seat until the
vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the child
cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s
seat cushion while the child’s back is against
the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning
booster seat. The child and belt-positioning
booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
seat belt.WARNING!

Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front
of an air bag. A deploying passenger front air
bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a
rear-facing child restraint.

Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not install a rear-facing car seat using a
rear support leg in this vehicle. The floor of
this vehicle is not designed to manage the
crash forces of this type of car seat. In a
crash, the support leg may not function as it
was designed by the car seat manufacturer,
and your child may be more severely injured
as a result.

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316SAFETY
Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type Combined Weight of the
Child + Child Restraint Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below
LATCH – Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt Only LATCH – Lower
Anchors + Top Tether Anchor Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing Child
Restraint Up to 65 lbs (29.5 kg)
XX
Rear-Facing Child Restraint
More than 65 lbs (29.5 kg)

X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint
Up to 65 lbs (29.5 kg)

XX
Forward-Facing Child Restraint
More than 65 lbs (29.5 kg)

X

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318SAFETY

Crew Cab 60/40 Split Bench LATCH Positions Crew Cab Full Bench LATCH Positions

Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per
Seating Position)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per
Seating Position)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
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).

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324SAFETY
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? YesThe head restraints can be removed in every rear
seating position if they interfere with the installation
of the child restraint Ú
page 38.
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to tighten the seat
belt against the belt path of the child restraint? Yes – Cinching Latch Plate
No – ALRIn 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.

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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE391
Lubricant Selection
For further information Úpage 444.
NOTE:

The presence of water in the gear lubricant will
result in corrosion and possible failure of differ -
ential components. Operation of the vehicle in
water, as may be encountered in some
off-highway types of service, will require draining
and refilling the axle to avoid damage.

Limited-Slip Differentials DO REQUIRE limited
slip oil additive (friction modifiers).
NOTE:
Slight noise and mild shuddering may be
evident while turning a vehicle with limited
slip differential on concrete or dry pavement.
These conditions should be considered normal
operation of the limited slip differential.
TRANSFER CASE
Fluid Level Check
This fluid level can be checked by removing the
filler plug. The fluid level should be to the
bottom edge of the filler plug hole with the
vehicle in a level position.
Drain And Refill
For the proper maintenance intervals
Ú page 354.
Selection Of Lubricant
Use only the manufacturer's recommended
fluid Ú page 444.
NOISE CONTROL SYSTEM REQUIRED
M
AINTENANCE & WARRANTY

All vehicles built over 10,000 lbs. (4,535 kg) Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating and manufactured for sale
and use in the United States are required to comply
with the Federal Government's Exterior Noise
Regulations. These vehicles can be identified by
the Noise Emission Control Label located in the
operator's compartment.

Required Maintenance For Noise Control
Systems
The following maintenance services must be
performed every six months or 7,500 miles
(12,000 km) whichever comes first, to ensure
proper operation of the noise control systems.
In addition, inspection and service should be
performed anytime a malfunction is observed or
suspected. Proper maintenance of the entire
vehicle will help the effectiveness of the noise
control systems.
Exhaust System
Inspect the entire exhaust system for leaks and
damaged parts. Devices such as hangers,
clamps, and U-bolts should be tight and in good
condition. Damaged components, burned or
blown out mufflers, burned or rusted out
exhaust pipes should be replaced according to
the procedures and specifications outlined in
the appropriate service manual.
8

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