2008 DODGE RAM 2500 GAS towing

WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the
NEUTRAL position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from
the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to move
regardless of the transmission position. The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position see the information below:
2H
Rear Wheel Drive High Range - Normal street and
highway driving. Dry hard surfaced roads.
4H
4-Wheel Drive High Range - Locks the front and rear
driveshafts together. Forces the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed. Additional traction for loose,
slippery road surfaces only.
N
NEUTRAL - Disengages both the front and rear drive-
shafts from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing
behind another vehicle. See Recreational Towing for
more information.
4L
4-Wheel Drive Low Range - Low speed 4-wheel drive.
Locks the front and rear driveshafts together. Forces the
front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed.
Additional traction and maximum pulling power for
loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).
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NOTE:The transfer case NEUTRAL position is selected
by depressing the recessed button located on the lower left
hand corner of the 4WD Control Switch. The transfer case
NEUTRAL position is to be used for recreational towing
only. See the Recreational Towing section for specific
procedures on shifting into and out of NEUTRAL.
Transfer Case Position Indicator Lights Ð
Electronically Shifted Transfer Case Only
Transfer case position indicator lights are located on the
instrument cluster and indicate the current and desired
transfer case selection. When you select a different trans-
fer case position, the indicator lights will do the follow-
ing:
If All Shift Conditions are Met
1. The current position indicator light will turn OFF.
2. The selected position indicator light will flash until the
transfer case completes the shift.
3. When the shift is complete, the indicator light for the
selected position will stop flashing and remain ON.
NEUTRAL Button
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For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position see the information below:
2WD
Rear-Wheel Drive High Range - Normal street and
highway driving. Dry hard surfaced roads.
4WD AUTO
Automatic 4±wheel drive sends power to the rear wheels.
4±wheel drive will be automatically engaged when the
vehicle senses a loss of traction. Additional traction for
varying road conditions.
4WD LOCK
4-Wheel Drive Lock Range - Locks the front and rear
driveshafts together. Forces the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed. Additional traction for loose,
slippery road surfaces only.4WD LOW
4-Wheel Drive Low Range - Low speed 4-wheel drive.
Locks the front and rear driveshafts together. Forces the
front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed.
Additional traction and maximum pulling power for
loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).
N
NEUTRAL - Disengages both the front and rear drive-
shafts from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing
behind another vehicle. See Recreational Towing for
more information.
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5

This Electronically Shifted transfer case provides four
mode positions: 2 (rear)-wheel drive high range, 4-wheel
drive lock range, 4-wheel drive low range, and NEUTRAL.
The Electronically Shifted transfer case is designed to be
driven in the 2-wheel drive position (2WD) for normal
street and highway conditions (dry, hard surfaced roads).
When additional traction is required, the transfer case
4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW positions can be used to lock
the front and rear driveshafts together and force the front
and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is
accomplished by rotating the 4WD Control Switch to the
desired position - see Shifting Procedure section for
specific shifting instructions. The 4WD LOCK and 4WD
LOW positions are designed for loose, slippery road
surfaces only. Driving in the 4WD LOCK and 4WD LOW
positions on dry hard surfaced roads may cause in-
creased tire wear and damage to the driveline compo-
nents.NOTE:The transfer case NEUTRAL position is selected
by depressing the recessed button located on the lower
left hand corner of the 4WD Control Switch. The transfer
case NEUTRAL position is to be used for recreational
towing only. Refer to ªRecreational Towingº in this
section.
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5

WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the
NEUTRAL position without first fully engaging the
parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL position
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from
the powertrain and will allow the vehicle to move
regardless of the transmission position. The parking
brake should always be applied when the driver is
not in the vehicle.
For additional information on the appropriate use of each
transfer case mode position see the information below:
2WD
Rear Wheel Drive High Range - Normal street and
highway driving. Dry, hard surfaced roads.4WD LOCK
4-Wheel Drive Lock Range - Locks the front and rear
driveshafts together. Forces the front and rear wheels to
rotate at the same speed. Additional traction for loose,
slippery road surfaces only.
4WD LOW
4-Wheel Drive Low Range - Low speed 4-wheel drive.
Locks the front and rear driveshafts together. Forces the
front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed.
Additional traction and maximum pulling power for
loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h).
N
Neutral - Disengages both the front and rear driveshafts
from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing behind
another vehicle. See Recreational Towing for more infor-
mation.
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Towing and Hauling with HSA (Vehicles Equipped
with Automatic Transmissions Only)
The HSA system does not know if your vehicle is loaded
or towing a trailer, unless the TOW/HAUL button,
located on the transmission gear shift lever, is selected.
When activated, the TOW/HAUL light will illuminate in
the instrument cluster. For more information on TOW/
HAUL mode, refer to ªWhen To USE TOW/HAUL and
O/D OFF Modesº under9Automatic Transmissionº in
Section 5. In order to accommodate the extra weight
entailed under towing and hauling conditions and to
increase driver comfort while launching on a hill, the
system recognizes when the TOW/HAUL button is acti-
vated and compensates by releasing brake pressure at a
slower rate while throttle is applied in order to prevent
the vehicle from rolling down the hill.
WARNING!
If you use a trailer brake controller with your trailer,
your trailer brakes may be activated and deactivated
with the brake switch. If so, when the brake pedal is
released, there may not be enough brake pressure to
hold the vehicle and trailer on a hill and this could
cause a collision with another vehicle or object be-
hind you. In order to avoid rolling down the incline
while resuming acceleration, manually activate the
trailer brake or apply more vehicle brake pressure
prior to releasing the brake pedal. Always remember
the driver is responsible for braking the vehicle.
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ESP/BAS Warning Lamp and ESP/TCS Indicator
Light
The malfunction indicator for the ESP is combined with
the BAS indicator. The yellow ªESP/BAS Warning
Lampº and the yellow ªESP/TCS Indicator Lightº in the
instrument cluster both come on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position. They should both go
out with the engine running. If the ªESP/BAS Warning
Lampº comes on continuously with the engine running,
a malfunction has been detected in either the ESP or BAS
system, or both. If this light remains on after several
ignition cycles, and the vehicle has been driven several
miles/kilometers at speeds greater than 30 mph (48
km/h), see your authorized dealer as soon as possible to
have the problem diagnosed and corrected.
NOTE:
²The ªESP Indicator Lightº and the ªESP/BAS Warning
Lampº come on momentarily each time the ignition
switch is turned ON.
²Each time the ignition is turned ON, the ESP System
will be ON even if it was turned off previously.
²The ESP Control System will make buzzing or clicking
sounds when it is active. This is normal. The sounds
will stop when ESP becomes inactive following the
maneuver that caused the ESP activation.
TSC (Trailer Sway Control)
The TSC system uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize
an excessively swaying trailer and will take the appro-
priate actions to attempt to stop the sway. The system
may reduce engine power and apply the brake of the
appropriate wheel(s) to counteract the sway of the trailer.
TSC will become active automatically once an excessively
swaying trailer is recognized. No driver action is re-
quired. Note that TSC cannot stop all trailers from
swaying. Always use caution when towing a trailer and
follow the trailer tongue weight recommendations. Refer
to ªTrailer Towingº in Section 5 of this manual for more
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5

information on towing a trailer with your vehicle. When
TSC is functioning, the ªESP/TCS Indicator Lightº 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 ESP system is in the Partial Off or Full Off
modes.
TSC is only active in the default ªESP Onº mode. TSC can
be disabled by pressing the ESP Off button and entering
ªESP Partial Offº mode. It is not active in the ªESP Partial
Offº or ªESP Offº modes. Please refer to the ESP portion
of this section for an explanation of the different ESP
operating modes.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.
MULTI-DISPLACEMENT SYSTEM (MDS) Ð 5.7L
ENGINE ONLY
This feature offers improved fuel economy by shutting
off four of the engine's eight cylinders during light load
and cruise conditions. The system is automatic with no
driver inputs or additional driving skills required.
NOTE:The MDS system may take some time to return
to full functionality after a battery disconnect.
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