2013 Ram 2500 suspension

WARNING!(Continued)
•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 difficult 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. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance or dam-
age 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.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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 chockthe 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:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Trailer tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch
utilized .
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 551

Electronic Speed Control – If Equipped
•Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
• When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
• Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed. Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
Air Suspension System
To aid in attaching/detaching the trailer from the vehicle,
the air suspension system can be used. Refer to “Air
Suspension System” in “Starting and Operating” for
further information.
NOTE:
The vehicle must remain in the engine running
position while attaching a trailer for proper leveling of
the air suspension system.
SNOWPLOW
1500 Models Only
NOTE: Do not use this model vehicle for snowplow
applications.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 561

NOTE:Vehicles equipped with air suspension must be
lowered to the “Entry/Exit” (lowest) level, and have
automatic leveling disabled, before tying them down
(from the body) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to “Air
Suspension – If Equipped” for more information. If the
vehicle cannot be lowered to the “Entry/Exit” level (for
example, engine will not run), tie-downs must be fas-
tened to the axles (not to the body). Failure to follow
these instructions may cause fault codes to be set and/or
cause loss of proper tie-down tension.
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 ONLYif the rear wheels are OFFthe 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, manual transmission in gear (not in
NEUTRAL).
4. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and remove the key fob.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for tow- ing, to secure the front wheels in the straight position.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 567

WARNING!(Continued)
•Being under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous. The
vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you. You
could be crushed. Never put any part of your body
under a vehicle that is on a jack. If you need to get
under a raised vehicle, take it to a service center
where it can be raised on a lift.
• Never start or run the engine while the vehicle is
on a jack.
• The jack is designed to be used as a tool for
changing tires only. The jack should not be used to
lift the vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle
should be jacked on a firm level surface only.
Avoid ice or slippery areas. NOTE:
To assist with changing a spare tire, the air
suspension system has a feature which allows the auto-
matic leveling to be disabled. Refer to “Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.
Jack Location
The jack and jack tools are stored under the front
passenger seat.
Removal Of Jack And Tools (1500 Series)
To access the jack and jack tools you must remove the
plastic access cover, located on the side of the front
passengers seat. To remove the cover, pull the front part
of the cover (closest to the front of the seat) toward you
to release a locking tab. Once the front of the cover is
loose, slide the cover toward the front of the seat until it
is free from the seat frame.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 579

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled
vehicle using a commercial wrecker service. If the trans-
mission and drivetrain are operable, disabled vehicles
may also be towed as described under “Recreational
Towing” in the “Starting and Operating” section.NOTE:
Vehicles equipped with air suspension must be
lowered to the Park (lowest) level, and have automatic
leveling disabled, before tying them down (from the
body) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to Air Suspen-
sion inStarting and Operating for more information. If
the vehicle cannot be lowered to the Park level (for
example, engine will not run), tie-downs must be fas-
tened to the axles (not to the body). Failure to follow
these instructions may cause fault codes to be set and/or
cause loss of proper tie-down tension.
628 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

If you must use the accessories (wipers, defrosters, etc.)
while being towed, the ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position, not the ACC position.
If the key fob is unavailable or the vehicle’s battery is
discharged, see ”Manual Park Release” or “Shift Lever
Override” in “What To Do In Emergencies” for instruc-
tions on shifting the automatic transmission out of PARK
for towing.
CAUTION!
Do not use sling type equipment when towing.
When securing the vehicle to a flat bed truck, do not
attach to front or rear suspension components. Dam-
age to your vehicle may result from improper towing.
Two-Wheel Drive Models
The manufacturer recommends towing your vehicle with
all four wheelsOFFthe ground using a flatbed. If flatbed equipment is not available, and the transmis-
sion is operable, the vehicle may be towed (with rear
wheels on the ground) under the following conditions:
•
The transmission must be in NEUTRAL.
• The towing speed must not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h).
• The towing distance must not exceed 15 miles (24 km)
for 6-speed transmission, or 30 miles (48 km) for
8-speed transmission.
If the transmission is not operable, or the vehicle must be
towed faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or farther than 15
miles (24 km), for 6-speed transmission, or 30 miles
(48 km) for 8-speed transmission, tow with the rear
wheels OFFthe ground. Acceptable methods are to tow
the vehicle on a flatbed, or with the front wheels raised
and the rear wheels on a towing dolly, or (when using a
suitable steering wheel stabilizer to hold the front wheels
630 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Cavity Car-tridgeFuse Micro
Fuse Description
F01 80 Amp Red Rad Fan Control
Module – Ifequipped
F03 60 Amp Yellow Rad Fan – If
Equipped
F05 40 Amp Green Compressor for Air
Suspension – If Equipped
F06 40 Amp Green Antilock Brakes/
Electronic Stability Control Pump
F07 40 Amp Green Starter Solenoid
Power Distribution Center Location
676 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Cavity Car-tridgeFuse Micro
Fuse Description
F46 10 Amp
Red Tire Pressure Moni-
tor
F47 10 Amp
Red Snow Plow (Right)
– If Equipped
F49 10 Amp
Red Instrument Panel
Cluster
F50 20 Amp
Yellow Air Suspension
Control Module – If Equipped
F51 10 Amp
Red Ignition Node
Module / Keyless Ignition
F52 5 Amp
Ta n Battery SensorCavity Car-
tridgeFuse Micro
Fuse Description
F53 20 Amp
Yellow Trailer Tow – Left
Turn/Stop Lights
F54 20 Amp
Yellow Adjustable Pedals
F55 20 Amp
Yellow E38 Radio – If
Equipped
F56 15 Amp
Blue Additional Diesel
Content – IfEquipped
F57 20 Amp
Yellow Transmission
680 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE