2017 RAM CHASSIS CAB towing

• The transmission fluid has reached an adequate tem-
perature.
• The engine coolant has reached an adequate tempera-
ture.
• Vehicle speed is sufficiently high.
• The TOW/HAUL switch has not been activated.
• The driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs,
push the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/HAUL
mode. This will improve performance and reduce the
potential for transmission overheating or failure due to
excessive shifting. When operating in TOW/HAUL mode,
transmission upshifts are delayed, and the transmission
will automatically downshift (for engine braking) when the
throttle is closed and/or during steady braking maneu-
vers. The “TOW/HAUL Indicator Light” will illuminate in the
instrument cluster to indicate that TOW/HAUL mode has
been activated. Pushing the switch a second time restores
normal operation. Normal operation is always the default
at engine start-up. If TOW/HAUL mode is desired, the
switch must be pushed each time the engine is started. TOW/HAUL Switch334 STARTING AND OPERATING

4H
Four-Wheel Drive Lock High Range — This range locks the
front and rear driveshafts together forcing the front and
rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. Additional traction
for loose, slippery road surfaces only.
NEUTRAL (N)
Neutral — This range disengages both the front and rear
driveshafts from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing
behind another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information.
4L
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range locks the front
and rear driveshafts together forcing 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).
This transfer case is intended to be driven in the 2H
position for normal street and highway conditions such as
dry, hard surfaced roads.
When additional traction is required, the 4H and 4L
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 simply moving the gear selector to the desired positions once the appropriate
speed and gear requirements are met, refer to “Shifting
Procedure – Manually Shifted Transfer Case” in this section
for further information.
The 4H and 4L positions are intended for loose, slippery
road surfaces only. Driving in the 4H and 4L positions on
dry, hard surfaced roads may cause increased tire wear and
damage to the driveline components.
The “Transfer Case Position Indicator Light” in the instru-
ment cluster will alert the driver that the vehicle is in
four-wheel drive and that the front and rear driveshafts are
locked together. This light will illuminate when the transfer
case is shifted into either the 4H or 4L position. There is no
light for the 2H or NEUTRAL positions on some models.
When operating your vehicle in 4L, the engine speed is
approximately three times that of the 2H or 4H positions at
a given road speed. Take care not to overspeed the engine
and do not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
Proper operation of four-wheel drive vehicles depends on
tires of equal size, type and circumference on each wheel.
Any difference will adversely affect shifting and can cause
damage to the drivetrain. 5STARTING AND OPERATING 339

NOTE: Do not attempt to make a shift while only the front
or rear wheels are spinning, as this can cause damage to
driveline components.
Because four-wheel drive provides improved traction,
there is a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping
speeds. Do not go faster than road conditions permit.
NOTE: Delayed shifts out of four-wheel drive may be
experienced due to uneven tire wear, low or uneven tire
pressures, excessive vehicle loading, or cold temperatures.
WARNING!You or others could be injured or killed if you leave the
vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the NEU-
TRAL position without first fully engaging the park-
ing brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL position disen-
gages both the front and rear drive shafts from the
powertrain and will allow the vehicle to roll, even if
the transmission is in PARK. The parking brake
should always be applied when the driver is not in the
vehicle.
Two-Wheel Drive High Range (2H)
Rear-Wheel Drive High Range — This range is for normal
street and highway driving on dry hard surfaced roads. Four-Wheel Drive High Range (4H)
Four-Wheel Drive High Range — This range locks the front
and rear driveshafts together forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed. Additional traction for
loose, slippery road surfaces only.
Neutral (N)
Neutral — This range disengages the front and rear
driveshafts from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing
behind another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information.
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range (4L)
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range locks the front
and rear driveshafts together forcing 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).
CAUTION!Do not use 4L (Low) range when operating the vehicle
on dry pavement. Driveline hardware damage can
result.340 STARTING AND OPERATING

NEUTRAL (N)
Neutral — This range disengages both the front and rear
driveshafts from the powertrain. To be used for flat towing
behind another vehicle. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information.
This electronically shifted transfer case is designed to be
driven in the two-wheel drive position (2WD) for normal
street and highway conditions on dry, hard surfaced roads.
When additional traction is required, the transfer case 4WD
LOCK and 4WD LOW positions can be used to maximize
torque to the front driveshaft, forcing the front and rear
wheels to rotate at the same speed. This is accomplished by
rotating the 4WD Control Switch to the desired position.
Refer to “Shifting Procedure” in this 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 increased tire wear and damage to the
driveline components.
NOTE: The transfer case NEUTRAL button is located on
the lower left hand corner of the 4WD Control Switch. The transfer case NEUTRAL position is to be used for recre-
ational towing only. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” for further information.
Transfer Case Position Indicator Lights
The Transfer Case Position Indicator Lights (4WD and
4LOW) are located in the instrument cluster and indicate
the current and desired transfer case selection. When you
select a different transfer case position, the indicator lights
will do the following:
If All Of The Following 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.
If One Or More Of The Following Shift Conditions Are
Not Met:
1. The indicator light for the current position will remain
ON.
2. The newly selected position indicator light will continue
to flash. 5STARTING AND OPERATING 343

• Park brake must be off.
• Driver door must be closed.
• The vehicle must be on a sufficient grade.
• The gear selection must match vehicle uphill direction
(i.e., vehicle facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle
backing uphill is in REVERSE gear).
• HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all forward gears.
The system will not activate if the transmission is in
PARK or NEUTRAL. For vehicles equipped with a
manual transmission, if the clutch is pressed, HSA will
remain active.
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 ve-
hicles, people, and objects, and most importantly brake
operation to ensure safe operation of the vehicle under (Continued) WARNING! (Continued)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.
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll back while
towing a trailer.
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 ve-
hicle brake pressure prior to releasing the brake pedal.
• HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when leaving your vehicle. Also,
be certain to leave the transmission in PARK. (Continued)356 STARTING AND OPERATING

Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
This system anticipates the potential for wheel lift by
monitoring the driver ’s steering wheel input and the speed
of the vehicle. When ERM determines that the rate of
change of the steering wheel angle and vehicle’s speed are
sufficient to potentially cause wheel lift, it then applies the
appropriate brake and may also reduce engine power to
lessen the chance that wheel lift will occur. ERM can only
reduce the chance of wheel lift occurring during severe or
evasive driving maneuvers; it cannot prevent wheel lift
due to other factors, such as road conditions, leaving the
roadway, or striking objects or other vehicles.
NOTE: ERM is disabled anytime the ESC is in “Full Off”
mode (if equipped). Refer to “Electronic Stability Control
(ESC)” in this section for a complete explanation of the
available ESC modes.
WARNING!Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road conditions
and driving conditions, influence the chance that
wheel lift or rollover may occur. ERM cannot prevent
all wheel lift or roll overs, especially those that involve (Continued) WARNING! (Continued)leaving the roadway or striking objects or other ve-
hicles. The capabilities of an ERM-equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) — If Equipped
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 automati-
cally 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 recommendations. Refer to “Trailer Tow-
ing” in this section 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.362 STARTING AND OPERATING

Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed the
load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You will
not exceed the tire’s load carrying capacity if you adhere to
the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire inflation
pressures specified on the Tire and Loading Information
placard in “Vehicle Loading” in “Starting And Operating”,
or the Tire Information Supplement, located in your Own-
er ’s Information kit.
NOTE: Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition, gross
axle weight ratings (GAWRs) for the front and rear axles
must not be exceeded. Refer to “Vehicle Loading” in
“Starting And Operating”, or the Tire Information Supple-
ment located in your Owner ’s Information kit, for further
information on GAWRs, vehicle loading, and trailer tow-
ing.
To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs” on the Tire and Loading Information placard. The
combined weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and trailer
tongue weight (if applicable) should never exceed the
weight referenced here. Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit—
(1) Locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of
cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400-750
(5x150) = 650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and
cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from
your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle. 5STARTING AND OPERATING 373

Metric Example For Load Limit
For example, if “XXX” amount equals 635 kg, and there
will be five 68 kg passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is 295 kg (635-
340 (5x68) = 295 kg) as shown in step 4.
NOTE:
• If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. The following
table shows examples on how to calculate total load,
cargo/luggage, and towing capacities of your vehicle
with varying seating configurations and number and
size of occupants. This table is for illustration purposes
only and may not be accurate for the seating and load
carry capacity of your vehicle. • For the following example, the combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed 865 lbs
(392 kg).374 STARTING AND OPERATING