2018 Ram 1500 towing

WARNING!
•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. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch utilized.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
•Do notinterconnect the hydraulic brake
system or vacuum system of your vehicle
with that of the trailer. This could cause
inadequate 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!
•Do not connect trailer brakes to your ve-
hicle's hydraulic brake lines. It can over-
load your brake system and cause it to
fail. You might not have brakes when you
need them and could have a collision.
• Towing any trailer will increase your stopping distance. When towing you
should allow for additional space be-
tween your vehicle and the vehicle in
front of you. Failure to do so could result
in a collision.
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs
(453 kg) loaded, it should have its own
brakes and they should be of adequate
capacity. Failure to do this could lead to
accelerated brake lining wear, higher
brake pedal effort, and longer stopping
distances.
Integrated Trailer Brake Module — If
Equipped
Your vehicle may have an Integrated Trailer
Brake Module (ITBM) for Electric and Elec-
tric Over Hydraulic (EOH) trailer brakes.
NOTE:
This module has been designed and verified
with electric trailer brakes and new electric
over hydraulic systems. Some previous EOH
systems may not be compatible with ITBM.
STARTING AND OPERATING
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The user interface consists of the following:
Manual Brake Control Lever
Slide the manual brake control lever to the
left to activate power to the trailer's electric
brakes independent of the tow vehicle's
brakes. If the manual brake control lever isactivated while the brake is also applied, the
greater of the two inputs determines the
power sent to the trailer brakes.
The trailer and the vehicle's brake lamps will
come on when either vehicle braking or
manual trailer brakes are applied.
Trailer Brake Status Indicator Light
This light indicates the trailer electrical con-
nection status.
If no electrical connection is detected after
the ignition is turned on, pushing the GAIN
adjustment button or sliding the manual
brake control lever will display the GAIN
setting for 10 seconds and the “Trailer Brake
Status Indicator Light” will not be displayed.
If a fault is detected in the trailer wiring or the
Integrated Trailer Brake Module (ITBM), the
“Trailer Brake Status Indicator Light” will
flash.
GAIN Adjustment Buttons (+/-)
Pushing these buttons will adjust the brake
control power output to the trailer brakes in
0.5 increments. The GAIN setting can be
increased to a maximum of 10 or decreased
to a minimum of 0 (no trailer braking).
GAIN
The GAIN setting is used to set the trailer
brake control for the specific towing condi-
tion and should be changed as towing condi-
tions change. Changes to towing conditions
include trailer load, vehicle load, road condi-
tions and weather.
Adjusting GAIN
NOTE:
This should only be performed in a traffic free
environment at speeds of approximately 20–
25 mph (30–40 km/h).
1. Make sure the trailer brakes are in good
working condition, functioning normally
and properly adjusted. See your trailer
dealer if necessary.
Adjustment Buttons
1 — Decrease (-)
2 — Increase (+)
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2. Hook up the trailer and make the electri-cal connections according to the trailer
manufacturer's instructions.
3. When a trailer with electric/EOH brakes is plugged in, the trailer connected message
should appear in the instrument cluster
display (if the connection is not recog-
nized by the ITBM, braking functions will
not be available), the GAIN setting will
illuminate and the correct type of trailer
must be selected from the instrument
cluster display options. 4. Push the UP or DOWN button on the
steering wheel until “TRAILER TOW” ap-
pears on the screen.
5. Push the RIGHT arrow on the steering wheel to enter “TRAILER TOW”.
6. Push the UP or DOWN buttons until the Trailer Brake Type appears on the screen.
7. Push the RIGHT arrow and then push the UP or DOWN buttons until the proper
Trailer Brake Type appears on the screen.
8. In a traffic-free environment, tow the trailer on a dry, level surface at a speed of 20–25 mph (30–40 km/h) and squeeze
the manual brake control lever
completely.
9. If the trailer wheels lockup (indicated by squealing tires), reduce the GAIN setting;
if the trailer wheels turn freely, increase
the GAIN setting.
Repeat steps 8 and 9 until the GAIN setting
is at a point just below trailer wheel lockup. If
towing a heavier trailer, trailer wheel lockup
may not be attainable even with the maxi-
mum GAIN setting of 10.
Light Electric Heavy ElectricLight EOHHeavy EOH
Type of Trailer Brakes Electric Trailer Brakes Electric Trailer Brakes Electric over Hydraulic Trailer BrakesElectric over Hydraulic
Trailer Brakes
Load *Under 10,000 lbs *Above 10,000 lbs *Under 10,000 lbs *Above 10,000 lbs
* The suggested selection depends and may
change depending on the customer prefer-
ences for braking performance. Condition of
the trailer brakes, driving and road state may
also affect the selection. Display Messages
The trailer brake control interacts with the
instrument cluster display. Display mes-
sages, along with a single chime, will be
displayed when a malfunction is determined
in the trailer connection, trailer brake con- trol, or on the trailer. Refer to “Instrument
Cluster Display” in “Getting To Know Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.
CAUTION!
Connecting a trailer that is not compatible
with the ITBM system may result in re-
STARTING AND OPERATING
194

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing ConditionWheels OFF The
Ground Two-Wheel Drive
Models Four-Wheel Drive Models
Flat Tow NONENOT ALLOWED See Instructions
• Automatic transmission in PARK
• Manual transmission in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL)
• Transfer case in NEUTRAL (N)
• Tow in forward direction
Dolly Tow Front
NOT ALLOWED
NOT ALLOWED
Rear OK NOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALLOK OK
NOTE:
• When towing your vehicle, always follow
applicable state and provincial laws. Con-
tact state and provincial Highway Safety
offices for additional details. • Vehicles equipped with air suspension
must be placed in Transport mode 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 placed in Transport mode
(for example, engine will not run), tie-
downs must be fastened to the axles (not to
the body). Failure to follow these instruc-
tions may cause fault codes to be set and/or
cause loss of proper tie-down tension.STARTING AND OPERATING
196

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 allowedONLYif 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:
NOTE:
If vehicle is equipped with air suspension,
ensure the vehicle is set to Normal Ride
Height.
1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow ve- hicle, following the dolly manufacturer's
instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly. 3. Firmly apply the parking brake. Place au-
tomatic transmission 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 OFF and remove the key fob.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, de- signed for towing, to secure the front
wheels in the straight position.
CAUTION!
• Towing with the rear wheels on theground will cause severe transmission
damage. Damage from improper towing
is not covered under the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
• Do not disconnect the driveshaft be-
cause fluid may leak from the transmis-
sion, causing damage to internal parts.
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. Automatic trans-
missions must be shifted into PARK for rec-
reational towing. Manual transmissions must
be placed in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL) for
recreational towing. Refer to the following for
the proper transfer case NEUTRAL (N) shift-
ing procedure for your vehicle.
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 dam-
age. Tow with all four wheels either ON
the ground, or OFF the ground (using a
vehicle trailer).
• Tow only in the forward direction. Towing
this vehicle backwards can cause severe
damage to the transfer case.
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CAUTION!
• Before recreational towing, the transfercase 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.
• Automatic transmissions must be
placed in PARK, and manual transmis-
sions must be placed in gear (not in
Neutral) for recreational towing.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the
above requirements can cause severe
transmission and/or transfer case dam-
age. Damage from improper towing is
not covered under the New Vehicle Lim-
ited 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.
Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your
vehicle for recreational towing.
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 auto-
matic 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. 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.
NOTE:
If vehicle is equipped with air suspension,
ensure the vehicle is set to Normal Ride
Height.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
5. Shift the transfer case into NEUTRAL:
• With manual shift transfer case, shiftthe transfer case lever into NEUTRAL
(N)
• With electronic shift transfer case, push and hold the transfer case NEU-
TRAL (N) button. Some models have a
small, recessed “N” button (at the cen-
ter of the transfer case switches) that
must be pushed using a ballpoint pen
or similar object. Other models have a
rectangular NEUTRAL switch, below
the rotary transfer case control knob.
STARTING AND OPERATING
198

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS.....202
BULB REPLACEMENT ...........202
Replacement Bulbs.............202
FUSES.................... .203
Power Distribution Center.........203
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING ......208
Jack Location................208
Removal Of Jack And Tools ........208
Removing The Spare Tire ..........209
Preparations For Jacking ..........210
Jacking Instructions ............211 To Stow The Flat Or Spare
........214
Reinstalling The Jack And Tools .....215
Hub Caps/Wheel Covers —
If Equipped .................217
JUMP STARTING ..............218
Preparations For Jump Start ........218
Jump Starting Procedure ..........219
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS ......220
GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE —
6-SPEED TRANSMISSION .........221
Column Gear Selector — If Equipped . .221
Center Console Gear Selector — If
Equipped...................222
MANUAL PARK RELEASE — 8 SPEED
TRANSMISSION ..............222
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE .......224
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE .....225
Two-Wheel Drive Models..........226
Four-Wheel Drive Models ..........226
Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped . .227
ENHANCED ACCIDENT RESPONSE
SYSTEM (EARS) ...............227
EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) ......227
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
201

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing
a disabled vehicle using a commercial towing
service. If the transmission and drivetrain are
operable, disabled vehicles may also be
towed as described under “Recreational Tow-
ing” in the “Starting And Operating” section.NOTE:
Vehicles equipped with air suspension must
be placed in Transport mode, before tying
them down (from the body) on a trailer or
flatbed truck. Refer to "Air Suspension" in
"Starting And Operating" for more informa-
tion. If the vehicle cannot be placed in Trans-
port mode (for example, engine will not run),
tie-downs must be fastened to the axles (not
to the body). Failure to follow these instruc-
tions may cause fault codes to be set and/or
cause loss of proper tie-down tension.
Towing Condition Wheels OFF The Ground
2WD Models4WD Models
Flat Tow NONE If transmission is operable:
• Transmission in NEUTRAL
• 30 mph (48 km/h) max
• 15 miles (24 km) maxdistance •
Auto Transmission in PARK
• Manual Transmission in gear
(NOT NEUTRAL)
• Transfer Case in NEUTRAL
• Tow in FORWARDdirection
Wheel Lift Or Dolly Tow Front
NOT ALLOWED
Rear OK
NOT ALLOWED
Flatbed ALL
BEST METHOD BEST METHOD
CAUTION!
• Do not use sling type equipment when
towing. Vehicle damage may occur.
CAUTION!
•When securing the vehicle to a flat bed
truck, do not attach to front or rear sus-
CAUTION!
pension components. Damage to your ve-
hicle may result from improper towing.
225