2019 Ram 3500 Owner's Manual

SAFETY 199
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll back while
towing a trailer.Disabling And Enabling HSA
This feature can be turned on or turned off. To change the
current setting, proceed as follows:
• If disabling HSA using your instrument cluster display,
refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Getting To Know
Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
• If disabling HSA using Uconnect Settings, refer to “Ucon -
nect Settings” in “Multimedia” for further information.
For vehicles not equipped with an instrument cluster
display, perform the following steps:
1. Center the steering wheel (front wheels pointing straight forward).
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Start the engine.
5. Rotate the steering wheel slightly more than one-half turn to the left.
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
vehicle brake pressure prior to releasing the brake
pedal.
• HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully when exiting your vehicle. Also, be certain
to place the transmission in PARK.
• Failure to follow these warnings can result in a colli -
sion or serious personal injury.
4

200 SAFETY
6. Push the “ESC Off” button located in the lower switchbank below the climate control four times within 20
seconds. The “ESC Off Indicator Light” should turn on
and turn off two times.
7. Rotate the steering wheel back to center and then an addi -
tional slightly more than one-half turn to the right.
8. Turn the ignition to the OFF mode and then back to ON. If the sequence was completed properly, the “ESC Off
Indicator Light” will blink several times to confirm HSA
is disabled.
9. Repeat these steps if you want to return this feature to its previous setting.
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system 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), func -
tions similar 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 ESC are in a reduced
mode.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This system enhances directional control and stability of the
vehicle under various driving conditions. ESC corrects for
oversteering or understeering of the vehicle by applying the
brake of the appropriate wheel(s) to assist in counteracting
the oversteer or understeer condition. Engine power may
also be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the desired path.
ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle path
intended by the driver and compares it to the actual path of
the vehicle. When the actual path does not match the
intended path, ESC applies the brake of the appropriate
wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer or understeer
condition.
• Oversteer — when the vehicle is turning more than appro
-
priate for the steering wheel position.
• Understeer — when the vehicle is turning less than appro -
priate for the steering wheel position.

SAFETY 201
(Continued)
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” located
in the instrument cluster will start to flash as soon as the ESC
system becomes active. The “ESC Activation/Malfunction
Indicator Light” also flashes when the TCS is active. If the
“ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” begins to
flash during acceleration, ease up on the accelerator and
apply as little throttle as possible. Be sure to adapt your
speed and driving to the prevailing road conditions.
WARNING!
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor
can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. ESC cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns, driving
on very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. ESC also
cannot prevent accidents resulting from loss of vehicle
control due to inappropriate driver input for the condi -
tions. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents. The capabilities of an ESC equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or
dangerous manner which could jeopardize the user’s
safety or the safety of others.
• Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly maintain your vehicle, may change the handling characteristics
of your vehicle, and may negatively affect the perfor -
mance of the ESC system. Changes to the steering
system, suspension, braking system, tire type and size
or wheel size may adversely affect ESC performance.
Improperly inflated and unevenly worn tires may also
degrade ESC performance. Any vehicle modification or
poor vehicle maintenance that reduces the effective -
ness of the ESC system can increase the risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and
death.
WARNING! (Continued)
4

202 SAFETY
ESC Operating Modes
NOTE:
Depending upon model and mode of operation, the ESC
system may have multiple operating modes.
ESC On
This is the normal operating mode for the ESC. Whenever
the vehicle is started, the ESC system will be in this mode.
This mode should be used for most driving conditions. Alter-
nate ESC modes should only be used for specific reasons as
noted in the following paragraphs.
Partial Off
The “Partial Off” mode is intended for times when a more
spirited driving experience is desired. This mode may
modify TCS and ESC thresholds for activation, which allows
for more wheel spin than normally allowed. This mode may
be useful if the vehicle becomes stuck. To enter the “Partial Off” mode, momentarily push the “ESC
Off” switch and the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will illumi
-
nate. To turn the ESC on again, momentarily push the “ESC
Off” switch and the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will turn off.
NOTE:
For vehicles with multiple partial ESC modes a momentary
button push will toggle the ESC mode. Multiple momentary
button pushed may be required to return to ESC On.
WARNING!
• When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS functionality of ESC, (except for the limited slip feature described in
the TCS section), has been disabled and the “ESC Off
Indicator Light” will be illuminated. When in “Partial
Off” mode, the engine power reduction feature of TCS
is disabled, and the enhanced vehicle stability offered
by the ESC system is reduced.
• Trailer Sway control (TSC) is disabled when the ESC system is in the “Partial Off” mode.

SAFETY 203
Full Off — If Equipped
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use only
and should not be used on any public roadways. In this
mode, TCS and ESC features are turned OFF. To enter the
“Full Off” mode, push and hold the “ESC Off” switch for five
seconds while the vehicle is stopped with the engine
running. After five seconds, a chime will sound, the “ESC Off
Indicator Light” will illuminate, and the “ESC OFF” message
will display in the instrument cluster. To turn ESC ON again,
momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch.
NOTE:
System may switch from ESC “Full Off” to “Partial Off”
mode when vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed. When
the vehicle speed slows below the predetermined speed the
system will return to ESC “Full Off”.
ESC modes may also be affected by drive modes if so
equipped.WARNING!
• In the ESC “Full Off” mode, the engine torque reduc -
tion and stability features are disabled. Therefore,
enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC system is
unavailable. In an emergency evasive maneuver, the
ESC system will not engage to assist in maintaining
stability. ESC “Full Off” mode is intended for
off-highway or off-road use only.
• The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. ESC cannot prevent all accidents,
including those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro -
planing. ESC also cannot prevent collisions.
4

204 SAFETY
ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And ESC
OFF Indicator Light The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light”
in the instrument cluster will come on when the igni -
tion is turned to the ON mode. It should go out with
the engine running. If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction
Indicator Light” comes on continuously with the engine
running, a malfunction has been detected in the ESC system.
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 an authorized dealer as
soon as possible to have the problem diagnosed and
corrected.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” (located
in the instrument cluster) starts to flash as soon as the tires
lose traction and the ESC system becomes active. The “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” also flashes when
TCS is active. If the “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” begins to flash during acceleration, ease up on the
accelerator and apply as little throttle as possible. Be sure to
adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing road condi -
tions. NOTE:
• The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” and
the “ESC OFF Indicator Light” come on momentarily each
time the ignition is turned ON.
• Each time the ignition is turned ON, the ESC system will be on even if it was turned off previously.
• The ESC system will make buzzing or clicking sounds when it is active. This is normal; the sounds will stop when
ESC becomes inactive following the maneuver that caused
the ESC activation.
The “ESC OFF Indicator Light” indicates the
customer has elected to have the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) in a reduced mode.
Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
This system anticipates the potential for wheel lift by moni -
toring 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

SAFETY 205
wheel lift occurring during severe or evasive driving maneu-
vers; 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.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. 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 Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” 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.
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 leaving the
roadway or striking objects or other vehicles. 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.
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.
4

206 SAFETY
Hill Descent Control (HDC) — If Equipped
HDC is intended for low speed off road driving while in
4WD Low Range. HDC maintains vehicle speed while
descending hills during various driving situations. HDC
controls vehicle speed by actively controlling the brakes.
HDC Has Three States:
1. Off (feature is not enabled and will not activate).
2. Enabled (feature is enabled and ready but activationconditions are not met, or driver is actively overriding
with brake or throttle application).
3. Active (feature is enabled and actively controlling vehicle speed).
Enabling HDC
HDC is enabled by pushing the HDC switch, but the
following conditions must also be met to enable HDC:
• Driveline is in 4WD Low Range.
• Vehicle speed is below 5 mph (8 km/h).
• Parking brake is released.
• Driver door is closed. Activating HDC
Once HDC is enabled it will activate automatically if driven
down a grade of sufficient magnitude. The set speed for
HDC is selectable by the driver, and can be adjusted by using
the gear shift +/-. The following summarizes the HDC set
speeds:
HDC Target Set Speeds

• P = No set speed. HDC may be enabled but will not activate.

• R = 0.6 mph (1 km/h)
• N = 1.2 mph (2 km/h)
• D = 0.6 mph (1 km/h)
• 1st = 0.6 mph (1 km/h)
• 2nd = 1.2 mph (2 km/h)
• 3rd = 1.8 mph (3 km/h)
• 4th = 2.5 mph (4 km/h)
• 5th = 3.1 mph (5 km/h)
• 6th = 3.7 mph (6 km/h)
• 7th = 4.3 mph (7 km/h)
• 8th = 5.0 mph (8 km/h)
• 9th = 5.6 mph (9 km/h) – If Equipped