2020 DODGE DURANGO Owners Manual

STARTING AND OPERATING247
(Continued)
Consider the following items when computing
the weight on the rear axle of the vehicle:
The tongue weight of the trailer.
The weight of any other type of cargo or
equipment put in or on your vehicle.
The weight of the driver and all passengers.
NOTE:
Remember that everything put into or on the
trailer adds to the load on your vehicle. Also,
additional factory-installed options or
dealer-installed options must be considered as
part of the total load on your vehicle. Refer to the “Tire And Loading Information”
placard for the maximum combined weight of
occupants and cargo for your vehicle.
TOWING REQUIREMENTS
To promote proper break-in of the new vehicle
drivetrain components, the following guidelines
are recommended.
Perform the maintenance listed in the
“Scheduled Servicing”. Refer to “Scheduled
Servicing” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
the proper maintenance intervals. When towing
a trailer, never exceed the GAWR or GCWR
ratings.
CAUTION!
Always load a trailer with 60% of the weight in
the front of the trailer. This places 10% of the
GTW on the tow hitch of your vehicle. Loads
balanced over the wheels or heavier in the
rear can cause the trailer to sway severely
side to side which will cause loss of control of
the vehicle and trailer. Failure to load trailers
heavier in front is the cause of many trailer
collisions.
CAUTION!
Do not tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (805 km) the new vehicle is
driven. The engine, axle or other parts could
be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km) that a trailer is towed, do not drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts
at full throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
WARNING!
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 colli -
sion.
When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do
not overload your vehicle or trailer. Over -
loading can cause a loss of control, poor
performance or damage 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.
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248STARTING AND OPERATING
Towing Requirements — Tires
Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire.
Do not drive more than 50 mph (80 km/h)
when towing while using a full size spare tire.
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential
to the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle. Refer to “Tires” in “Servicing And
Maintenance” for proper tire inflation proce -
dures.
Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire
damage before towing a trailer. Refer to
“Tires” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
the proper inspection procedure.
When replacing tires, refer to “Tires” in
“Servicing And Maintenance” for the proper
tire replacement procedures. Replacing tires
with a higher load carrying capacity will not
increase the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake
system or vacuum system of your vehicle
with that of the trailer. This could cause inad -
equate 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).
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 (P). For
four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure the
transfer case is not in NEUTRAL (N). Always,
block or "chock" the 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
:
GVWR
GTW
GAWR
Tongue weight rating for the trailer
hitch utilized.
WARNING! (Continued)
WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your
vehicle'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 an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stop -
ping distance. When towing, you should
allow for additional space between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Failure to do so could result in an accident.
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.

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STARTING AND OPERATING249
Integrated Trailer Brake Module — If
Equipped
Your vehicle may have an Integrated Trailer
Brake Module (ITBM) for Electric and Electric
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.

Integrated Trailer Brake Module (ITBM)
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 is activated 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
connection 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 condition and
should be changed as towing conditions
change. Changes to towing conditions include
trailer load, vehicle load, road conditions 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 a trailer dealer
if necessary.

1 — GAIN Adjustment Button
2 — GAIN Adjustment Button
3 — Manual Brake Control Lever
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250STARTING AND OPERATING
2. Hook up the trailer and make the electrical
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 recognized
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”
appears 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 maximum GAIN setting
of 10.
Display Messages
The trailer brake control interacts with the
instrument cluster display. Display messages,
along with a single chime, will be displayed
when a malfunction is determined in the trailer
connection, trailer brake control, or on the
trailer. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in
“Getting To Know Your Instrument Panel” for
further information.WARNING!
Connecting a trailer that is not compatible
with the ITBM system may result in reduced
or complete loss of trailer braking. There may
be a increase in stopping distance or trailer
instability which could result in personal
injury.
CAUTION!
Connecting a trailer that is not compatible
with the ITBM system may result in reduced
or complete loss of trailer braking. There may
be a increase in stopping distance or trailer
instability which could result in damage to
your vehicle, trailer, or other property.

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STARTING AND OPERATING251
NOTE:
An aftermarket controller may be available
for use with trailers with air or Electric Over
Hydraulic trailer brake systems. To determine
the type of brakes on your trailer and the
availability of controllers, check with your
trailer manufacturer or dealer.
Removal of the ITBM will cause errors and it
may cause damage to the electrical system
and electronic modules of the vehicle. See an
authorized dealer if an aftermarket module is
to be installed.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights And
Wiring
Whenever pulling a trailer, regardless of the
trailer size, stoplights and turn signals on the
trailer are required for motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may include a four- and
seven-pin wiring harness. Use a factory
approved trailer harness and connector.
NOTE:
Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicle’s
wiring harness. The electrical connections are all complete to
the vehicle but you must mate the harness to a
trailer connector. Refer to the following
illustrations.
NOTE:
Disconnect trailer wiring connector from the
vehicle before launching a boat (or any other
device plugged into vehicle’s electrical
connect) into water.
Be sure to reconnect once clear from water
area.

Four-Pin Connector Seven-Pin Connector

TOWING TIPS
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning,
stopping, and backing up the trailer in an area
located away from heavy traffic.
1 — Ground
2 — Park
3 — Left Stop/Turn
4 — Right Stop/Turn
1 — Battery
2 — Backup Lamps
3 — Right Stop/Turn
4 — Electric Brakes
5 — Ground
6 — Left Stop/Turn
7 — Running Lamps
5

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252STARTING AND OPERATING
Automatic Transmission
Select the DRIVE (D) range when towing. The
transmission controls include a drive strategy to
avoid frequent shifting when towing. However, if
frequent shifting does occur while in DRIVE, you
can use the AutoStick shift control to manually
select a lower gear.
NOTE:
Using a lower gear while operating the vehicle
under heavy loading conditions, will improve
performance and extend transmission life by
reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
This action will also provide better engine
braking.
AutoStick
When using the AutoStick shift control, select
the highest gear that allows for adequate
performance and avoids frequent down -
shifts. For example, choose “5” if the desired
speed can be maintained. Choose “4” or “3”
if needed to maintain the desired speed.
To prevent excess heat generation, avoid
continuous driving at high RPM. Reduce
vehicle speed as necessary to avoid
extended driving at high RPM. Return to a
higher gear or vehicle speed when grade and
road conditions allow.
Speed Control — If Equipped
Do not use on hilly terrain or with heavy
loads.
When using the Speed Control, if you experi -
ence 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
overheating, take the following actions:
City Driving
In city traffic — while stopped, place the trans -
mission in NEUTRAL (N), but do not increase
engine idle speed. Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Temporarily turn off air conditioning.
SNOW PLOW
Snow plows, winches, and other aftermarket
equipment should
not be added to the front end
of your vehicle. The airbag crash sensors may
be affected by the change in the front end
structure. The airbags could deploy
unexpectedly or could fail to deploy during a
collision.
WARNING!
Do not add a snow plow, winches, or any
other aftermarket equipment to the front of
your vehicle. This could adversely affect the
functioning of the airbag system and you
could be injured.

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STARTING AND OPERATING253
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
TOWING THIS VEHICLE BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE
NOTE:
Recreational towing is not allowed on SRT vehi -
cles. These vehicles may be towed on a flatbed or
vehicle trailer provided all four wheels are
OFF
the ground. NOTE:
When towing your vehicle, always follow appli
-
cable state and provincial laws. Contact state
and provincial Highway Safety offices for addi -
tional details.
Towing Condition Wheels OFF
The Ground Rear-Wheel
Drive Models All-Wheel Drive Models With
Single-Speed Transfer Case All-Wheel Drive Models With
Two-Speed Transfer Case
Flat Tow NONENOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
See Instructions:
Transmission In PARK
Transfer Case In NEUTRAL (N)
Tow In Forward Direction
Dolly Tow Front
NOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
Rear OK NOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALLOK OK OK5

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254STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
RECREATIONAL TOWING —
R
EAR-WHEEL DRIVE MODELS
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the
drivetrain will result.
Recreational towing (for two-wheel drive
models) is allowed ONLY if 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:

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. Shift the transmission into PARK.
4. Turn the ignition OFF.
5. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following the dolly manufacturer’s
instructions.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for towing, to secure the front wheels in the
straight position.
RECREATIONAL TOWING — ALL WHEEL
D
RIVE MODELS (SINGLE-SPEED
T
RANSFER CASE)
Recreational towing is not allowed. These
models do not have a NEUTRAL (N) position in
the transfer case.
NOTE:
This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or
vehicle trailer provided all four wheels are OFF
the ground.
RECREATIONAL TOWING — ALL-WHEEL
D
RIVE MODELS (TWO-SPEED TRANSFER
C
ASE)
The transfer case must be shifted into NEUTRAL
(N) and the transmission must be in PARK for
recreational towing. The NEUTRAL (N) selection
button is adjacent to the transfer case selector
switch. Shifts into and out of transfer case
NEUTRAL (N) can take place with the selector
switch in any mode position.
CAUTION!
Towing with the rear wheels on the ground will
cause severe transmission damage. Damage
from improper towing is not covered under
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
CAUTION!
Towing this vehicle in violation of the above
requirements can cause severe transmission
and/or transfer case damage. Damage from
improper towing is not covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
CAUTION!
DO NOT dolly tow any AWD vehicle. Towing
with only one set of wheels on the ground
(front or rear) will cause severe transmis -
sion and/or transfer case damage. 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.
The transmission must be in PARK for
recreational towing.

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