2020 Ram 2500 brake light

STARTING AND OPERATING281

Distance Setting 4 Bars (Longest)
Distance Setting 3 Bars (Long) Distance Setting 2 Bars (Medium)
Distance Setting 1 Bar (Short)

The system automatically defaults to the
longest distance setting. To decrease the
distance setting, push the Distance Button and
release. Each time the button is pushed, the
distance setting decreases by one bar. Once the
shortest setting is reached, if the button is pushed again it will reset to the default setting
(longest).
If there is no vehicle ahead, the vehicle will
maintain the set speed. If a slower moving
vehicle is detected in the same lane, the instru
-
ment cluster displays the ACC Set With Target
Indicator Light, and the system adjusts vehicle
speed automatically to maintain the distance
setting, regardless of the set speed.
The vehicle will then maintain the set distance
until:
The vehicle ahead accelerates to a speed
above the set speed.
The vehicle ahead moves out of your lane or
view of the sensor.
The distance setting is changed.
The system disengages. (Refer to “Activating
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)” in this
chapter.
The maximum braking applied by ACC is limited;
however, the driver can always apply the brakes
manually, if necessary.
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282STARTING AND OPERATING
NOTE:
The brake lights will illuminate whenever the
ACC system applies the brakes.
A Proximity Warning will alert the driver if ACC
predicts that its maximum braking level is not
sufficient to maintain the set distance. If this
occurs, a visual alert “BRAKE” will flash in the
instrument cluster display and a chime will
sound while ACC continues to apply its
maximum braking capacity.

Brake Alert

NOTE:
The “BRAKE!” Screen in the instrument cluster
display is a warning for the driver to take action
and does not necessarily mean that the
Forward Collision Warning system is applying
the brakes autonomously. Trailer Detect — If Equipped
When a trailer is detected, the ACC system auto
-
matically defaults to the longest setting (four
bars). The setting can be overridden by pushing
the Distance Button on the steering wheel.
Overtake Aid
When driving with ACC engaged and following a
vehicle, the system will provide an additional
acceleration up to the ACC set speed to assist in
passing the vehicle. This additional acceleration
is triggered when the driver utilizes the left turn
signal and will only be active when passing on
the left hand side.
ACC Operation At Stop
In the event that the ACC system brings your
vehicle to a standstill while following a target
vehicle, if the target vehicle starts moving within
two seconds of your vehicle coming to a stand -
still, your vehicle will resume motion without the
need for any driver action.
If the target vehicle does not start moving within
two seconds of your vehicle coming to a stand -
still, then ACC will cancel and the driver must
take over braking. When the target vehicle
drives off, ACC can be resumed by releasing the
brake and pushing the RES (+) button. NOTE:
After the ACC system holds your vehicle at a
standstill for approximately two seconds, a chime
will sound and an “ACC may cancel soon” warning
will display. The brakes will release when ACC is
canceled and the driver must take over braking.
While ACC is holding your vehicle at a standstill, if
the driver seatbelt is unbuckled or the driver door
is opened, the ACC system will cancel and the
brakes will release. Driver intervention will be
required at this mo ment.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Menu
The instrument cluster display will show the
current ACC system settings. The instrument
cluster display is located in the center of the
instrument cluster. The information it displays
depends on ACC system status.
WARNING!
When the ACC system is resumed, the driver
must ensure that there are no pedestrians,
vehicles or objects in the path of the vehicle.
Failure to follow these warnings can result in
a collision and death or serious personal
injury.

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320STARTING AND OPERATING
distributing (load equalizing) hitch are recom -
mended for heavier Tongue Weights (TW) and
may be required depending on vehicle and
trailer configuration/loading to comply with
GAWR requirements.

With Weight-Distributing Hitch (Correct) Without Weight-Distributing Hitch (Incorrect)
Improper Adjustment Of Weight-Distributing Hitch (Incorrect)
Recommended Distribution Hitch Adjustment
Towing With 2500/3500 Air Suspension

1. Position the truck to be ready to connect to
the trailer (do not connect the trailer).

NOTE:
Normal Ride Height (NRH) or Alternate Trailer
Height (ATH) can be used. The vehicle must
remain in the engine running position while
attaching a trailer for proper leveling of the air
suspension system. It may not be possible to
enter Alternate Trailer Height (ATH) while lightly
loaded.
2. Measure the height of the top of the front wheel opening on the fender to ground, this
is height H1.
3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle without the weight distribution bars connected.
4. Measure the height of the top of the front wheel opening on the fender to ground, this
is height H2.
WARNING!
An improperly adjusted weight distributing
hitch system may reduce handling, stability
and braking performance and could result
in a collision.
Weight distributing systems may not be
compatible with surge brake couplers.
Consult with your hitch and trailer manufac -
turer or a reputable Recreational Vehicle
dealer for additional information.

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STARTING AND OPERATING325
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 stop lamps will
come on when braking normally with the vehicle
brake pedal. Only the trailer stop lamps will
come on when the manual brake control lever is
applied.
Trailer Brake Status Indicator Light
This light indicates the trailer electrical connec
-
tion status.
If no electrical connection is detected after the
ignition is turned on, pushing the GAIN adjust -
ment 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).
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.1 — GAIN Adjustment Button
2 — GAIN Adjustment Button
3 — Manual Brake Control Lever
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STARTING AND OPERATING327
* 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 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. NOTE:
An aftermarket controller may be available
for use with trailers with air or elec
-
tric-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
your authorized dealer if an aftermarket
module is to be installed.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights And
Wiring
Whenever you pull 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 illustra -
tions.
Light Electric Heavy Electric Light 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
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 OPERATING333
Shifting Into (N) NEUTRAL
Use the following procedure to prepare your
vehicle for recreational towing.

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. Shift the transfer case into N (Neutral):
With manual shift transfer case, shift the
transfer case lever into N (Neutral)
With electronic shift transfer case, push and hold the transfer case N (Neutral)
button. Some models have a small,
recessed “N” button (at the center of the
transfer case switches) that must be
pushed using a ballpoint pen or similar
object. Other models have a rectangular
N (Neutral) switch, below the rotary
transfer case control knob. The N
(Neutral) indicator light will blink while
the shift is in progress. The light will stop
blinking (stay on solid) when the shift to N
(Neutral) is complete. After the shift is
completed and the N (Neutral) light stays
on, release the N (Neutral) button.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Shift the transmission into REVERSE. 7. Release the brake pedal for five seconds
and ensure that there is no vehicle move-
ment.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with automatic trans -
mission in DRIVE.
9. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL. Firmly apply the parking brake. Turn off the engine.
For vehicles with Keyless Enter-N-Go, push
and hold the ENGINE START/STOP button
until the engine shuts off.
10. Shift the transmission into PARK. On 8-speed transmissions the shifter will auto -
matically select PARK when the engine is
turned off.
11. Turn the ignition to the OFF mode, then cycle the ignition to the RUN mode and back
to the OFF mode. Remove the key fob from
the ignition.
12. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable tow bar.
13. Release the parking brake.
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 automatic transmission is in PARK.
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.
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334STARTING AND OPERATING
NOTE:
With electronic shift transfer case:
Steps 2 through 3 are requirements that
must be met before pushing the N (Neutral)
button, and must continue to be met until the
shift has been completed. If any of these
requirements are not met before pushing the
N (Neutral) button or are no longer met
during the shift, the N (Neutral) indicator light
will flash continuously until all requirements
are met or until the N (Neutral) button is
released.
The ignition must be in the ON/RUN mode for
a shift to take place and for the position indi -
cator lights to be operable. If the ignition is
not in the ON/RUN mode, the shift will not
take place and no position indicator lights will
be on or flashing.
A flashing N (Neutral) position indicator light
indicates that shift requirements have not
been met.
If the vehicle is equipped with air suspension,
the engine should be started and left running
for a minimum of 60 seconds (with all the
doors closed) at least once every 24 hours. This process allows the air suspension to
adjust the vehicle’s ride height to compen
-
sate for temperature effects.
Shifting Out Of (N) NEUTRAL
Use the following procedure to prepare your
vehicle for normal usage:

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop,
leaving it connected to the tow vehicle.

2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Start the engine. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer case lever to the desired posi -
tion.
With electronic shift transfer case with rotary selector switch, push and hold the
transfer case N (Neutral) button until the
N (Neutral) indicator light turns off. After
the N (Neutral) indicator light turns off,
release the N (Neutral) button. After the
N (Neutral) button has been released, the
transfer case will shift to the position indi -
cated by the selector switch.
With electronic shift transfer case with push-button selector switch, push and
hold the switch for the desired transfer
case position, until the N (Neutral) indi -
cator light turns off and the desired posi -
tion indicator light turns on.
NOTE:
When shifting out of transfer case N (Neutral),
turning the engine OFF is not required, but may
be helpful to avoid gear clash. With the 8-speed
automatic transmission, the engine must
remain running, since turning the engine OFF
will shift the transmission to PARK (and the
transmission must be in NEUTRAL for the
transfer case to shift out of NEUTRAL).
5. Turn the engine off. Shift automatic trans -
mission into PARK. On 8-speed transmis -
sions the shifter will automatically select
PARK when the engine is turned off.
6. Release the brake pedal.
7. Disconnect vehicle from the tow vehicle.
8. Start the engine.
9. Press and hold the brake pedal.

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STARTING AND OPERATING335
(Continued)
10. Release the parking brake.
11. Shift the transmission into gear, release the brake pedal, and check that the vehicle
operates normally.
NOTE:
With electronic shift transfer case:
Steps 3 and 4 are requirements that must be
met before pushing the button to shift out of
N (Neutral), and must continue to be met
until the shift has been completed. If any of
these requirements are not met before
pushing the button or are no longer met
during the shift, the N (Neutral) indicator light
will flash continuously until all requirements
are met or until the button is released.
The ignition must be in the ON/RUN mode for
a shift to take place and for the position indi -
cator lights to be operable. If the ignition is
not in the ON/RUN mode, the shift will not
take place and no position indicator lights will
be on or flashing.
A flashing N (Neutral) position indicator light
indicates that shift requirements have not
been met.
DRIVING TIPS
Driving On Slippery Surfaces
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or
other slippery surfaces may cause the driving
wheels to pull erratically to the right or left. This
phenomenon occurs when there is a difference
in the surface traction under the rear (driving)
wheels.
Driving Through Water
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to
ensure safety and prevent damage to your
vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving
through shallow standing water, consider the
following Cautions and Warnings before doing
so.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is
dangerous. Unequal traction can cause
sudden pulling of the rear wheels. You could
lose control of the vehicle and possibly have a
collision. Accelerate slowly and carefully
whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or path
where water is flowing and/or rising (as in
storm run-off). Flowing water can wear away
the road or path's surface and cause your
vehicle to sink into deeper water.
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising water can
carry your vehicle away swiftly. Failure to
follow this warning may result in injuries that
are serious or fatal to you, your passengers,
and others around you.
WARNING!
Driving through standing water limits your
vehicle’s traction capabilities. Do not
exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
through standing water.
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