2020 Ram 3500 Owner's Manual

SAFETY151
Disabling HDC
HDC will be deactivated and disabled if any of
the following conditions occur:
The driver pushes the HDC switch.
The driveline is shifted out of 4L Range.
The parking brake is applied.
The driver door opens.
The vehicle is driven greater than 20 mph
(32 km/h) for greater than 70 seconds.
The vehicle is driven greater than 40 mph
(64 km/h) (HDC exits immediately).
HDC detects excessive brake temperature.
Feedback To The Driver
The instrument cluster has an HDC icon and the
HDC switch has an LED icon, which offers
feedback to the driver about the state HDC is in.
The cluster icon and switch lamp will illumi -
nate and remain on solid when HDC is
enabled or activated. This is the normal oper -
ating condition for HDC.
The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash for
several seconds then extinguish when the
driver pushes the HDC switch but enable
conditions are not met.
The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash for
several seconds then extinguish when HDC
disables due to excess speed.

The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash when
HDC deactivates due to overheated brakes. The
flashing will stop and HDC will activate again
once the brakes have cooled sufficiently.

Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The Hill Start Assist (HSA) system is designed to
mitigate roll back from a complete stop while on
an incline. If the driver releases the brake while
stopped on an incline, HSA will continue to hold
the brake pressure for a short period. If the driver does not apply the throttle before this
time expires, the system will release brake
pressure and the vehicle will roll down the hill as
normal.
The following conditions must be met in order
for HSA to activate:
The feature must be enabled.
The vehicle must be stopped.
The park brake must be off.
The 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 (R) gear).
HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all
forward gears. The system will not activate if
the transmission is in PARK or NEUTRAL (N).
For vehicles equipped with a manual trans
-
mission, if the clutch is pressed, HSA will
remain active.
WARNING!
HDC is only intended to assist the driver in
controlling vehicle speed when descending
hills. The driver must remain attentive to the
driving conditions and is responsible for
maintaining a safe vehicle speed.
4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 151

152SAFETY
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 “Uconnect 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.
6. Push the “ESC OFF” button located in the lower switch bank 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 additional slightly more than
one-half turn to the right.
8. Place the ignition in 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.
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll
back while towing a trailer.
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 vehicles, people, and objects, and most
importantly brake operation to ensure safe
operation of the vehicle under 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.
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 trans -
mission in PARK.
Failure to follow these warnings can result
in a collision or serious personal injury.

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 152

SAFETY153
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin
of each of the driven wheels. If wheel spin is
detected, the Traction Control System (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),
functions 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 Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are in
a reduced mode.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Trailer Sway Control (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 automatically 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 recommenda
-
tions. 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.
AUXILIARY DRIVING SYSTEMS
BLIND SPOT MONITORING (BSM) — IF
E
QUIPPED
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system uses
two radar-based sensors, located inside the
taillights, to detect highway licensable vehicles
(automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) that
enter the blind spot zones from the rear/front/
side of the vehicle.

Rear Detection Zones

When the vehicle is started, the BSM warning
light will momentarily illuminate in both outside
rearview mirrors to let the driver know that the
system is operational. The BSM system sensors
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

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 153

154SAFETY
operate when the vehicle is in any forward gear
or REVERSE and enters standby mode when the
vehicle is in PARK.
The BSM detection zone covers approximately
one lane width on both sides of the vehicle 12 ft
(3.8 m). The zone length starts at the outside
rear view mirror and extends approximately
10 ft (3 m) beyond the rear bumper of the
vehicle. The BSM system monitors the
detection zones on both sides of the vehicle
when the vehicle speed reaches approximately
6 mph (10 km/h) or higher and will alert the
driver of vehicles in these areas.
NOTE:
The BSM system DOES NOT alert the driver
about rapidly approaching vehicles that are
outside the detection zones.
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system may
experience drop outs (blinking on and off) of
the side mirror Warning Indicator lamps
when a motorcycle or any small object
remains at the side of the vehicle for
extended periods of time (more than a couple
of seconds). The vehicle’s taillights, where the radar sensors
are located, must remain free of snow, ice, and
dirt/road contamination so that the BSM
system can function properly. Do not block the
taillights with foreign objects (bumper stickers,
bicycle racks, etc.).

Radar Sensor Locations

If the system detects degraded performance
due to contamination or foreign objects, a
message will warn you of a blocked sensor and
the warning indicators in side view mirrors will
be on. The warning indicators will remain
illuminated until blockage clearing conditions
are met. First clear the taillights around the
sensors of the blockage. After removing the
blockage, the following procedure can be used
to reset the system, cycle the ignition from ON
to OFF and then back ON. If the blockage message is still present after
cycling the ignition and driving in traffic, check
again for a blockage.
The BSM system notifies the driver of objects in
the detection zones by illuminating the BSM
warning light located in the outside mirrors in
addition to sounding an audible (chime) alert
and reducing the radio volume. Refer to “Modes
Of Operation” in this section for further
information.

Warning Light Location

The BSM system monitors the detection zone
from three different entry points (side, rear,
front) while driving to see if an alert is
necessary. The BSM system will issue an alert
during these types of zone entries.

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 154

SAFETY155
Entering From The Side
Vehicles that move into your adjacent lanes
from either side of the vehicle.

Side Monitoring

Entering From The Rear
Vehicles that come up from behind your vehicle
on either side and enter the rear detection zone
with a relative speed of less than 30 mph
(48 km/h).
Rear Monitoring

Overtaking Traffic
If you pass another vehicle slowly with a relative
speed less than 15 mph (24 km/h) and the
vehicle remains in the blind spot for
approximately 1.5 seconds, the warning light
will be illuminated. If the difference in speed
between the two vehicles is greater than
15 mph (24 km/h), the warning light will not
illuminate.
Overtaking/Approaching
Overtaking/Passing

4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 155

156SAFETY
The BSM system is designed not to issue an
alert on stationary objects such as guardrails,
posts, walls, foliage, berms, snow banks, car
washes etc. However, occasionally the system
may alert on such objects. This is normal
operation and your vehicle does not require
service.
The BSM system will not alert you of objects that
are traveling in the opposite direction of the
vehicle in adjacent lanes.

Opposing Traffic

Rear Cross Path (RCP)
The Rear Cross Path (RCP) feature is intended
to aid the driver when backing out of parking
spaces where their vision of oncoming vehicles
may be blocked. Proceed slowly and cautiously
out of the parking space until the rear end of the
vehicle is exposed. The RCP system will then
have a clear view of the cross traffic and if an
oncoming vehicle is detected, alert the driver.
RCP Detection Zones

RCP monitors the rear detection zones on both
sides of the vehicle, for objects that are moving
toward the side of the vehicle with a minimum
speed of approximately 3 mph (5 km/h), to
objects moving a maximum of approximately
20 mph (32 km/h), such as in parking lot
situations.
NOTE:
In a parking lot situation, oncoming vehicles can
be obscured by vehicles parked on either side.
If the sensors are blocked by other structures or
vehicles, the system will not be able to alert the
driver.
WARNING!
The Blind Spot Monitoring system is only an
aid to help detect objects in the blind spot
zones. The BSM system is not designed to
detect pedestrians, bicyclists, or animals.
Even if your vehicle is equipped with the BSM
system, always check your vehicle’s mirrors,
glance over your shoulder, and use your turn
signal before changing lanes. Failure to do so
can result in serious injury or death.

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 156

SAFETY157
When RCP is on and the vehicle is in REVERSE,
the driver is alerted using both the visual and
audible alarms, including reducing the radio
volume.
Modes Of Operation
Three selectable modes of operation are
available in the Uconnect System.
Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Multimedia”
for further information. Blind Spot Alert Lights Only
When operating in Blind Spot Alert mode, the
BSM system will provide a visual alert in the
appropriate side view mirror based on a
detected object. However, when the system is
operating in Rear Cross Path (RCP) mode, the
system will respond with both visual and
audible alerts when a detected object is
present. Whenever an audible alert is
requested, the radio is muted.
Blind Spot Alert Lights/Chime
When operating in Blind Spot Alert Lights/
Chime mode, the BSM system will provide a
visual alert in the appropriate side view mirror
based on a detected object. If the turn signal is
then activated, and it corresponds to an alert
present on that side of the vehicle, an audible
chime will also be sounded. Whenever a turn
signal and detected object are present on the
same side at the same time, both the visual and
audible alerts will be issued. In addition to the
audible alert the radio (if on) will also be muted.
NOTE:
Whenever an audible alert is requested by the
BSM system, the radio is also muted.
When the system is in RCP, the system shall
respond with both visual and audible alerts
when a detected object is present. Whenever
an audible alert is requested, the radio is also
muted. Turn/hazard signal status is ignored;
the RCP state always requests the chime.
Blind Spot Alert Off
When the BSM system is turned off there will be
no visual or audible alerts from either the BSM
or RCP systems.
NOTE:
The BSM system will store the current operating
mode when the vehicle is shut off. Each time
the vehicle is started the previously stored
mode will be recalled and used.Trailer Merge Assist
NOTE:
When Trailer Merge Assist is activated, Rear
Cross Path is disabled.
WARNING!
Rear Cross Path Detection (RCP) is not a back
up aid system. It is intended to be used to
help a driver detect an oncoming vehicle in a
parking lot situation. Drivers must be careful
when backing up, even when using RCP.
Always check carefully behind your vehicle,
look behind you, and be sure to check for
pedestrians, animals, other vehicles,
obstructions, and blind spots before backing
up. Failure to do so can result in serious
injury or death.
4

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 157

158SAFETY
NOTE:
When a trailer with an electric brake is
connected to the vehicle, the instrument cluster
display will provide a menu to allow a selection
of the trailer type. There will be two options
provided: Conventional and Goose/Fifth Wheel.
Goose/Fifth Wheel Trailer is incompatible and
when selected, the BSM system will disable
until the trailer is disconnected. If the wrong
option is selected, the system can be reset by
either disconnecting and reconnecting the
trailer harness connector or disabling then
re-enabling the Blind Spot Monitoring System in
the customer settings in the Uconnect. This will
prompt the trailer selection menu again to allow
for the correct selection.
Trailer Merge Assist is a function of the Blind
Spot Monitoring (BSM) system that extends the
blind spot zone to work while pulling a trailer.
Trailer Merge Assist consists of three sub
functions:
Automatic Trailer Detection
Trailer Length Detection
Trailer Merge Warning
Blind Spot Zones With Trailer Merge Assist

Automatic Trailer Detection
There are two modes of operation for the
detection of the trailer length:
Automatic Mode — When “Auto Mode” is
selected, the system will use the blind spot
sensors to automatically determine the pres -
ence and length of a trailer. The presence of
a trailer will be detected using the blind spot
radar within 90 seconds of forward move -
ment of the vehicle. The vehicle must be
moving above 6 mph (10 km/h) to activate the feature. Once the trailer has been
detected, the system will default to the maximum blind spot zone until the length has
been verified. You will see “Auto” in the
instrument panel cluster .
Max Mode
— When “Max Mode” is selected,
the system will default to the maximum blind
spot zone regardless of what size trailer is
attached .
NOTE:
Selected setting is stored when the ignition is
placed in the OFF position. To change this
setting, it must be selected through the Ucon -
nect Settings. Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in
“Multimedia” for further information.
Trailer Length Detection
Once the trailer presence has been established,
the trailer length will be established (by making
a 90 degree turn) and then the trailer length
category (e.g. 10-20 ft (3 m to 6 m)) will be
displayed. This can take up to 30 seconds after
completing the turn.
NOTE:
During the same ignition cycle, if the vehicle is
at a standstill for a minimum of 90 seconds, a
new “trailer detection request” is enabled by
the system once the vehicle resumes motion.
1 — Vehicle
2 — Trailer

20_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 158