2021 RAM CHASSIS CAB brakes

172STARTING AND OPERATING
To adjust the distance setting, push the
Distance Button and release. Each time the
button is pushed, the distance setting increases
by one bar (longer). When the farthest distance
is set, pushing the distance button again will
reset to the shortest distance.

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
instrument cluster displays the ACC Set With
Target Detected 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. The maximum braking applied by ACC is limited;
however, the driver can always apply the brakes
manually, if necessary. NOTE:
The brake lights will illuminate whenever the
ACC system applies the brakes.
A Proximity Warning wil l alert the driver if ACC
predicts that its maximum braking level is not
sufficient to maintain the set distance. If this
occurs, a visua l alert “BRAKE” will flash in the
instrument cluster display and a chime will
sound while ACC continues to apply its
maximum braking force.
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. 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
If the ACC system brings your vehicle to a
standstill while following the vehicle in front,
your vehicle will resume motion without any
driver intervention if the vehicle in front starts
moving within two seconds.

21_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 172
Trailer Detect — If Equipped
When a trailer is detected, the ACC system
automatically defaults to the longest setting
(four bars). The setting can be overridden by
pushing the Distance Button on the steering
wheel.

STARTING AND OPERATING173 If the vehicle in front does not start moving
within two seconds of your vehicle coming to a
standstill, the ACC with Stop system will
cancel and the brakes will release. A cancel
message will display on the instrument cluster
display and produce a warning chime. The
driver must now manually operate the
vehicle's accelerator and brakes.
While ACC is holding your vehicle at a
standstill, if the driver seat belt 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 moment.
Display Warnings And Maintenance
“Wipe Front Radar Sensor In Front Of Vehicle”
Warning
The “ACC/FCW Unavailable Wipe Front Radar
Sensor” warning will display and a chime will
sound when conditions temporarily limit system
performance.
This most often occurs at times of poor visibility,
such as in snow or heavy rain. The ACC system
may also become temporarily blinded due to
obstructions, such as mud, dirt or ice. In these
cases, the instrument cluster display will display
“ACC/FCW Unavailable Wipe Front Radar
Sensor” and the system will deactivate.

This message can sometimes be displayed while
driving in highly reflective areas (i.e. ice and snow, or
tunnels with reflective tiles). The ACC system will
recover after the vehicle has left these areas. Under
rare conditions, when the radar is not tracking any
vehicles or objects in its path this warning may
temporarily occur.
NOTE:
If the “ACC/FCW Unavailable Wipe Front Radar
Sensor” warning is active, Fixed Speed Cruise
Control is still available.

If weather conditions are not a factor, the driver
should examine the sensor. It may require
cleaning or removal of an obstruction. The sensor
is located in the camera in the center of the
windshield, on the forward side of the rearview
mirror.

To keep the ACC system operating properly, it is
important to note the following maintenance
items:
Always keep the sensor clean. Carefully clear
the windshield.
Do not remove any screws from the sensor.
Doing so could cause an ACC system
malfunction or failure and require a sensor
realignment.
Do not attach or install any accessories near
the sensor, including transparent material or
aftermarket grilles. Doing so could cause an
ACC system failure or malfunction.
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.

4

21_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 173

STARTING AND OPERATING175
Service ACC/FCW Warning

If the system turns off, and the instrument cluster
displays “ACC/FCW Unavailable Service
Required” or “Cruise/FCW Unavailable Service
Required”, there may be an internal system fault
or a temporary malfunction that limits ACC
functionality. Although the vehicle is still drivable
under normal conditions, ACC will be temporarily
unavailable. If this occurs, try activating ACC
again later, following an ignition cycle. If the
problem persists, see an authorized dealer.

Precautions While Driving With ACC
NOTE:
Aftermarket add-ons such as snow plows, lift
kits, and brush/grille bars can hinder module
performance. Ensure the radar/camera has
no obstructions in the field of view.
Height modifications can limit module perfor -
mance and functionality.
Do not put stickers or easy passes over the
camera/radar field of view.
Any modifications to the vehicle that may
obstruct the field of view of the radar/camera
are not recommended.
In certain driving situations, ACC may have
detection issues. In these cases, ACC may
brake late or unexpectedly. The driver needs
to stay alert and may need to intervene.
The following are examples of these types of
situations:
Towing A Trailer
ACC while towing a trailer is recommended only
with an Integrated Trailer Brake Controller.
Aftermarket trailer brake controllers will not
activate the trailer brakes when ACC is braking. Offset Driving
ACC may not detect a vehicle in the same lane
that is offset from your direct line of travel, or a
vehicle merging in from a side lane. There may
not be sufficient distance to the vehicle ahead.
The offset vehicle may move in and out of the
line of travel, which can cause your vehicle to
brake or accelerate unexpectedly.

Offset Driving Condition Example

4

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176STARTING AND OPERATING
Turns And Bends
When driving on a curve with ACC engaged, the
system may decrease the vehicle speed and
acceleration for stability reasons, with no target
vehicle detected. Once the vehicle is out of the
curve the system will resume your original set
speed. This is a part of normal ACC system
functionality.
NOTE:
On tight turns ACC performance may be limited.
The driver must maintain control of the vehicle,
remain alert, and be ready to apply the brakes if
needed.

Turn Or Bend Example
Using ACC On Hills

When driving on hills, ACC may not detect a vehicle
in your lane. Depending on the speed, vehicle load,
traffic conditions, and the steepness of the hills,
ACC performance may be limited.

NOTE:
The driver must maintain control of the vehicle,
remain alert, and be ready to apply the brakes if
needed.

ACC Hill Example
Lane Changing

ACC may not detect a vehicle until it is completely
in the lane in which you are traveling. In the
illustration shown, ACC has not yet detected the
vehicle changing lanes and it may not detect the
vehicle until it's too late for the ACC system to
take action. ACC may not detect a vehicle until
it is completely in the lane. There may not be
sufficient distance to the lane-changing vehicle.
Always be attentive and ready to apply the brakes
if necessary.
Lane Changing Example

21_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 176

STARTING AND OPERATING177
Narrow Vehicles
Some narrow vehicles traveling near the outer
edges of the lane or edging into the lane are not
detected until they have moved fully into the
lane. There may not be sufficient distance to the
vehicle ahead.

Narrow Vehicle Example
Stationary Objects And Vehicles

ACC does not react to stationary objects and
stationary vehicles. For example, ACC will not react
in situations where the vehicle you are following
exits your lane and the vehicle ahead is stopped in
your lane. Always be attentive and ready to apply the
brakes if necessary
Ú

page 449.

Stationary Object And Stationary Vehicle Example
PARKSENSE FRONT/REAR PARK ASSIST —
IF EQUIPPED

The ParkSense Park Assist system provides visual
and audible indications of the distance between the
rear, and/or front fascia/bumper, and a detected
obstacle when backing up or moving forward (e.g.
during a parking maneuver). For limitations of this
system and recommendations, see
Ú
page 182.

ParkSense will retain the system state (enabled
or disabled) from the previous ignition cycle
when the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN
position.
ParkSense can be active only when the gear
selector is in REVERSE or DRIVE. If ParkSense is
enabled at one of these gear selector positions,
the system will remain active until the vehicle
speed is increased to approximately 7 mph
(11 km/h) or above. A warning will appear in the
instrument cluster display when the vehicle is
in REVERSE, indicating the vehicle is above
ParkSense operating speed. The system will
become active again if the vehicle speed is
decreased to speeds less than approximately
6 mph (9 km/h).
4

21_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 177

186STARTING AND OPERATING
CHANGING LANESENSE STATUS
The LaneSense system has settings to adjust
the intensity (Low/Medium/High) of the torque
warning and the warning zone sensitivity (Early/
Medium/Late) that you can configure through
the Uconnect system Úpage 228.
NOTE:
When enabled the system operates above
37 mph (60 km/h) and below 112 mph (180 km/h).

Use of the turn signal suppresses the warnings.

The system will not apply torque to the
steering wheel whenever a safety system
engages (Anti-Lock Brakes, Traction Control
System, Electronic Stability Control, Forward
Collision Warning, etc.).
PARKVIEW REAR BACK UP CAMERA
The ParkView Rear Back Up Camera allows
you to see an on-screen image of the rear
surroundings of your vehicle whenever the gear
selector is put into REVERSE. The image will be
displayed on the Navigation/Multimedia radio
display screen along with a caution note to
“Check Entire Surroundings” across the top of
the screen. After five seconds this note will
disappear. The ParkView Camera is located in
the center of the tailgate handle.
NOTE:
For the 3500, 4500, and 5500 Chassis Cab
vehicles, the Rear Backup Camera is shipped
loose and not installed. Please refer to the Ram
Body Builders Guide for more information.
Manual Activation Of The Rear View
Camera:

1. Press the "Controls" button located on the bottom of the Uconnect display.

2. Press the "Back Up Camera" icon to turn the Rear View Camera system on.

When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE (with
camera delay turned off), the rear camera mode is exited and the previous screen appears. When
the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE (with
camera delay turned on), the camera image will
continue to be displayed for up to 10 seconds
unless the following conditions occur: The vehicle
speed exceeds 8 mph (13 km/h), the vehicle is
shifted into PARK, the vehicle’s ignition is placed
in the OFF position, or the user presses image
defeat “X” to exit out of the camera video display.

Whenever the Rear View Camera image is
activated through the "Backup Camera" button
in the Controls menu, and the vehicle speed is
greater than, or equal to, 8 mph (13 km/h), a
display timer for the image is initiated. The
image will continue to be displayed until the
display timer exceeds 10 seconds.
NOTE:
If the vehicle speed remains below 8 mph
(13 km/h), the Rear View Camera image will
be displayed continuously until deactivated
via the touchscreen button "X", the transmis -
sion is shifted into PARK, or the ignition is
placed in the OFF position.
The touchscreen button "X" to disable display
of the camera image is made available ONLY
when the vehicle is not in REVERSE.

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200STARTING AND OPERATING
GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible load
on the front and rear axles. The load must be
distributed in the cargo area so that the GAWR
of each axle is not exceeded.

Each axle GAWR is determined by the
components in the system with the lowest load
carrying capacity (axle, springs, tires or wheels).
Heavier axles or suspension components
sometimes specified by purchasers for increased
durability does not necessarily increase the
vehicle's GVWR.

TIRE SIZE
The tire size on the Vehicle Certification Label
represents the actual tire size on your vehicle.
Replacement tires must be equal to the load
capacity of this tire size.
RIM SIZE
This is the rim size that is appropriate for the tire
size listed.
INFLATION PRESSURE

This is the cold tire inflation pressure for your
vehicle for all loading conditions up to full GAWR.

CURB WEIGHT

The curb weight of a vehicle is defined as the
total weight of the vehicle with all fluids, including
vehicle fuel, at full capacity conditions, and with
no occupants or cargo loaded into the vehicle.
The front and rear curb weight values are
determined by weighing your vehicle on a
commercial scale before any occupants or
cargo are added.

LOADING
The actual total weight and the weight of the
front and rear of your vehicle at the ground can
best be determined by weighing it when it is
loaded and ready for operation.
The entire vehicle should first be weighed on a
commercial scale to ensure that the GVWR has
not been exceeded. The weight on the front and
rear of the vehicle should then be determined
separately to be sure that the load is properly
distributed over the front and rear axles.
Weighing the vehicle may show that the GAWR
of either the front or rear axle has been
exceeded but the total load is within the
specified GVWR. If so, weight must be shifted
from front to rear or rear to front as appropriate
until the specified weight limitations are met. Store the heavier items down low and be sure
that the weight is distributed equally. Stow all
loose items securely before driving.
Improper weight distributions can have an
adverse effect on the way your vehicle steers
and handles and the way the brakes operate.
TRAILER TOWING
In this section you will find safety tips and
information on limits to the type of towing you
can reasonably do with your vehicle. Before
towing a trailer, carefully review this information
to tow your load as efficiently and safely as
possible.
To maintain the New Vehicle Limited Warranty
coverage, follow the requirements and
recommendations in this manual concerning
vehicles used for trailer towing.
CAUTION!

Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR or the maximum front and rear GAWR. If
you do, parts on your vehicle can break, or it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
This could cause you to lose control. Also
overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle.

21_DPF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 200

STARTING AND OPERATING201
COMMON TOWING DEFINITIONS
The following trailer towing related definitions
will assist you in understanding the following
information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable weight of your
vehicle. This includes driver, passengers, cargo
and tongue weight. The total load must be
limited so that you do not exceed the GVWR
Úpage 199.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus
the weight of all cargo, consumables and
equipment (permanent or temporary) loaded
in or on the trailer in its "loaded and ready for
operation" condition.
The recommended way to measure GTW is to
put your fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
The entire weight of the trailer must be
supported by the scale.
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)

The GCWR is the total allowable weight of your
vehicle and trailer when weighed in combination.

Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)

The GAWR is the maximum capacity of the front and
rear axles. Distribute the load over the front and rear
axles evenly. Make sure that you do not exceed
either front or rear GAWR
Ú
page 199.

Tongue Weight (TW)
The TW is the downward force exerted on the
hitch ball by the trailer. You must consider this
as part of the load on your vehicle.
Trailer Frontal Area
The frontal area is the maximum height
multiplied by the maximum width of the front
of a trailer.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)

The TSC can be a mechanical telescoping link that
can be installed between the hitch receiver and the
trailer tongue that typically provides adjustable
friction associated with the telescoping motion to
dampen any unwanted trailer swaying motions
while traveling.

If equipped, the electronic TSC recognizes a
swaying trailer and automatically applies
individual wheel brakes and/or reduces engine
power to attempt to eliminate the trailer sway.
Weight-Carrying Hitch

A weight-carrying hitch supports the trailer tongue
weight, just as if it were luggage located at a hitch
ball or some other connecting point of the vehicle.
These kinds of hitches are commonly used to tow
small and medium sized trailers.

WARNING!
If the gross trailer weight is 5,000 lbs
(2,267 kg) or more, it is recommended to use
a weight-distributing hitch to ensure stable
handling of your vehicle. If you use a standard
weight-carrying hitch, you could lose control
of your vehicle and cause a collision.
WARNING!
It is important that you do not exceed the
maximum front or rear GAWR. A dangerous
driving condition can result if either rating
is exceeded. You could lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
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