2022 DODGE CHARGER tow

116STARTING AND OPERATING
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.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
A weight-distributing system works by applying
leverage through spring (load) bars. They are
typically used for heavier loads to distribute trailer
tongue weight to the tow vehicle's front axle and
the trailer axle(s). When used in accordance with
the manufacturer's directions, it provides for a
more level ride, offering more consistent steering
and brake control thereby enhancing towing
safety. The addition of a friction/hydraulic sway
control also dampens sway caused by traffic and
crosswinds and contributes positively to tow
vehicle and trailer stability. Trailer sway control and a weight distributing (load equalizing) hitch are
recommended for heavier Tongue Weights (TW)
and may be required depending on vehicle and
trailer configuration/loading to comply with Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) requirements.
WARNING!
An improperly adjusted weight-distributing
hitch system may reduce handling, stability,
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 manufacturer or a
reputable Recreational Vehicle dealer for
additional information.

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STARTING AND OPERATING117
TRAILER HITCH CLASSIFICATION
The following chart provides the industry standard for the maximum trailer weight a given trailer hitch class can tow and should be used to assist you in selecting
the correct trailer hitch for your intended towing condition.
TRAILER TOWING WEIGHTS (MAXIMUM TRAILER WEIGHT RATINGS)
Trailer towing with the 6.4L or 6.2L Supercharged engine is not recommended.
Trailer Hitch Classification Definitions
Class Max. Trailer Hitch Industry Standards
Class I - Light Duty 2,000 lb (907 kg)
Class II - Medium Duty 3,500 lb (1,587 kg)
Class III - Heavy Duty 6,000 lb (2,722 kg)
Class IV - Extra Heavy Duty 10,000 lb (4,535 kg)
Refer to the “Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings)” chart for the Maximum Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) towable for your given drivetrain.
All trailer hitches should be professionally installed on your vehicle.
Engine/Transmission Frontal AreaMaximum GTWMaximum Trailer TW
3.6L Automatic 12 sq ft (1.11 sq m) 1,000 lb (454 kg) 100 lb (45 kg)
5.7L Automatic 12 sq ft (1.11 sq m) 1,000 lb (454 kg) 100 lb (45 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.
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118STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
TRAILER AND TONGUE WEIGHT
Never exceed the maximum tongue weight
stamped on your fascia/bumper or trailer hitch.
Weight Distribution
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 equip
-
ment 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 Infor -
mation placard for the maximum combined weight
of occupants and cargo for your vehicle.
TOWING REQUIREMENTS
To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle
drivetrain components, the following guidelines
are recommended.WARNING!
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.
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 collision.

When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading 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.

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. 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 :
Max loading as defined on the “Tire and
Loading Information” placard.
GTW
GAWR
Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch
utilized.
WARNING!

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STARTING AND OPERATING119
(Continued)
Perform the maintenance listed in the “Scheduled
Servicing” for the proper maintenance intervals
Ú
page 234. When towing a trailer, never exceed
the GAWR or GCWR ratings.
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.
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. For the proper
inspection procedure.
Replacing tires with a higher load carrying
capacity will not increase the vehicle's GVWR
and GAWR limits.
For further information Ú page 264.
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 inadequate 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 lb (453 kg) and required for trailers
in excess of 2,000 lb (907 kg).
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.
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!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle's
hydraulic brake lines. It can overload 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 stopping
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 lb (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.
WARNING!
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120STARTING AND OPERATING
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 the trailer wiring connector from the
vehicle (or any other device plugged into the
vehicle's electrical connectors) before
launching a boat into water.
Be sure to reconnect after clear from water
area.

Four-Pin Connector Seven-Pin Connector

TOWING TIPS
Before towing, practice turning, stopping, and
backing up the trailer in an area located away from
heavy traffic.
Automatic Transmission
Select the DRIVE 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 perfor
-
mance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat buildup. This action will
also provide better engine braking.
Cruise Control — If Equipped
Do not use on hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
When using the Cruise Control, if you experience
speed drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h),
disengage until you can get back to cruising
speed.
Use Cruise Control in flat terrain and with light
loads to maximize fuel efficiency.
1 — Ground
2 — Park
3 — Left Stop/Turn
4 — Right Stop/Turn
1 — Backup Lamps
2 — Running Lamps
3 — Left Stop/Turn
4 — Ground
5 — Battery
6 — Right Stop/Turn
7 — Electric Brakes

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STARTING AND OPERATING121
AutoStick
When using the AutoStick shift control, select
the highest gear that allows for adequate perfor -
mance and avoid frequent downshifts. 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.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME)
Recreational towing (with all four wheels on the
ground, or using a tow dolly) is NOT ALLOWED. The
only acceptable method for towing this vehicle
(behind another vehicle) is on a vehicle trailer with
all four wheels OFF the ground.
DRIVING TIPS
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Information in this section will aid in safe
controlled launches in adverse conditions.
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 front (driving) wheels.
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible
for a wedge of water to build up between the tire
and road surface. This is known as hydroplaning
and may cause partial or complete loss of vehicle
control and stopping ability. To reduce this
possibility, the following precautions should be
observed:
Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads
are slushy.
Slow down if the road has standing water or
puddles.
Replace tires when tread wear indicators first
become visible.
Keep tires properly inflated.
Maintain sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid a
collision in a sudden stop.
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Limited Slip
Differential (LSD) that reduces, but does not
eliminate, the amount of wheel slip across a given
axle for improved handling.
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.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is
dangerous. Unequal traction can cause sudden
pulling of the front 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.).
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SAFETY173
Disabling And Enabling HSA
This feature can be turned on or turned off. To
disable HSA, see Ú page 123 for further
information.
Towing With HSA
HSA will also provide assistance to mitigate roll
back while towing a trailer.
Rain Brake Support (RBS)
RBS may improve braking performance in wet
conditions. It will periodically apply a small amount
of brake pressure to remove any water buildup on
the front brake rotors. It functions when the
windshield wipers are in LO or HI speed. When RBS
is active, there is no notification to the driver and
no driver interaction is required.
Ready Alert Braking (RAB)
RAB may reduce the time required to reach full
braking during emergency braking situations. It
anticipates when an emergency braking situation
may occur by monitoring how fast the throttle is
released by the driver. The Electronic Brake
Controller (EBC) will prepare the brake system for
a panic stop.
Traction Control System (TCS)
The TCS 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)
functions similarly 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
reduced modes.
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 accel -
eration, 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
collision or serious personal injury.
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174SAFETY
AUXILIARY DRIVING SYSTEMS
BLIND SPOT MONITORING (BSM) —
I
F EQUIPPED
The BSM system uses two radar sensors, located
inside the rear fascia/bumper, 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 operate when the vehicle
is in any forward gear.
BSM Warning Light

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
rearview mirror and extends approximately 10 ft
(3 m) beyond the rear fascia/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 BSM system detection zone DOES NOT
change if your vehicle is towing a trailer. There -
fore, visually verify the adjacent lane is clear for
both your vehicle and trailer before making a lane change. If the trailer or other object (i.e.,
bicycle, sports equipment) extends beyond the
side of your vehicle, this may result in the BSM
Warning Light remaining illuminated the entire
time the vehicle is in a forward gear.
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 area on the rear fascia/bumper 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 area of the rear fascia/bumper where the
radar sensors are located with foreign objects
(bumper stickers, bicycle racks, etc.).
The BSM system can become blocked if snow, ice,
mud, or other road contaminations accumulate on
the rear fascia/bumper where the radar sensors
are located. The system may also detect blockage
if the vehicle is operated in areas with extremely
low radar returns such as a desert or parallel to a
large elevation drop. If a blockage is detected, a
“Blind Spot Temporarily Unavailable, Wipe Rear
Corners” message will display in the cluster, both
mirror lights will illuminate, and BSM and RCP
alerts will not occur. This is normal operation. The
system will automatically recover and resume

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