2023 RAM 1500 brake

264SAFETY
Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
The ERM system anticipates the potential for wheel lift by
monitoring the driver’s steering wheel input and the speed
of the vehicle. When ERM determines that the rate of
change of the steering wheel angle and vehicle’s speed
are sufficient to potentially cause wheel lift, it then applies
the appropriate brake and may also reduce engine power
to lessen the chance that wheel lift will occur. ERM can
only reduce the chance of wheel lift occurring during
severe or evasive driving maneuvers; it cannot prevent
wheel lift due to other factors, such as road conditions,
leaving the roadway, striking objects or other vehicles.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ESC enhances directional control and stability of the
vehicle under various driving conditions. ESC corrects for
oversteering or understeering of the vehicle by applying
the brake of the appropriate wheel(s) to counteract these
conditions. Engine power may also be reduced to help the
vehicle maintain the desired path.
Oversteer — when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
 Understeer — when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to determine the vehicle
path intended by the driver and compares it to the actual
path of the vehicle. When the actual path does not match
the intended path, ESC applies the brake of the
appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting the oversteer
or understeer condition.
The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light located in
the instrument cluster will start to flash as soon as the ESC
system becomes active. The ESC Activation/Malfunction
Indicator Light also flashes when the TCS is active. If the
ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light begins to flash
during acceleration, ease up on the accelerator and apply
as little throttle as possible. Be sure to adapt your speed
and driving to the prevailing road conditions.
WARNING!
Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road conditions
and driving conditions, influence the chance that wheel
lift or rollover may occur. ERM cannot prevent all wheel
lift or rollovers, especially those that involve leaving the
roadway or striking objects or other vehicles. The
capabilities of an ERM-equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user's safety or the safety of
others.
WARNING!
 Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot prevent the
natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase the traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. ESC cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or hydro -
planing. ESC also cannot prevent accidents resulting
from loss of vehicle control due to inappropriate
driver input for the conditions. Only a safe, attentive,
and skillful driver can prevent accidents. The capabil -
ities of an ESC equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.
 Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly maintain
your vehicle, may change the handling characteris -
tics of your vehicle, and may negatively affect the
performance of the ESC system. Changes to the
steering system, suspension, braking system, tire
type and size or wheel size may adversely affect ESC
performance. Improperly inflated and unevenly worn
tires may also degrade ESC performance. Any vehicle
modification or poor vehicle maintenance that
reduces the effectiveness of the ESC system can
increase the risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, personal injury and death.

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266SAFETY
The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light starts to
flash as soon as the tires lose traction and the ESC system
becomes active. The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light also flashes when TCS is active. If the ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light begins to flash
during acceleration, ease up on the accelerator and apply
as little throttle as possible. Be sure to adapt your speed
and driving to the prevailing road conditions.
The ESC OFF Indicator Light indicates that the
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is in a reduced
mode.
NOTE:
The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light and the
ESC OFF Indicator Light come on momentarily each
time the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN mode.
 Each time the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN mode,
the ESC system will be on even if it was turned off previ -
ously.
 The ESC system will make buzzing or clicking sounds
when it is active. This is normal; the sounds will stop
when ESC becomes inactive following the maneuver
that caused the ESC activation.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
HSA 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 parking 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 gear).
 HSA will work in REVERSE gear and all forward gears.
The system will not activate if the transmission is in
PARK or NEUTRAL.
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 Uconnect Settings
Úpage 191.
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 transmission in PARK.
 Failure to follow these warnings can result in a colli -
sion or serious personal injury.

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SAFETY267
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 Rain Brake Support 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 Control system will prepare the brake
system for a panic stop.
Selec-Speed Control (SSC) — If Equipped
SSC is intended for off-road driving in 4WD Low only. SSC
maintains vehicle speed by actively controlling engine
torque and brakes.
SSC has three states:

1. Off (feature is not enabled and will not activate)

2. Enabled (feature is enabled and ready but activation
conditions are not met, or driver is actively overriding
with brake or throttle application)
3. Active (feature is enabled and actively controlling vehicle speed) Enabling SSC
SSC is enabled by pushing the SSC switch, but the
following conditions must also be met to enable SSC:

The driveline is in 4WD Low.
 The vehicle speed is below 5 mph (8 km/h).
 The parking brake is released.
 The driver door is closed.
 The driver is not applying throttle.
Activating SSC
Once SSC is enabled it will activate automatically once the
following conditions are met:
 The driver releases the throttle.
 The driver releases the brake.
 The transmission is in any selection other than PARK.
 Your vehicle speed is below 20 mph (32 km/h).
The set speed for SSC is selectable by the driver, and can
be adjusted by using the gear shift +/-. Additionally, the
SSC set speed may be reduced when climbing a grade and
the level of set speed reduction depends on the
magnitude of grade. The following summarizes the SSC
set speeds: SSC Target Set Speeds

1st = 0.6 mph (1 km/h)
 2nd = 1.2 mph (2 km/h)
 3rd = 1.8 mph (3 km/h)
 4th = 2.5 mph (4 km/h)
 5th = 3.1 mph (5 km/h)
 6th = 3.7 mph (6 km/h)
 7th = 4.3 mph (7 km/h)
 8th = 5 mph (8 km/h)
 9th = 5.6 mph (9 km/h) — if equipped
 REVERSE = 0.6 mph (1 km/h)
 NEUTRAL = 1.2 mph (2 km/h)
 PARK = SSC remains enabled but not activeNOTE:
During SSC, the +/- gear selector input is used for SSC
target speed selection but will not affect the gear
chosen by the transmission. While actively controlling
SSC, the transmission will shift appropriately for the
driver-selected set speed and corresponding driving
conditions.
 SSC operation is influenced by Off Road+ drive mode if
active. The differences may be notable to the driver as
a varying level of aggressiveness.
6

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268SAFETY
Driver Override
The driver may override SSC activation with throttle or
brake application at any time.
Deactivating SSC
SSC will be deactivated but remain available if any of the
following conditions occur:
The driver overrides SSC set speed with throttle or
brake application.
 The vehicle speed exceeds 20 mph (32 km/h) but
remains below 40 mph (64 km/h).
 The vehicle is shifted into PARK.
Disabling SSC
SSC will deactivate and be disabled if any of the following
conditions occur:
 The driver pushes the SSC switch.
 The driveline is shifted out of the 4WD Low.
 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).
SSC will exist immediately. Feedback To The Driver
The instrument cluster has an SSC icon and the SSC
switch has a lamp which offers feedback to the driver
about the state SSC is in.

The cluster icon and switch lamp will illuminate and
remain on solid when SSC is enabled or activated.
These are the normal operating conditions for SSC.
 The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash for several
seconds then extinguish when the driver pushes the
SSC switch but enabled conditions are not met.
 The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash for several
seconds then extinguish when SSC disables due to
excess speed.
 The cluster icon and switch lamp will flash then extin -
guish when SSC deactivates due to overheated brakes.
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 torque to be applied to the wheel that is not
spinning. BLD may remain enabled even if TCS and
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are in reduced modes.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
TSC uses sensors in the vehicle to recognize an
excessively swaying trailer and will take the appropriate
actions to attempt to stop the sway.
NOTE:TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying. Always use
caution when towing a trailer and follow the trailer tongue
weight recommendations
Úpage 173.
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.
WARNING!
SSC is only intended to assist the driver in controlling
vehicle speed when driving in off road conditions. The
driver must remain attentive to the driving conditions
and is responsible for maintaining a safe vehicle speed.
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.

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274SAFETY
NOTE:Trailer length is determined within +/- 3 ft (1 m) of actual
length. Trailers that are the same size as the category
limit, 10/20/30 ft (3/6/9 m), could be subject to being
placed in the category above or below the correct one.
Trailer Merge Warning
Trailer Merge Warning is the extension of the blind spot
function to cover the length of the trailer, plus a safety
margin, to warn the driver when there is a vehicle in the
adjacent lane. The driver is alerted by the illumination of
the BSM Warning Light located in the outside mirror on the
side the other vehicle is detected on. In addition, an
audible (chime) alert will be heard and radio volume will
be reduced
Úpage 272.
NOTE:
The Trailer Merge Alert system DOES NOT alert the
driver about rapidly approaching vehicles that are
outside the detection zones.
 The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system may experi -
ence drop outs (blinking on and off) of the side mirror
warning indicator lights 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).
 Crowded areas such as parking lots, neighborhoods,
etc. may lead to an increased amount of false alerts.
This is normal operation.
FORWARD COLLISION WARNING (FCW)
W
ITH MITIGATION — IF EQUIPPED
FCW with Mitigation provides the driver with audible
warnings, visual warnings (within the instrument cluster
display), and may apply a brake jerk to warn the driver
when it detects a potential frontal collision. The warnings
and limited braking are intended to provide the driver with
enough time to react, avoid or mitigate the potential
collision.
NOTE:FCW monitors the information from the forward looking
sensors as well as the Electronic Brake Controller (EBC), to
calculate the probability of a forward collision. When the
system determines that a forward collision is probable, the
driver will be provided with audible and visual warnings as
well as a possible brake jerk warning. If the driver does not take action based upon these
progressive warnings, then the system will provide a
limited level of active braking to help slow the vehicle and
mitigate the potential forward collision. If the driver reacts
to the warnings by braking and the system determines
that the driver intends to avoid the collision by braking but
has not applied sufficient brake force, the system will
compensate and provide additional brake force as
required.
If a FCW with Mitigation event begins at a speed below
32 mph (52 km/h), the system may provide the maximum
braking possible to mitigate the potential forward
collision. If the Forward Collision Warning with Mitigation
event stops the vehicle completely, the system will hold
the vehicle at standstill for two seconds and then release
the brakes.

FCW Message

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.

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SAFETY275
When the system determines a collision with the vehicle in
front of you is no longer probable, the warning message
will be deactivated
Úpage 402.
NOTE:
The minimum speed for FCW activation is 3 mph
(5 km/h).
 The FCW alerts may be triggered on objects other than
vehicles such as guardrails or sign posts based on the
course prediction. This is expected and is a part of
normal FCW activation and functionality.
 It is unsafe to test the FCW system. To prevent such
misuse of the system, after four Active Braking events
within a key cycle, the Active Braking portion of FCW will
be deactivated until the next key cycle.
 The FCW system is intended for on-road use only. If the
vehicle is taken off-road, the FCW system should be
deactivated to prevent unnecessary warnings to the
surroundings.
 FCW may not react to irrelevant objects such as over -
head objects, ground reflections, objects not in the
path of the vehicle, stationary objects that are far away,
oncoming traffic, or leading vehicles with the same or
higher rate of speed.
 FCW will be disabled like ACC, with the unavailable
screens.
Turning FCW On Or Off
The FCW button is located in the Uconnect display in the
control settings Úpage 191.
 To turn the FCW system on, press the forward collision
button once.
 To turn the FCW system off, press the forward collision
button once.
NOTE:
When the FCW is “on”, this allows the system to warn
the driver of a possible collision with the vehicle in
front.
 When the FCW is “off”, this prevents the system from
warning the driver of a possible collision with the
vehicle in front. If the FCW is set to “off”, “FCW OFF” will
be displayed in the instrument cluster display. 
When FCW status is set to “Only Warning”, this
prevents the system from providing limited active
braking, or additional brake support if the driver is not
braking adequately in the event of a potential frontal
collision.
 When FCW status is set to “Warning and Braking”, this
allows the system to warn the driver of a possible colli -
sion with the vehicle in front using audible/visual warn -
ings and it applies autonomous braking.
 The FCW system state is defaulted to “Full On” from
one ignition cycle to the next. If the system is turned off,
it will reset to “Full On” when the vehicle is restarted.
FCW Braking Status And Sensitivity
The FCW Sensitivity and Active Braking status are
programmable through the Uconnect system
Úpage 191.
 Far
 When the sensitivity of FCW is set to the “Far”
setting and the system status is “Only Warning”,
this allows the system to warn the driver of a
possible more distant collision with the vehicle in
front using audible/visual warnings.
 More cautious drivers that do not mind frequent
warnings may prefer this setting.
NOTE:The “Far” setting may result in a greater number of FCW
possible collision warnings experienced.
WARNING!
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is not intended to
avoid a collision on its own, nor can FCW detect every
type of potential collision. The driver has the
responsibility to avoid a collision by controlling the
vehicle via braking and steering. Failure to follow this
warning could lead to serious injury or death.
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276SAFETY
Medium
 When the sensitivity of FCW is set to the “Medium”
setting and the system status is “Only Warning”,
this allows the system to warn the driver of a
possible collision with the vehicle in front using
audible/visual warnings.
 Near
 When the sensitivity of FCW is set to the “Near”
setting and the system status is “Only Warning”,
this allows the system to warn the driver of a
possible closer collision with the vehicle in front
using audible/visual warnings.
 This setting provides less reaction time than the
“Far” and “Medium” settings, which allows for a
more dynamic driving experience.
 More dynamic or aggressive drivers that want to
avoid frequent warnings may prefer this setting.
NOTE:The “Near” setting may result in a lesser number of FCW
possible collision warnings experienced.
FCW Limited Warning
If the instrument cluster displays “ACC/FCW Limited
Functionality” or “ACC/FCW Limited Functionality Clean
Front Windshield” momentarily, there may be a condition
that limits FCW functionality. Although the vehicle is still
driveable under normal conditions, the active braking may
not be fully available. Once the condition that limited the
system performance is no longer present, the system will
return to its full performance state. If the problem persists,
see an authorized dealer.
Service FCW Warning
If the system turns off, and the instrument cluster
displays:
ACC/FCW Unavailable Service Required
 Cruise/FCW Unavailable Service Required
This indicates there is an internal system fault. Although
the vehicle is still drivable under normal conditions, have
the system checked by an authorized dealer.
Pedestrian Emergency Braking (PEB) —
If Equipped
PEB is a subsystem of the FCW system that provides the
driver with audible and visual warnings in the instrument
cluster display, and may apply automatic braking when it
detects a potential frontal collision with a pedestrian/
cyclist.
If a PEB event begins at a speed below 37 mph (60 km/h),
the system may provide braking to mitigate the potential
collision with a pedestrian/cyclist. If the PEB event stops
the vehicle completely, the system will hold the vehicle at
a standstill for two seconds and then release the brakes.
When the system determines a collision with the
pedestrian/cyclist in front of you is no longer probable, the
warning message will be deactivated.
The minimum speed for PEB activation is 3 mph (5 km/h). Turning PEB On Or Off
NOTE:The default status of PEB is “On.” This allows the system
to warn you of a possible frontal collision with the
pedestrian.
The PEB button is located in the Uconnect display in the
controls settings
Úpage 191.
To turn the PEB system off, push the Pedestrian
Emergency Braking button once.
To turn the PEB system back on, push the Pedestrian
Emergency Braking button again.
Changing the PEB status to “Off” deactivates the system,
so no warning or active braking will be available in case of
a possible frontal collision with the pedestrian.
NOTE:The PEB system will retain the last setting selected by the
driver after ignition shut down.
WARNING!
Pedestrian Emergency Braking (PEB) is not intended to
avoid a collision on its own, nor can PEB detect every
type of potential collision with a pedestrian. The driver
has the responsibility to avoid a collision by controlling
the vehicle via braking and steering. Failure to follow
this warning could lead to serious injury or death.

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SAFETY297
If A Deployment Occurs
The front air bags are designed to deflate immediately
after deployment.
NOTE:Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all collisions.
This does not mean something is wrong with the air bag
system.
If you do have a collision which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
The air bag material may sometimes cause abrasions
and/or skin reddening to the occupants as the air bags
deploy and unfold. The abrasions are similar to friction
rope burns or those you might get sliding along a carpet
or gymnasium floor. They are not caused by contact
with chemicals. They are not permanent and normally
heal quickly. However, if you haven’t healed signifi -
cantly within a few days, or if you have any blistering,
see your doctor immediately.
 As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air
bag inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the
skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irrita -
tion, rinse the area with cool water. For nose or throat
irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation continues,
see your doctor. If these particles settle on your
clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s instruc -
tions for cleaning. Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have deployed.
If you are involved in another collision, the air bags will not
be in place to protect you.
NOTE:

Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
 After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact, if the communication network
remains intact, and the power remains intact, depending
on the nature of the event, the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) will determine whether to have the
Enhanced Accident Response System perform the
following functions:
Cut off fuel to the engine (if equipped)
 Cut off battery power to the electric motor (if equipped)
 Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power 
Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power or for 15 minutes from the inter -
vention of the Enhanced Accident Response System
 Unlock the power door locks
Your vehicle may also be designed to perform any of these
other functions in response to the Enhanced Accident
Response System:
 Turn off the Fuel Filter Heater, Turn off the HVAC Blower
Motor, Close the HVAC Circulation Door
 Cut off battery power to the:
 Engine
 Electric Motor (if equipped)
 Electric power steering
 Brake booster
 Electric park brake
 Automatic transmission gear selector
 Horn
 Front wiper
 Headlight washer pump (if equipped)
NOTE:After an accident, remember to cycle the ignition to the
STOP (OFF/LOCK) position and remove the key from the
ignition switch to avoid draining the battery. Carefully
check the vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine compartment
and on the ground near the engine compartment and fuel
tank before resetting the system and starting the engine.
If there are no fuel leaks or damage to the vehicle elec -
trical devices (e.g. headlights) after an accident, reset the
system by following the procedure described below. If you
have any doubt, contact an authorized dealer.
WARNING!
Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags, seat
belt pretensioners, and the seat belt retractor
assemblies replaced by an authorized dealer
immediately. Also, have the Occupant Restraint
Controller System serviced as well.
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