Dodge Ram 2500 (2016 year). Manual

Towing Tips

Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer up in an area away from heavy
traffic.

Automatic Transmission

The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. The
transmission controls include a drive strategy to avoid
frequent shifting when towing. However, if frequent
shifting does occur while in DRIVE, select TOW/HAUL
mode or select a lower gear range (using the Electronic
Range Select (ERS) shift control).

NOTE:

Using TOW/HAUL mode or selecting a lower

gear range (using the ERS shift control) while operating
the vehicle under heavy loading conditions will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat build up. This action will also
provide better engine braking.

Seven-Pin Connector

1 — Battery
2 — Backup Lamps
3 — Right Stop/Turn
4 — Electric Brakes

5 — Ground
6 — Left Stop/Turn
7 — Running Lamps

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When towing a loaded trailer up steep grades at low
speeds (20 mph [32 km/h] or below), holding your
vehicle in first gear (using the ERS shift control) can help
to avoid transmission overheating.

If you regularly tow a trailer for more than 45 minutes of
continuous operation, then change the automatic trans-
mission fluid and filter(s) as specified for

⬙police, taxi,

fleet, or frequent trailer towing.

⬙ Refer to the “Mainte-

nance Schedule” for the proper maintenance intervals.

NOTE:

Check the automatic transmission fluid level

before towing (6-speed automatic only).

Tow/Haul Mode

To reduce potential for automatic transmission overheat-
ing, activate TOW/HAUL mode when driving in hilly
areas, or select a lower gear range (using the Electronic
Range Select (ERS) shift control) on more severe grades.

Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped

• Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
• When using the speed control, if you experience speed

drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.

• Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to

maximize fuel efficiency.

Cooling System

To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:

City Driving

When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.

Highway Driving

Reduce speed.

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717

Air Conditioning

Turn off temporarily.

Air Suspension System

To aid in attaching/detaching the trailer from the vehicle,
the air suspension system can be used. Refer to “Air
Suspension System” in “Starting And Operating” for
further information.

NOTE:

The vehicle must remain in the engine running

position while attaching a trailer for proper leveling of
the air suspension system.

SNOWPLOW

1500 Models Only

NOTE:

Do not use this model vehicle for snowplow

applications.

WARNING!

Snowplows and other aftermarket equipment should
not be added to the front end of your vehicle. The
airbag crash sensors may be affected by the change in
the front end structure. The airbags could deploy
unexpectedly or could fail to deploy during a colli-
sion resulting in serious injury or death.

CAUTION!

Using this vehicle for snowplow applications can
cause damage to the vehicle.

WARNING!

Attaching a snowplow to this vehicle could adversely
affect performance of the airbag system in a collision.

(Continued)

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WARNING! (Continued)

Do not expect that the airbag will perform as de-
scribed earlier in this manual.

2500/3500 Models Only

Snowplow Prep Packages are available as a factory
installed option. These packages include components
necessary to equip your vehicle with a snowplow.

NOTE:

Before installation of a snowplow it is highly

recommended that the owner/installer obtain and follow
the recommendations contained within the current Body
Builders Guide. See your authorized dealer, installer or
snowplow manufacturer for this information. There are
unique electrical systems that must be connected to
properly assure operator safety and prevent overloading
vehicle systems.

WARNING!

Attaching a snowplow to this vehicle could adversely
affect performance of the airbag system in a collision.
Do not expect that the airbag will perform as de-
scribed earlier in this manual.

CAUTION!

The “Lamp Out” indicator could illuminate if exte-
rior lamps are not properly installed.

Before Plowing
• Check the hydraulic system for leaks and proper fluid

level.

• Check the mounting bolts and nuts for proper tight-

ness.

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719

• Check the runners and cutting edge for excessive wear.

The cutting edge should be ¼ to ½ in (6 cm to 1.2 cm)
above ground in snow plowing position.

• Check that snowplow lighting is connected and func-

tioning properly.

Snowplow Prep Package Model Availability

For Information about snowplow applications visit
www.ramtrucks.com or refer to the current Body Build-
ers Guide.

1. The maximum number of occupants in the truck

should not exceed two.

2. The total GVWR or the Front GAWR or the Rear

GAWR should never be exceeded.

3. Cargo capacity will be reduced by the addition of

options or passengers, etc.

The loaded vehicle weight, including the snowplow
system, all aftermarket accessories, driver, passengers,
options, and cargo, must not exceed either the Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVWR) or Gross Axle Weight (GAWR)
ratings. These weights are specified on the Safety Com-
pliance Certification Label on the driver’s side door
opening.

NOTE:

Detach the snowplow when transporting pas-

sengers.

Vehicle front end wheel alignment was set to specifica-
tions at the factory without consideration for the weight
of the plow. Front end toe-in should be checked and reset
if necessary at the beginning and end of the snowplow
season. This will help prevent uneven tire wear.

The blade should be lowered whenever the vehicle is
parked.

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Maintain and operate your vehicle and snowplow equip-
ment following the recommendations provided by the
specific snowplow manufacturer.

Over The Road Operation With Snowplow
Attached

The blade restricts air flow to the radiator and causes the
engine to operate at higher than normal temperatures.
Therefore, when transporting the plow, angle the blade
completely and position it as low as road or surface
conditions permit. Do not exceed 40 mph (64 km/h). The
operator should always maintain a safe stopping distance
and allow adequate passing clearance.

Operating Tips

Under ideal snow plowing conditions, 20 mph (32 km/h)
should be maximum operating speed. The operator
should be familiar with the area and surface to be
cleaned. Reduce speed and use extreme caution when
plowing unfamiliar areas or under poor visibility.

General Maintenance

Snowplows should be maintained in accordance with the
plow manufacturer’s instructions.

Keep all snowplow electrical connections and battery
terminals clean and free of corrosion.

When plowing snow, to avoid transmission and drivetrain
damage, the following precautions should be observed.
• Operate with transfer case in 4LO when plowing small

or congested areas where speeds are not likely to exceed
15 mph (24 km/h). At higher speeds operate in 4HI.

• Vehicles with automatic transmissions should use 4LO

range when plowing deep or heavy snow for extended
periods of time to avoid transmission overheating.

• Do not shift the transmission unless the engine has

returned to idle and wheels have stopped. Make a
practice of stepping on the brake pedal while shifting
the transmission.

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721

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle

Towing Condition

Wheels OFF
The Ground

Two-Wheel

Drive Models

Four-Wheel Drive Models

Flat Tow

NONE

NOT AL-

LOWED

See Instructions

• Automatic transmission in PARK

• Manual transmission in gear (NOT in NEU-

TRAL)

• Transfer case in NEUTRAL (N)

• Tow in forward direction

Dolly Tow

Front

NOT AL-

LOWED

NOT ALLOWED

Rear

NOT ALLOWED

On Trailer

ALL

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NOTE:

• When recreational towing your vehicle, always follow

applicable state and provincial laws. Contact state and
provincial Highway Safety offices for additional de-
tails.

• Vehicles equipped with air suspension must be placed

in Transport mode before tying them down (from the
body) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to “Air
Suspension – If Equipped” for more information. If the
vehicle cannot be placed in Transport mode (for ex-
ample, engine will not run), tie-downs must be fas-
tened to the axles (not to the body). Failure to follow
these instructions may cause fault codes to be set
and/or cause loss of proper tie-down tension.

Recreational Towing — Two-Wheel Drive Models

DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.

Recreational towing (for two-wheel drive models) is
allowed ONLY if the rear wheels are OFF the ground.
This may be accomplished using a tow dolly or vehicle
trailer. If using a tow dolly, follow this procedure:

NOTE:

If vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure

the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.

1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow vehicle, following

the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.

2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly.

3. Firmly apply the parking brake. Place automatic trans-

mission in PARK, manual transmission in gear (not in
NEUTRAL).

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4. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following

the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and

remove the Key Fob.

6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for tow-

ing, to secure the front wheels in the straight position.

CAUTION!

• Towing with the rear wheels on the ground will

cause severe transmission damage. Damage from
improper towing is not covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.

• Do not disconnect the driveshaft because fluid may

leak from the transmission, causing damage to
internal parts.

Recreational Towing — Four-Wheel Drive Models

NOTE:

Both the manual shift and electronic shift transfer

cases must be shifted into NEUTRAL (N) for recreational
towing. Automatic transmissions must be shifted into
PARK for recreational towing. Manual transmissions
must be placed in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL) for recre-
ational towing. Refer to the following for the proper
transfer case NEUTRAL (N) shifting procedure for your
vehicle.

CAUTION!

• DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle. Towing with

only one set of wheels on the ground (front or rear)
will cause severe transmission and/or transfer case
damage. Tow with all four wheels either ON the
ground, or OFF the ground (using a vehicle trailer).

(Continued)

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CAUTION! (Continued)

• Tow only in the forward direction. Towing this

vehicle backwards can cause severe damage to the
transfer case.

• Automatic transmissions must be placed in PARK

for recreational towing.

• Manual transmissions must be placed in gear (not

in Neutral) for recreational towing.

• Before recreational towing, perform the procedure

outlined under “Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)” to be
certain that the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL
(N). Otherwise, internal damage will result.

• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above re-

quirements can cause severe transmission and/or
transfer case damage. Damage from improper tow-
ing is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.

(Continued)

CAUTION! (Continued)

• Do not disconnect the rear driveshaft because fluid

will leak from the transfer case, causing damage to
internal parts.

• Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on tow bar

on your vehicle. The bumper face bar will be
damaged.

Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)

Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing.

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

(Continued)

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WARNING! (Continued)

the parking brake. The transfer case NEUTRAL (N)
position disengages both the front and rear drive
shaft from the powertrain, and will allow the vehicle
to roll, even if the automatic transmission is in PARK
(or manual transmission is in gear). 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.

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, 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. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.

5. With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer case

lever into NEUTRAL (N).

• With electronic shift transfer case, push and hold the

transfer case NEUTRAL (N) 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 NEUTRAL switch, below the rotary
transfer case control knob. The NEUTRAL (N) indi-
cator light will blink while the shift is in progress.
The light will stop blinking (stay on solid) when the

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shift to NEUTRAL (N) is complete. After the shift is
completed and the NEUTRAL (N) light stays on,
release the NEUTRAL (N) button.

6. Release the parking brake.

7. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.

8. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual

transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.

9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with automatic transmission in

DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.

10. 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 EN-
GINE START/STOP button until the engine shuts off.

11. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual

transmission in gear (NOT in Neutral). On 8-speed
transmissions the shifter will automatically select
PARK when the engine is turned off.

12. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position, then

cycle the Key or the Keyless Enter-N-Go button to the
RUN position and back to the OFF position. Remove
the Key Fob from the ignition switch.

13. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable

tow bar.

14. Release the parking brake.

NOTE:

With electronic shift transfer case:

• Steps 2 through 4 are requirements that must be met

before pushing the NEUTRAL (N) button, and must
continue to be met until the shift has been completed.
If any of these requirements are not met before push-
ing the NEUTRAL (N) button or are no longer met

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727

during the shift, the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will
flash continuously until all requirements are met or
until the NEUTRAL (N) button is released.

• The ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position

for a shift to take place and for the position indicator
lights to be operable. If the ignition switch is not in the
ON/RUN position, the shift will not take place and no
position indicator lights will be on or flashing.

• A flashing NEUTRAL (N) 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 mini-
mum 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 com-
pensate for temperature effects.

Shifting Out Of NEUTRAL (N)

Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage:

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving it con-

nected 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 NEU-

TRAL. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual trans-
mission.

• With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer

case lever to the desired position.

• With electronic shift transfer case with rotary selector

switch, push and hold the transfer case NEUTRAL
(N) button until the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light
turns off. After the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light
turns off, release the NEUTRAL (N) button. After the

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NEUTRAL (N) button has been released, the transfer
case will shift to the position indicated by the selec-
tor switch.

• With electronic shift transfer case with push-button

selector switch, push and hold the switch for the
desired transfer case position, until the NEUTRAL
(N) indicator light turns off and the desired position
indicator light turns on.

NOTE:

When shifting out of transfer case NEUTRAL (N),

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 transmission into

PARK. On 8-speed transmissions the shifter will auto-
matically select PARK when the engine is turned off.

6. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on a manual

transmission).

7. Disconnect vehicle from the tow vehicle.

8. Start the engine.

9. Press and hold the brake pedal.

10. Release the parking brake.

11. Shift the transmission into gear, release the brake

pedal (and clutch pedal on manual transmissions),
and check that the vehicle operates normally.

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NOTE:

With electronic shift transfer case:

• Steps 3 and 4 are requirements that must be met before

pushing the button to shift out of NEUTRAL (N), 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 NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will flash
continuously until all requirements are met or until the
button is released.

• The ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position

• A flashing NEUTRAL (N) position indicator light

indicates that shift requirements have not been met.

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Dodge Ram 2500 (2016 year). Manual - part 45