Tow / mode question.

[tlpollock01]

Can someone please cruise 70 and turn on tow haul mode? All my other vehicles jump up around 500 rpms when in tow mode and drop 500 when turned off. My Ram has only 400 miles on it and I wonder if it’s a break I’m restriction or a new style Of tow mode with torque converter that stays locked? Or my torque converter is not locking up. It’s hard to tell..


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[jdefoe0424]

Tow/haul mode changes the shift points, so it may just be kicking down into 7th gear as I believe I have read that it locks out 8th.
You can enable the gear display in the cluster so that you can see what gear the truck is in at all times.

 

[tlpollock01]

My RPM’s never change , all my other vehicles just unlock the torque converter I believe.


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[tlpollock01]

I expected the rpms to increase while cruising in tow mode, it does not.
I just wonder if this new tow mode behavior is what everyone else is getting too?
Or do I need to take it in to get looked at or maybe it needs more miles to be enabled ?


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[jdefoe0424]

Ok. I've never engaged tow/haul unless I've had a trailer and to be honest don't remember what final gear it would stay in. Probably if there wasn't enough load to cause a change then it wouldn't change.
Most likely the other vehicles were shifting out of over drive(torque converter should remain locked), heat is the enemy of transmissions and older overdrives weren't meant for all that torque all the time.

 

[devildodge]

By all your other vehicles, do you mean a 6spd ram.

I understand the 2019/20 does not drop out of 8th like the 6 speed would drop out of 5th.

If this is what you meant, then that would have been your 500 RPM.

Need to be a bit more specific with your other vehicles.

Not sure if keeping 8th is a 5th Gen change or the 8spd change, but for sure the 8spd in the 5th Gen does not limit 8th gear and also doesn't shut down MDS I believe

 

[tlpollock01]

The other vehicles are numerous, and different brands. I will list a few of them.
Every vehicle I’ve ever owned that had a tow mode except my 2019 Ram does run higher rpms in tow mode while cruising.
2017 Ram 2500 Cummins
2015 Ram 2500 6.4
2017 Silverado HD Duramax: Allison trans.
2007 Ram 1500 5.7
2014 F150
2017 grand Cherokee summit
2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

So what you are saying is that enabling tow mode on the 5th Gen will not produce an RPM change while cruising and my truck is normal.
That is specifically what I was trying to learn about my brand new truck.
I am learning that it is very different from anything I have ever owned before.

I appreciate the helpful comments. I didn’t know if it needed to go to the shop. Lol




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[devildodge]

Then yes, that would be the issue. The older Rams would lock out 6th gear.

Your new ram does not lock out 8th gear. It uses them all

 

[SD Rebel]

The Tow Haul mode will adjust your shift points, waiting longer to upshift especially up a hill and downshifting to optimize engine breaking.

It will use all 8 gears, it won't lock them out unless you do by your steering wheel gear limit selector.

 

[Trooper4]

The Tow Haul mode will adjust your shift points, waiting longer to upshift especially up a hill and downshifting to optimize engine breaking.

It will use all 8 gears, it won't lock them out unless you do by your steering wheel gear limit selector.

So far as I have seen, the only thing tow/haul locks out is the MDS

 

[HeliPilot]

I know on gen 4, tow mode did not disable MDS. Not sure about gen 5, but would assume its the same. Only gear limiting switches on steering wheel disable MDS as far as I know.

 

[devildodge]

Yes, with the 8spd both 4th and 5th Gen MDS is not locked out in Tow/Haul mode and it uses all 8 gears.

The only way to lock out MDS is to use the gear selector.

On the older 6 spds tow/haul did lock out 6th gear and MDS

 

[Ruben73]

Yes, with the 8spd both 4th and 5th Gen MDS is not locked out in Tow/Haul mode and it uses all 8 gears.

The only way to lock out MDS is to use the gear selector.

On the older 6 spds tow/haul did lock out 6th gear and MDS

Once you you put it in park it resets right? So you would have to do it each time you put it in drive correct?

 

[SD Rebel]

Once you you put it in park it resets right? So you would have to do it each time you put it in drive correct?

You mean the MDS with the +/- selector on the steering wheel? Yes, anytime you change gear out of drive, like P/N/R it will reset, along with turning the truck off/on.

 

[Neurobit]

Yes, with the 8spd both 4th and 5th Gen MDS is not locked out in Tow/Haul mode and it uses all 8 gears.

The only way to lock out MDS is to use the gear selector.

On the older 6 spds tow/haul did lock out 6th gear and MDS

Hmm. I use Tow/Haul daily to bypass MDS...

 

[devildodge]

Hmm. I use Tow/Haul daily to bypass MDS...

It shouldn't be bypassing it. I have no personal experience with it though. I drive a HeavyDuty with a fuel level sensor fail...my MDS is never on now...lol

 

[Neurobit]

It shouldn't be bypassing it. I have no personal experience with it though. I drive a HeavyDuty with a fuel level sensor fail...my MDS is never on now...lol

LOL I know.
Anyway, yeah, it locks out MDS, just like using the gear selector.

 

[devildodge]

That is interesting as that is the first I heard tow/haul disables MDS...gotta love the internet. But, I did think I heard the 8speeds do not disable MDS unless you select gear(+/-) from RAM too. Guess, we never really know with these 5th Gens.

 

[Trooper4]

Hmm. I use Tow/Haul daily to bypass MDS...

Same here when I need to.

 

[5thGenRebel_AMK]

Same here when I need to.

from my experience, MDS is activated much less when in tow haul mode, but it is not locked out. I'm not sure if its the 3.92 gears in the rebel, but my 4th gen with 3.21 gears went into MDS much more than my current rebel does. I still lock out of MDS by using the gear selector everytime i drive.

I always use tow haul mode when driving in hilly areas as well. almost never have to touch the breaks, and it puts less strain on the transmission by eliminating the need to constantly gear hunt