What does tow haul mode do? It changes how the automatic transmission shifts under load, and nothing about how much the truck is rated to tow. The six speed section of the 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 owner's manual puts it this way: "When operating in TOW/HAUL mode, transmission upshifts are delayed, and the transmission will automatically downshift (for engine braking) when the throttle is closed and/or during steady braking maneuvers." If you are matching a truck to a trailer, browse our new Ram 1500 inventory with the trailer's loaded weight in hand.

The rating comes from how the truck is built, which is why our guide to Ram 1500 towing capacity by engine and configuration works through it one build at a time. Tow/Haul helps the transmission live with a load. It does not raise the load.

Key Takeaways

• Tow/Haul changes shifting, not ratings. In the six speed section of the 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 owner's manual, upshifts are delayed and the transmission downshifts for engine braking when the throttle is closed or during steady braking.
• The manual's trigger is frequent shifting. It says to push the switch on hills, with a trailer or with a heavy load when the transmission is shifting frequently.
• It does not raise what the truck may tow. The manual's Tow/Haul pages say nothing about a rating; what a truck may tow depends on how it is built.
• Leave it off on icy or slippery roads. The 2022 manual warns that the increased engine braking can make the rear wheels slide.
• It resets at every start. The 2022 manual says normal operation is the default at engine start up, so the switch has to be pushed each time.
• On a Cummins with the exhaust brake, the 2022 manual pairs the two for optimum braking power, and it says not to use the exhaust brake on icy or slippery roads either.

What the 2022 Ram HD Manual Says Tow/Haul Changes

The 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 owner's manual prints a page on when to use Tow/Haul mode twice, once under the six speed automatic and once under the eight speed. Both pages give the same reason for it: "This will improve performance and reduce the potential for transmission overheating or failure due to excessive shifting."

Only the six speed page spells out what changes, in the sentence quoted at the top. In plain words, the truck holds each gear longer before shifting up, and when you lift off or brake steadily, it drops a gear so the engine helps hold the load back.

The manual's towing tips explain the problem it is solving. They say the Drive range can be selected when towing, and add: "The transmission controls include a drive strategy to avoid frequent shifting when towing." If frequent shifting does happen in Drive, the manual says to select Tow/Haul or a lower gear range, and its note says doing so under heavy loading conditions "will improve performance and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shifting and heat build up."

What does frequent shifting look like? Watch the tachometer and listen. On a grade or into a headwind, the engine note rises and falls and the needle swings as the transmission hunts between two gears. That is the moment the manual describes.

Those pages come from the heavy duty manual. On a Ram 1500, or a heavy duty truck of another model year, read the Tow/Haul pages in that truck's own owner's manual (Mopar's owner information site carries Ram owner's manuals by model year), or ask our service team.

Where the Cummins Exhaust Brake Fits In

On a 2022 Ram 2500 or 3500 with the Cummins and the exhaust brake, where fitted, Tow/Haul does a second job. Its owner's manual says, "Exhaust braking is most effective when the engine RPM is higher." It then says, "The automatic transmission will downshift more aggressively in TOW/HAUL mode when the exhaust brake is enabled to increase brake performance."

That is why the manual recommends the pair: "For optimum braking power it is recommended to use the exhaust brake while in TOW/HAUL mode." Our explainer on the Cummins exhaust brake and its Full and Smart modes covers the brake itself. If the exhaust brake feels weaker than it used to, our service department does exhaust and emissions work, the exhaust brake included.

What Tow/Haul Mode Does Not Do

It is not a towing capacity button. The manual describes Tow/Haul as a change to how the transmission shifts, and none of its Tow/Haul pages says the mode raises what the truck may pull. A trailer that is over the truck's rating is still over it with the indicator light on.

The rating belongs to the engine, axle, cab and drivetrain the truck was built with. For the heavy duty side, our guide to Ram 2500 towing capacity with the Cummins and the HEMI sets out the maximums and what moves them, and our new Ram 2500 inventory is online. For the exact truck in front of you, ask our team for its ratings before you hook up.

Prairie Cases: When the Button Earns Its Keep

Manitoba is mostly flat, but the manual's conditions still show up here. Our advice starts from the manual's own trigger.

The long climb up the escarpment. Pulling a camper up the Riding Mountain escarpment or through the Pembina Hills, a transmission that keeps shifting between two gears is exactly the manual's case. Push the switch before the climb, and on the way back down the downshift for engine braking lets the engine share the work with your brakes.

A loaded box with no trailer. The manual names carrying a heavy load, so Tow/Haul is not only for a hitch. Seed, fence posts or a box of firewood can make a truck hunt on a grade, or into a headwind on the flat roads around Portage la Prairie. Keep the load inside the payload for that exact truck, and ask our team for it if you are not sure.

A grain trailer on gravel. On a dry, packed grid road through harvest, towing a trailer is the manual's condition, and Tow/Haul fits. After a rain, when the clay under the gravel turns greasy, treat the road as slippery and leave it off, because the manual's warning covers slippery conditions, not only ice.

A strong wind on the Trans-Canada Highway. Westbound toward Brandon into a hard headwind with a trailer, the transmission may drop out of top gear and climb back in over and over. That is frequent shifting, and Tow/Haul is the manual's answer to it. A crosswind is another matter: the manual's Tow/Haul pages never mention wind, so slow down.

Empty on a flat highway. None of the manual's conditions apply, so Drive is the setting.

Leaving It On in Snow

Before the snow stays, this is the question that matters most, and the manual answers it plainly: "Do not use the TOW/HAUL feature when driving in icy or slippery conditions." The next sentence says why: "The increased engine braking can cause the rear wheels to slide, and the vehicle to swing around with the possible loss of vehicle control, which may cause an accident possibly resulting in personal injury or death."

The 2022 manual gives the same warning for the exhaust brake. On a Manitoba winter day a highway can be bare in town and glazed ten minutes out, so decide before you pull out. If there is ice or packed snow on the route, leave both off.

On a 2022 Ram 2500 or 3500, normal operation is the default at every start, so a cold morning begins with Tow/Haul off; on a slippery day, just leave it that way.

The Honest Fuel and Wear Note

Delayed upshifts mean the engine spends more time at higher revs. The manual gives no fuel figure for Tow/Haul either way, so we will not put a number on it, and empty on a flat road it names no reason to use the mode.

On wear, the manual's worry is heat and excessive shifting under heavy loads, and it says Tow/Haul or a lower gear extends transmission life in those conditions. If you tow and have never pressed the button, the next long grade with a trailer behind you is the place to start.

At Dunn Ram Trucks in Portage la Prairie, our service department does transmission service and repair in house. If a towing season has been hard on the truck, book a transmission service with our service team and tell them what it tows and how often.

If the truck you have is not the one for the trailer you want, you can see what your current truck is worth and apply for financing online. Any approval, rate or term is on approved credit.

FAQs

What does tow haul mode do?

It changes how the automatic transmission shifts under load. In the six speed section of the 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 owner's manual, upshifts are delayed in Tow/Haul mode, and the transmission downshifts for engine braking when the throttle is closed or during steady braking. The manual says this reduces the potential for transmission overheating or failure due to excessive shifting.

When should I use Tow/Haul mode?

Use it when the transmission starts shifting frequently on hills, with a trailer or with a heavy load in the box. The 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 owner's manual names those conditions, and its towing tips say Drive can be selected when towing, with Tow/Haul or a lower gear range if frequent shifting occurs. On a Ram 1500 or another model year, check the Tow/Haul pages of that truck's own owner's manual.

Does Tow/Haul mode increase towing capacity?

No. The Tow/Haul pages of the 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 owner's manual describe a change to how the transmission shifts and say nothing about raising a rating. What a truck may tow depends on how it is built, so ask our team for the ratings on the exact truck before you hook up.

Should I use Tow/Haul mode in snow?

No, not when the road is icy or slippery. The 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 owner's manual says not to use Tow/Haul in icy or slippery conditions, because the increased engine braking can cause the rear wheels to slide and the truck to swing around. It gives the same warning for the Cummins exhaust brake.

Does Tow/Haul mode stay on after I shut the truck off?

No. The 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 owner's manual says normal operation is always the default at engine start up, so the switch has to be pushed again after every start if you want Tow/Haul. The Tow/Haul indicator light in the instrument cluster shows when it is on.

The Bottom Line

What does tow haul mode do? On the 2022 Ram 2500 and 3500 six speed, it holds gears longer and downshifts for engine braking, so a loaded transmission stops hunting between gears. Use it when the shifting starts on a grade, with a trailer or with a heavy box. Leave it off on ice, push it again after every start, and never treat it as extra capacity.

Has your truck been working hard under a trailer? Book a transmission check with our service team and bring the kilometres and what it tows.

Tyler Dunn, Dunn Ram Trucks, Portage la Prairie