Electronic Range Select (ERS) Operation

[Tulecreeper]

I have a new 2023 2500. There are a couple other threads about this, but none that are helpful, and the manual only touches on how to use it, not when to use it. Is the ERS selector on the steering wheel to aid in towing? I can imagine it being helpful in a situation where you're towing uphill and struggling a bit with the load and the transmission wants to keep shifting up and down repeatedly. If you activate ERS and tell it to not shift above, say, 3rd gear you could limit the shifting. Other than that, I don't see a use for it.

 

[Dean2]

The most common use is to use engine compression going downhill so you don't have to ride the brakes. 3rd gear, 4000 rpm will give you real good engine braking even with the gas motor. I have occasionally used it to keep higher revs going uphill but the tow haul usually does that fine.

Range select is also useful for higher revs in 4x4 in deep mud or snow to keep the revs where you want them.

 

[jejb]

I activate it for longer pulls through hilly terrain, just to see what gear its in when it kicks down. Just curiosity. I have the diesel, so no need for it for engine braking.

 

[crash68]

I have the diesel, so no need for it for engine braking.

Exhaust brake for the win!!!..lol
Just set the cruise at the speed you want to go down the hill with the exhaust brake on Auto, no need to touch the pedals

 

[chopperdog45]

Exhaust brake for the win!!!..lol
Just set the cruise at the speed you want to go down the hill with the exhaust brake on Auto, no need to touch the pedals

The exhaust brake is probably my favorite feature on my truck.

 

[Dean2]

I activate it for longer pulls through hilly terrain, just to see what gear its in when it kicks down. Just curiosity. I have the diesel, so no need for it for engine braking.

Take a look on your EVIC/Screen settings setup menu. Some of the 3500 and 2500s have the ability to choose to display current gear while also showing the D, rather than being on the Range Limiter. Just activate the option in screen setup.

Double click picture to expand it for easier reading.

 

[Tulecreeper]

The most common use is to use engine compression going downhill so you don't have to ride the brakes. 3rd gear, 4000 rpm will give you real good engine braking even with the gas motor. I have occasionally used it to keep higher revs going uphill but the tow haul usually does that fine.

Range select is also useful for higher revs in 4x4 in deep mud or snow to keep the revs where you want them.

Good idea, I didn't think about that. I won't lie, I feel like and idiot. I picked up this truck on Mar 24th, and it wasn't until yesterday that I noticed the "Gear +/-" buttons on the bottom of the steering wheel. I went through the manual the first week I had the truck just to try to familiarize myself with all the stuff I'll never use and I don't remember seeing that. It could be because I saw it and said, "I don't have that because I didn't order it," and just passed by that page.

 

[SniperDroid]

I turn on the gear selection and just set it to "8" when towing so I can see what gear it's in. In "Tow Haul" mode, on the 6.4L, engine breaking is introduced and helps with the downhill stuff. I'm sure it's not a great as engine compression braking on the Cummins but it works for me. Using the gear selection in the same fashion without tow haul, turns off the MDS!

 

[Tulecreeper]

I turn on the gear selection and just set it to "8" when towing so I can see what gear it's in. In "Tow Haul" mode, on the 6.4L, engine breaking is introduced and helps with the downhill stuff. I'm sure it's not a great as engine compression braking on the Cummins but it works for me. Using the gear selection in the same fashion without tow haul, turns off the MDS!

I wasn't aware my engine had MDS.

 

[SniperDroid]

I wasn't aware my engine had MDS.

The 6.4l in mine does... did Ram discontinue it?

 

[Tulecreeper]

The 6.4l in mine does... did Ram discontinue it?

I think it still has it. I didn't even know what it was until you mentioned it, so I looked it up.

 

[Dean2]

Now that you have had your truck a while I suggest go back and read manual cover to cover a couple moretimes. I was never a big believere in the need to read these until I got my first Lexus back in the early 2000s. The new vehicles have so much more technology and features it is almost impossible to get the most out of them without reading the manual. I know I have now read my Ram manual at least 4 times, and I still pickup new stuff each time.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Now that you have had your truck a while I suggest go back and read manual cover to cover a couple moretimes. I was never a big believere in the need to read these until I got my first Lexus back in the early 2000s. The new vehicles have so much more technology and features it is almost impossible to get the most out of them without reading the manual. I know I have now read my Ram manual at least 4 times, and I still pickup new stuff each time.

I've had the truck for 9 weeks now and the manual is still in the house because I'm not done with it yet. There is no mention what the ERS is for, only that I can change gears with it. And there is zero mention of anything called an MDS, so I didn't even know it existed. I never heard the term until SniperDroid used it and I had to look that up online.

 

[SniperDroid]

Primarily, it's for Manual Downshifting, just like the Big Old Shift Lever was.

 

[Ratman6161]

Exhaust brake for the win!!!..lol
Just set the cruise at the speed you want to go down the hill with the exhaust brake on Auto, no need to touch the pedals

Actually the same tactic works on the 6.4L too, it's just downshifting the transmission. It's not really necessary to use the range select unless you are in a situation where you can't use cruise control for some reason.

 

[Riccochet]

I've had the truck for 9 weeks now and the manual is still in the house because I'm not done with it yet. There is no mention what the ERS is for, only that I can change gears with it. And there is zero mention of anything called an MDS, so I didn't even know it existed. I never heard the term until SniperDroid used it and I had to look that up online.

All 6.4's have MDS. You can tell when the engine disables cylinders by seeing "ECO" on your EVIC. You'll never see it while towing, and rarely while driving around town. Have to be real light on the throttle. Even on the highway unless I'm using cruise control at 70 mph or less I rarely see it.

If you get an exhaust on your truck you can really tell when it kicks in. Go from V8 mode to fart can 4 banger mode.

 

[Tulecreeper]

All 6.4's have MDS. You can tell when the engine disables cylinders by seeing "ECO" on your EVIC. You'll never see it while towing, and rarely while driving around town. Have to be real light on the throttle. Even on the highway unless I'm using cruise control at 70 mph or less I rarely see it.

If you get an exhaust on your truck you can really tell when it kicks in. Go from V8 mode to fart can 4 banger mode.

EVIC - another term I had to look up. Thursday was the first time I've had it out on the freeway over 60 MPH when I went a couple hours north. I had it at 75 for quite a while on cruise control but I didn't see any ECO light come on.

 

[HighDesertRam]

Good idea, I didn't think about that. I won't lie, I feel like and idiot. I picked up this truck on Mar 24th, and it wasn't until yesterday that I noticed the "Gear +/-" buttons on the bottom of the steering wheel. I went through the manual the first week I had the truck just to try to familiarize myself with all the stuff I'll never use and I don't remember seeing that. It could be because I saw it and said, "I don't have that because I didn't order it," and just passed by that page.

You're not an idiot. I previously owned a Chevy Silverado 2500 gas engine for towing. As I drove the truck home to Utah from the dealer in Vegas, I was confused that there was no way to manually shift. It wasn't until I read the manual that I realized that the ERS was even there.

 

[Tulecreeper]

You're not an idiot. I previously owned a Chevy Silverado 2500 gas engine for towing. As I drove the truck home to Utah from the dealer in Vegas, I was confused that there was no way to manually shift. It wasn't until I read the manual that I realized that the ERS was even there.

That's funny, I thought the same thing when I got this truck. All the shift knob has is P-R-N-D, and I wondered, "Am I not able to put it in a lower gear than Drive if I want?" It's one of those things that I kind of stored in the back of my mind for later.

 

[Danny Phillips]

The gear+- is on my gear shift. I use it every day. Especially with the engine brake.