The ECO Light - ... and brand new to RAM

[RainDodger]

Hi, guys... I'm a first-time-RAM owner of a 2019 1500 Classic. There's a lot of talk about the ECO light and how to make it go away or stay away or not go away, or whatever. There's a bazillion mentions of it. I apologize if this has been mentioned. My truck has the 8-speed ZF transmission and I don't know who this would apply to... but here's what I found, and I don't see a down-side to running this way occasionally:

Once you’re moving and not in Park, hit the Gear- button. It will come on in any given gear, depending on your speed. Adjust it so that you have 8th gear selected.

Of course that selection means that the transmission is going to work perfectly normally but cannot shift into a higher gear than 8th… of course it can’t, because there aren’t any gears above 8th!

The ECO light will never come on. If it was on when you selected any gear with the Gear- or Gear+ button, it would have gone out. Once you go into Park, the truck will shift back into the regular Drive mode and ECO will be back on.

Everything shifts normally from zero to any speed, as far as I can tell. Shift points are just fine and it downshifts normally when you accelerate. I think it’s all good. No more throttle mushiness when driving around town and it keeps going into ECO mode. I found that irritating.

Once again, I apologize if this is ancient information. Anyone think there's a problem doing this?

 

[512RAM]

If you're just worried about the light, but not MDS, you can disable it in your settings on the uconnect.

I disable my MDS the same way as you. Through the gear buttons. There is no downside to running 8 cylinders at all times. That's what I prefer.

 

[Wild one]

Hi, guys... I'm a first-time-RAM owner of a 2019 1500 Classic. There's a lot of talk about the ECO light and how to make it go away or stay away or not go away, or whatever. There's a bazillion mentions of it. I apologize if this has been mentioned. My truck has the 8-speed ZF transmission and I don't know who this would apply to... but here's what I found, and I don't see a down-side to running this way occasionally:

Once you’re moving and not in Park, hit the Gear- button. It will come on in any given gear, depending on your speed. Adjust it so that you have 8th gear selected.

Of course that selection means that the transmission is going to work perfectly normally but cannot shift into a higher gear than 8th… of course it can’t, because there aren’t any gears above 8th!

The ECO light will never come on. If it was on when you selected any gear with the Gear- or Gear+ button, it would have gone out. Once you go into Park, the truck will shift back into the regular Drive mode and ECO will be back on.

Everything shifts normally from zero to any speed, as far as I can tell. Shift points are just fine and it downshifts normally when you accelerate. I think it’s all good. No more throttle mushiness when driving around town and it keeps going into ECO mode. I found that irritating.

Once again, I apologize if this is ancient information. Anyone think there's a problem doing this?

It is ancient info,lol. By doing what you're doing and keeping 8th showing on the dash is basically bypassing the MDS mode,which shuts down cylinders for gas milege.All the Eco light means is you're driving in the most economical mode.It's the fact that you're keeping the MDS disengaged by having the number 8 showing on the dash.

 

[RainDodger]

Yeah, I was probably using the terminology incorrectly. I was using the ECO light as synonymous with the MDS. ECO light off = MDS off is what I was trying to say. I know I can turn that light off... I don't care about the light itself being on or off. I sometimes want the MDS shut off and it looks like I discovered something everyone already knew about!

Back to my Sunday morning coffee.

 

[huntergreen]

Been discussed many times over the years. The conclusion is that the eco light does not indicate MDS is active.