10 New Features the 5th Generation Ram has that your 4th Gen Doesn’t
Ram has manufactured the 4th generation Cummins trucks for 10 years now. That’s ten years without a significant body style change! We know the new 5th generation Ram Heavy Duty is coming this Fall, but we didn’t know about some impressive new features until two weeks ago. We had the chance to drive the new 5th generation Cummins in the El Dorado Canyon in Nevada. Here are ten new features of the 5th generation Ram Heavy Duty you need to know about.
12″ Uconnect Display
Ram’s new 5th Generation Heavy Duty trucks boast the most impressive head unit we have ever seen in a pickup truck. The new touchscreen 12″ Uconnect system gives users the ability to configure the display in many different ways. The entire screen can show one app or divide into two different screens! This is a major upgrade over the old 8.4″ Uconnect display found in the 4th generation Ram trucks. Now, you can view your navigation on one half of the screen, while simultaneously viewing your apple carplay or Media screens on the other half.
New Camera Views
Heavy Duty Ram trucks finally received a 360 Degree available camera. This is a feature we have been waiting for as these trucks are massive! The 360 degree camera makes navigating tight spaces easy and less stressful! They didn’t just stop there either. The new 5th Generation Ram trucks also feature a split-screen camera view giving you a line of sight down the entire length of the truck and trailer. The screen adjusts left or right on either the passenger or driver’s side to give you an even better view.
Ram introduced an optional auxiliary camera to help keep an eye on precious cargo too. You can position the auxiliary camera in the interior or exterior of your trailer. This feature gives 2019 Ram truck owner’s a configurable camera view for whatever they tow. This is a very valuable asset to truck owners who frequently tow expensive horses. Now you finally have the capability of keeping an eye on your horses while you drive!
2019 Ram Heavy Duty 360 camera display on Uconnect 4C 12-inch touchscreen 
2019 Ram Heavy Duty UConnect 4C split screen trailer hookup
Power Running Boards
If you’re a diesel enthusiast like me, you’ve probably considered installing a set of Amp Research Power steps on your truck. They give you the functionality of a running board, without having to look at an ugly set of running boards every time you approach your truck. Higher trim 5th generation Ram HD trucks will now feature power running boards. When a door to the cabin is opened, the running boards extend, giving you easy access into the cab. After the door is shut, the steps retract, hiding from sight! Ram definitely accomplished form and function with the addition of this new feature.
Harman Kardon Sound System
I previously owned a 2017 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn truck for about a year and I loved the Alpine sound system that came with the truck. Sound quality was fantastic and I could easily adjust my audio settings to match whatever type of music I was listening to. Ram’s 5th Generation HD trucks in higher trims feature a redesigned, 17-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Harman Kardon sound systems are commonly used in luxury cars like Mercedes, BMW, or Maserati. On the new Ram Heavy Duty trucks, this system even complete with a 750-Watt Amplifier and an 8″ Subwoofer. Ram clearly spared no expense when it came to interior design this year, but this sound system is definitely a highlight!
Bed Lowering System
Loading gooseneck or fifth-wheel trailers can often be a pain in the butt. You have to line up your truck properly with the trailer. Then you may have to raise or lower your trailer to properly connect it to your truck. 5th Generation Ram trucks now have a really neat feature to make loading your trailers easier. By pressing a button, you can activate Ram’s new Bed Lowering Mode. This new feature lowers the bed about 2 inches, allowing you to possibly avoid adjusting trailer height. It’s a convenient feature that makes accessing your bed slightly easier. I’m a fan of anything that saves me time or effort, so I’m all for the new bed lowering system.
New Led Headlights from the factory /w Adaptive Front Lighting System
Factory headlights are disappointing across the board when it comes to diesel trucks. Even though projector headlights have been utilized on the 4th generation Ram trucks, the light output from the factory halogen bulb is still very poor. One of the first upgrades I complete on any truck I purchase is LED or HID lighting. The light output is much greater, allowing you to see better at night. Ram’s new 2019 Heavy duty trucks now have three available headlight variations. Lower trims, will receive new halogen reflective headlights. Middle trims will gain LED lighting in a reflective housing. High end models like the Laramie Longhorn or Limited models will receive LED projector headlights.
Models using LED projector headlamps also gain Ram’s Adaptive Front Lighting System or AFS. The AFS system gives headlamps up to 15 degrees of movement in each direction of travel. This will help drivers gain better vision when making turns at night!
Reflective LED HeadLamps 
Projector LED HeadLamps 
Reflective Halogen Headlamps are found on lower trims, like this Tradesman model.
Trailer Tire Pressure Monitoring System
TPMS or Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems are standard in practically every diesel truck available. What about your trailer’s tires though? Trailer tire pressure is very important when towing heavy loads. It can be really time consuming to check trailer tires when they have more than one axle too. One of the most practical features added in the new 5th generation Ram heavy duty trucks is a new trailer tire pressure monitoring system. Now you can monitor trailer tire pressure from the instrument cluster. The new TPM systems can be used with up to four different trailers, giving you tire pressure of up to 12 trailer tires at a time.
New Safety Features
Several safety features were added to the 5th generation Ram trucks. Adaptive cruise control was added to give drivers a “smarter” cruise control. This feature helps slow the vehicle down when approaching someone ahead of you. Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking also help drivers brake more quickly and provide a boost to the safety aspect of driving a Ram Heavy Duty truck.
Adaptive Cruise Control 
2019 Ram Heavy Duty 360 camera and proximity sensors 
2019 Ram Heavy Duty Blind spot monitoring
Modern Tailgate
While the tailgates found on 5th generation Ram heavy duty trucks are still no match for the new GMC tailgates, they did receive a couple of modern touches. Tailgates drop by pressing a button on nicer trims. Ram also added dampening control to remove the dreaded slamming of your tailgate. Ram also incorporated a new bed step that provides an aesthetic and functional solution to getting into your bed.
SiriusXM with 360L
With the 5th generation Ram Heavy Duty, Ram partnered with SiriusXM to give truck owners the ultimate radio experience. SiriusXM 360L includes more than 200 channels, thousands of recorded, on-demand programs, and increased play-by-play sports offerings. SiriusXM 360L recommends different channels and shows to you based on your preferences and listening habits. Perhaps the coolest feature however, is the ability to customize the settings and presets of multiple drivers.
Want to Learn More About the 2019 Ram HD?
For more information about Ram’s 2019 HD trucks, check out our article about the new 6.7L Cummins engine or our full review of the new 2019 Ram HD trucks. We even have pricing for the 2019 Ram HD. Make sure you subscribe to our Youtube Channel and check out our latest videos covering the 5th generation Ram Heavy Duty trucks. You can also check out Ram’s 2019 Heavy Duty Site!
ABOUT Kamil
Founder of Diesel Resource and a complete diesel head. Has a little bit of problem buying too many trucks. Learn more about him by checking out his truck.