How-to · Elgin CDJR · Streamwood, IL
Ram 1500 Air Suspension: Ride Heights and Modes
The available Active-Level Four Corner Air Suspension on the Ram 1500 levels the truck under load and lets you raise or lower it with a switch. Here is what each ride height does, when the truck changes height on its own, how to lower it with the key fob, and the modes for tire changes, towing and transport, from the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual.
About 2 inup in Off-Road 2 (five-level system)
About 0.6 indown in Aero Height at highway speed
About 2-3 indown in Entry/Exit Height, by system
2 pushesof the fob lowering button to lower the truck
The short answer
The air suspension keeps the truck level under load and has several ride heights: Normal Ride Height for everyday driving, one or two Off-Road heights that raise the truck, Aero Height that lowers it at highway speeds, and Entry/Exit Height that lowers it for getting in and loading. Push the height selector switch up or down one step at a time with the engine running; the truck also changes height on its own with speed. Lower it from outside by pushing the key fob air suspension lowering button twice.
Ram 1500 air suspension ride heights
The manual describes two versions: a five-level system and a four-level system that comes with the Off-Road Group. Heights are approximate and measured from Normal Ride Height. The five-level system:
| Ride height | Change | How to select it and when it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Off-Road 2 (OR2) | Up about 2 in (51 mm) | For off-road use where maximum ground clearance is needed. Push the switch up twice from Normal (or once from OR1) below 20 mph. Above 25 mph the truck lowers to OR1. |
| Off-Road 1 (OR1) | Up about 1 in (26 mm) | The primary position for off-road driving until OR2 is needed. Push up once from Normal below 35 mph. Above 50 mph, or between 40 and 50 mph for more than 20 seconds, it lowers to Normal. |
| Normal Ride Height (NRH) | Standard | For normal driving. |
| Aero Height | Down about 0.6 in (15 mm) | Improves aerodynamics. Entered automatically above 66 mph, or between 62 and 66 mph for more than 20 seconds; returns to Normal below 30 mph, or between 30 and 35 mph for more than 20 seconds. You can also push the switch down once from Normal at any speed, and up once below 56 mph to go back. |
| Entry/Exit Height | Down about 2 in (51 mm) | For easier entry, exit and loading. Push the switch down twice from Normal below 4 mph. Above 6 mph the truck rises to your default ride height (Normal or Aero). |
From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (Active-Level Four Corner Air Suspension System, If Equipped), read October 27, 2026. Off-Road 1 and Off-Road 2 may not be available because of payload; a cluster message tells you when.
Four-level system (Off-Road Group): it has one Off-Road height, up about 1 in (26 mm), selected by pushing up once from Normal below 20 mph and lowered to Normal above 25 mph. Its Entry/Exit Height lowers the truck about 3 in (73 mm), and Entry/Exit may not be available because of payload. Normal and Aero work the same way, and Automatic Aero mode is disabled if a trailer is detected.
How to use the air suspension switch
Each push of the height selector switch moves the suspension one position up or down, as long as the conditions are met: ignition in ON/RUN, engine running, speed below the limit for that height, and all doors closed when lowering. You can push it several times to go up to the highest or down to the lowest position allowed.
Indicator lamps on the switch show the current height. A flashing lamp shows the height the system is working to reach. Entry/Exit can be requested up to 33 mph; if you then slow to and stay below 15 mph, the truck lowers to Entry/Exit.
- If a door is opened while the truck is lowering, the change is not completed until the door is closed.
- When raising, the rear moves up first and then the front; when lowering, the front moves down first and then the rear. This keeps the headlights from shining into oncoming traffic.
- After you turn the engine off, the air suspension may run briefly. The manual says this is normal: the system is correcting the truck's position.
- Default ride height (Normal or Aero) is set in the radio under the Suspension settings. On trucks with a touchscreen radio, all enabling and disabling of air suspension features is done through the radio.
From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (Air Suspension Switch; Operation; Default Ride Height), read October 27, 2026. When the truck is in Off-Road or Entry/Exit Height, the manual cautions that you may not have the clearance needed for some areas and the vehicle could be damaged.
How to lower a Ram 1500 with the key fob
For easier entry and loading, you can lower the truck from outside by pushing the key fob air suspension lowering button two times. The truck chirps and flashes until it has finished lowering. These conditions must be met:
- The truck is not already at Entry/Exit Height.
- The battery is fully charged.
- All doors are closed.
- The key fob is out of the vehicle.
- The gear selector is in PARK.
Make sure the area around the truck is clear of objects, pets and people before lowering it. To cancel, push the lowering button once while the truck is lowering: the horn chirps twice, the turn signals flash four times, the truck rises to the next defined level, and remote lowering is locked out for five seconds. The horn chirps once when raising is complete.
From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (Air Suspension (Remote Lowering Of The Vehicle); Canceling Remote Lowering), read October 27, 2026.
Service mode, Transport mode and Protection
Service Mode
Disables the air suspension at the current height to help with changing a tire, servicing the truck or doing a wheel alignment. Service Mode turns off when you drive the truck or turn it off in Uconnect Settings.
Transport Mode
Trucks with the air suspension must be put in Transport mode before being tied down by the body on a trailer or flatbed. If it cannot be put in Transport mode (for example, the engine will not run), tie-downs must go to the axles, not the body.
Protection strategy
To protect itself, the system disables load leveling when needed, for example when the suspension is overloaded or the battery charge is low. Load leveling resumes on its own once the requirements are met.
Changing modes
The engine should be running to change between air suspension modes.
From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (Air Suspension Modes; Recreational Towing / On Trailer), read October 27, 2026. See an authorized dealer if normal operation does not resume.
Towing a trailer with air suspension
The air suspension can be used to help attach and detach a trailer. Keep the engine running with all doors closed while you attach a trailer, so the air suspension levels properly.
Selecting Tow/Haul, or connecting a trailer with the Integrated Trailer Brake Module, disables Automatic Aero mode so the truck does not change height while towing. If you use a weight-distributing hitch, the manual has a step-by-step adjustment for trucks with air suspension that starts at Normal Ride Height.
From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (Towing With Air Suspension; trailer towing notes), read October 27, 2026.
Air suspension lights and messages
| Light | What the manual says |
|---|---|
| Air Suspension Fault Warning Light | Turns on when a fault is detected with the air suspension system. |
| Air Suspension Payload Protection Indicator Light | The maximum payload may have been exceeded, or load leveling cannot be reached at the current ride height. Protection mode is selected automatically and height adjustment is limited. |
| Air Suspension Lowering and Raising Indicator Lights | Turn on and blink while the ride height is changing. |
| Air Suspension Mode Indicator Lights | Yellow boxes that match the switch levels: Entry/Exit, Aero, Normal (no telltale), Off Road, Off Road 1 or Off Road 2. |
From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (Warning Lights; Yellow Indicator Lights), read October 27, 2026. A chime sounds whenever a system error is detected.
Ram service at Elgin CDJR
The manual says the air suspension uses a high-pressure volume of air, and to avoid injury or damage to the system, see an authorized dealer for service. If the Air Suspension Fault Warning Light comes on or the truck will not hold its height, schedule a visit with our Ram service department and tell your service advisor what the cluster shows.
Our service department is open Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Sunday; holiday hours can differ. Elgin CDJR is at 1500 W. Lake St. (U.S. 20) in Streamwood. Get directions.
Schedule service online, or see our Ram service center page.
Ram 1500 air suspension FAQ
How do I raise my Ram 1500 air suspension?
With the engine running, push the height selector switch up once for each step. On the five-level system, Off-Road 1 raises the truck about 1 inch (below 35 mph) and Off-Road 2 about 2 inches (below 20 mph).
How do I lower my Ram 1500 to load it?
Push the switch down twice from Normal Ride Height below 4 mph for Entry/Exit Height, or push the key fob air suspension lowering button twice with the truck in PARK, all doors closed and the fob outside the truck.
Why does my Ram 1500 lower itself on the highway?
That is Automatic Aero mode. The truck lowers about 0.6 inch above 66 mph, or between 62 and 66 mph for more than 20 seconds, to improve aerodynamics, and returns to Normal below 30 mph.
Why does my Ram air suspension run after I shut the truck off?
The manual says it is normal: the system briefly corrects the truck's position after the engine is turned off.
How do I change a tire on a Ram 1500 with air suspension?
Use Service Mode, which disables the air suspension at the current height for tire changes, servicing or a wheel alignment. It turns off when you drive the truck or turn it off in Uconnect Settings.
Why can I not select Off-Road height?
Off-Road heights may not be available because of payload, and each has a speed limit. A cluster message tells you when payload is the reason.
What does the air suspension payload light mean?
The maximum payload may have been exceeded, or load leveling cannot be reached at the current height, so the system limits height changes to protect itself.
Air suspension warning light on?
Schedule a visit at Elgin CDJR in Streamwood, and tell your advisor which light or message the cluster shows.
Sources
Ride heights, speeds, conditions and modes are from the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual, read on October 27, 2026; not every Ram 1500 has air suspension, and other model years can differ, so check your own manual. Our services, address and hours are from our own website, checked the same day. Photo is illustrative.