2008 DODGE RAM 2500 GAS Owners Manual

4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull up
on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight,
tilt the latch plate and pull on the lap belt. A snug belt
reduces the risk of sliding under the belt in a collision.WARNING!
²A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
internal injury in a collision. The belt forces won't be
at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your
abdomen. Always wear the lap belt as low as pos-
sible and keep it snug.
²A twisted belt can't do its job as well. In a collision
it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt is straight.
If you can't straighten a belt in your vehicle, take it to
your authorized dealer and have it fixed.
5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is
comfortable and not resting on your neck. The retractor
will withdraw any slack in the belt.
Removing Slack From Belt
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
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6. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle.
The belt will automatically retract to its stowed position.
If necessary, slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the belt to retract fully.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision and
leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt system
periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately. Do
not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.) or if the airbag deployed.
Regular Cab Front Center Three-Point Belt
1. The front center seat belt on the Regular Cab may be
disconnected to open up utilization of the storage areas
behind the front seats. The black latch plate can be
detached from the black keyed seat belt buckle located on
the inboard side of the passenger seat. Insert the vehicle
ignition key into the center white slot on the black buckle.
The black buckle latch plate can be removed when the
key is pressed into the buckle. Allow the retractor to take
up the surplus webbing, and the buckles will hang
vertically from the cab back exit bezel, thus freeing up all
the area behind the front seats.
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

2. To reattach the seat belt to the front center seat, pull
the black buckle latch plate forward from the cab back
panel and insert it into the black keyed buckle until there
is an audible click. Refer to the previous section for the
proper seat belt usage.
Detaching Buckle With Key
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WARNING!
²If the black latch and black buckle are not prop-
erly connected when the seat belt is used by an
occupant, the seat belt will not be able to provide
proper restraint and will increase the risk of injury
in a collision.
²When reattaching the black latch and black
buckle, ensure the seat belt webbing is not
twisted. If the webbing is twisted, follow the
preceding procedure to detach the black latch and
black buckle, untwist the webbing, and reattach
the black latch and black buckle.
Inserting Latch Plate
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
If the black latch and buckle are not connected when
the seat belt is used by an occupant, the seat belt will
not restrain you properly.
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front row outboard seats, the shoulder belt can be
adjusted upward or downward to help position the belt
away from your neck. Press the button located on the
upper belt guide, and then move it up or down to the
position that fits you best.
In-Use Position
Shoulder Belt Adjustment
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As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you'll prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR) Mode ± If
Equipped
Seatbelts, except for driver seatbelt, are equipped with an
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) and/or a cinching
latch plate. Both types of seat belts are designed to keep
the lap portion tight around the child restraint so that it
is not necessary to use a locking clip. In seating positions
that are equipped with an ALR retractor, it will make a
ratcheting noise after all the webbing is extracted and
allowed to return back. For additional information, refer
to ªAutomatic Locking Modeº in the section.
To install a child restraint, pull enough of the seatbelt
webbing from the retractor to route it through the beltpath of the child restraint and slide the latch plate into the
buckle. Next, pull all the seatbelt webbing, until it is fully
extracted, from the retractor. Allow the belt to return to
the retractor, pulling on the excess webbing to tighten the
lap portion about the child restraint. (Any seatbelt system
will loosen with time, so check the belt occasionally and
pull it tight if necessary).When To Use The Automatic Locking Mode:
Use this mode anytime a child safety seat is installed in a
passenger seating position. Children 12 years old and
under should be properly restrained in the rear seat
whenever possible.
How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode:
Disconnect the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow
it to retract completely to disengage the Automatic
Locking Mode and activate the Vehicle Sensitive (emer-
gency) Locking Mode.
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Center Lap Belts
The center seating position for the Quad Cabtfront seat
has a lap belt only. To fasten the lap belt, slide the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a9click.9To lengthen
the lap belt, tilt the latch plate and pull. To remove slack,
pull the loose end of the webbing. Wear the lap belt snug
against the hips. Sit back and erect in the seat, then adjust
the belt as tightly as is comfortable.
WARNING!
²A lap belt worn too loose or too high is dangerous.
²A belt worn too loose can allow you to slip down
and under the belt in a collision.
²A belt that is too loose or too high will apply crash
forces to the abdomen, not to the stronger hip
bones. In either case, the risk of internal injuries is
greater. Wear a lap belt low and snug.
Seat Belt Pretensioners Ð If Equipped
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt system in the event of a
collision. These devices improve the performance of the
seat belt by assuring that the belt is tight about the
occupant early in a collision. Pretensioners work for all
size occupants, including those in child restraints.
NOTE:These devices are not a substitute for proper seat
belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still must be
worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the airbag control
module. Like the airbags, the pretensioners are single-use
items. After a collision that is severe enough to deploy
the airbags and pretensioners, both must be replaced.
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Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder System (BeltAlertT)
If the driver's seat belt has not been buckled within 60
seconds of starting the vehicle and if the vehicle speed is
greater than 5 mph (8 km/h), the Enhanced Warning
System (BeltAlertt) will alert the driver to buckle the seat
belt. The driver should also instruct all other occupants to
buckle their seat belts. If the driver unbuckles the seat
belt while the vehicle is in motion an immediate chime
will be heard and, the Enhanced Warning System
(BeltAlertt) will continue to chime and flash the Seat Belt
Warning Light for 96 seconds or until the driver's seat
belt is buckled. The Enhanced Warning System
(BeltAlertt) will be reactivated if the ignition is cycled,
driver's seat belt is unbuckled for more than 10 seconds
and the vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h).
The Enhanced Warning System (BeltAlertt) can be en-
abled or disabled by your authorized dealer or by
following these steps:NOTE:The following steps must occur within the first
60 seconds of the ignition switch being turned to the ON
or START position. The manufacturer does not recom-
mend deactivating the Enhanced Warning System
(BeltAlertt).
1. With all doors closed and the ignition switch in any
position except On or Start, buckle the driver's seat belt.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position and wait
for the Seat Belt Warning Light to turn off.
3. Within 60 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the
ON position, unbuckle and then re-buckle the driver's
seat belt at least three times within 10 seconds, ending
with the seat belt buckled.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have success-
fully completed the programming.
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE