2009 DODGE RAM 3500 DIESEL Owners Manual

To use the system, open each rear door, slide the lever UP
to engage the locks and DOWN to disengage the child
protection door locks. When the system on a door is
engaged, that door can only be opened by using the
outside door handle even, if the inside door LOCK is in
the UNLOCKED position.
WARNING!
Avoid trapping anyone in a vehicle in a collision.
Remember that the rear doors can only be opened
from the outside when the child protection locks are
engaged.
NOTE: After setting the Child Protection Door Lock
system, always test the door from the inside to make
certain it is in the desired position.
For emergency exit with the system engaged, move the
door lock switch to the UNLOCK position, roll down the
window and open the door with the outside door handle.
Child Door Lock Control
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 31
2

WINDOWS
Power Windows—If EquippedThe control on the left front door panel has Up/Down
switches that give you fingertip control of all power
windows. There is a single opening and closing switch on
the front passenger door for passenger window controland on the rear doors of Quad Cab
and Mega Cab
models. The windows will operate when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON or ACC position, and for
10 minutes after the ignition is turned OFF or a front door
is opened.
NOTE: The Power Accessory Delay feature will allow
the power windows to operate for 10 minutes after the
ignition is turned OFF.
WARNING!
Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Don’t leave the key in the
ignition. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
Power Window Switches
32 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Auto-Down (Driver’s Side Only)The driver’s window switch has an Auto-Down feature.
Press the window switch past the detent, release, and the
window will automatically go down.Window Lockout Switch (4–Door Models Only)The window lockout switch on the driver’s door allows
you to disable the window control on the other doors. To
disable the window controls on the other doors, press the
window LOCK button. To enable the window controls,
press the window LOCK button again.
Wind BuffetingWind buffeting can be described as the perception of
pressure on the ears or a helicopter-type sound in the
ears. Your vehicle may exhibit wind buffeting with the
windows down or partially open positions. This is a
normal occurrence and can be minimized. If the buffeting
Window Lockout Switch
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 33
2

occurs with the rear windows open, open the front and
rear windows together to minimize the buffeting.OCCUPANT RESTRAINTSSome of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems. These include the front
and rear seat belts for the driver and all passengers, front
airbags for both the driver and front passenger and if
equipped, window bags for the driver and passengers
seated next to a window. If you will be carrying children
too small for adult-sized belts, your seat belts also can be
used to hold infant and child restraint systems.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.
WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buckled
up. You can strike the interior of your vehicle or other
passengers, or you can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Always be sure you and others in your vehicle are
buckled up properly.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and that
they can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision.
Some of the worst injuries happen when people are
thrown from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility
of ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the
inside of the vehicle. Everyone in a motor vehicle should
be belted at all times.
34 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lap/Shoulder BeltsAll seating positions except the Quad Cabfront center
seating position have combination lap/shoulder belts.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
normal conditions. But in a collision, the belt will lock
and reduce the risk of you striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
•
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seri-
ously injured or killed.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•
Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
•
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
•
Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat
belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and can take the forces of a collision the best.
Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You might
suffer internal injuries, or you could even slide out
of part of the belt. Follow these instructions to
wear your seat belt safely and to keep your pas-
sengers safe, too.(Continued)THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 35
2

WARNING! (Continued)
•
Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in an accident, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt for more
than one person, no matter what their size.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and
adjust the seat.
2. The seat belt latch plate is above the back of the front
seat, next to your arm on the pillar. Grasp the latch plate
and pull out the belt. Slide the latch plate up the webbing
as far as necessary to allow the belt to go around your
lap.
Pulling Out the Lap/Shoulder Belt Latch Plate
1 — Latch Plate
36 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

3. When the belt is extended long enough to fit, insert the
latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
WARNING!
•
A belt buckled into the wrong buckle will not
protect you properly. The lap portion could ride
too high on your body, possibly causing internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle
nearest you.
•
A belt that is too loose will not protect you as well.
In a sudden stop you could move too far forward,
increasing the possibility of injury. Wear your seat
belt snugly.(Continued)
Inserting Latch Plate into Buckle
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37
2

WARNING! (Continued)
•
A belt that is worn under your arm is very danger-
ous. Your body could strike the inside surfaces of
the vehicle in a collision, increasing head and neck
injury. And a belt worn under the arm can cause
internal injuries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder
bones. Wear the belt over your shoulder so that
your strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.
•
A shoulder belt placed behind will not protect you
from injury during a collision. You are more likely
to hit your head in a collision if you do not wear
your shoulder belt. The lap and shoulder belt are
meant to be used together.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.
Removing Slack from Belt
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE