2009 DODGE RAM 3500 DIESEL Owners Manual

WARNING! (Continued)
•
A rearward-facing child restraint should only be
used in a rear seat, or in the front seat if the
passenger’s front airbag is OFF. If the airbag is left
ON, a rearward-facing child restraint in the front
seat may be struck by a deploying passenger
airbag which may cause severe or fatal injury to
the infant.
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. We also recommend that you make sure
that you can install the child restraint in the vehicle
where you will use it before you buy it.
•
The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•
Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
•
The passenger seat belts are equipped with Automatic
Locking Retractors (ALR), which are designed to keep
the lap portion tight around the child restraint so that
it is not necessary to use a locking clip.
Pull the belt from the retractor until there is enough to
allow you to pass through the child restraint and slide
the latch plate into the buckle. Then pull on the belt
until it is fully extended from the retractor. Allow the
belt to return to the retractor, pulling on the excess
webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child
restraint. Refer to Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR) Mode, earlier in this section.
•
In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt pathTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63
2

opening on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate
from the buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt
several times to shorten it. Insert the latch plate into
the buckle with the release button facing out.
•
If the belt still can’t be tightened, or if pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle, turn the latch plate
around, and insert the latch plate into the buckle
again. If you still can’t make the child restraint secure,
try a different seating position.
•
Buckle the child into the seat according to the child
restraint manufacturer’s directions.
•
When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seatbacks and
cause serious personal injury.
WARNING!
Improper installation can lead to failure of an infant
or child restraint. It could come loose in a collision.
The child could be badly injured or killed. Follow
the manufacturer’s directions exactly when installing
an infant or child restraint.Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)Each vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for LowerAnchors and Tether for CHildren. LATCH child restraintanchorage systems are installed in the 2500/3500 Regular
Cab passenger seat position and the Quad Cabrear seat
outboard positions. LATCH-equipped seating positions
feature both lower anchor bars, located at the back of the
seat cushion, and tether strap anchorages, located behind
the seatback. (Refer to Child Restraint Tether Anchor
later in this section.)
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Identification dots are located above the standard cab
front seat lower anchorages as a guide for locating lower
anchors.
NOTE:For children riding in the front seat of a Regular
Cab model, refer to the “Passenger Airbag ON/OFF
Switch” located in this section.
Regular Cab Passenger Seat
Quad Cab Rear Outboard Seats
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65
2

Child restraint systems having attachments designed to
connect to the lower anchorages are now available. Child
restraints having tether straps and hooks for connection
to the seatback tether anchorage, have been available for
some time. In fact, many child restraint manufacturers
will provide add-on tether strap kits for some of their
older products.Because the lower anchorages are to be introduced to
passenger carrying vehicles over a period of years, child
restraint systems having attachments for those anchor-
ages will continue to have features for installation in
vehicles using the lap or lap/shoulder belt. They will also
have tether straps, and you are urged to take advantage
of all of the available attachments provided with your
child restraint in any vehicle.
NOTE:
•
When using the LATCH attaching system to install a
child restraint, please ensure that all seat belts not
being used for occupant restraints are stowed and out
of reach of children. It is recommended that before
installing the child restraint, buckle the seat belt so the
seat belt is tucked behind the child restraint and out of
reach. If the buckled seat belt interferes with the child
restraint installation, instead of tucking the seat belt
behind the child restraint, route the seat belt through
the child restraint belt path and then buckle it. This
should stow the seat belt out of the reach of an
Mega Cab
Rear Seats
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

inquisitive child. Remind all children in the vehicle
that the seat belts are not toys and should not be
played with, and never leave your child unattended in
the vehicle.
•
If your child restraint seat is not LATCH-compatible,
install the restraint using the vehicle seat belt.
Installing the Child Restraint System
WARNING!
Do not install child restraint systems equipped with
LATCH attachments in the center position of a Quad
Cabmodel rear seat. The LATCH anchorages in this
seat are designed for the two outboard seating posi-
tions only. A child may be placed in the rear center
seating position of a Quad Cab model using the seat
belt and child tether anchorage. Failure to follow this
may result in serious or fatal injury. We urge you to carefully follow the directions of the
manufacturer when installing your child restraint. Many,
but not all, restraint systems will be equipped with
separate straps on each side, with each having a hook or
connector, and a means for adjusting the tension in the
strap. Forward-facing toddler restraints and some
rearward-facing infant restraints will also be equipped
with a tether strap, a hook and means for adjusting the
tension in the strap.
In general, you will first loosen the adjusters on the lower
straps and tether straps so that you can more easily attach
the hook or connector to the lower anchorages and tether
anchorages. Then tighten all three straps as you push the
child restraint rearward and downward into the seat.
Not all child restraint systems will be installed as we
have described here. Again, carefully follow the instruc-
tions that come with the child restraint system.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67
2

WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of an infant or
child restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.Child Restraint Tether AnchorChild restraints having tether straps and hooks for con-
nection to tether anchors have been available for some
time. In fact, many child restraint manufacturers will
provide add-on tether strap kits for their older products.
Regular Cab models of Ram Pickups have two tether
anchorages, one each behind the front center and right
seats. Quad Cabmodels have three anchorages, one
behind each of the rear seats.
WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
seat failure and injury to the child. In a collision, the
seat could come loose and allow the child to crash
into the inside of the vehicle or other passengers, or
even be thrown from the vehicle. Use only the anchor
positions directly behind the child seat to secure a
child restraint top tether strap. Follow the instruc-
tions below. See your authorized dealer for help, if
necessary.
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Tether Anchorage Points at the Right and Center
Front Seat (Regular Cab - All Seats)1. Place the child restraint on the seat and adjust the
tether strap so that it will reach over the seatback under
the head restraint to the tether anchor directly behind the
seat.
2. Lift the cover (if so equipped), and attach the hook to
the square opening in the sheet metal.
3. Install the child restraint and remove the slack in the
tether strap according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Regular Cab with Any Bench Seat
1 — Tether Strap Hook
2 — Tether Strap to Child Restraint
3 — Tether AnchorTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 69
2

Multiple Child Restraint Installation Sequence -
(Quad CabRear Seats)1. Obtain tether straps by raising the head restraints and
reaching between the rear glass and rear seat. The tether
strap may be retained with an elastic band. Accessibility
to the tether strap is greatly improved by raising the seat
cushion to the “up” position. Remove the elastic before
use.
2. Place a child restraint on each outboard rear seat and
adjust the tether strap so that it will reach under the head
restraint to the tether anchor directly behind the seat and
then to the anchor directly behind the center rear seat. 3. Pass each tether strap hook under the head restraint
and through the loop of webbing behind the child seat.
4. Route each tether strap to the anchor behind the center
seat, and attach the hooks to the metal ring.
5. Place a child restraint on the center rear seat and
adjust the tether strap so that it will reach under the head
restraint to the tether anchor directly behind the seat and
to the anchor directly behind the right seat.
6. Install each child restraint and remove the slack in the
tether strap according to the child restraint manufactur-
er’s instructions.70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE