2009 Ram 1500 sensor

▫Seat Belts And Pregnant Women .......... 52
▫ Seat Belt Extender ..................... 52
▫ Driver And Right Front Passenger
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) –
Airbag ............................. 53
▫ Airbag System Components .............. 54
▫ Advanced Front Airbag Features .......... 55
▫ Airbag Deployment Sensors And Controls . . . 60
▫ Event Data Recorder (EDR) .............. 67▫
Child Restraint ....................... 69
 Engine Break-In Recommendations .......... 81
 Safety Tips ........................... 82
▫ Transporting Passengers ................ 82
▫ Exhaust Gas ......................... 83
▫ Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle ............................. 84
▫ Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle ................... 84
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 11

NOTE:These airbags are certified to the new Federal
regulations for Advanced Airbags.
The Advanced Front Airbags have a multistage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation based on the severity and type of collision.
This vehicle may also be equipped with Supplemental
Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC) to protect the
driver, front, and rear passengers sitting next to a win-
dow. If the vehicle is equipped with SABIC airbags, they
are located above the side windows and their covers are
also labeled: SRS AIRBAG.
NOTE: Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim; but they will open during airbag deployment.Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Front Airbag
•Front Passenger Airbag
•Front and Side Impact Sensors
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Knee Impact Bolster
•Front Seat Belt Pretensioners — if equipped
•Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
— if equipped
•Supplemental Side Seat Airbags — if equipped
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Advanced Front Airbag Features
The Advanced Front Airbag system has multistage driver
and front passenger airbags. This system provides output
appropriate to the severity and type of collision as
determined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
which may receive information from the impact sensors
at the front of the car.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires airbag deployment. The timing of
the second stage determines whether the output force is
low, medium, or high. If a low output is sufficient to meet
the need, the remaining gas in the inflator is expended.WARNING!
•Do not put anything on or around the airbag
covers or attempt to open them manually. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags may no longer be functional.
The protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
•Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee bolster in
any way.
•Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band radios,
etc.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55

NOTE:
•Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim;
but they will open during airbag deployment.The system includes sensors adjacent to both front and
rear seat occupants that are calibrated to deploy the
SABIC airbags during impacts that require airbag occu-
pant protection.
WARNING!
•If your vehicle is equipped with left and right Side
Airbag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC), do not stack
luggage or other cargo up high enough to block
the location of the SABIC. The area where the side
curtain airbag is located should remain free from
any obstructions.
•Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the side airbags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could
be pushed into you, causing serious injury.Side Curtain Airbag Label Location
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57

Airbag Deployment Sensors and Controls
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
TheORC is part of a Federally regulated safety system
required for this vehicle.
The ORC determines if deployment of the front and/or
side airbags in a frontal or side collision is required.
Based on the impact sensors signals, a central electronic
ORC deploys the Advanced Front Airbags, SABIC air-
bags — if equipped, Supplemental Side Seat Airbags — if
equipped, and front seat belt pretensioners — if
equipped, as required, depending on severity and type of
impact.
Advanced Front Airbags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat belts in
certain frontal collisions depending on the severity and
type of collision. Advanced Front Airbags are not ex-
pected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or rollover
collisions. The Advanced Front Airbags will not deploy in all frontal
collisions, including some that may produce substantial
vehicle damage — for example, some pole collisions,
truck underrides, and angle offset collisions. On the other
hand, depending on the type and location of impact,
Advanced Front Airbags may deploy in crashes with
little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe
initial deceleration.
The side airbags will not deploy in all side collisions. Side
airbag deployment will depend on the severity and type
of collision. Side airbags are not expected to reduce the
risk of injury in rear, rollover, or frontal collisions.
Because airbag sensors measure vehicle deceleration over
time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are not
good indicators of whether or not an airbag should have
deployed.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

airbag exits through the seat seam into the space between
the occupant and the door. The side airbags fully inflate in
about 10 milliseconds. The side airbag moves at a very high
speed and with such a high force, that it could injure you
if you are not seated properly, or if items are positioned
in the area where the side airbag inflates. This especially
applies to children.
Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC) Inflator Units — If Equipped
During collisions where the impact is confined to a
particular area of the side of the vehicle, the ORC may
deploy the SABIC Airbags, depending on severity and
type of collision. In these events, the ORC will deploy the
SABIC only on the impact side of the vehicle.
A quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the side
curtain airbag. The inflating side curtain airbag pushes
the outside edge of the headliner out of the way and
covers the window. The airbag inflates in about 30 ms(about one-quarter of the time that it takes to blink your
eyes) with enough force to injure you if you are not belted
and seated properly, or if items are positioned in the area
where the side curtain airbag inflates. This especially
applies to children. The side curtain airbag is only about
3-1/2 in (9 cm) thick when it is inflated.
Because airbag sensors estimate deceleration over time,
vehicle speed and damage are not good indicators of
whether or not an airbag should have deployed.Front and Side Impact Sensors
In front and side impacts, impact sensors aid the ORC
in determining appropriate response to impact events.
Additional sensors in the ORC determine the level of
airbag deployment and provide verification.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

located on the inside of the fuse block cover for the
proper airbag fuses. See your authorized dealer if the
fuse is good.
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
In the event of an accident, your vehicle is designed to
record up to five seconds of specific vehicle data param-
eters (see the following list) in an event data recorder
prior to the moment of airbag deployment, or near
deployment, and up to a quarter second of high-speed
deceleration data during and/or after airbag deploy-
ment. EDR data are ONLY recorded if an airbag deploys,
or nearly deploys, and are otherwise unavailable.
NOTE:
1. A near-deployment event occurs when the airbag
sensor detects severe vehicle deceleration usually indica-
tive of a crash, but not severe enough to warrant airbag
deployment.2. Under certain circumstances, EDR data may not be
recorded (e.g., loss of battery power).
In conjunction with other data gathered during a com-
plete accident investigation, the electronic data may be
used by Chrysler LLC and others to learn more about the
possible causes of crashes and associated injuries in order
to assess and improve vehicle performance. In addition
to crash investigations initiated by Chrysler LLC, such
investigations may be requested by customers, insurance
carriers, government officials, and professional crash
researchers, such as those associated with universities,
and with hospital and insurance organizations.
In the event that an investigation is undertaken by
Chrysler LLC (regardless of initiative), the company or its
designated representative will first obtain permission of
the appropriate custodial entity for the vehicle (usually
the vehicle owner or lessee) before accessing the elec-
tronic data stored, unless ordered to download data by a
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67

Rear Park Assist — If Equipped ........... 163
▫ Rear Park Assist Sensors ............... 163
▫ Rear Park Assist Warning Display ........ 164
▫ Enable/Disable The Rear Park Assist ...... 167
▫ Service The Rear Park Assist ............ 168
▫ Cleaning The Rear Park Assist ........... 168
 Rear Backup Camera — If Equipped ........ 168
▫ Turning The Rear Camera On Or Off — With
Navigation Radio .................... 170
▫ Turning The Rear Camera On Or Off —
Without Navigation Radio .............. 170
 Overhead Console — If Equipped .......... 171
▫ Courtesy/Reading Lights .............. 172
 Garage Door Opener — If Equipped ........ 174▫
Programming HomeLink .............. 175
▫ Gate Operator/Canadian Programming .... 178
▫ Using HomeLink ................... 178
▫ Reprogramming A Single HomeLink
Button ............................ 179
▫ Security ........................... 179
▫ Troubleshooting Tips .................. 179
▫ General Information .................. 180
 Power Sunroof — If Equipped ............ 180
▫ Open Sunroof — Express Mode .......... 181
▫ Closing Sunroof — Express ............. 182
▫ Pinch Protect Feature ................. 182
▫ Pinch Protect Override ................ 182
90 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE