2011 Ram 1500 child seat

Installing The Child Restraint System
WARNING!
Do not install child restraint systems equipped with
LATCH mechanisms in the center position of a Quad
Cabrear seat, or Crew Cab model with a bench rear
seat. A child may be placed in the rear center seating
position of a Quad Cab, or Crew Cab bench model
using the seat belt and child tether anchorage. The
LATCH anchorages in the rear seat are designed for
the two outboard seating positions for Quad Cab ,
Crew Cab with a full bench rear seat, and all three
positions for Mega Cab and Crew Cabwith a split
bench rear seat. 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 child seat adjusters on
the lower straps and tether straps so that you can more
easily attach the hook or connector to the lower anchor-
ages 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.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with either an Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) or a cinching latch plate or both. Both types of seat
belts are designed to keep the lap portion of the seat belt
tight around the child restraint so that it is not necessary
to use a locking clip. The ALR will make a ratcheting
noise if you extract the entire belt from the retractor andthen allow the belt to retract into the retractor. For
additional information on ALR, refer to “Automatic
Locking Mode”.
To install a child restraint, first, pull enough of the seat
belt webbing from the retractor to route it through the
belt path of the child restraint and slide the latch plate
into the buckle. Next, extract all the seat belt webbing out
of the retractor and then allow the belt to retract into the
retractor. Finally, pull on any excess webbing to tighten
the lap portion around the child restraint. Any seat belt
system will loosen with time, so check the belt occasion-
ally, and pull it tight if necessary.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75

Child Restraint Tether Anchor
Child 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 have two tether anchorages, one
each behind the front center and right seats. Quad Cab,
Mega Caband Crew Cab models have three anchor-
ages, 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.
76 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 seat back 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 Tether Strap Mounting
1 — Tether Strap Hook
2 — Tether Strap to Child Restraint
3 — Tether Anchor
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77

Multiple Child Restraint Installation Sequence
(Quad Cab/Crew Cab/Mega Cab- Rear Seats)
Mega Cab
1. 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.
2. Lift the cover, 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.
Mega CabTether Strap Mounting
78 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Quad Cab/Crew Cab
1. The tether straps loops are located between the rear
glass and the rear seat. There is a tether strap loop located
behind each seating position. You can gain access to the
center seating position tether strap loop by raising the
head restraint and reaching between the rear glass and
rear seat.2. Place a child restraint on each outboard rear seat and
adjust the tether strap so that it will reach under the head
restraint, through the outboard tether strap loop, then
route it to the tether strap loop located directly behind
the center rear seat.
Head Restraint Adjustment
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

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 anchor loop.
5. Place a child restraint on the center rear seat and
adjust the tether strap so that it will reach under the head
restraint through the center seat tether strap loop and
anchor to the tether strap loop located behind either
outboard seating positions.
6. Install each child restraint and remove the slack in the
tether strap according to the child restraint manufactur-
er’s instructions.
Multiple Child Restraint Quad Cab/Crew Cab
1 — Anchor Loops
2 — Snap Hook
3 — Tether Strap
4 — Passenger’s Side Rear Child Seat
5 — Rear Center Child Seat
6 — Driver’s Side Rear Child Seat
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE CARGO
AREA.
WARNING!
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
•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.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
WARNING! (Continued)
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO),
follow these safety tips:
Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in confined
areas any longer than needed to move your vehicle in or
out of the area.
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE