2015 Ram 2500 eco

Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert)
BeltAlert is a feature intended to remind the driver
and outboard front passenger (if equipped with out-
board front passenger BeltAlert) to buckle their seat
belts. The feature is active whenever the ignition
switch is in the START or ON/RUN position. If the
driver or outboard front seat passenger is unbelted,
the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn on and remain
on until both outboard front seat belts are buckled.
The BeltAlert warning sequence begins after the vehicle
speed is over 5 mph (8 km/h) by blinking the Seat Belt
Reminder Light and sounding an intermittent chime.
Once the sequence starts, it will continue for the entire
duration or until the respective seat belts are buckled.
After the sequence completes, the Seat Belt Reminder
Light remains illuminated until the respective seat belts are buckled. The driver should instruct all other occu-
pants to buckle their seat belts. If an outboard front seat
belt is unbuckled while traveling at speeds greater than
5 mph (8 km/h), BeltAlert will provide both audio and
visual notification.
The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not active
when the outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied.
BeltAlert may be triggered when an animal or heavy
object is on the outboard front passenger seat or when the
seat is folded flat (if equipped). It is recommended that
pets be restrained in the rear seat (if equipped) in pet
harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts,
and cargo is properly stowed.
BeltAlert can be activated or deactivated by your autho-
rized dealer. FCA US LLC does not recommend deacti-
vating BeltAlert.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•ONLY use a Seat Belt Extender if it is physically
required in order to properly fit the original seat
belt system. DO NOT USE the Seat Belt Extender
if, when worn, the distance between the front edge
of the Seat Belt Extender buckle and the center of
the occupant’s body is LESS than 6 inches.
• Using a Seat Belt Extender when not needed can
increase the risk of serious injury or death in a
collision. Only use the Seat Belt Extender when the
lap belt is not long enough and only use in the
recommended seating positions. Remove and store
the Seat Belt Extender when not needed.
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use the seat belts
throughout their pregnancy. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe. Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the seat belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
Keep the seat belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is a collision.
Seat Belt Pretensioner
The front seat belt system is equipped with pretensioning
devices that are designed to remove slack from the seat
belt in the event of a collision. These devices may
improve the performance of the seat belt by removing
slack from the seat belt 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.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

The ORC contains a backup power supply system that
may deploy the air bags even if the battery loses power or
it becomes disconnected prior to deployment.
The ORC turns on the Air Bag Warning Light in the
instrument panel for approximately four to eight seconds
for a self-check when the ignition switch is first turned to
the ON/RUN position. After the self-check, the Air Bag
Warning Light will turn off. If the ORC detects a mal-
function in any part of the system, it turns on the Air Bag
Warning Light, either momentarily or continuously. A
single chime will sound to alert you if the light comes on
again after initial startup.
The ORC also includes diagnostics that will illuminate
the instrument panel Air Bag Warning Light if a malfunc-
tion is detected that could affect the air bag system. The
diagnostics also record the nature of the malfunction.
While the air bag system is designed to be maintenancefree, if any of the following occurs, have an authorized
dealer service the air bag system immediately.
•
The Air Bag Warning Light does not come on during
the four to eight seconds when the ignition switch is
first turned to the ON/RUN position.
• The Air Bag Warning Light remains on after the four to
eight-second interval.
• The Air Bag Warning Light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving.
NOTE: If the speedometer, tachometer, or any engine
related gauges are not working, the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) may also be disabled. In this condition
the air bags may not be ready to inflate for your protec-
tion. Have an authorized dealer service the air bag
system immediately.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

WARNING!(Continued)
not function properly if modifications are made.
Take your vehicle to an authorized dealer for any
air bag system service. If your seat, including your
trim cover and cushion, needs to be serviced in any
way (including removal or loosening/tightening of
seat attachment bolts), take the vehicle to your
authorized dealer. Only manufacturer approved
seat accessories may be used. If it is necessary to
modify the air bag system for persons with dis-
abilities, contact your authorized dealer.
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder
(EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in
certain crash or near crash-like situations, such as an air
bag deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding how a vehicle’s systems per-
formed. The EDR is designed to record data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle
is designed to record such data as:
•
How various systems in your vehicle were operating
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts
were buckled/fastened
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal
• How fast the vehicle was traveling
These data can help provide a better understanding of
the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81

NOTE:EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no per-
sonal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location)
are recorded. However, other parties, such as law en-
forcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a
crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed.
In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties,
such as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have access to the
vehicle or the EDR.
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times, including babies and children. Every state in the United States, and every Canadian
province, requires that small children ride in proper
restraint systems. This is the law, and you can be pros-
ecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride properly
buckled up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seats rather than in the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to
hold even an infant on your lap could become so
great that you could not hold the child, no matter
how strong you are. The child and others could be
badly injured. Any child riding in your vehicle
should be in a proper restraint for the child’s size.
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or
younger and who have not reached the height or weight limits of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible Child
Restraint, facing rearward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who have out-grown the heightor weight limit of their rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a five-
point Harness, facing forward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have out-grown their forward-facing child restraint, but aretoo small to properly fit the vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the vehicle
seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large
for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who
have out-grown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear seat of the
vehicle
84 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Infants And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing
in the vehicle until they are two years old or until they
reach either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing
child restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used
rear-facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle.
It is recommended for children from birth until they
reach the weight or height limit of the infant carrier.
Convertible child seats can be used either rear-facing or
forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child seats
often have a higher weight limit in the rear-facing
direction than infant carriers do, so they can be used
rear-facing by children who have outgrown their infant
carrier but are still less than at least two years old.
Children should remain rear-facing until they reach the
highest weight or height allowed by their convertible
child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of
an air bag. A deploying passenger Advanced Front
Air Bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a rear-
facing child restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and
convertible child seats used in the forward-facing direc-
tion are for children who are over two years old or who
have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of
their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 85

Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type CombinedWeight of the
Child + Child Restraint Use any attachment method shown with an “X” Below
LATCH –
Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt Only LATCH –
Lower Anchors+ Top Tether Anchor Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) XX
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint More than
65 lbs (29.5 kg) X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) XX
Forward-Facing Child Restraint More than
65 lbs (29.5 kg) X
88 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE