2015 Ram Cargo Van Owner's Manual

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.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Re-
straint Controller (ORC). Like the air bags, the preten-
sioners are single use items. A deployed pretensioner or
a deployed air bag must be replaced immediately.
Energy Management Feature
This vehicle has a seat belt system with an Energy
Management feature in the front seating positions that
may help further reduce the risk of injury in the event of
a collision. This seat belt system has a retractor assembly
that is designed to release webbing in a controlled
manner.
Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR) – If Equipped
The seat belt in the passenger seating position is
equipped with a switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) which is used to secure a child restraint system.
For additional information, refer to “Installing Child
Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat Belt” under the “Child
Restraints” section of this manual. The table below
defines the type of feature for each seating position.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

If the passenger seating position is equipped with an
ALR and is being used for normal usage, only pull the
seat belt webbing out far enough to comfortably wrap
around the occupant’s mid-section so as to not activatethe ALR. If the ALR is activated, you will hear a clicking
sound as the seat belt retracts. Allow the webbing to
retract completely in this case and then carefully pull out
only the amount of webbing necessary to comfortably
wrap around the occupant’s mid-section. Slide the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a
click.
In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder belt is auto-
matically pre-locked. The seat belt will still retract to
remove any slack in the shoulder belt. The Automatic
Locking Mode is available on all passenger seating
positions with a combination lap/shoulder belt. Use the
Automatic Locking Mode anytime a child restraint is
installed in a seating position that has a seat belt with this
feature. Children 12 years old and under should always
be properly restrained in a vehicle with a rear seat.
Front Passenger Seat
• ALR= Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until the entire seat belt is extracted.
3. Allow the seat belt to retract. As the seat belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This indicates the seat
belt is now in the Automatic Locking Mode.
How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it
to retract completely to disengage the Automatic Locking
Mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency)
locking mode.
WARNING!
•The seat belt assembly must be replaced if the
switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) fea-
ture or any other seat belt function is not working
properly when checked according to the proce-
dures in the Service Manual.
• Failure to replace the seat belt assembly could
increase the risk of injury in collisions.
(Continued)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 73

WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode to restrain
occupants who are wearing the seat belt or children
who are using booster seats. The locked mode is
only used to install rear-facing or forward-facing
child restraints that have a harness for restraining
the child.
Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR)
These head restraints are passive, deployable compo-
nents, and vehicles with this equipment cannot be readily
identified by any markings, only through visual inspec-
tion of the head restraint. The head restraint will be split
in two halves, with the front half being soft foam and
trim, the back half being decorative plastic. How The Active Head Restraints (AHR) Work
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the severity, or type of rear impact will require
the Active Head Restraints (AHR) to deploy. If a rear
impact requires deployment, both the driver and front
passenger seat AHRs will be deployed.
When AHRs deploy during a rear impact, the front half
of the head restraint extends forward to minimize the gap
between the back of the occupant’s head and the AHR.
This system is designed to help prevent or reduce the
extent of injuries to the driver and front passenger in
certain types of rear impacts.
NOTE:
The Active Head Restraints (AHR) may or may
not deploy in the event of a front or side impact.
However, if during a front impact, a secondary rear
impact occurs, the AHR may deploy based on the sever-
ity and type of the impact.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
All occupants, including the driver, should not oper-
ate a vehicle or sit in a vehicle’s seat until the head
restraints are placed in their proper positions in order
to minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
collision.
NOTE: For more information on properly adjusting and
positioning the head restraint, refer to “Adjusting Active
Head Restraints” in “Understanding The Features Of
Your Vehicle.”
Resetting Active Head Restraints (AHR)
If the Active Head Restraints are triggered in a collision,
you must reset the head restraint on the driver ’s and
front passenger ’s seat before driving. You can recognize
when the Active Head Restraint has been triggered by the
fact that they have moved forward (as shown in step
three of the resetting procedure).
Active Head Restraint (AHR) Components
1 — Head Restraint Front Half (Soft Foam and Trim)
2 — Seatback
3 — Head Restraint Back Half (Decorative Plastic Rear Cover)
4 — Head Restraint Guide Tubes
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75

1. Grasp the deployed AHR from the rear seat.
2. Position the hands on the top of the deployed AHR ata comfortable position. 3. Pull down then rearward towards the rear of the
vehicle then down to engage the locking mechanism.
Hand Positioning Points On AHR
76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

A — Downward Movement
B — Rearward Movement
C — Final Downward Movement To Engage Locking Mechanism
4. The AHR front soft foam and trim half should lockinto the back decorative plastic half.
Review Table Below
AHR In Reset Position
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77

NOTE:
•If you have difficulties or problems resetting the Active
Head Restraints, see an authorized dealer.
• For safety reasons, have the Active Head Restraints
checked by a qualified specialist at an authorized
dealer.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Air Bag System Components
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following air bag
system components:
• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
•Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Advanced Front Air Bags
• Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Supplemental Knee Air Bags
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Seat Belt Pretenioners
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
• Seat Track Position Sensors
78 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE