2017 Ram 1500 Child

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 + TopTether 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
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchorage
system called LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors
and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system has three
vehicle anchor points for installing LATCH-equipped child
seats. There are two lower anchorages located at the back
of the seat cushion where it meets the seatback and one top
tether anchorage located behind the seating position. These
anchorages are used to install LATCH-equipped child seats
without using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating posi-
tions may have a top tether anchorage but no lower
anchorages. In these seating positions, the seat belt must beused with the top tether anchorage to install the child
restraint. Please see the following table for more
information.
LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints In
This Vehicle
•Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
LATCH Label
Regular Cab LATCH Positions
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 75

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
What is the weight limit (child’s weight + weight of the child restraint) for using the LATCH an- chorage system to attach the child restraint? 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) Use the LATCH anchorage system until the com-
bined weight of the child and the child restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the seat belt and tether
anchor instead of the LATCH system once the
combined weight is more than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the seat belt be
used together to attach a rear-facing or forward- facing child restraint? No
Do not use the seat belt when you use the
LATCH anchorage system to attach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Can a child seat be installed in the center posi-
tion using the inner LATCH lower anchorages? No Full bench rear seat only: Use the seat belt and
tether anchor to install a child seat in the center seating position.
Can two child restraints be attached using a com- mon lower LATCH anchorage? No Never “share” a LATCH anchorage with two or
more child restraints. If the center position doesnot have dedicated LATCH lower anchorages,
use the seat belt to install a child seat in the cen-
ter position next to a child seat using the LATCH anchorages in an outboard position.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch the back of the front passenger seat? Yes The child seat may touch the back of the front
passenger seat if the child restraint manufacturer
also allows contact. See your child restraint own- er ’s manual for more information.
Can the head restraints be removed? No
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77

Locating The LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round bars that are
found at the rear of the seat cushion where it
meets the seatback. They are just visible when
you lean into the rear seat to install the child
restraint. You will easily feel them if you run your finger
along the gap between the seatback and seat cushion.
Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
Regular Cab models have tether strap anchorages
behind the front center and right seats. Quad Cab,
Mega Cab and Crew Cab models have tether strap
anchorages located behind each of the rear seats.
1 — Tether Strap Hook
2 — Tether Strap To Child Restraint
3 — Tether Anchor
Quad Cab/Mega Cab/Crew Cab Rear Outboard Seats
Driver SideRegular Cab Tether Anchorages
78 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

LATCH-compatible child restraint systems will be
equipped with a rigid bar or a flexible strap on each side.
Each will have a hook or connector to attach to the lower
anchorage and a way to tighten the connection to the
anchorage. Forward-facing child restraints and some rear-
facing child restraints will also be equipped with a tether
strap. The tether strap will have a hook at the end to attach
to the top tether anchorage and a way to tighten the strap
after it is attached to the anchorage.
Center Seat LATCH
Full Bench Rear Seat: No Lower Center LATCH Anchor-
ages Available
WARNING!
•Do not install a child restraint in the center position
using the LATCH system. This position is not ap-
proved for installing child seats using the LATCH
attachments. You must use the seat belt and tether
anchor to install a child seat in the center seating
position.
• Never use the same lower anchorage to attach more
than one child restraint. Please refer to “Installing
The LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint System” for
typical installation instructions.
Split Bench Rear Seat: Center LATCH Anchorages Avail-
able
If a child restraint installed in the center position blocks the
seat belt webbing or buckle for the outboard position, do
not use that outboard position. If a child seat in the center
position blocks the outboard LATCH anchors or seat belt,
do not install a child seat in that outboard position.
Mega Cab Tether Anchorages (Behind Covers)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

WARNING!
Never use the same lower anchorage to attach more
than one child restraint. Please refer to “Installing The
LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint System” for typi-
cal installation instructions.
Always follow the directions of the child restraint manu-
facturer when installing your child restraint. Not all child
restraint systems will be installed as described here.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
If the selected seating position has a Switchable Automatic
Locking Retractor (ALR) seat belt, stow the seat belt,
following the instructions below. See the section “Installing
Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat Belt” to check what
type of seat belt each seating position has.
1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on the tether strap of the child seat so that you can more easily
attach the hooks or connectors to the vehicle anchor-
ages.
2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. For some second row seats, you
may need to recline the seat and / or raise the head
restraint to get a better fit. If the rear seat can be moved forward and rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to
move it to its rear-most position to make room for the
child seat. You may also move the front seat forward to
allow more room for the child seat.
3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of the child restraint to the lower anchorages in the selected seating
position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage. See the section “Installing Child
Restraints Using The Top Tether Anchorage” for direc-
tions to attach a tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward into the seat. Remove slack in
the straps according to the child restraint manufactur-
er ’s instructions.
6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the child seat at the belt path. It
should not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any
direction.
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR (ALR)
Seat Belt
When using the LATCH attaching system to install a child
restraint, stow all ALR seat belts that are not being used by
other occupants or being used to secure child restraints. An
unused belt could injure a child if they play with it and
accidentally lock the seat belt retractor. Before installing a
child restraint using the LATCH system, buckle the seat
belt behind the child restraint and out of the child’s reach.
If the buckled seat belt interferes with the child restraint
installation, instead of buckling it behind the child re-
straint, route the seat belt through the child restraint belt
path and then buckle it. Do not lock the seat belt. Remind
all children in the vehicle that the seat belts are not toys and
that they should not play with them.
WARNING!
•Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of the re-
straint. The child could be badly injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Child restraint anchorages are designed to withstand
only those loads imposed by correctly-fitted child
restraints. Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for attaching
other items or equipment to the vehicle.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be secured in
vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt.
WARNING!
• Improper installation or failure to properly secure a
child restraint can lead to failure of the restraint. The
child could be badly injured or killed.
• Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81

The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with either a Switchable 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 retractor can be
“switched” into a locked mode by pulling all of the
webbing out of the retractor and then letting the webbing
retract back into the retractor. If it is locked, the ALR will
make a clicking noise while the webbing is pulled back into
the retractor. Refer to the “Automatic Locking Mode”
description in “Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR)” under “Occupant Restraint Systems” for additional
information on ALR. The cinching latch plate is designed to
hold the lap portion of the seat belt tight when webbing is
pulled tight and straight through a child restraint’s belt
path.
Please see the table below and the following sections for
more information.Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
Regular Cab Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
•ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE