2017 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab sensor

Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS)
Some of the safety features described in this section may be
standard equipment on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others. If you are not sure, ask your autho-
rized dealer.
The air bag system must be ready to protect you in a
collision. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) moni-
tors the internal circuits and interconnecting wiring asso-
ciated with the electrical Air Bag System Components.
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following Air Bag
System Components:
Air Bag System Components
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
•Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Supplemental Side Air Bags — If Equipped •
Front and Side Impact Sensors — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Pretensioners — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
Air Bag Warning Light
The ORC monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the air bag system whenever the ignition
switch is in the START or ON/RUN position. If
the ignition switch is in the OFF position or in the
ACC position, the air bag system is not on and the air bags
will not inflate.
The ORC contains a backup power supply system that may
deploy the air bag system 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 in the
ON/RUN position. After the self-check, the Air Bag Warn-
ing Light will turn off. If the ORC detects a malfunction 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.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55

WARNING!
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during front air bag deployment could cause
serious injury, including death. Air bags need room
to inflate. Sit back, comfortably extending your arms
to reach the steering wheel or instrument panel.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an
air bag. A deploying passenger 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.
Driver And Passenger Front Air Bag Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multistage driver
and front passenger air bags. This system provides output
appropriate to the severity and type of collision as deter-
mined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC), which
may receive information from the front impact sensors (if
equipped) or other system components.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires air bag deployment. A low energy
output is used in less severe collisions. A higher energy
output is used for more severe collisions.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front
passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whether the
driver or front passenger seat belt is buckled. The seat belt
Front Air Bag And Knee Bolster Locations
1 — Driver And Passenger Front Air Bags
2 — Driver And Passenger Knee Impact Bolsters
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57

buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags.
WARNING!
•No objects should be placed over or near the air bag
on the instrument panel or steering wheel because
any such objects could cause harm if the vehicle is in
a collision severe enough to cause the air bag to
inflate.
• Do not put anything on or around the air bag covers
or attempt to open them manually. You may damage
the air bags and you could be injured because the air
bags may no longer be functional. The protective
covers for the air bag cushions are designed to open
only when the air bags are inflating.
• Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work with
your seat belt to restrain you properly. In some
collisions, air bags won’t deploy at all. Always wear
your seat belts even though you have air bags.
Front Air Bag Operation
Front Air Bags are designed to provide additional protec-
tion by supplementing the seat belts. Front air bags are not
expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or
rollover collisions. The front air bags will not deploy in all
frontal collisions, including some that may produce sub-
stantial vehicle damage — for example, some pole colli-
sions, truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of
impact, front air bags may deploy in crashes with little
vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe initial
deceleration.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration over
time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are not
good indicators of whether or not an air bag should have
deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all collisions,
and also are needed to help keep you in position, away
from an inflating air bag.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the front air
bags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity of
non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the front air bags.
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
seat belts properly and sit upright with their backs
against the seats. Children must be properly re-
strained in a child restraint or booster seat that is
appropriate for the size of the child.
WARNING!
•Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door or window. Sit upright in the center
of the seat.
• Being too close to the Side Air Bags during deploy-
ment could cause you to be severely injured or
killed.
• Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could lead to
more severe injuries in a collision. The Side Air Bags
work with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, Side Air Bags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belt even though you have
Side Air Bags.
NOTE: Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment. Side Impacts — If Equipped With Side Air Bags
In side impacts, the side impact sensors aid the ORC in
determining the appropriate response to impact events.
The system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags on the
impact side of the vehicle during impacts that require Side
Air Bag occupant protection. In side impacts, the Side Air
Bags deploy independently; a left side impact deploys the
left Side Air Bags only and a right side impact deploys the
right Side Air Bags only.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side collisions,
including some collisions at certain angles, or some side
collisions that do not impact the area of the passenger
compartment. The Side Air Bags may deploy during
angled or offset frontal collisions where the front air bags
deploy.
Rollover Events — If Equipped Side Air Bags
Side Air Bags are designed to activate in certain rollover
events. The ORC determines whether the deployment of
the Side Air Bags in a particular rollover event is appro-
priate, based on the severity and type of collision. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of whether or not
Side Air Bags should have deployed.
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all rollover events. The
rollover sensing-system determines if a rollover event may
be in progress and whether deployment is appropriate. A
slower-developing event may deploy the seat belt preten-
sioners on both sides of the vehicle. A faster-developing
event may deploy the seat belt pretensioners as well as the
Side Air Bags on both sides of the vehicle. The rollover
sensing-system may also deploy the seat belt pretension-
ers, with or without the Side Air Bags, on both sides of the
vehicle if the vehicle experiences a near rollover event.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain rollover (if equipped with rollover sensing) or side
impact events.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors the
internal circuits and interconnecting wiring associated
with electrical Air Bag System Components listed below:
Air Bag System Components
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
•Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel •
Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Supplemental Side Air Bags — If Equipped
• Front and Side Impact Sensors — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Pretensioners — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
If A Deployment Occurs
The front air bags are designed to deflate immediately after
deployment.
NOTE: Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all
collisions. This does not mean something is wrong with the
air bag system.
If you do have a collision which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
• The air bag material may sometimes cause abrasions
and/or skin reddening to the occupants as the air bags
deploy and unfold. The abrasions are similar to friction
rope burns or those you might get sliding along a carpet
or gymnasium floor. They are not caused by contact with
chemicals. They are not permanent and normally heal
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

▫To Resume Speed ..................... .144
▫ To Vary The Speed Setting ................144
▫ To Accelerate For Passing .................146
 PARKSENSE REAR PARK ASSIST — IF
EQUIPPED ........................... .146
▫ ParkSense Sensors ..................... .147
▫ ParkSense Warning Display ................147
▫ ParkSense Display ..................... .147
▫ Enabling And Disabling ParkSense ..........150
▫ Service The ParkSense Rear Park Assist System. .151
▫ Cleaning The ParkSense System .............151
▫ ParkSense System Usage Precautions .........152
 PARKSENSE FRONT AND REAR PARK ASSIST —
IF EQUIPPED ......................... .154
▫ ParkSense Sensors ..................... .154
▫ ParkSense Warning Display ................155
▫ ParkSense Display ..................... .155▫
Enabling And Disabling Front And/Or Rear
ParkSense ........................... .157
▫ Service The ParkSense Park Assist System .....158
▫ Cleaning The ParkSense System .............159
▫ ParkSense System Usage Precautions .........159
 PARKVIEW REAR BACK UP CAMERA — IF
EQUIPPED ........................... .160
 OVERHEAD CONSOLE — IF EQUIPPED ......163
▫ Courtesy/Reading Lights .................164
 GARAGE DOOR OPENER — IF EQUIPPED . . . .164
▫ Before You Begin Programming HomeLink . . . .166
▫ Programming A Rolling Code ..............166
▫ Programming A Non-Rolling Code ..........168
▫ Canadian/Gate

Operator Programming .......169
▫ Using HomeLink ...................... .171
▫ Security ............................. .171
▫ Troubleshooting Tips ....................171
▫ General Information .....................172
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 99

ParkSense Sensors
For the 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab vehicles, the rear
ParkSense sensors are shipped loose. Please refer to the
Ram Body Builders Guide for more information.
The four ParkSense sensors, located in the rear fascia/
bumper, monitor the area behind the vehicle that is within
the sensors’ field of view. The sensors can detect obstacles
from approximately 18 inches (45 cm) up to 79 inches
(200 cm) from the rear fascia/bumper in the horizontal
direction, depending on the location, type and orientation
of the obstacle.
ParkSense Warning Display
The ParkSense Warning screen is located within the instru-
ment cluster display. It provides visual warnings to indi-
cate the distance between the rear fascia/bumper and the
detected obstacle. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in
“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further infor-
mation.The ParkSense Warning screen will only be displayed if
“Sound and Display” is selected.
NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with a touchscreen, this
feature can be programmed through the Uconnect system.
Refer to “Uconnect Settings” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.
If your vehicle is not equipped with a touchscreen, this
feature can be programmed through the instrument cluster
display. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” for further
information.
ParkSense Display
When the vehicle is in REVERSE, the warning display will
turn on indicating the system status.
The system will indicate a detected obstacle by showing a
single arc in the left and/or right rear regions based on the
object’s distance and location relative to the vehicle.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 147

NOTE:The ParkSense system will automatically disable
when the system detects that a trailer with trailer brakes
has been connected to the Integrated Trailer Brake Module.
The instrument cluster display will show the
“PARKSENSE OFF” message for as long as the vehicle is in
reverse.
The ParkSense switch LED will be on when ParkSense is
disabled or defective. The ParkSense switch LED will be off
when the system is enabled.
If the ParkSense switch is pushed, and the system is
disabled or requires service, the ParkSense switch LED will
blink momentarily, and then the LED will be on.
Service The ParkSense Rear Park Assist System
During vehicle start up, when the ParkSense Rear Park
Assist System has detected a faulted condition, the instru-
ment cluster display will actuate a single chime, once per
ignition cycle, and it will show the PARKSENSE UN-
AVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS or thePARKSENSE
UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED message. Refer to
“Instrument Cluster Display” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information. When the gear
selector is moved to REVERSE and the system has detected
a faulted condition, the instrument cluster display will show the
PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SEN-
SORS or thePARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE RE-
QUIRED message for as long as the vehicle is in RE-
VERSE. Under this condition, ParkSense will not operate.
If PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE WIPE REAR SENSORS
appears in the instrument cluster display make sure the
outer surface and the underside of the rear fascia/bumper
is clean and clear of snow, ice, mud, dirt or other obstruc-
tion, and then cycle the ignition. If the message continues
to appear, see an authorized dealer.
If PARKSENSE UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED 
appears in the instrument cluster display, see your autho-
rized dealer.Cleaning The ParkSense System
Clean the ParkSense sensors with water, car wash soap and
a soft cloth. Do not use rough or hard cloths. Do not scratch
or poke the sensors. Otherwise, you could damage the
sensors.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 151