2017 Ram 4500 Chassis Cab Owner's Manual

Locating 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 Tether Anchorages
Regular Cab models have tether strap anchor-
ages 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
Crew Cab Rear Outboard Seats Driver SideRegular Cab Tether Anchorages
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

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
No Lower Center LATCH Anchorages 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. Center LATCH Anchorages Available
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.
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.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
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.
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.
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on thetether 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.
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.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81

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.
• 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
If All Passenger Seats Are Equipped With ALR
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) that is 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 under “Occupant
Restraints” for additional information on ALR.
If The Passenger Seats Are Equipped With ALR Or With
Cinch
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 under “Occupant
Restraints” for additional information on ALR. The cinch-
ing 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.
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
What is the weight limit (child’s weight +
weight of the child restraint) for using the
Tether Anchor with the seat belt to attach a forward facing child restraint? Weight limit of the Child
Restraint Always use the tether anchor when using
the seat belt to install a forward facing
child restraint, up to the recommended weight limit of the child restraint.
Regular Cab
•ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Crew Cab
• ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
• Cinching Latch Plate
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch the back of the front passenger seat? Yes Contact between the front passenger seat
and the child restraint is allowed, if the
child restraint manufacturer also allows contact.
Can the head restraints be removed? NoHead restraints may not be removed.
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to tighten the seat belt against the belt path of the child restraint? Yes
In positions with cinching latch plates
(CINCH), the buckle stalk may be twisted up to 3 full turns. Do not twist the buckle stalk in a seating position with an ALR retractor.
Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
Regular Cab
1. Place the child seat in the center of the 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. 2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor
to pass it through the belt path of the child restraint. Do
not twist the belt webbing in the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight against the child seat.
5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of the belt until you have pulled all the seat belt webbing
out of the retractor. Then, allow the webbing to retract
84 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

back into the retractor. As the webbing retracts, you will
hear a clicking sound. This means the seat belt is now in
the Automatic Locking mode.
6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is locked, you should not be able to pull out any webbing.
If the retractor is not locked, repeat step 5.
7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child restraint while you push the
child restraint rearward and downward into the vehicle
seat.
8. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the seating position has a top tether anchorage, connect the
tether strap to the anchorage and tighten the tether
strap. See the section “Installing Child Restraints Using
the Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to attach a
tether anchor.
9. 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.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the
belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
Crew Cab
1. Place the child seat in the center of the seating position. Move the vehicle seat as far rearward as possible to keep
the child as far from the advanced passenger air bag as
possible.
2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to pass it through the belt path of the child restraint. Do
not twist the belt webbing in the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight against the child seat.
5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of the belt until you have pulled all the seat belt webbing
out of the retractor. Then, allow the webbing to retract
back into the retractor. As the webbing retracts, you will
hear a clicking sound. This means the seat belt is now in
the Automatic Locking mode.2
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6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it islocked, you should not be able to pull out any webbing.
If the retractor is not locked, repeat step 5.
7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child restraint while you push the
child restraint rearward and downward into the vehicle
seat.
8. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the seating position has a top tether anchorage, connect the
tether strap to the anchorage and tighten the tether
strap. See the section “Installing Child Restraints Using
the Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to attach a
tether anchor.
9. 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.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the
belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.Installing A Child Restraint With A Cinching Latch
Plate (CINCH) — If Equipped:
1. Place the child seat in the center of the 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.
2. Next, pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to pass it through the belt path of the child
restraint. Do not twist the belt webbing in the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
4. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child restraint while you push the
child restraint rearward and downward into the vehicle
seat.
5. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the seating position has a top tether anchorage, connect the
tether strap to the anchorage and tighten the tether
86 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE