2017 Ram ProMaster Owner's Manual

Supplemental Restraint System (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.
Air Bag System Components
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.
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
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Front and Side Impact Sensors — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Pretensioners
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
Front Air Bags
This vehicle has front air bags for both the driver and front
passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint sys-
tems. The driver front air bag is mounted in the center of
the steering wheel. The passenger front air bag is mounted
in the instrument panel, above the glove compartment. The
words “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” are embossed on the
air bag covers.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 31

WARNING!
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during Advanced Front Air Bag deployment
could cause serious injury, including death. Air bags
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
need room to inflate. Sit back, comfortably extending
your arms to reach the steering wheel or instrument
panel.
• 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.
Driver and Passenger Front Air Bag Features
The driver and passenger front air bag system is designed
to inflate based on the severity and type of collision as
determined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
which may receive information from the front impact
sensors (if equipped) or other system components.
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
buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags.
Front Air Bag And Knee Impact Bolster Locations
1 — Driver Front Air Bag
2 — Passenger Front Air Bag
3 — Driver/Passenger Knee Impact Bolster 32 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right side
of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the way as
the air bags inflate to their full size. The front air bags fully
inflate in less time than it takes to blink your eyes. The
front air bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain
the driver and front passenger.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 33

Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the front air bags.
WARNING!
•Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
• Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Your vehicle is equipped with two types of supplemental
Side Air Bags:
1. Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs):
Located in the outboard side of the front seats. The
SABs are marked with a “SRS AIRBAG” or AIRBAG
label sewn into the outboard side of the seats. The SABs may help to reduce the risk of occupant injury
during certain side impacts, in addition to the injury
reduction potential provided by the seat belts and body
structure.
When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on the outboard
side of the seatback’s trim cover. The inflating SAB deploys
through the seat seam into the space between the occupant
and the door. The SAB moves at a very high speed and
with such a high force that it could injure occupants if they
are not seated properly, or if items are positioned in the
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
34 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

area where the SAB inflates. Children are at an even greater
risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
WARNING!
Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the Side Air Bags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could be
pushed into you, causing serious injury.
2. Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs): Located above the side windows. The trim
covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS AIRBAG” or
“AIRBAG.”
SABICs may help reduce the risk of head and other injuries
to front and rear seat outboard occupants in certain side
impacts in addition to the injury reduction potential pro-
vided by the seat belts and body structure.
The SABIC deploys downward, covering the side win-
dows. An inflating SABIC pushes the outside edge of the
headliner out of the way and covers the window. The
SABICs inflate with enough force to injure occupants if
they are not belted and seated properly, or if items are
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC)Label Location
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 35

positioned in the area where the SABICs inflate. Children
are at an even greater risk of injury from a deploying air
bag.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain side impact events.
WARNING!
•Do not stack luggage or other cargo up high enough
to block the deployment of the SABICs. The trim
covering above the side windows where the SABIC
and its deployment path are located should remain
free from any obstructions.
• In order for the SABICs to work as intended, do not
install any accessory items in your vehicle which
could alter the roof. Do not add an aftermarket
sunroof to your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that
require permanent attachments (bolts or screws) for
installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the
roof of the vehicle for any reason.
The SABICs and SABs (“Side Air Bags”) are designed to
activate in certain side impacts. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (“ORC”) determines whether the deployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular impact event is appropri-
ate, based on the severity and type of collision. 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 protec-
tion. In side impacts, the Side Air Bags deploy indepen-
dently; a left side impact deploys the left Side Air Bags only
and a right-side impact deploys the right Side Air Bags
only. Vehicle damage by itself is not a good indicator of
whether or not Side Air Bags should have deployed.
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 Advanced
Front Air Bags deploy.
Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt restraint
system. Side Air Bags deploy in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes. Occupants, including children, who are up
against or very close to Side Air Bags can be seriously
injured or killed. Occupants, including children, should
36 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

never lean on or sleep against the door, side windows, or
area where the Side Air Bags inflate, even if they are in an
infant or child restraint.
Seat belts (and child restraints where appropriate) are
necessary for your protection in all collisions. They also
help keep you in position, away from inflating Side Air
Bags. To get the best protection from the Side Air Bags,
occupants must wear their seat belts properly and sit
upright with their backs against the seats. Children must
be properly restrained 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.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
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.
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 37

quickly. However, if you haven’t healed significantly
within a few days, or if you have any blistering, see your
doctor immediately.
•
As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air bag
inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the skin,
eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irritation,
rinse the area with cool water. For nose or throat irritation,
move to fresh air. If the irritation continues, see your
doctor. If these particles settle on your clothing, follow the
garment manufacturer ’s instructions for cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have deployed.
If you are involved in another collision, the air bags will
not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags, seat
belt pretensioners, and the seat belt retractor assem-
blies replaced by an authorized dealer immediately.
Also, have the Occupant Restraint Controller System
serviced as well. NOTE:
•
Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
• After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Fuel Cut Off Switch
Your vehicle is equipped with a Fuel Cut Off safety switch.
In the event of an accident, if the communication network
remains intact, and the power remains intact, depending
on the nature of the event, the Fuel Cut Off Switch may
perform the following functions:
• Cut off fuel to the engine and turn off the engine.
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the hazard light button is pushed. The hazard
lights can be deactivated by pushing the hazard light
button.
• Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power.
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE