2018 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab belt

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.
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.
218 SAFETY

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.
Regular Cab Only
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 in “Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR)” under “Occupant Restraint Systems” for additional
information on ALR.
Crew Cab: Split Bench And Full Bench
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.5
SAFETY 219

Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
Regular Cab Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking RetractorTop Tether Anchorage Symbol
Crew Cab Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
CINCH = Cinching Latchplate
ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
220 SAFETY

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
What is the weight limit (child’s weight + weight of the child re-
straint) 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 for-
ward facing child restraint, up to the recommended weight limit of the child restraint.
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 al-
lowed, if the child restraint manufac- turer 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 – Cinching Latch Plate
No – ALR 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 seatingposition with an ALR retractor.
Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR):
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.
5
SAFETY 221

1.For Crew Cab Models
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.
For Regular Cab Models
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.
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.
222 SAFETY

Installing A Child Restraint With A Cinching Latch
Plate (CINCH) — If Equipped:
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.
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
strap. See the section “Installing Child Restraints Using
the Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to attach a
tether anchor.
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.5
SAFETY 223

Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the
belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.
If the buckle or the cinching latch plate is too close to the
belt path opening of the child restraint, you may have
trouble tightening the seat belt. If this happens, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle and twist the short buckle-
end belt up to three full turns to shorten it. Insert the latch
plate into the buckle with the release button facing out,
away from the child restraint. Repeat steps 4 to 6, above, to
complete the installation of the child restraint.
If the belt still cannot be tightened after you shorten the
buckle, disconnect the latch plate from the buckle, turn the
buckle around one half turn, and insert the latch plate into
the buckle again. If you still cannot make the child restraint
installation tight, try a different seating position.Installing Child Restraints Using The Top Tether
Anchorage
WARNING!
Do not attach a tether strap for a rear-facing car seat to
any location in front of the car seat, including the seat
frame or a tether anchorage. Only attach the tether
strap of a rear-facing car seat to the tether anchorage
that is approved for that seating position, located
behind the top of the vehicle seat. See the section
“Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System” for the location of approved tether
anchorages in your vehicle.
224 SAFETY

4. Attach the hook to the outboard tether strap loop.
5. Tighten the tether straps according to the child seatmanufacturer ’s instructions, tightening the right and
left tether straps before the center tether strap.WARNING!
•An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchorage position directly be-
hind the child seat to secure a child restraint top
tether strap.
• If your vehicle is equipped with a split rear seat,
make sure the tether strap does not slip into the
opening between the seatbacks as you remove slack
in the strap.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in a
collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses or
pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
Outboard And Center Seating Positions Shown
230 SAFETY