2020 Ram 1500 AC system

260 SAFETY
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.
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.NOTE:
Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim, but
they will open during air bag deployment.
Rollover Events
Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners are designed to
activate in certain rollover events. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) determines whether deployment in a
particular rollover event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. Vehicle damage by itself is not
a good indicator of whether or not Side Air Bags and seat belt
pretensioners should have deployed.
WARNING!
• Occupants, including children, who are up against or very close to Side Air Bags can be seriously injured or
killed. Occupants, including children, should 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 an inflating Side
Air Bag. 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 deployment 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.
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SAFETY 261
The Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners will not deploy
in all rollover events. The rollover sensing system deter-
mines if a rollover event may be in progress and whether
deployment is appropriate. In the event the vehicle experi -
ences a rollover or near rollover event, and deployment is
appropriate, the rollover sensing system will deploy the side
air bags and seat belt pretensioners on both sides of the
vehicle.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain rollover or side impact events.
Air Bag System Components
NOTE:
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors the
internal circuits and interconnecting wiring associated with
electrical Air Bag System Components listed below:
• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
• Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags • Seat Belt Buckle Switch
• Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Seat Belt Pretensioners
• Seat Track Position Sensors
• Occupant Classification System
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 gymna -
sium floor. They are not caused by contact with chemicals.
They are not permanent and normally heal quickly.
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262 SAFETY
However, if you haven’t healed significantly within a few
days, or if you have any blistering, see your doctor imme-
diately.
• As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like parti -
cles. 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. 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.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact, if the communication network
remains intact, and the power remains intact, depending on
the nature of the event, the ORC will determine whether to
have the Enhanced Accident Response System perform the
following functions:
• Cut off fuel to the engine (If Equipped)
• Cut off battery power to the electric motor (If Equipped)
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power
• Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as the battery has power or for 15 minutes from the intervention
of the Enhanced Accident Response System
• Unlock the power door locks
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 assemblies
replaced by an authorized dealer immediately. Also,
have the Occupant Restraint Controller System serviced
as well.
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SAFETY 263
(Continued)
Your vehicle may also be designed to perform any of these
other functions in response to the Enhanced Accident
Response System:
• Turn off the Fuel Filter Heater, Turn off the HVAC BlowerMotor, Close the HVAC Circulation Door
• Cut off battery power to the: • Engine
• Electric Motor (if equipped)
• Electric power steering
• Brake booster
• Electric park brake
• Automatic transmission gear selector
• Horn
• Front wiper
• Headlamp washer pump
NOTE:
After an accident, remember to cycle the ignition to the STOP
(OFF/LOCK) position and remove the key from the ignition
switch to avoid draining the battery. Carefully check the
vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine compartment and on the
ground near the engine compartment and fuel tank before
resetting the system and starting the engine. If there are no
fuel leaks or damage to the vehicle electrical devices (e.g. headlights) after an accident, reset the system by following
the procedure described below. If you have any doubt,
contact an authorized dealer.
Enhanced Accident Response System Reset Procedure
In order to reset the Enhanced Accident Response System
functions after an event, the ignition switch must be changed
from ignition START or ON/RUN to ignition OFF. Carefully
check the vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine compartment
and on the ground near the engine compartment and fuel
tank before resetting the system and starting the engine.
Maintaining Your Air Bag System
WARNING!
• Modifications to any part of the air bag system could cause it to fail when you need it. You could be injured
if the air bag system is not there to protect you. Do not
modify the components or wiring, including adding
any kind of badges or stickers to the steering wheel hub
trim cover or the upper passenger side of the instru -
ment panel. Do not modify the front bumper, vehicle
body structure, or add aftermarket side steps or
running boards.
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264 SAFETY
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR).
The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain crash or
near crash-like situations, such as an air bag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding
how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR is designed to
record data related to vehicle dynamics and safety systemsfor a short period of time, typically 30 seconds or less. The
EDR in this vehicle is designed to record such data as:
• How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE:
EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial
crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR
under normal driving conditions and no personal data (e.g.,
name, gender, age, and crash location) are recorded.
However, other parties, such as law enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type of personally identi -
fying data routinely acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In
addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the special equipment, can read
the information if they have access to the vehicle or the EDR.
• It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the air bag
system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who works on
your vehicle that it has an air bag system.
• Do not attempt to modify any part of your air bag system. The air bag may inflate accidentally or may not
function properly if modifications are made. Take your
vehicle to an authorized dealer for any air bag system
service. If your seat, including your trim cover and
cushion, needs to be serviced in any way (including
removal or loosening/tightening of seat attachment
bolts), take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. Only
manufacturer approved seat accessories may be used. If
it is necessary to modify the air bag system for persons
with disabilities, contact an authorized dealer.
WARNING! (Continued)
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SAFETY 265
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all times,
including babies and children. Every state in the United
States, and every Canadian province, requires that small
children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the law, and
you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride properly buckled
up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seats
rather than in the front.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for children
from newborn size to the child almost large enough for an
adult safety belt. Always check the child seat Owner’s
Manual to make sure you have the correct seat for your child.Carefully read and follow all the instructions and warnings
in the child restraint Owner’s Manual and on all the labels
attached to the child restraint.
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety Standards.
You should also make sure that you can install it in the
vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:
• For additional information, refer to
http://
www.nhtsa.gov/parents-and-caregivers or call:
1–888–327–4236
• Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s website for additional information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/
eng/motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-child -
safety-index-53.htm
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to hold
even an infant on your lap could become so great that
you could not hold the child, no matter how strong you
are. The child and others could be badly injured or
killed. Any child riding in your vehicle should be in a
proper restraint for the child’s size.
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270 SAFETY
Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System LATCH Label 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 anchor
-
ages are used to install LATCH-equipped child seats without
using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating positions may
Restraint Type
Combined Weight
of the Child +
Child Restraint Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below
LATCH – Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt OnlyLATCH – Lower
Anchors + Top Tether Anchor Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
X
Rear-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
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272 SAFETY
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 anchorage system to attach
the child restraint? 65 lbs (29.5 kg)Use the LATCH anchorage system until
the combined 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? NoDo not use the seat belt when you use
the LATCH anchorage system to attach
a rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraint.
Booster seats may be attached to the
LATCH anchorages if allowed by the
booster seat manufacturer. See your
booster seat owner’s manual for more
information.
Can a child seat be installed in the
center position using the inner LATCH
lower anchorages from the outboard
seating positions? NoQuad Cab or Crew with Full bench rear
seat: Use the seat belt and tether anchor
to install a child seat in the center
seating position
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