2020 Ram 1500 child seat

236 SAFETY
Seat Belt Systems
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even on
short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver and
could cause a collision that includes you. This can happen far
away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they can
reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some of the
worst injuries happen when people are thrown from the
vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of ejection and the
risk of injury caused by striking the inside of the vehicle.
Everyone in a motor vehicle should be belted at all times.
Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System (BeltAlert)
Driver And Passenger BeltAlert — If Equipped BeltAlert is a feature intended to remind the driver and
outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) to buckle their seat belts. The
BeltAlert feature is active whenever the ignition switch is in
the START or ON/RUN position.
Initial Indication
If the driver is unbuckled when the ignition switch is first in
the START or ON/RUN position, a chime will signal for a
few seconds. If the driver or outboard front seat passenger (if
equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) is
unbuckled when the ignition switch is first in the START or
ON/RUN position the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn on
and remain on until both outboard front seat belts are
buckled. The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not
active when an outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied.
BeltAlert Warning Sequence
The BeltAlert warning sequence is activated when the
vehicle is moving above a specified vehicle speed range and
the driver or outboard front seat passenger is unbuckled (if
equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) (the
outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not active when
the outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied). The
BeltAlert warning sequence starts by blinking the Seat Belt
Reminder Light and sounding an intermittent chime. Once
the BeltAlert warning sequence has completed, the Seat Belt
• Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the front
seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing child restraint
in the rear seat. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat,
do not transport a rear-facing child restraint in that
vehicle.
WARNING! (Continued)
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SAFETY 243
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women Seat Belts and Pregnant Women
Seat belts must be worn by all occupants including pregnant
women: the risk of injury in the event of an accident is
reduced for the mother and the unborn child if they are
wearing a seat belt.
Position the lap belt snug and low below the abdomen and
across the strong bones of the hips. Place the shoulder belt
across the chest and away from the neck. Never place the
shoulder belt behind the back or under the arm. Seat Belt Pretensioner
The front outboard seat belt system is equipped with preten
-
sioning devices that are designed to remove slack from the
seat belt in the event of a collision. These devices may
improve the performance of the seat belt by removing slack
from the seat belt early in a collision. Pretensioners work for
all size occupants, including those in child restraints.
NOTE:
These devices are not a substitute for proper seat belt place -
ment by the occupant. The seat belt still must be worn snugly
and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC). Like the air bags, the pretensioners are
single use items. A deployed pretensioner or a deployed air
bag must be replaced immediately.
Energy Management Feature
The front outboard seat belt system is equipped with an
Energy Management feature that may help further reduce
the risk of injury in the event of a collision. The seat belt
system has a retractor assembly that is designed to release
webbing in a controlled manner.
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244 SAFETY
(Continued)
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR)
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) which is used to secure a child restraint system. For
additional information, refer to “Installing Child Restraints
Using The Vehicle Seat Belt” under the “Child Restraints”
section of this manual. The figure below illustrates the
locking feature for each seating position.Automatic Locking Retractor — (ALR) Locations If the passenger seating position is equipped with an ALR
and is being used for normal usage, only pull the seat belt
webbing out far enough to comfortably wrap around the
occupant’s mid-section so as to not activate the ALR. If the
ALR is activated, you will hear a clicking sound as the seat
belt retracts. Allow the webbing to retract completely in this
case and then carefully pull out only the amount of webbing
necessary to comfortably wrap around the occupant’s
mid-section. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you
hear a "click."
In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder belt is automati
-
cally pre-locked. The seat belt will still retract to remove any
slack in the shoulder belt. Use the Automatic Locking Mode
anytime a child restraint is installed in a seating position that
has a seat belt with this feature. Children 12 years old and
under should always be properly restrained in the rear seat
of a vehicle with a rear seat.
WARNING!
• 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.
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SAFETY 245
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until theentire seat belt is extracted.
3. Allow the seat belt to retract. As the seat belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This indicates the seat belt is
now in the Automatic Locking Mode.
How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it to
retract completely to disengage the Automatic Locking
Mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking
mode.
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 an authorized
dealer.
• Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the front
seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing child restraint
in the rear seat. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat,
do not transport a rear-facing child restraint in that
vehicle.
WARNING! (Continued)WARNING!
• The seat belt assembly must be replaced if the switch -
able Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) feature or any
other seat belt function is not working properly when
checked according to the procedures in the Service
Manual.
• Failure to replace the seat belt assembly could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
• Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode to restrain occupants who are wearing the seat belt or children
who are using booster seats. The locked mode is only
used to install rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraints that have a harness for restraining the child.
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248 SAFETY
(Continued)
Front Air Bag/Knee Bolster LocationsDriver 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.
1 — Driver And Passenger Front Air Bags
2 — Driver And Passenger Knee Impact Bolsters
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.
• Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of anair 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.
• Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing child restraint
in the rear seat. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat,
do not transport a rear-facing child restraint in that
vehicle.
WARNING! (Continued)
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SAFETY 251
occupant classification. In order for the OCS to operate as
designed, it is important for the front passenger to be seated
properly and properly wearing the seat belt.
The OCS will NOT prevent deployment of the Passenger
Advanced Front Air Bag. The OCS may reduce the inflation
rate of the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag if the OCS esti-
mates that:
• The front passenger seat is unoccupied or has very light objects on it; or
• The front passenger seat is occupied by a small passenger, including a child; or
• The front passenger seat is occupied by a rear-facing child restraint; or
• The front passenger is not properly seated or his or her weight is taken off of the seat for a period of time. * It is possible for a child to be classified as an adult, allowing
a full-power Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag deploy
-
ment. Never allow children to ride in the front passenger seat
and never install a child restraint system, including a
rear-facing child restraint, in the front passenger seat.
Front Passenger Seat Occupant Status Front Passenger Air Bag
Output
Rear-facing child restraint Reduced-power
deployment
Child, including a child in a
forward-facing child restraint
or booster seat* Reduced-power
deployment OR Full-power
deployment
Properly seated adult
Full-power deployment OR
reduced-power deployment
Unoccupied seat Reduced-power
deployment
WARNING!
• 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.
• Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing child restraint
in the rear seat. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat,
do not transport a rear-facing child restraint in that
vehicle.
• Children 12 years or younger should always ride buckled up in the rear seat of a vehicle with a rear seat.Front Passenger Seat
Occupant Status Front Passenger Air Bag
Output
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256 SAFETY
The Air Bag Warning Light in the instrument panel will
turn on whenever the OCS is unable to classify the front
passenger seat status. A malfunction in the OCS may affect
the operation of the air bag system.
If the Air Bag Warning Light does not come on, or stays
on after you start the vehicle, or it comes on as you drive,
take the vehicle to an authorized dealer for service immedi-
ately.
The passenger seat assembly contains critical OCS compo -
nents that may affect the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
inflation. In order for the OCS to properly classify the seated
weight of a front seat passenger, the OCS components must
function as designed. Do not make any modifications to the
front passenger seat components, assembly, or to the seat
cover. If the seat, trim cover, or cushion needs service for any
reason, take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. Only FCA
US LLC approved seat accessories may be used.
The following requirements must be strictly followed:
• Do not modify the front passenger seat assembly or
components in any way.
• Do not use prior or future model year seat covers or cush -
ions not designated by FCA US LLC for the specific model
being repaired. Always use the correct seat cover and
cushion specified for the vehicle.WARNING!
• If a child restraint system, child, small teenager or adult in the front passenger seat is seated improperly, the
occupant may provide an output signal to the OCS that
is different from the occupant’s properly seated weight
input. This may result in serious injury or death in a
collision.
• Always wear your seat belt and sit properly, with the seatback in an upright position, your back against the
seatback, sitting upright, facing forward, in the center
of the seat, with your feet comfortably on or near the
floor.
• Do not carry or hold any objects (e.g., backpacks, boxes, etc.) while seated in the front passenger seat. Holding
an object may provide an output signal to the OCS that
is different than the occupant’s properly seated weight
input, which may result in serious injury or death in a
collision.
• Placing an object on the floor under the front passenger seat may prevent the OCS from working properly,
which may result in serious injury or death in a colli -
sion. Do not place any objects on the floor under the
front passenger seat.
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258 SAFETY
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
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 area where
the SAB inflates. Children are at an even greater risk of injury
from a deploying air bag. Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Side Air Bag
Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs) are
located above the side windows. The trim covering the
SABICs is labeled “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG.”
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) Label Location
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.
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