2020 Ram 3500 Owner's Manual

SAFETY199
Locating The 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.

Mega Cab/Crew Cab Rear Outboard Seats Driver Side

Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
Regular Cab models have tether strap
anchorages behind the front center
and right seats. Mega Cab and Crew
Cab models have tether strap
anchorages located behind each of the rear
seats.
Regular Cab Tether Anchorages (Behind Covers)
Crew Cab Outboard Tether Anchorage Crew Cab Center Tether Anchorage With Head
Restraint In Raised Position
Mega Cab Tether Anchorages (Behind Covers)

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
1 — Tether Strap Hook
2 — Tether Strap To Child Restraint
3 — Tether Anchor
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200SAFETY
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
Regular Cab Or Crew Cab Full Bench Rear Seat:
No Lower Center LATCH Anchorages Available Crew Cab Split Bench Rear Seat Or Mega Cab
Rear Seat: 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.
Always follow the directions of the child
restraint manufacturer when installing your
child restraint. Not all child restraint systems
will be installed as described here.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint
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.

1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps
and on the tether strap of the child seat so
that you can more easily attach the hooks
or connectors to the vehicle anchorages.

2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. If the
second row seat can be reclined, you may
recline the seat and/or raise the head
restraint (if adjustable) 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.
WARNING!

Do not install a child restraint in the center
position using the LATCH system. This posi -
tion is not approved 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 “To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint” for typical installation instruc -
tions.

WARNING!
Never use the same lower anchorage to
attach more than one child restraint. Please
refer to “To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint” for typical installation instructions.

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SAFETY201
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
directions 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
manufacturer’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 restraint, 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 restraint. 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.
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202SAFETY
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.
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.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing
Child Restraints In This Vehicle

Regular Cab Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) Locations Mega Cab/Crew Cab Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) Locations

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.
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Cinching Latchplate — Cinching Latchplate
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

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SAFETY203
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 RestraintAlways 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.
Can the rear-facing child restraint
touch the back of the front
passenger seat? YesContact between the front
passenger seat and the child
restraint is allowed, if the child
restraint manufacturer also allows
contact.
Can the rear head restraints be
removed? YesThe head restraints can be
removed in every rear seating
position if they interfere with the
installation of the child restraint.
Refer to “Head Restraints” in
“Getting To Know Your Vehicle” for
further information.
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
seating position with an ALR
retractor.
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204SAFETY
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.

1. For Mega and Crew Cab Models

Place the child seat in the center of the
seating position. If the second row seat can
be reclined, you may recline the seat and/or
raise the head restraint (if adjustable) 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 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.
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.

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SAFETY205
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.

1. Place the child seat in the center of the
seating position. If the second row seat can
be reclined, you may recline the seat and/
or raise the head restraint (if adjustable) 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. 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.
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.
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206SAFETY
Installing Child Restraints Using The Top
Tether Anchorage
Regular and Mega Cab Trucks:
In the regular cab truck, the top tether
anchorages are located behind the
center and right passenger seats. In
the mega cab truck, the top tether
anchorages are located behind each rear seating position. There is a plastic cover over
each anchorage. To attach the tether strap of
the child restraint:

1. Place the child restraint on the seat and
adjust the tether strap so that it will reach
over the seat back, under the head
restraint and to the tether anchor directly
behind the seat.

Regular Cab Tether Anchorages
2. Route the tether strap to provide the most
direct path between the anchorage and the
child seat. The tether strap should go
between the head restraint posts
underneath the head restraint. You may
need to adjust the head restraint to the
upward position to pass the tether strap
underneath the head restraint and between
its posts.
3. Lift the cover (if so equipped), and attach the hook to the square opening in the sheet
metal. Tighten the tether strap according to
the child seat manufacturer’s instructions.
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.
1 — Tether Strap Hook
2 — Tether Strap To Child Restraint
3 — Tether Anchor
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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