2021 RAM CHASSIS CAB Owners Manual

SAFETY295
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Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions except the Crew Cab front
center seating position have combination lap/
shoulder belts.

The seat belt webbing retractor will lock only
during very sudden stops or collisions. This
feature allows the shoulder part of the seat belt
to move freely with you under normal conditions.
However, in a collision the seat belt will lock and
reduce your risk of striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out of the vehicle.

WARNING!
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, the air bags
won’t deploy at all. Always wear your seat
belt even though you have air bags.
In a collision, you and your passengers can
suffer much greater injuries if you are not
properly buckled up. You can strike the inte -
rior of your vehicle or other passengers, or
you can be thrown out of the vehicle. Always
be sure you and others in your vehicle are
buckled up properly.
It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely
to be seriously injured or killed.
Do not allow people to ride in any area of
your vehicle that is not equipped with seats
and seat belts.
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat
and using a seat belt properly. Occupants,
including the driver, should always wear
their seat belts whether or not an air bag is
also provided at their seating position to
minimize the risk of severe injury or death
in the event of a crash.
Wearing your seat belt incorrectly could
make your injuries in a collision much
worse. You might suffer internal injuries, or
you could even slide out of the seat belt.
Follow these instructions to wear your seat
belt safely and to keep your passengers
safe, too.
WARNING! (Continued)
Two people should never be belted into a
single seat belt. People belted together can
crash into one another in a collision, hurting
one another badly. Never use a lap/
shoulder belt or a lap belt for more than one
person, no matter what their size.
WARNING!
A lap belt worn too high can increase the
risk of injury in a collision. The seat belt
forces won’t be at the strong hip and pelvic
bones, but across your abdomen. Always
wear the lap part of your seat belt as low as
possible and keep it snug.
A twisted seat belt may not protect you
properly. In a collision, it could even cut into
you. Be sure the seat belt is flat against
your body, without twists. If you can’t
straighten a seat belt in your vehicle, take it
to an authorized dealer immediately and
have it fixed.
WARNING! (Continued)
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296SAFETY
(Continued)
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions

1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and adjust the seat.

2. The seat belt latch plate is above the back of the front seat, and next to your arm in the
rear seat (for vehicles equipped with a rear
seat). Grab the latch plate and pull out the
seat belt. Slide the latch plate up the
webbing as far as necessary to allow the
seat belt to go around your lap.
Pulling Out The Latch Plate

3. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch plate into the buckle until
you hear a “click.”

Inserting Latch Plate Into Buckle

A seat belt that is buckled into the wrong
buckle will not protect you properly. The lap
portion could ride too high on your body,
possibly causing internal injuries. Always
buckle your seat belt into the buckle
nearest you.
A seat belt that is too loose will not protect
you properly. In a sudden stop, you could
move too far forward, increasing the possi -
bility of injury. Wear your seat belt snugly.

A seat belt that is worn under your arm is
dangerous. Your body could strike the inside
surfaces of the vehicle in a collision,
increasing head and neck injury. A seat belt
worn under the arm can cause internal inju -
ries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder bones.
Wear the seat belt over your shoulder so that
your strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.

A shoulder belt placed behind you will not
protect you from injury during a collision.
You are more likely to hit your head in a
collision if you do not wear your shoulder
belt. The lap and shoulder belt are meant to
be used together.
WARNING! (Continued)
A frayed or torn seat belt could rip apart in
a collision and leave you with no protection.
Inspect the seat belt system periodically,
checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immedi-
ately. Do not disassemble or modify the
seat belt system. Seat belt assemblies
must be replaced after a collision.
WARNING! (Continued)

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SAFETY297

4. Position the lap belt so that it is snug and lies
low across your hips, below your abdomen.
To remove slack in the lap belt portion, pull
up on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt
if it is too tight, tilt the latch plate and pull on
the lap belt. A snug seat belt reduces the risk
of sliding under the seat belt in a collision.
Positioning The Lap Belt

5. Position the shoulder belt across the shoulder and chest with minimal, if any
slack so that it is comfortable and not
resting on your neck. The retractor will
withdraw any slack in the shoulder belt.
6. To release the seat belt, push the red button
on the buckle. The seat belt will automatically
retract to its stowed position. If necessary,
slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the seat belt to retract fully.

Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted
lap/shoulder belt.

1. Position the latch plate as close as possible to the anchor point.

2. At about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) above the latch plate, grab and twist the seat belt
webbing 180 degrees to create a fold that
begins immediately above the latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing. The folded webbing must enter
the slot at the top of the latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the folded webbing and the seat belt
is no longer twisted.
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the driver and outboard front passenger
seats, the top of the shoulder belt can be
adjusted upward or downward to position the
seat belt away from your neck. Push or squeeze
the anchorage button to release the anchorage,
and move it up or down to the position that
serves you best.

Adjustable Anchorage
As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you
will prefer the shoulder belt anchorage in a lower
position, and if you are taller than average, you
will prefer the shoulder belt anchorage in a higher
position. After you release the anchorage button,
try to move it up or down to make sure that it is
locked in position.

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298SAFETY
NOTE:

The adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage is
equipped with an Easy Up feature. This feature
allows the shoulder belt anchorage to be
adjusted in the upward position without pushing
or squeezing the release button. To verify the
shoulder belt anchorage is latched, pull down -
ward on the shoulder belt anchorage until it is
locked into position.
First Row Center Seat Belt Operating
Instructions (Regular Cab Only)
The first row center seat belt (Regular Cab only)
features a seat belt with a mini-latch plate and
buckle, which allows the seat belt to detach
from the lower anchor when the seat is folded.
The latch plate and regular latch plate can then
be stored out of the way in the seat for added
convenience to open up utilization of the
storage areas behind the front seats when the
seat is not occupied.

1. Remove the mini-latch plate and regular latch plate from its stowed position on the
seat.

Connect Mini-Latch To Mini-Buckle Mini-Latch And Mini-Buckle Connected

2. Grasp the mini-latch plate and pull the seat belt over the seat.
3. Route the shoulder belt to the inside of the right head restraint.
4. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the mini-latch plate into the
mini-buckle until you hear a “click.”
5. Sit back in seat. Slide the regular latch plate up the webbing as far as necessary to allow
the seat belt to go around your lap.
6. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch plate into the buckle until
you hear a “click.”
WARNING!

Wearing your seat belt incorrectly could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You
might suffer internal injuries, or you could even
slide out of the seat belt. Follow these instruc -
tions to wear your seat belt safely and to keep
your passengers safe, too.

Position the shoulder belt across the
shoulder and chest with minimal, if any
slack so that it is comfortable and not
resting on your neck. The retractor will with -
draw any slack in the shoulder belt.
Misadjustment of the seat belt could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt
in a crash.
Always make all seat belt height adjust -
ments when the vehicle is stationary.

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SAFETY299
7. Position the lap belt so that it is snug and
lies low across your hips, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap
belt portion, pull up on the shoulder belt.
To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight, pull on
the lap belt. A snug seat belt reduces the
risk of sliding under the seat belt in a
collision.
8. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is comfortable and not resting on your
neck. The retractor will withdraw any slack
in the seat belt.
9. To release the seat belt, push the red button on the buckle.
10. To disengage the mini-latch plate from the mini-buckle for storage, insert the regular
latch plate into the center red slot on the
mini-buckle. The seat belt will automatically
retract to its stowed position. If necessary,
slide the latch plate down the webbing to
allow the seat belt to retract fully. Insert the
mini-latch plate and regular latch plate into
its stowed position.
Detaching Mini-Buckle With Seat Belt Tongue
First Row Center Lap Belt Operating
Instructions — If Equipped
The center seating position for the Crew Cab
front seat has a lap belt only. To buckle the lap
belt, slide the latch plate into the buckle until
you hear a "click." To lengthen the lap belt, tilt
the latch plate and pull.
To remove slack, pull the loose end of the
webbing. Wear the lap belt snug against the
hips. Sit back and upright in the seat, then
adjust the seat belt as tightly as is comfortable.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is not long enough to fit properly,
even when the webbing is fully extended and
the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage
(if equipped) is in its lowest position, an
authorized dealer can provide you with a Seat
Belt Extender. The Seat Belt Extender should be
used only if the existing seat belt is not long
enough. When the Seat Belt Extender is not
required for a different occupant, it must be
removed.
WARNING!
If the mini-latch plate and mini-buckle are
not properly connected when the seat belt
is used by an occupant, the seat belt will
not be able to provide proper restraint and
will increase the risk of injury in a collision.
When reattaching the mini-latch plate and
mini-buckle, ensure the seat belt webbing
is not twisted. If the webbing is twisted,
follow the preceding procedure to detach
the mini-latch plate and mini-buckle,
untwist the webbing, and reattach the
mini-latch plate and mini-buckle.
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300SAFETY
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 — If Equipped
3500 Models Only
The front outboard seat belt system is equipped
with pretensioning 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 placement 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.WARNING!
ONLY use a Seat Belt Extender if it is physi -
cally required in order to properly fit the
original seat belt system. DO NOT USE the
Seat Belt Extender if, when worn, the
distance between the front edge of the
Seat Belt Extender buckle and the center of
the occupant’s body is LESS than 6 inches.

Using a Seat Belt Extender when not needed
can increase the risk of serious injury or
death in a collision. Only use the Seat Belt
Extender when the lap belt is not long
enough and only use in the recommended
seating positions. Remove and store the
Seat Belt Extender when not needed.

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SAFETY301
Energy Management Feature — If
Equipped
3500 Models Only
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.
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR) — If Equipped
The seat belts in the passenger seating
positions may be equipped with a Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) which is
used to secure a child restraint system
Úpage 322.
The figure below illustrates the locking feature
for each seating position.
Regular Cab Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
Locations
Crew Cab 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
automatically 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.ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
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302SAFETY
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode

1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.

2. Grab the shoulder portion and pull
downward until the entire 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.

The air bag system must be ready to protect
you in a collision. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) monitors the internal circuits
and interconnecting wiring associated with the
electrical Air Bag System Components. Your
vehicle may be equipped with the following Air
Bag System Components:

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
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.
WARNING!

The seat belt assembly must be replaced if
the switchable 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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