2021 RAM CHASSIS CAB ECU

294SAFETY
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 Reminder Light
will remain on until the seat belts are buckled.
The BeltAlert warning sequence may repeat
based on vehicle speed until the driver and
occupied outboard front seat passenger seat
belts are buckled. The driver should instruct all
occupants to buckle their seat belts.
Change Of Status
If the driver or outboard front seat passenger
(if equipped with outboard front passenger seat
BeltAlert) unbuckles their seat belt while the
vehicle is traveling, the BeltAlert warning
sequence will begin until the seat belts are
buckled again.

The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not
active when the outboard front passenger seat is
unoccupied. BeltAlert may be triggered when an
animal or other items are placed on the outboard
front passenger seat or when the seat is folded flat
(if equipped). It is recommended that pets be
restrained in the rear seat (if equipped) in pet
harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat
belts, and cargo is properly stowed.

BeltAlert can be activated or deactivated by an
authorized dealer. FCA US LLC does not
recommend deactivating BeltAlert.
NOTE:

If BeltAlert has been deactivated and the driver or
outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with
outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) is
unbuckled the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn
on and remain on until the driver and outboard
front seat passenger seat belts are buckled.

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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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312SAFETY
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.
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/en/services/road/
child-car-seat-safety.html
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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SAFETY315
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the
shoulder belt comfortably, and whose legs are
long enough to bend over the front of the seat
when their back is against the seatback, should
use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple
5-step test to decide whether the child can use
the vehicle’s seat belt alone:

1. Can the child sit all the way back against
the back of the vehicle seat?

2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat – while the child
is still sitting all the way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and not the
stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip? If the answer to any of these questions was
“no”
, then the child still needs to use a booster
seat in this vehicle. If the child is using the lap/
shoulder belt, check seat belt fit periodically
and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched.
A child’s squirming or slouching can move the
belt out of position. If the shoulder belt contacts
the face or neck, move the child closer to the
center of the vehicle, or use a booster seat to
position the seat belt on the child correctly.WARNING!
Improper installation can lead to failure of
an infant or child restraint. It could come
loose in a collision. The child could be badly
injured or killed. Follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.

After a child restraint is installed in the
vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat forward
or rearward because it can loosen the child
restraint attachments. Remove the child
restraint before adjusting the vehicle seat
position. When the vehicle seat has been
adjusted, reinstall the child restraint.

When your child restraint is not in use,
secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or
LATCH anchorages, or remove it from the
vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the vehicle.
In a sudden stop or accident, it could strike
the occupants or seatbacks and cause
serious personal injury.
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt
under an arm or behind their back. In a crash,
the shoulder belt will not protect a child
properly, which may result in serious injury
or death. A child must always wear both the
lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt
correctly.
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322SAFETY
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.
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 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.
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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SAFETY325
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 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 Ú page 327 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.6

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326SAFETY
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 Ú page 327 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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330SAFETY
5. Tighten the tether straps according to the
child seat manufacturer’s instructions,
tightening the right and left tether straps
before the center tether strap.

Outboard And Center Seating Positions Shown
SAFETY TIPS
TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE
CARGO AREA.
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
(if equipped) in pet harnesses or pet carriers
that are secured by seat belts.
SAFETY CHECKS YOU SHOULD MAKE
I
NSIDE THE VEHICLE
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically,
checking for cuts, frays, and loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately.
Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced
after a collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must
be replaced after a collision if they have been
damaged (i.e., bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.). If there is any question regarding seat belt
or retractor condition, replace the seat belt.
WARNING!

An incorrectly anchored tether strap could
lead to increased head motion and possible
injury to the child. Use only the anchorage
position directly behind 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 seat -
backs as you remove slack in the strap.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside
parked vehicles in hot weather. Interior
heat build-up may cause serious injury or
death.
It is extremely 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.

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