2021 RAM PROMASTER child lock

STARTING AND OPERATING63
The following indicators should be used to
ensure that you have engaged the transmission
into the PARK position:
When shifting into PARK, firmly move the
gear selector all the way forward and to the
left until it stops and is fully seated.
Look at the transmission gear position
display and verify that it indicates the PARK
position (P).
With the brake pedal released, verify that the
gear selector will not move out of PARK. REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward.
Shift into REVERSE only after the vehicle has
come to a complete stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with the engine running. The
engine may be started in this range. Apply the
parking brake and shift the transmission into
PARK if you must exit the vehicle.
When exiting the vehicle, always remove
the ignition key from the vehicle and lock
the vehicle.
Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Allowing children to be in a vehicle unat
-
tended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seriously
or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake,
brake pedal or the transmission gear
selector.
Do not leave the ignition key in or near the
vehicle (or in a location accessible to
children). A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
WARNING! (Continued)
CAUTION!
Before moving the transmission gear
selector out of PARK, you must turn the igni -
tion to the ON/RUN mode, and also press
the brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the
gear selector could result.
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range,
as this can damage the drivetrain.
WARNING!

Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing
traffic or road conditions. You might lose
control of the vehicle and have a collision.

CAUTION!

Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL
can cause severe transmission damage.

For Recreational Towing Ú page 85.
For Towing A Disabled Vehicle Ú page 209.
4

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170SAFETY
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.

Adjustable Anchorage

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 downward on the shoulder belt anchorage
until it is locked into position.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.
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 instructions 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.

21_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 170

SAFETY171
Seat Belt Pretensioner
The front 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.
Energy Management Feature
The front 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 Retractor
(ALR)
The seat belt in the passenger seating position
is equipped with a Switchable Automatic
Locking Retractor (ALR) which is used to secure
a child restraint system. Úpage 185. The figure
below illustrates the locking feature for each
seating position.

Front Bucket Seat: Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Location Front Bench Seat: Switchable 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."
6

21_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 171

172SAFETY
(Continued)
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.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:
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.
WARNING! (Continued)

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176SAFETY
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

SABICs may help reduce the risk of head and
other injuries to front and rear seat outboard
occupants in certain side impacts, in addition to
the injury reduction potential provided by the
seat belts and body structure.
The SABIC deploys downward, covering the side
windows. An inflating SABIC pushes the outside edge of the headliner out of the way and covers
the window. The SABICs inflate with enough
force to injure occupants if they are not belted
and seated properly, or if items are positioned
in the area where the SABICs inflate. Children
are at an even greater risk of injury from a
deploying air bag.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial
or complete ejection of vehicle occupants
through side windows in certain side impact
events.
Side Impacts
The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in
certain side impacts. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) determines whether the
deployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular
impact event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. The side impact
sensors aid the ORC in determining the
appropriate response to impact events. The
system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags
on the impact side of the vehicle during impacts
that require Side Air Bag occupant protection.
In side impacts, the Side Air Bags deploy
independently; a left side impact deploys the
left Side Air Bags only and a right-side impact
deploys the right Side Air Bags only. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of
whether or not Side Air Bags should have
deployed.
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.
WARNING!
Do not mount equipment, or stack luggage
or other cargo up high enough to block the
deployment of the SABICs. The trim
covering above the side windows where the
SABIC and its deployment path are located
should remain free from any obstructions.
In order for the SABICs to work as intended,
do not install any accessory items in your
vehicle which could alter the roof. Do not
add an aftermarket sunroof to your vehicle.
Do not add roof racks that require perma
-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for
installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill
into the roof of the vehicle for any reason.

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184SAFETY
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.

Installing Child Restraints In Commercial
Vehicles
This commercial vehicle is not designed for use
as a family vehicle and is not intended for
carrying children in the front passenger seat(s).
Never install rear-facing child restraints in this
vehicle. Although the seat belt can be locked to
secure a child restraint, there are no tether
anchorages to complete the proper installation
of a forward-facing child restraint. If you must
carry a child in a forward-facing child restraint,
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.

21_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 184

SAFETY185
(Continued)
the passenger seat should be moved to the full
rearward position and the child must be in a
proper restraint system based on its age, size
and weight. Follow the instructions below to
secure the child restraint using the seat belt.
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 a Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR). This seat
belt is 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. See the “Automatic Locking
Mode” description in “Switchable Automatic
Locking Retractors (ALR)” Ú
page 171 for
additional information on ALR.
Front Bucket Seat Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
Location
Front Bench Seat Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations

WARNING!
Rear-facing infant restraints must never be
secured in the passenger seat of a vehicle
with a passenger air bag. In a collision, a
passenger air bag may deploy causing severe
injury or death to infants riding in rear-facing
infant restraints.
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.
WARNING! (Continued)
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
6

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186SAFETY
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. Place the child seat in the center of the
seating position.

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. 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.
SAFETY TIPS
TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE
CARGO AREA.
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.
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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