2022 RAM 1500 ECU

336SAFETY
(Continued)
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.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are equipped
with 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.

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340SAFETY
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 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 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)
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 Ú
page 363. The figure below
illustrates the locking feature for each seating
position.
Automatic Locking Retractor — (ALR) Locations (All
Models)

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."

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354SAFETY
The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record such
data as:
How various systems in your vehicle were oper -
ating;
Whether or not the driver and passenger safety
belts were buckled/fastened;
How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE:EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving condi -
tions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender,
age, and crash location) are recorded. However,
other parties, such as law enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
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:
https://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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SAFETY357
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child seat
can ride forward-facing in the vehicle.
Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are for
children who are over two years old or who have
outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of
their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children
should remain in a forward-facing child seat with a
harness for as long as possible, up to the highest
weight or height allowed by the child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a
belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s
seat belts fit properly. If the child cannot sit with
knees bent over the vehicle’s seat cushion while
the child’s back is against the seatback, they
should use a belt-positioning booster seat. The
child and belt-positioning booster seat are held in
the vehicle by the seat belt.
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?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 manufac -
turer’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.6

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362SAFETY
Crew Cab Split Bench 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
Ú page 363 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.
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
Úpage 365 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!
Never use the same lower anchorage to attach
more than one child restraint Ú page 362.

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SAFETY363
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) that 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
Ú
page 340 for additional information on ALR.
Please see the table below and the following
sections for more information.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing
Child Restraints In This Vehicle

Automatic Locking Retractor — (ALR) Locations (All Models)

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 manufac -
turer’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.
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol6

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364SAFETY
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. 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.

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? No
Head restraints may not be removed.
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to
tighten the seat belt against the belt
path of the child restraint? No
Do not twist the buckle stalk in a
seating position with an ALR retractor.
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.

22_DT_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 364

SAFETY367
3. Pass the tether strap hook over the headrest behind the child seat, through the tether strap
loop behind the seat and over to the right or
left outboard tether strap loop.

Tether Strap Through Center Tether Strap Loop

4. Attach the hook to the outboard tether strap loop (see diagram). Tighten the tether strap
according to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions.
Tether Strap Through Center Tether Strap Loop And
Attached To Outboard Tether Strap Loop

Installing Three Child Restraints:

1. Place a child restraint on each outboard rear seat. Route the tether straps following the
directions for right and left seating positions,
above.

2. Attach both hooks to the center tether strap loop, but do not tighten the straps yet.
3. Place a child restraint on the center rear seat. Route the tether strap following the directions
for the center seating position, above.
4. Attach the hook to the outboard tether strap loop.
Outboard And Center Seating Positions Shown

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.
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 seatbacks as
you remove slack in the strap.
6

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