lock Ram 1500 2011 Owner's Guide

WARNING!
Avoid trapping anyone in a vehicle in a collision.
Remember that the rear doors can only be opened
from the outside when the Child-Protection locks are
engaged.
NOTE:
•After setting the Child-Protection Door Lock system,
always test the door from the inside to make certain it
is in the desired position.
•For emergency exit with the system engaged, move
the door lock switch to the UNLOCK position, roll
down the window and open the door with the outside
door handle.
WINDOWS
Power Windows – If Equipped
The control on the left front door panel has UP-DOWN
switches that give you fingertip control of all power
Power Window Switches
1 – Left Front 3 – Right Rear
2 – Right Front 4 – Left Rear
34 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

2. Push the window switch down firmly to the second
detent to open the window completely and continue to
hold the switch down for an additional two seconds after
the window is fully open.
Window LOCKOUT Switch — 4–Door Models
The window LOCKOUT switch on the driver’s door
allows you to disable the window control on the other
doors. To disable the window controls on the other doors,
press the window LOCK button into the latched or down
position. To enable the window controls, press the win-
dow LOCK button again and return the switch to the
released or up position.
Wind Buffeting
Wind buffeting can be described as the perception of
pressure on the ears or a helicopter-type sound in the
ears. Your vehicle may exhibit wind buffeting with the
windows down or in partially open positions. This is a
Window Lockout Switch
1 – Window Lockout Switch
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37

normal occurrence and can be minimized. If the rear
windows are open and buffeting occurs, open the front
and rear windows together to minimize the buffeting.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:
•Three-point lap and shoulder belts for the driver and
all passengers
•Front seat belts may incorporate pretensioners that
may enhance occupant protection by managing occu-
pant energy during an impact event
•Advanced Front Airbags for driver and front passen-
ger
•Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
— if equipped
•An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheel
•Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
•All seat belt systems (except driver’s and second row
center position) include Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALRs), which lock the seat belt webbing into position
by extending the belt all the way out and then adjust-
ing the belt to the desired length to restrain a child seat
or secure a large item in a seat — if equipped
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems. For more information
on LATCH, refer to Lower Anchors and Tether for
CHildren (LATCH).
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:The Advanced Front Airbags have a multistage
inflator design. This allows the airbag to have different
rates of inflation based on the severity and type of
collision.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.
WARNING!
In an accident, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buckled
up. You can strike the interior 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. Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver
and cause an accident that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in an accident.
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.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions except the Quad Cab, Mega Cab
and Crew Cab front center seating position have combi-
nation lap/shoulder belts. The belt webbing retractor is
designed to lock during very sudden stops or accidents.
This feature allows the shoulder part of the belt to move
freely with you under normal conditions. However, in an
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39

accident the belt will lock and reduce the risk of you
striking the inside of the vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
•Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous. Seat
belts are designed to go around the large bones of
your body. These are the strongest parts of your
body and can take the forces of an accident best.
•Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt. People belted together can crash into one
another in an accident, hurting one another badly.
Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt for more
than one person, no matter what their size.
•It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In an accident, people riding
in these areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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.
•Wearing your belt in the wrong place could make
your injuries in an accident much worse. You
might suffer internal injuries, or you could even
slide out of part of the belt. Follow these instruc-
tions to wear your seat belt safely and to keep your
passengers safe, too.
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, next to your arm in the rear seat. Grasp the latch
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

you will prefer a higher position. When you release the
anchorage, try to move it up or down to make sure that
it is locked in position.
Center Lap Belts
The center seating position for the Quad Cab, Mega
Caband Crew Cab front seat has a lap belt only. To
fasten 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 erect in the seat, then adjust the belt as
tightly as is comfortable.
WARNING!
•A lap belt worn too loose or too high is dangerous.
•A belt worn too loose can allow you to slip down
and under the belt in a collision.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•A belt that is too loose or too high will apply crash
forces to the abdomen, not to the stronger hip
bones. In either case, the risk of internal injuries is
greater. Wear a lap belt low and snug.
Energy Management Feature
This vehicle has a safety belt system with an energy
management feature in the front seating positions to help
further reduce the risk of injury in the event of a head-on
accident.
This safety belt system has a retractor assembly that is
designed to release webbing in a controlled manner. This
feature is designed to help reduce the belt force acting on
the occupant’s chest.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•The belt and retractor assembly must be replaced
if the seat belt assembly “Automatic Locking Re-
tractor (ALR)” feature or any other seat belt func-
tion is not working properly when checked ac-
cording to the procedures in the Service Manual.
•Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly
could increase the risk of injury in accidents.
Seat Belts In Passenger Seating Positions
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR)
which are used to secure a child restraint system. For
additional information, refer to “Installing Child Re-
straints Using The Vehicle Seat Belt” under the “Child
Restraints” section. The chart below defines the type of
feature for each seating position.
Driver Center Passenger
First Row N/A N/A ALR
Second Row ALR Cinch ALR Third Row N/A N/A N/A
•N/A — Not Applicable
•ALR — Automatic Locking Retractor
If the passenger seating position is equipped with an
ALR and is being used for normal usage:
Only pull the 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
ratcheting sound as the belt retracts. Allow the webbing
to retract completely in this case and then carefully pull
out only the amount of webbing necessary to comfort-
ably wrap around the occupant’s mid-section. Slide the
latch plate into the buckle until you hear a click.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49

Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Mode – If
Equipped
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-
locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in
the shoulder belt.
When To Use The Automatic Locking Mode
Use the Automatic Locking Mode anytime a child safety
seat is installed in a seating position that has a belt with
this feature. Children 12 years old and under should
always be properly restrained in the rear seat.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until
the entire belt is extracted.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will
hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety 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.
WARNING!
•The belt and retractor assembly must be replaced
if the seat belt assembly Automatic Locking Re-
tractor (ALR) feature or any other seat belt func-
tion is not working properly when checked ac-
cording to the procedures in the Service Manual.
•Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly
could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Seat Belt Pretensioners — If Equipped
The seat belts for both front seating positions may be
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove slack from the seat belt in the event of an
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

1. With all doors closed and the ignition switch in any
position except ON/RUN or START, buckle the driver’s
seat belt.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position and
wait for the Seat Belt Reminder Light to turn off.
3. Within 60 seconds of starting the vehicle, unbuckle
and then re-buckle the driver’s seat belt at least three
times within 60 seconds, ending with the seat belt
buckled.
NOTE:Watch for the Seat Belt Reminder Light to turn
on while the seat belt retracts and turn off while re-
buckling the seat belt.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position. A
single chime will sound to signify that you have success-
fully completed the programming.
BeltAlert can be reactivated by repeating this procedure. NOTE:
Although BeltAlert has been deactivated, the
Seat Belt Reminder Light will continue to illuminate
while the driver’s seat belt remains unbuckled or
unretracted.
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use seat belts
throughout their pregnancies. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe.
Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
Keep the belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is an accident.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is too short even when fully extended, and
the adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage (if so
equipped) is in its lowest position, your authorized
dealer can provide you with a seat belt extender. This
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•If your vehicle is equipped with left and right
Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC), do not stack luggage or other cargo up
high enough to block the location of the SABIC.
The area where the SABIC is located should re-
main free from any obstructions.
•Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the side airbags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could
be pushed into you, causing serious injury.
WARNING! (Continued)
•If your vehicle is equipped with SABIC airbags,
do not have any accessory items installed which
will alter the roof, including adding a sunroof to
your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require
permanent attachments (bolts or screws) for instal-
lation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof
of the vehicle for any reason.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and the front passenger, and position front occu-
pants for the best interaction with the Advanced Front
Airbags.
Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Airbags work with the knee bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger. Side airbags
also work with seat belts to improve occupant protection.
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