child seat DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL 2004 3.G Owners Manual

mSecurity Alarm System Ð If Equipped.........29
NRearming Of The System.................29
NTo Set The Alarm......................29
NTo Disarm The System...................30
mWindows.............................31
NPower WindowsÐIf Equipped.............31
NSliding Rear WindowÐIf Equipped.........32
NWind Buffeting........................33
mOccupant Restraints......................33
NLap/Shoulder Belts.....................34
NAdjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage....41
NAutomatic Locking Mode (If Equipped)......41
NCenter Lap Belts.......................42
NSeat Belt Pretensioners...................42NEnhanced Driver Seat Belt Reminder System
(BeltAlert)...........................43
NSeat Belts And Pregnant Women............44
NSeat Belt Extender......................44
NDriver And Right Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)ÐAirbag............45
NChild Restraint........................55
mNew Engine Break-In.....................67
mSafety Tips............................68
NTransporting Passengers.................68
NLock Your Vehicle......................69
NExhaust Gas..........................69
NSafety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle..............................70
NSafety Checks You Should Make Outside The
Vehicle..............................70
10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Child Protection Door Lock
To provide a safer environment for children riding in the
rear seat, the rear doors of your vehicle have the child-
protection door lock system.To use the system, open each rear door and slide the
control UP to engage the locks and DOWN to disengage
the child-protection locks. When the system on a door is
engaged, that door can only be opened by using the
outside door handle even if the inside door lock is in the
unlocked position.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 21
2

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 partially open positions. This is a
normal occurrence and can be minimized. If the buffeting
occurs with the rear windows open, 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. These include the front
and rear seat belts for the driver and all passengers, front
airbags for both the driver and front passenger and, if so
equipped, window bags for the driver and passengers
seated next to a window. If you will be carrying children
too small for adult-size belts, your seat belts also can be
used to hold infant and child restraint systems.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 a collision, you and your passengers can suffer
much greater injuries if you are not properly buck-
led 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 a collision that includes you. This can happen
far away from home or on your own street.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 33
2

Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the front row outboard seats, the shoulder belt can be
adjusted upward or downward to help position the belt
away from your neck. Press the button located on the
upper belt guide, and then move it up or down to the
position that serves you best.As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer a lower position, and if you are taller than average,
you'll 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.
Automatic Locking 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. The automatic locking mode is only
available on the front passenger side belt.
When To Use The Automatic Locking Mode
Anytime a child safety seat is installed in a passenger
front seating position. Children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in the rear seat whenever
possible.
How To Use The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41
2

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
Disconnect the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow
it to retract completely to disengage the automatic lock-
ing mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency)
locking mode.
Center Lap Belts
The center seating position for the Quad Cab front seat
has a lap belt only. To fasten the lap belt, slide the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a9click.9To 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!
²A lap belt worn too loose or too high is dangerous.
²A belt worn too loose can allow you to slip down
and under the belt in a collision.
²A 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.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed to
remove any slack from the seat belt system in the event of
a collision. These devices improve the performance of the
seat belt by assuring that the belt is tight about the
occupant early in a collision. Pretensioners work for all
size occupants, including those in child restraints.
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
²Do not put anything on or around the airbag covers or
attempt to manually open them. You may damage the
airbags and you could be injured because the airbags are
not there to protect you. These protective covers for the
airbag cushions are designed to open only when the
airbags are inflating.
²Do not mount any aftermarket equipment such as trailer
brake controllers, snowplow controllers, auxiliary light
switches, radios, etc. on or behind the knee bolster. Knee
bolsters are designed to work with the air bag and seat
belt to protect you. Mounting any additional equipment
on or behind the knee bolster can cause injury during a
crash.
²If your vehicle is equipped with window bags, do not
stack luggage or other cargo up high enough to block the
location of the window bag. The area where the window
bag is located should remain free from any obstructions.
²If your vehicle is equipped with window bags, 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 installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill
into the roof of the vehicle for any reason.
Airbags inflate in moderate to high speed impacts. Along
with the seatbelts, front airbags work with the instrument
panel knee bolsters to provide improved protection for
the driver and front passenger. Window bags also work
with seat belts to improve occupant protection.
The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags deploy in moderate to
severe frontal collisions. If your vehicle is so equipped,
the window bag on the crash side of the vehicle is
triggered in moderate to severe side collisions. In certain
types of collisions, both the front and side airbags may be
triggered. But even in collisions where the airbags work,
you need the seat belts to keep you in the right position
for the airbags to protect you properly.
Here are some simple steps you can follow to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
²Children 12 years and under should ride buckled up in
a rear seat, if available.
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

²Infants in rear facing child restraints mustNEVER
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front
airbagunless the airbag is turned off(Standard Cab
Vehicles Only). An airbag deployment can cause se-
vere injury or death to infants in that position. See the
Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch section.
²If your vehicle does not have a rear seat, see the
Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch section.
²Children that are not big enough to properly wear the
vehicle seat belt (see section on Child Restraints)
should be secured in the rear seat in child restraints or
belt-positioning booster seats. Older children who do
not use child restraints or belt-positioning booster
seats should ride properly buckled up in the rear seat.
Never allow children to slide the shoulder belt behind
them or under their arm.
²All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
²The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbag room to inflate.
WARNING!
²Relying on the airbags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The airbags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions the airbags won't deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you
have airbags.
²Being too close to the steering wheel or instru-
ment panel during airbag deployment could cause
serious injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit
back, comfortably extending your arms to reach
the steering wheel or instrument panel.
²If the vehicle has window airbags, they also need
room to inflate. Do not lean against the door or
window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47
2

because the infant has a medical condition which
makes it necessary for the driver to be able to see the
infant,
²is a child, age 1 to 12 who must ride in the front seat
because there is no rear seat, because there is no rear
seat position available, or because the child has a
medical condition which makes it necessary for the
driver to be able to see the child,
²has a medical condition which makes passenger airbag
inflation (deployment) a greater risk for the passenger
than the risk of hitting the dashboard (instrument
panel) or windshield in a crash.
WARNING!
Whenever an airbag is turned off, even a lap/
shoulder belted passenger may hit their head, neck,
or chest on the dashboard (instrument panel) or
windshield in a crash. This may result in serious
injury or death.
To Shut Off the Passenger Airbag (Standard Cab Ve-
hicles Only)
Place the ignition key in the Passenger Airbag On/Off
Switch, push the key in and turn clockwise, and remove
the key from the switch. This will shut off the passenger
side airbag. The ªOffº light near the switch will illumi-
nate when the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
2

bags to inflate, it signals the inflators on the crash side of
the vehicle. A quantity of nontoxic gas is generated to
inflate the window bag. The inflating window bag
pushes the side pillar molding out of the way and covers
the window. The airbag inflates in about 30 milliseconds
(about one-quarter of the time it takes to blink your eyes)
with enough force to injure you if you are not belted and
seated properly, or if items are positioned in the area
where the window bag inflates. This especially applies to
children. The window bag is only about 3
1¤2inches (8.9
cm) thick when it is inflated.
Enhanced Accident Response System
If the airbags deploy after an impact and the electrical
system remains functional, vehicles equipped with
power door locks will unlock automatically. In addition,
approximately 10 seconds after the vehicle has stopped
moving, the interior lights will light until the ignition
switch is turned off.
Maintaining Your Airbag Systems
WARNING!
²Modifications to any part of the airbag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured because the airbags are not there to
protect you. Do not modify the components or
wiring, including adding any kind of badges or
stickers to the steering wheel hub trim cover or
the upper right side of the instrument panel. Do
not modify the front bumper, vehicle body struc-
ture, or frame.
²You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee bolster.
²It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the
airbag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has airbags.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Airbag Light
You will want to have the airbags ready to inflate for your
protection in an impact. While the airbag system is
designed to be maintenance free, if any of the following
occurs, have an authorized dealer service the system
promptly:
²The airbag light does not come on or flickers during
the 6 to 8 seconds when the ignition switch is first
turned on.
²The light remains on or flickers after the 6 to 8 second
interval.
²The light flickers or comes on and remains on while
driving.NOTE:If the speedometer, tachometer or any engine
related gauges are not working, the airbag control mod-
ule may also be disabled. The airbags may not be ready
to inflate for your protection. Promptly check fuse num-
bers 52 and 53 in the fuse and relay center. See your
dealer if the fuse is good.
Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time Ð babies and children, too. Every state in the United
States and all Canadian provinces require that small
children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the law,
and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years and under should ride properly buck-
led 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.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
2