warning DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL 2009 4.G Owner's Manual

WARNING!
•
Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are no longer functional.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
•
If 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.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•
If 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 perma-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for installation
on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the
vehicle for any reason.
NOTE: Do not use a clothing bar mounted to the coat
hooks in this vehicle. A clothing bar will impede the
proper performance of the window bags.
Along with the seat belts, 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.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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. 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:
1. Children 12 years and younger should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat in an appropriate child restraint.
WARNING!
Infants in rear-facing child restraints should NEVER
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger
front airbag, unless the airbag is turned off (2500/
3500 Regular Cab Vehicles Only). An airbag deploy-
ment can cause severe injury or death to infants in
that position. See the Passenger Airbag ON/OFF
Switch section.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
2. If your vehicle does not have a rear seat, see the
Passenger Airbag ON/OFF Switch section.
3. Children 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 useTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
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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.
4. All occupants should use their lap and shoulder belts
properly.
5. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbag room to inflate.
6. If your vehicle has window bags, do not lean against
the door or window, airbags will inflate forcefully into
the space between you and the door.
7. If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be
modified to accommodate a disabled person, contact the
Customer Center. Phone numbers are provided in theIf
You Need Customer Assistance section later in this
owner’s manual.
WARNING!
•
Relying 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.
•
Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during airbag deployment could cause seri-
ous injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back,
comfortably extending your arms to reach the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
•
If the vehicle has window bags, they also need
room to inflate. Do not lean against the door or
window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Airbag System ComponentsThe airbag system consists of the following:•
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•
Side Remote Acceleration Sensors (if equipped)
•
Airbag Warning Light
•
Driver Airbag
•
Passenger Airbag
•
Window Bags above Side Windows (if equipped)
•
Steering Wheel and Column
•
Instrument Panel
•
Interconnecting Wiring
•
Knee Impact Bolsters
•
Front Acceleration Sensors (1500 Vehicles Only)
•
Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belt Pretensioners (if
equipped)
•
Driver Seat Track Position Sensor (if equipped)
•
Passenger Side Frontal Airbag ON/OFF Switch (2500/
3500 Regular Cab Vehicles Only)
•
Passenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light
(2500/3500 Regular Cab Vehicles Only)
How the Airbag System Works
•
TheOccupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the
airbags to inflate. The front airbag inflators are de-
signed to provide different rates of airbag inflation
from information provided by the ORC. The ORC will
not detect rollover or rear collisions.
The ORC also monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is inTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
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the START or RUN positions. These include all of the
items listed above except the steering wheel and
column, and knee bolsters. If the key is in the OFF
position, in the ACC position, or not in the ignition,
the airbags are not on and will not inflate.
•
The ORC also turns on the Airbag Warning
Light in the instrument panel for six to eight
seconds for a self-check when the ignition is
first turned on. After the self-check, the
Airbag Warning Light will turn off. If the ORC detects
a malfunction in any part of the system, it turns on the
Airbag Warning Light either momentarily or continu-
ously. A single chime will sound if the light comes on
again after initial startup.
WARNING!
Ignoring the Airbag Warning Light in your instru-
ment panel could mean you won’t have the airbags to
protect you in a collision. If the light does not come
on, stays on after you start the vehicle, or if it comes
on as you drive, have the airbag system checked right
away.•
The Passenger Airbag Disable (PAD) Indicator Light
(if equipped) (an amber light located in the center of
the instrument panel), tells the driver and front pas-
senger when the front passenger airbag is turned off.
The PAD indicator light illuminates the words PASS
AIR BAG OFF to show that the passenger airbag will
not inflate during a collision requiring airbags. The
PAD light will illuminate when the passenger frontal
airbag has been turned off by using the manual
ON/OFF switch (2500/3500 Regular Cab Vehicles
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The passenger front airbag is to be turned off only if the
passenger:•
is an infant (less than one year old) who must ride in
the front seat because there is no rear seat, because the
rear seat is too small for a rear-facing infant restraint or
because the infant has a medical condition which
makes it necessary for the driver to be able to see the
infant;
•
is 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;
•
has 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 (2500/3500 Regular
Cab Vehicles 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 OFF light near the switch will illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position.THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
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irritation continues, see your doctor. If these particles
settle on your clothing, follow the garment manufac-
turer’s instructions for cleaning.
•
It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have deployed. If you are involved in another
collision, the airbags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags and seat belt pretensioners (if
equipped) cannot protect you in another collision.
Have the airbags, seat belt pretensioners, and the
front passenger seat belt retractor assembly, replaced
by an authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Maintaining Your Airbag System
WARNING!
•
Modifications to any part of the airbag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured if the airbag system is 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 structure,
or add aftermarket side steps or running boards.
•
You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee bolsters.
•
It 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 an airbag system.THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57
2

NOTE:
Perchlorate Material – special handling may
apply, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate
Enhanced Accident Response SystemIf the airbags deploy after an impact and the electrical
system remains functional, vehicles equipped with
power door locks will unlock automatically. In addition,
approximately five seconds after the vehicle has stopped
moving, the interior lights will light until the ignition
switch is turned off.Airbag Warning 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 mainte-
nance free, if any of the following occurs, have
an authorized dealer service the system promptly:
•
The Airbag Warning Light does not come on or flickers
during the six to eight seconds when the ignition
switch is first turned ON.
•
The light remains on or flickers after the six to eight-
second interval.
•
The 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 block
for blown fuses. Refer to the label located on the inside of
the fuse block cover for the proper airbag fuses. See your
authorized dealer if the fuse is good.
Event Data Recorder (EDR)In the event of an accident, your vehicle is designed to
record up to five seconds of specific vehicle data param-
eters (see the following list) in an event data recorder
prior to the moment of airbag deployment, or near
deployment, and up to a quarter second of high-speed
deceleration data during and/or after airbag deploy-
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

2. Used in defense of litigation involving a Chrysler LLC
product.
3. Requested by police under a legal warrant.
4. Otherwise required by law.
Data parameters that may be recorded:•
Diagnostic trouble code(s) and warning light status for
electronically-controlled safety systems, including the
airbag system
•
Airbag disable light status (if equipped)
•
Timeof airbag deployment (in terms of ignition
cycles and vehicle mileage)
•
Airbag deployment level (if applicable)
•
Impact acceleration and angle
•
Seat belt status
•
Brake status (service and parking brakes)
•
Accelerator status (including vehicle speed)
•
Engine control status (including engine speed)
•
Transmission gear selection
•
Cruise control status
•
Traction/stability control status
•
Tire Pressure Monitoring System status
Child RestraintsEveryone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times, including babies and children. 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.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Children 12 years and 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.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a missile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap can
become so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child’s
size.
Infants and Small ChildrenThere are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Use the restraint that is
correct for your child.•
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least
one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types
of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats. Both types of child
restraints are held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder
belt.
•
The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children who weigh up
to about 20 lbs (9 kg). Convertible child seats can be
used either rearward-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rearward-facing direction thanTHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61
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