warning DODGE RAM 2500 POWER WAGON 2008 3.G Owner's Guide

around, and insert the latch plate into the buckle
again. If you still can't make the child restraint secure,
try a different seating position.
²Buckle the child into the seat according to the child
restraint manufacturer's directions.
²When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
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 manufacturer's directions exactly when installing
an infant or child restraint.
Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)
Each vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren. LATCH child restraint
anchorage systems are installed in the 2500/3500 Stan-
dard Cab passenger seat position and the Quad Cab rear
seat outboard positions. LATCH equipped seating posi-
tions feature both lower anchor bars, located at the back
of the seat cushion, and tether strap anchorages, located
behind the seatback (refer to Child Restraint Tether
Anchor later in this section).
Identification dots are located above the standard cab
front seat lower anchorages as a guide for locating lower
anchors.
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restraint installation, instead of tucking the seat belt
behind the child restraint, route the seat belt through the
child restraint belt path and then buckle it. This should
stow the seat belt out of the reach of an inquisitive child.
Remind all children in the vehicle that the seat belts are
not toys and should not be played with, and never leave
your child unattended in the vehicle.
NOTE:If your child restraint seat is not LATCH com-
patible, install the restraint using the vehicle seat belt.Installing the Child Restraint System
WARNING!
Do not install child restraint systems equipped with
LATCH attachments in the center position of a Quad
Cab model rear seat. The LATCH anchorages in this
seat are designed for the two outboard seating posi-
tions only. A child may be placed in the rear center
seating position of a Quad Cab model using the seat
belt and child tether anchorage. Failure to follow this
may result in serious or fatal injury.
We urge that you carefully follow the directions of the
manufacturer when installing your child restraint. Many,
but not all, restraint systems will be equipped with
separate straps on each side, with each having a hook or
connector and a means for adjusting the tension in the
strap. Forward-facing toddler restraints and some
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

rearward-facing infant restraints will also be equipped
with a tether strap, a hook and means for adjusting the
tension in the strap.
In general, you will first loosen the adjusters on the lower
straps and tether straps so that you can more easily attach
the hook or connector to the lower anchorages and tether
anchorages. Then tighten all three straps as you push the
child restraint rearward and downward into the seat.
Not all child restraint systems will be installed as we
have described here. Again, carefully follow the instruc-
tions that come with the child restraint system.WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of an infant or
child restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer's directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.
Child Restraint Tether Anchor
Child restraints having tether straps and hooks for con-
nection to tether anchors have been available for some
time. In fact, many child restraint manufacturers will
provide add-on tether strap kits for their older products.
Regular Cab models of Ram Pickups have two tether
anchorages, one each behind the front center and right
seats. Quad Cab models have three anchorages, one
behind each of the rear seats.
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WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
seat failure and injury to the child. In a collision, the
seat could come loose and allow the child to crash
into the inside of the vehicle or other passengers, or
even be thrown from the vehicle. Use only the anchor
positions directly behind the child seat to secure a
child restraint top tether strap. Follow the instruc-
tions below. See your dealer for help if necessary.
Tether Anchorage Points at the Right and Center
Front Seat (Regular Cab - All Seats)
1. Place the child restraint on the seat and adjust the
tether strap so that it will reach over the seat back under
the head restraint to the tether anchor directly behind the
seat.2. Lift the cover (if so equipped), and attach the hook to
the square opening in the sheet metal.
3. Install the child restraint and remove the slack in the
tether strap according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Regular Cab With Any Bench Seat
70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

A new engine may consume some oil during its first few
thousand miles of operation. This is a normal part of the
break-in and is not an indication of difficulty.
CAUTION!
²During the first 500 miles (805 km) your new
vehicle is driven, do not tow a trailer. Doing so
may damage your axles, driveline and vehicle.
²Limit your speed to 50 mph (80 km/h) during the
first 500 miles (805 km) of towing.
SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
This vehicle is designed to carry passengers in the cab
only. For safety reasons, NEVER TRANSPORT PASSEN-
GERS IN THE CARGO AREA.
WARNING!
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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Lock Your Vehicle
Always remove the keys from the ignition and lock all
doors when leaving the vehicle unattended, even in your
own driveway or garage. Try to park your vehicle in a
well-lighted area and never invite theft by leaving ar-
ticles of value exposed.
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, a potentially
toxic gas that by itself is colorless and odorless. To
avoid inhaling these gases, the following precautions
should be observed:
²Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in confined
areas any longer than needed to move your vehicle in
or out of the area.
²If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running for more than a short period, adjust
your climate control system to force outside air into
the vehicle. Set the blower at high speed and the
controls in any position except OFF or MAX A/C.
²The best protection against carbon monoxide entry
into the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine
exhaust system.
Be aware of changes in the sound of the exhaust system;
exhaust fumes detected inside the vehicle; or damage to
the underside or rear of the vehicle. Have a competent
mechanic inspect the complete exhaust system and adja-
cent body areas for broken, damaged, deteriorated or
mispositioned parts. Open seams or loose connections
could permit exhaust fumes to seep into the passenger
compartment. In addition, inspect the exhaust system
each time the vehicle is raised for lubrication or oil
change. Replace or adjust as required.
76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Electronically Disconnecting Stabilizer/Sway Bar
Stabilizer bars are used to help distribute load force from
one side of the vehicle to the other. This helps to reduce
body roll and create a smoother ride during on-road
driving. However, this becomes a disadvantage when the
vehicle is driven off-road when a higher level of suspen-
sion articulation is needed. By disconnecting the stabi-
lizer bars, each wheel can now reach its maximum range
of movement. This enables the vehicle to maintain a
greater tire contact patch, and thus more traction, when
traversing severe off-road terrain.
Increased Ride Height
Due to the use of taller springs, the Power Wagon has an
increased ride height of approximately 1.9 inches in the
front and 1.5 inch in the rear. It allows the truck to
traverse larger obstructions and provides a better seating
position from which to view the trail. A major advantage
to increasing ride height is the positive effect it has onapproach/departure and break over angles. More ride
height allows for more aggressive angles, further improv-
ing off-road capability.
12,000 lb. Winch
The Power Wagon is the9only pickup truck9to offer an
electric vehicle recovery winch from the factory. The
winch provides the vehicle with an additional level of
capability and versatility. This winch uses the electrical
power from the vehicle charging system to power a
motor that winds wire rope onto the winch drum via
planetary gear reduction. By nature, a winch is capable of
generating very high forces and should be used with
care. Do not operate the winch without reading and
understanding the complete winch section of owner's
manual, including all warnings and cautions.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 85
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CAUTION!
To avoid damage to the mirror during cleaning, never
spray any cleaning solution directly onto the mirror.
Apply the solution onto a clean cloth and wipe the
mirror clean.
Outside Mirrors
To receive maximum benefit, adjust the outside mirror(s)
to center on the adjacent lane of traffic with a slight
overlap of the view obtained on the inside mirror.
WARNING!
Vehicles and other objects seen in a right side convex
mirror will look smaller and farther away than they
really are. Relying too much on your right side
convex mirror could cause you to collide with an-
other vehicle or other object. Use your inside mirror
when judging the size or distance of a vehicle seen in
the right side convex mirror. Some vehicles will not
have a convex right side mirror.
Exterior Mirrors Folding Feature
All6x9inch exterior mirrors are hinged and may be
moved either forward or rearward to resist damage. The
hinges have three detent positions; full forward, full
rearward, and normal.
90 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

General Information
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules and
RSS 210 of Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the
following conditions:
²This device may not cause harmful interference.
²This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired op-
eration.
SEATS
The seating options available in this truck are the result of
extensive customer research and evaluations.
WARNING!
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.
120 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

40-20-40 Front Seat
As the name implies, the seat is divided into 3 segments.
The outboard seat portions are each 40% of the total
width of the seat. The back of the center portion (20%)
easily folds down to provide an armrest/center storage
compartment (if equipped).Each outboard seat is independently adjustable forward
or backward and is equipped with a back recliner. The
manual seat adjustment handle is found at the front edge
of each seat cushion. Pull up on the handle and slide the
seat to get the most comfortable position.
WARNING!
Adjusting a seat while the vehicle is moving is
dangerous. The sudden movement of the seat could
cause you to lose control. The seat belt might not be
properly adjusted and you could be injured. Adjust
any seat only while the vehicle is parked.
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