airbag off DODGE RAM 5500 CHASSIS CAB 2009 4.G Owners Manual

•Infants in rear-facing child restraints mustNEVER
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front
airbag unless the airbag is turned off (Regular Cab
Vehicles Only). An airbag deployment can cause se-
vere injury or death to infants in that position. Refer to
the “Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch (if equipped)”
in this section.
•If your vehicle does not have a rear seat, refer to the
“Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch (if equipped)” in
this section
•Children that are not big enough to properly wear the
vehicle seat belt (refer to “Child Restraints” in this
section) should be secured in the rear seat in child
restraints or belt-positioning booster seats. Older chil-
dren 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 arms.
•All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
•The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbag room to
inflate.
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.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•AIRBAG Readiness Light
•Driver Airbag
•Passenger Airbag (if equipped)
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Crash Sensor
•Interconnecting Wiring
•Knee Impact Bolsters
•Passenger’s Side Front Airbag ON/OFF Switch (Regu-
lar Cab Vehicles Only ) (if equipped)
How The Airbag System Works
•
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the
airbags to inflate.
•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 in
the START or RUN positions. These include all of the
items listed above except the knee bolsters, the instru-
ment panel, and the steering wheel and column. 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 6 to 8 seconds when the
ignition is first turned on, and then turns the light off.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
2

Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch (Regular Cab
Vehicles Only) – If EquippedThe 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 one 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
(if equipped) inflation (deployment) a greater risk for
the passenger than the risk of hitting the dashboard
(instrument panel) or windshield in a crash.Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53
2

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 (Regular Cab Ve-
hicles Only) – If Equipped
Place the ignition key in the Passenger Airbag On/Off
Switch (if equipped), push the key in and turn clockwise,
and remove the key from the switch. This will shut off the
passenger airbag (if equipped). The OFF light near the
switch will illuminate when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position. To Turn On the Passenger Airbag (Regular Cab Vehicles
Only) – If Equipped
Place the ignition key in the Passenger Airbag On/Off
Switch (If Equipped), push the key in and turn counter-
clockwise, and remove the key from the switch. This will
turn on the passenger airbag (if equipped). The OFF light
near the switch will be off when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
If A Deployment Occurs
The airbag system is designed to deploy when the ORC
detects a moderate-to-severe frontal collision, and then
immediately to deflate.
NOTE:
A frontal collision that is not severe enough to
need airbag protection will not activate the system. This
does not mean something is wrong with the airbag
system.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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!
•Modifications 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 structure,
or frame.
•You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee bolster.
•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 airbags.
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:
•A near-deployment event occurs when the airbag
sensor detects severe vehicle deceleration usually in-
dicative of a crash, but not severe enough to warrant
airbag deployment.
•Under certain circumstances, EDR data may not be
recorded (e.g., loss of battery power).
In conjunction with other data gathered during a com-
plete accident investigation, the electronic data may be
used by Chrysler LLC and others to learn more about the
possible causes of crashes and associated injuries in order
to assess and improve vehicle performance. In addition
to crash investigations initiated by Chrysler LLC, such
investigations may be requested by customers, insurance
carriers, government officials, and professional crash
researchers, such as those associated with universities,
and with hospital and insurance organizations. In the event that an investigation is undertaken by
Chrysler LLC (regardless of initiative), the company or its
designated representative will first obtain permission of
the appropriate custodial entity for the vehicle (usually
the vehicle owner or lessee) before accessing the elec-
tronic data stored, unless ordered to download data by a
court with legal jurisdiction (i.e., pursuant to a warrant).
A copy of the data will be provided to the custodial entity
upon request. General data that does not identify par-
ticular vehicles or crashes may be released for incorpo-
ration in aggregate crash databases, such as those main-
tained by the US government and various states. Data of
a potentially sensitive nature, such as would identify a
particular driver, vehicle, or crash, will be treated confi-
dentially. Confidential data will not be disclosed by
Chrysler LLC to any third party except when:
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

of child restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant
carriers andconvertible 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). Convertiblechild 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 than
infant carriers do, so they can be used rearward-facing
by children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) but are
less than one year old.
•Rearward-facing child seats must NEVERbe used in
the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger airbag
(if equipped) unless the airbag is turned off. An airbag
deployment could cause severe injury or death to
infants in this position.
•Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who
are older than one year 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 weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg) and who
are older than one year. These child seats are also held
in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt.
•The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weigh-
ing more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small
to fit the vehicle’s seat belts properly. If the child
cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat
cushion while the child’s back is against the seat back,
they should use a belt-positioning booster seat. The
child and booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
lap/shoulder belt. (Some booster seats are equipped
with a front shield and are held in the vehicle by the
lap portion.) For further information, refer to
www.seatcheck.org.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61
2

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 ex-
actly when installing an infant or child restraint.
•A rearward-facing child restraint should only be
used in a rear seat, or in the front seat if the
passenger’s front airbag is Off (if equipped). If the
airbag is left On, a rearward-facing child restraint
in the front seat may be struck by a deploying
passenger airbag (if equipped) which may cause
severe or fatal injury to the infant.
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your child
restraint:
•Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety Standards. We also recommend that you make sure
that you can install the child restraint in the vehicle
where you will use it before you buy it.
•The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
•The passenger seat belts are equipped with Automatic
Locking Retractors (ALR), which are designed to keep
the lap portion tight around the child restraint so that
it is not necessary to use a locking clip.
Pull the belt from the retractor until there is enough to
allow you to pass through the child restraint and slide
the latch plate into the buckle. Then pull on the belt
until it is completely extended from the retractor.
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 Regular Cab
passenger seat position and the Quad Cabrear seat
outboard positions. LATCH equipped seating positions
feature both lower anchor bars, located at the back of the
seat cushion, and tether strap anchorages, located behind
the seat back (refer to “Child Restraint Tether Anchor” in
this section).
Identification dots are located above the Regular Cab
front seat lower anchorages as a guide for locating lower
anchors.
NOTE: For children riding in the front seat of a Regular
Cab model, refer to the “Passenger Airbag On/Off
Switch (if equipped)” in this section.
Regular Cab Passenger Seat
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

INSTRUMENT PANEL FEATURES
1 - Headlight Switch6 - Passenger Airbag11 - Exhaust Brake Switch* 16 - Parking Brake Release Lever
2 - Air Outlets 7 - Glove Compartment12 - Power Sliding Back Glass
Switch* 17 - Adjustable Pedal Control
Switch*
3 - Instrument Cluster 8 - Passenger Airbag On/Off
Switch* 13 - Cupholders
* If Equipped
4 - Climate Controls 9 - Power Outlet14 - Cigar Lighter
5 - Radio 10 - Heated Seat Switch15 - Transfer Case Control Switch*
160 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL