AIR Ram 1500 2017 Owner's Guide

Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder
(EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist
in understanding how a vehicle’s systems performed. The
EDR is designed to record data related to vehicle dynamics
and safety systems for a short period of time, typically 30
seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle is designed to
record such data as:
•How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts
were buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accel-
erator and/or brake pedal; and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
• These data can help provide a better understanding of
the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur. NOTE:
EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as law enforcement,
could combine the EDR data with the type of personally
identifying data routinely acquired during a crash investi-
gation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In
addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the special equipment, can read
the information if they have access to the vehicle or the
EDR.
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle. It
is recommended for children from birth until they reach
the weight or height limit of the infant carrier. Convertible
child seats can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing
in the vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher
weight limit in the rear-facing direction than infant carriers
do, so they can be used rear-facing by children who have
outgrown their infant carrier but are still less than at least
two years old. Children should remain rear-facing until
they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an
air bag. A deploying passenger front air bag can
cause death or serious injury to a child 12 years or
younger, including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
WARNING!
Do not install a rear-facing car seat using a rear support
leg in this vehicle. The floor of this vehicle is not
designed to manage the crash forces of this type of car
seat. In a crash, the support leg may not function as it
was designed by the car seat manufacturer, and your
child may be more severely injured as a result.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

3. Lift the cover (if so equipped), and attach the hook to thesquare opening in the sheet metal. Tighten the tether
strap according to the child seat manufacturer ’s instruc-
tions.
WARNING!
Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an
air bag. A deploying Passenger Advanced Front Air
Bag can cause death or serious injury to a child 12 years
or younger, including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint. Quad Cab Or Crew Cab Trucks:
The top tether anchorages in this vehicle are tether strap
loops located between the rear glass and the back of the
rear seat. There is a tether strap loop located behind each
seating position. Follow the steps below to attach the tether
strap of the child restraint.
Right Or Left Outboard Seats:
1. Raise the head restraint and reach between the rear seat
and rear glass to access the tether strap loop.
Mega Cab Tether Anchorages
Head Restraint In Raised Position
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 89

Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can even-
tually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO), follow
these safety tips:
•Do 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.
• If you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate/
rear doors open, make sure that all windows are
closed and the climate control BLOWER switch is set
at high speed. DO NOT use the recirculation mode.
• If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running, adjust your heating or cooling con-
trols to force outside air into the vehicle. Set the
blower at high speed.
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into the
vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system. Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the complete
exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken, dam-
aged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open seams or
loose connections could permit exhaust fumes to seep into
the passenger compartment. In addition, inspect the ex-
haust system each time the vehicle is raised for lubrication
or oil change. Replace as required.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision.
Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision
if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor, torn web-
bing, etc.). If there is any question regarding seat belt or
retractor condition, replace the seat belt.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 95

Air Bag Warning Light
The Air Bag Warning Lightwill turn on for four to
eight seconds as a bulb check when the ignition is first
placed in the ON/RUN position. If the light is either not
on during starting, stays on, or turns on while driving,
have the system inspected at an authorized dealer as
soon as possible. This light will illuminate with a single
chime when a fault with the Air Bag Warning Light has
been detected, it will stay on until the fault is cleared. If
the light comes on intermittently or remains on while
driving, have an authorized dealer service the vehicle
immediately. Refer to “Occupant Restraints” for further
information.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is inoper-
able.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that they
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals or
impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
WARNING!
An improperly attached, damaged, folded, or stacked
floor mat, or damaged floor mat fasteners may cause
your floor mat to interfere with the accelerator, brake,
or clutch pedals and cause a loss of vehicle control. To
prevent SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:
• ALWAYS securely attach
your floor mat using
the floor mat fasteners. DO NOT install your floor
mat upside down or turn your floor mat over.
Lightly pull to confirm mat is secured using the
floor mat fasteners on a regular basis.
• ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING FLOOR MAT
FROM THE VEHICLE
before installing any
other floor mat. NEVER install or stack an addi-
tional floor mat on top of an existing floor mat.
(Continued)
96 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

5. The 9-1-1 operator may attempt to contact appropriateemergency responders and provide them with impor-
tant vehicle information and GPS coordinates.
WARNING!
•If anyone in the vehicle could be in danger (e.g., fire
or smoke is visible, dangerous road conditions or
location), do not wait for voice contact from a 9-1-1
operator. All occupants should exit the vehicle im-
mediately and move to a safe location.
• Never place anything on or near the vehicle’s oper-
able 1X(voice/data) or 3G(data) network and GPS
antennas. You could prevent operable 1X(voice/data)
or 3G(data) network and GPS signal reception,
which can prevent your vehicle from placing an
emergency call. An operable 1X(voice/data) or
3G(data) network and GPS signal reception is re-
quired for the 9-1-1 Call system to function properly.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•The 9-1-1 Call system is embedded into the vehicle’s
electrical system. Do not add aftermarket electrical
equipment to the vehicle’s electrical system. This
may prevent your vehicle from sending a signal to
initiate an emergency call. To avoid interference that
can cause the 9-1-1 Call system to fail, never add
aftermarket equipment (e.g., two-way mobile radio,
CB radio, data recorder, etc.) to your vehicle’s electri-
cal system or modify the antennas on your vehicle. IF
YOUR VEHICLE LOSES BATTERY POWER FOR
ANY REASON (INCLUDING DURING OR AFTER
AN ACCIDENT), THE UCONNECT FEATURES,
APPS AND SERVICES, AMONG OTHERS, WILL
NOT OPERATE.
• Modifications to any part of the 9-1-1 Call system
could cause the air bag system to fail when you need
it. You could be injured if the air bag system is not
there to help protect you.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 107

9-1-1 Call System Limitations
Vehicles sold in Canada and MexicoDO NOThave 9-1-1
Call system capabilities.
9-1-1 or other emergency line operators in Canada and
Mexico may not answer or respond to 9-1-1 system calls.
If the 9-1-1 Call system detects a malfunction, any of the
following may occur at the time the malfunction is de-
tected, and at the beginning of each ignition cycle:
• The rearview mirror light located between the ASSIST
and 9-1-1 buttons will continuously be illuminated red.
• The device screen will display the following message
“Vehicle device requires service. Please contact your
dealer.”
• An in-vehicle audio message will state “Vehicle device
requires service. Please contact your dealer.”WARNING!
• Ignoring the rearview mirror light could mean you
will not have 9-1-1 Call services. If the rearview
mirror light is illuminated, have an authorized dealer
service the 9-1-1 Call system immediately.
• The Occupant Restraint Control module turns on the
Air Bag Warning Light on the instrument panel if a
malfunction in any part of the system is detected. If
the Air Bag Warning Light is illuminated, have an
authorized dealer service the Occupant Restraint
Control system immediately.
Even if the 9-1-1 Call system is fully functional, factors
beyond FCA US LLC’s control may prevent or stop the
9-1-1 Call system operation. These include, but are not
limited to, the following factors:
• Delayed accessories mode is active.
• The ignition is in the OFF position.
• The vehicle’s electrical systems are not intact.
• The 9-1-1 Call system software and/or hardware are
damaged during a crash.
108 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

of illuminated LEDs changes from two to one, indicating
the change. The LO-level setting will turn OFF automati-
cally after approximately 45 minutes.
Ventilated Seats — If Equipped
Located in the seat cushion are small fans that draw the air
from the passenger compartment and move air through
fine perforations in the seat cover to help keep the driver
and front passenger cooler in higher ambient temperatures.
The fans operate at two speeds, HI and LO.
The front ventilated seats control buttons are located on the
center instrument panel below the climate controls.
If your vehicle is equipped with a touchscreen, the front
ventilated seats control buttons are also located within the
climate or controls screen of the touchscreen.
•Press the ventilated seat button
once to choose HI.
•Press the ventilated seat buttona second time to
choose LO.
• Press the ventilated seat buttona third time to turn
the ventilated seat OFF.
NOTE: The engine must be running for the ventilated seats
to operate. Vehicles Equipped With Remote Start
On models that are equipped with remote start, the venti-
lated seats can be programmed to come on during a remote
start.
If your vehicle is equipped with a touchscreen, this feature
can be programmed through the Uconnect system. Refer to
“Uconnect Settings” in “Understanding Your Instrument
Panel” for further information.
If your vehicle is not equipped with a touchscreen, this
feature can be programmed through the instrument cluster
display. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Under-
standing Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 123

1. Tachometer•Indicates the engine speed in revolutions per minute
(RPM x 1000).
2. Instrument Cluster Display •When the appropriate conditions exist, this display
shows the Instrument Cluster Display messages. Refer
to “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Understanding
Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
3. Speedometer •Indicates vehicle speed.
4. Fuel Gauge •The pointer shows the level of fuel in the fuel tank
when the ignition is in the ON/RUN position.
•
The fuel pump symbol points to the side of the
vehicle where the fuel door is located.
5. Temperature Gauge
•The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading within the normal range indi-
cates that the engine cooling system is operating
satisfactorily. •
The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tem-
perature when driving in hot weather, up mountain
grades, or when towing a trailer. It should not be
allowed to exceed the upper limits of the normal
operating range.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call an authorized dealer for
service if your vehicle overheats. If you decide to look
under the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your Ve-
hicle”. Follow the warnings under the Cooling System
Pressure Cap paragraph.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could dam-
age your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads “H”
pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the
air conditioner turned off until the pointer drops back
into the normal range. If the pointer remains on the
“H”, turn the engine off immediately and call an
authorized dealer for service.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 237

7. Temperature Gauge•The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading within the normal range indi-
cates that the engine cooling system is operating
satisfactorily.
• The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tem-
perature when driving in hot weather, up mountain
grades, or when towing a trailer. It should not be
allowed to exceed the upper limits of the normal
operating range.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call an authorized dealer for
service if your vehicle overheats. If you decide to look
under the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your Ve-
hicle”. Follow the warnings under the Cooling System
Pressure Cap paragraph.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could dam-
age your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads “H”
pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle with the
air conditioner turned off until the pointer drops back
into the normal range. If the pointer remains on the
“H”, turn the engine off immediately and call an
authorized dealer for service.
WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS
The warning / indicator lights switch on in the instrument
panel together with a dedicated message and/or acoustic
signal when applicable. These indications are indicative
and precautionary and as such must not be considered as
exhaustive and/or alternative to the information contained
in the Owner ’s Manual, which you are advised to read
carefully in all cases. Always refer to the information in this
chapter in the event of a failure indication.
All active telltales will display first if applicable. The
system check menu may appear different based upon
equipment options and current vehicle status. Some tell-
tales are optional and may not appear.
240 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL