Latch Ram 1500 2020 Owner's Guide

244 SAFETY
(Continued)
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR)
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) which is used to secure a child restraint system. For
additional information, refer to “Installing Child Restraints
Using The Vehicle Seat Belt” under the “Child Restraints”
section of this manual. The figure below illustrates the
locking feature for each seating position.Automatic Locking Retractor — (ALR) Locations If the passenger seating position is equipped with an ALR
and is being used for normal usage, only pull the seat belt
webbing out far enough to comfortably wrap around the
occupant’s mid-section so as to not activate the ALR. If the
ALR is activated, you will hear a clicking sound as the seat
belt retracts. Allow the webbing to retract completely in this
case and then carefully pull out only the amount of webbing
necessary to comfortably wrap around the occupant’s
mid-section. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you
hear a "click."
In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder belt is automati
-
cally pre-locked. The seat belt will still retract to remove any
slack in the shoulder belt. Use the Automatic Locking Mode
anytime a child restraint is installed in a seating position that
has a seat belt with this feature. Children 12 years old and
under should always be properly restrained in the rear seat
of a vehicle with a rear 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.
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 244

268 SAFETY
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown their
rear-facing convertible child seat 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 are over two years old or who have outgrown the
rear-facing weight or height limit of their rear-facing
convertible child seat. Children should remain in a
forward-facing child seat with a harness for as long as
possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a belt-posi-
tioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly.
If the child cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat
cushion while the child’s back is against the seatback, they
should use a belt-positioning booster seat. The child and
belt-positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
seat belt.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 child
restraint manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
• After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward because it
can loosen the child restraint attachments. Remove the
child restraint before adjusting the vehicle seat posi -
tion. When the vehicle seat has been adjusted, reinstall
the child restraint.
• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchorages, or
remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the
vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it could strike the
occupants or seatbacks and cause serious personal
injury.
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 268

SAFETY 269
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend over
the front of the seat when their back is against the seatback,
should use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple 5-step
test to decide whether the child can use the vehicle’s seat belt
alone:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against the back of thevehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat – while the child is still sitting all the way
back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and not the stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip? If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” then the
child still needs to use a booster seat in this vehicle. If the
child is using the lap/shoulder belt, check seat belt fit peri
-
odically and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched. A
child’s squirming or slouching can move the belt out of posi -
tion. If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the
child closer to the center of the vehicle, or use a booster seat
to position the seat belt on the child correctly.
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an
arm or behind their back. In a crash, the shoulder belt
will not protect a child properly, which may result in
serious injury or death. A child must always wear both
the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt correctly.4
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 269

270 SAFETY
Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System LATCH Label Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchorage
system called LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system has three vehicle
anchor points for installing LATCH-equipped child seats.
There are two lower anchorages located at the back of the
seat cushion where it meets the seatback and one top tether
anchorage located behind the seating position. These anchor
-
ages are used to install LATCH-equipped child seats without
using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating positions may
Restraint Type
Combined Weight
of the Child +
Child Restraint Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below
LATCH – Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt OnlyLATCH – Lower
Anchors + Top Tether Anchor Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
X
Rear-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 270

SAFETY 271
have a top tether anchorage but no lower anchorages. In
these seating positions, the seat belt must be used with the
top tether anchorage to install the child restraint. Please see
the following table for more information.
LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints In This
VehicleCrew Cab 60/40 Split Bench LATCH Positions Crew Cab Full Bench, Quad Cab Full Bench And 60/40
Split Bench LATCH Positions
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per Seating Position)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per Seating Position)
4
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 271

272 SAFETY
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
What is the weight limit (child’s weight
+ weight of the child restraint) for using
the LATCH anchorage system to attach
the child restraint? 65 lbs (29.5 kg)Use the LATCH anchorage system until
the combined weight of the child and
the child restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use
the seat belt and tether anchor instead
of the LATCH system once the
combined weight is more than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the
seat belt be used together to attach a
rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraint? NoDo not use the seat belt when you use
the LATCH anchorage system to attach
a rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraint.
Booster seats may be attached to the
LATCH anchorages if allowed by the
booster seat manufacturer. See your
booster seat owner’s manual for more
information.
Can a child seat be installed in the
center position using the inner LATCH
lower anchorages from the outboard
seating positions? NoQuad Cab or Crew with Full bench rear
seat: Use the seat belt and tether anchor
to install a child seat in the center
seating position
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 272

SAFETY 273
Can two child restraints be attached
using a common lower LATCH
anchorage?NoNever “share” a LATCH anchorage
with two or more child restraints. If the
center position does not have dedicated
LATCH lower anchorages, use the seat
belt to install a child seat in the center
position next to a child seat using the
LATCH anchorages in an outboard
position.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch
the back of the front passenger seat? YesThe child seat may touch the back of the
front passenger seat if the child restraint
manufacturer also allows contact. See
your child restraint owner’s manual for
more information.
Can the rear head restraints be
removed? No
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
4
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 273

274 SAFETY
Locating The LATCH Anchorages The lower anchorages are round bars that are found
at the rear of the seat cushion where it meets the seat -
back, below the anchorage symbols on the seatback.
They are just visible when you lean into the rear seat to
install the child restraint. You will easily feel them if you run
your finger along the gap between the seatback and seat
cushion.
Rear Outboard Seats Driver Side (Example Shown) Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages located behind
each of the rear seats.
Outboard Tether Anchorage
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 274

SAFETY 275
Center Tether Anchorage Over Head Rest
LATCH-compatible child restraint systems will be equipped
with a rigid bar or a flexible strap on each side. Each will
have a hook or connector to attach to the lower anchorage
and a way to tighten the connection to the anchorage.
Forward-facing child restraints and some rear-facing child
restraints will also be equipped with a tether strap. The
tether strap will have a hook at the end to attach to the top
tether anchorage and a way to tighten the strap after it is
attached to the anchorage. Center Seat LATCH
All Quad Cabs Or Crew Cab Full Bench Rear Seat: No
Lower Center LATCH Anchorages Available
Crew Cab Split Bench Rear Seat: Center LATCH Anchor
-
ages Available
If a child restraint installed in the center position blocks the
seat belt webbing or buckle for the outboard position, do not
use that outboard position. If a child seat in the center posi -
tion blocks the outboard LATCH anchors or seat belt, do not
install a child seat in that outboard position.
WARNING!
• Do not install a child restraint in the center position using the LATCH system. This position is not approved
for installing child seats using the LATCH attachments.
You must use the seat belt and tether anchor to install a
child seat in the center seating position.
• Never use the same lower anchorage to attach more than one child restraint. Please refer to “To Install A
LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint” for typical instal -
lation instructions.
4
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 275

276 SAFETY
Always follow the directions of the child restraint manu-
facturer when installing your child restraint. Not all child
restraint systems will be installed as described here.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
If the selected seating position has a Switchable Automatic
Locking Retractor (ALR) seat belt, stow the seat belt,
following the instructions below. See the section “Installing
Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat Belt” to check what
type of seat belt each seating position has.
1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on the tether strap of the child seat so that you can more easily attach
the hooks or connectors to the vehicle anchorages.
2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. For some second row seats, you may
need to recline the seat and / or raise the head restraint (if
adjustable) to get a better fit. If the rear seat can be moved
forward and rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to move it to its rear-most position to make room for the
child seat. You may also move the front seat forward to
allow more room for the child seat.
3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of the child restraint to the lower anchorages in the selected seating position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage. See the section “Installing Child
Restraints Using the Top Tether Anchorage” for direc -
tions to attach a tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward into the seat. Remove slack in
the straps according to the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions.
6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the child seat at the belt path. It should
not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any direction.
How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR (ALR) Seat
Belt:
When using the LATCH attaching system to install a child
restraint, stow all ALR seat belts that are not being used by
other occupants or being used to secure child restraints. An
unused belt could injure a child if they play with it and acci -
WARNING!
Never use the same lower anchorage to attach more than
one child restraint. Please refer to “To Install A
LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint” for typical
installation instructions.
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 276