instrument panel Ram 3500 2015 User Guide

•Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Front And Side Impact Sensors — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Pretenioners
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
Advanced Front Air Bags
This vehicle has Advanced Front Air Bags for both the
driver and front passenger as a supplement to the seat
belt restraint systems. The driver ’s Advanced Front Air
Bag is mounted in the center of the steering wheel. The
passenger ’s Advanced Front Air Bag is mounted in the
instrument panel, above the glove compartment. The
words “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” are embossed on
the air bag covers.
Advanced Front Air Bag And Knee Bolster Locations
1 — Driver And Passenger Advanced Front Air Bags
2 — Driver/Passenger Knee Impact Bolsters
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during Advanced Front Air Bag deployment
could cause serious injury, including death. Air
bags need room to inflate. Sit back, comfortably
extending your arms to reach the steering wheel or
instrument panel.
• 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.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
Advanced Front Air Bag Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multistage
driver and front passenger air bags. This system provides
output appropriate to the severity and type of collision as
determined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
which may receive information from the front impact
sensors (if equipped) or other system components.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires air bag deployment. A low energy
output is used in less severe collisions. A higher energy
output is used for more severe collisions.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front
passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whether
the driver or front passenger seat belt is buckled. The seat
belt buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the
Advanced Front Air Bags.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 69

WARNING!
•No objects should be placed over or near the air
bag on the instrument panel or steering wheel,
because any such objects could cause harm if the
vehicle is in a collision severe enough to cause the
air bags to inflate.
•
Do not put anything on or around the air bag covers
or attempt to open them manually. You may damage
the air bags and you could be injured because the air
bags may no longer be functional. The protective
covers for the air bag cushions are designed to open
only when the air bags are inflating.
• Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, air bags won’t deploy at all. Al-
ways wear your seat belts even though you have air
bags.
Advanced Front Air Bag Operation
Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat belts. Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags are not expected to reduce the risk
of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions. The Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags will not deploy in all frontal
collisions, including some that may produce substantial
vehicle damage — for example, some pole collisions,
truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of
impact, Advanced Front Air Bags may deploy in crashes
with little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a
severe initial deceleration.
70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration
over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are
not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should
have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all colli-
sions, and also are needed to help keep you in position,
away from an inflating air bag.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags, it signals the inflator units. A large
quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the
Advanced Front Air Bags.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right
side of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the
way as the air bags inflate to their full size. The Advanced
Front Air Bags fully inflate in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes. The air bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front passenger.Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the Advanced Front
Air Bags.
WARNING!
•Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
• Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

The ORC contains a backup power supply system that
may deploy the air bags even if the battery loses power or
it becomes disconnected prior to deployment.
The ORC turns on the Air Bag Warning Light in the
instrument panel for approximately four to eight seconds
for a self-check when the ignition switch is first turned to
the ON/RUN position. After the self-check, the Air Bag
Warning Light will turn off. If the ORC detects a mal-
function in any part of the system, it turns on the Air Bag
Warning Light, either momentarily or continuously. A
single chime will sound to alert you if the light comes on
again after initial startup.
The ORC also includes diagnostics that will illuminate
the instrument panel Air Bag Warning Light if a malfunc-
tion is detected that could affect the air bag system. The
diagnostics also record the nature of the malfunction.
While the air bag system is designed to be maintenancefree, if any of the following occurs, have an authorized
dealer service the air bag system immediately.
•
The Air Bag Warning Light does not come on during
the four to eight seconds when the ignition switch is
first turned to the ON/RUN position.
• The Air Bag Warning Light remains on after the four to
eight-second interval.
• The Air Bag Warning Light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving.
NOTE: If the speedometer, tachometer, or any engine
related gauges are not working, the Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) may also be disabled. In this condition
the air bags may not be ready to inflate for your protec-
tion. Have an authorized dealer service the air bag
system immediately.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

WARNING!
Ignoring the Air Bag Warning Light in your instru-
ment panel could mean you won’t have the air bags
to protect you in a collision. If the light does not come
on as a bulb check when the ignition is first placed in
the on position, and stays on after you start the
vehicle, or if it comes on as you drive, have an
authorized dealer service the air bag system immedi-
ately.
Maintaining Your Air Bag System
WARNING!
•Modifications to any part of the air bag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured if the air bag 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.
• It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the air
bag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has an air bag system.
• Do not attempt to modify any part of your air bag
system. The air bag may inflate accidentally or may
(Continued)
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
•Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on top
of already installed floor mats. Additional floor
mats and other coverings will reduce the size of the
pedal area and interfere with the pedals.
• Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Always
properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have
been removed for cleaning.
•
Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the
driver footwell while the vehicle is moving. Objects
can become trapped under the brake pedal and
accelerator pedal causing a loss of vehicle control.
• If required, mounting posts must be properly in-
stalled, if not equipped from the factory.
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or
mounting can cause interference with the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal operation causing loss of
control of the vehicle.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks, and bulges.
Check the wheel bolts for tightness. Check the tires
(including spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for proper closing, latching, and locking.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 117

▫Programming A Non-Rolling Code .........215
▫ Canadian/Gate Operator Programming .....217
▫ Using HomeLink® ....................218
▫ Security ........................... .218
▫ Troubleshooting Tips ...................219
▫ General Information ....................220
 POWER SUNROOF — IF EQUIPPED ........220
▫ Opening Sunroof — Manual Mode .........222
▫ Closing Sunroof — Manual Mode ..........222
▫ Opening Sunroof — Express ..............222
▫ Closing Sunroof — Express ...............222
▫ Pinch Protect Feature ...................222
▫ Venting Sunroof — Express ..............223▫
Sunshade Operation ....................223
▫ Wind Buffeting ...................... .223
▫ Sunroof Maintenance ...................223
▫ Ignition Off Operation ..................224
 ELECTRICAL POWER OUTLETS ...........224
 CIGAR LIGHTER AND ASH RECEIVER — IF
EQUIPPED .......................... .229
 POWER INVERTER — IF EQUIPPED ........230
 AUXILIARY SWITCHES — IF EQUIPPED .....231
 CUPHOLDERS ....................... .232
▫ Front Seat Cupholders (40–20–40 Seats) ......232
▫ Front Instrument Panel Cupholders — Floor
Mounted Shifter ..................... .233
▫ Rear Cupholders — If Equipped ...........233
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 123

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
detected, 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 Phone Screen will display the following message
“Vehicle phone requires service. Please contact your
dealer.”
• An In-Vehicle Audio message will state “Vehicle phone
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 illumi-
nated, the air bag system may not be working
properly and the 9-1-1 system may not be able to
send a signal to a 9-1-1 operator. If the Air Bag
Warning Light is illuminated, have an authorized
dealer service the ORC system immediately.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 131

Outside Mirrors
To receive maximum benefit, adjust the outside mirrors
to center on the adjacent lane of traffic with a slight
overlap of the view obtained on the inside mirror.NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with illuminated
approach lights under the outside mirrors they can be
turned off through the instrument cluster or the
Uconnect® radio. For further information refer to “EVIC”
or ”DID” and “Uconnect® Settings” in “Understanding
Your Instrument Panel”.
WARNING!
Vehicles and other objects seen in the passenger side
convex mirror will look smaller and farther away
than they really are. Relying too much on your
passenger side convex mirror could cause you to
collide with another vehicle or other object. Use your
inside mirror when judging the size or distance of a
vehicle seen in the passenger side convex mirror.
Some vehicles will not have a convex passenger side
mirror.
Automatic Dimming Mirror With Rear View Camera
134 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE