belt Ram 3500 Chassis Cab 2017 Owner's Guide

The SABICs deploy downward, covering the side win-
dows. An inflating SABIC pushes the outside edge of the
trim out of the way and covers the window. The SABICs
inflate with enough force to injure occupants if they are not
belted and seated properly, or if items are positioned in the
area where the SABICs inflate. Children are at an even
greater risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
WARNING!
•Do not stack luggage or other cargo up high enough
to block the deployment of the SABICs. The trim
covering above the side windows where the SABIC
and its deployment path are located should remain
free from any obstructions.
• In order for the SABICs to work as intended, do not
install any accessory items in your vehicle which
could alter the roof. Do not add an aftermarket
sunroof to your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that
require permanent attachments (bolts or screws) for
installation on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the
roof of the vehicle for any reason.
The SABICs and SABs (Side Air Bags) (if equipped with
Side Air Bags) are designed to activate in certain side impacts and certain rollover events. The Occupant Re-
straint Controller (ORC) determines whether the deploy-
ment of the Side Air Bags in a particular side impact or
rollover event (if equipped with rollover sensing) is appro-
priate, based on the severity and type of collision. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of whether or not
Side Air Bags should have deployed.
Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt restraint
system. Side Air Bags deploy in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes.
WARNING!
•
Occupants, including children, who are up against or
very close to Side Air Bags can be seriously injured
or killed. Occupants, including children, should
never lean on or sleep against the door, side win-
dows, or area where the side air bags inflate, even if
they are in an infant or child restraint.
• Seat belts (and child restraints where appropriate)
are necessary for your protection in all collisions.
They also help keep you in position, away from an
inflating Side Air Bag. To get the best protection
from the Side Air Bags, occupants must wear their
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61

WARNING!(Continued)
seat belts properly and sit upright with their backs
against the seats. Children must be properly re-
strained in a child restraint or booster seat that is
appropriate for the size of the child.
WARNING!
•Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door or window. Sit upright in the center
of the seat.
• Being too close to the Side Air Bags during deploy-
ment could cause you to be severely injured or
killed.
• Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could lead to
more severe injuries in a collision. The Side Air Bags
work with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, Side Air Bags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belt even though you have
Side Air Bags.
NOTE: Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment. Side Impacts — If Equipped With Side Air Bags
In side impacts, the side impact sensors aid the ORC in
determining the appropriate response to impact events.
The system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags on the
impact side of the vehicle during impacts that require Side
Air Bag occupant protection. In side impacts, the Side Air
Bags deploy independently; a left side impact deploys the
left Side Air Bags only and a right side impact deploys the
right Side Air Bags only.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side collisions,
including some collisions at certain angles, or some side
collisions that do not impact the area of the passenger
compartment. The Side Air Bags may deploy during
angled or offset frontal collisions where the front air bags
deploy.
Rollover Events — If Equipped Side Air Bags
Side Air Bags are designed to activate in certain rollover
events. The ORC determines whether the deployment of
the Side Air Bags in a particular rollover event is appro-
priate, based on the severity and type of collision. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of whether or not
Side Air Bags should have deployed.
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all rollover events. The
rollover sensing-system determines if a rollover event may
be in progress and whether deployment is appropriate. A
slower-developing event may deploy the seat belt preten-
sioners on both sides of the vehicle. A faster-developing
event may deploy the seat belt pretensioners as well as the
Side Air Bags on both sides of the vehicle. The rollover
sensing-system may also deploy the seat belt pretension-
ers, with or without the Side Air Bags, on both sides of the
vehicle if the vehicle experiences a near rollover event.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain rollover (if equipped with rollover sensing) or side
impact events.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors the
internal circuits and interconnecting wiring associated
with electrical Air Bag System Components listed below:
Air Bag System Components
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
•Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel •
Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Supplemental Side Air Bags — If Equipped
• Front and Side Impact Sensors — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Pretensioners — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
If A Deployment Occurs
The front air bags are designed to deflate immediately after
deployment.
NOTE: Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all
collisions. This does not mean something is wrong with the
air bag system.
If you do have a collision which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
• The air bag material may sometimes cause abrasions
and/or skin reddening to the occupants as the air bags
deploy and unfold. The abrasions are similar to friction
rope burns or those you might get sliding along a carpet
or gymnasium floor. They are not caused by contact with
chemicals. They are not permanent and normally heal
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

quickly. However, if you haven’t healed significantly
within a few days, or if you have any blistering, see your
doctor immediately.
• As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air bag
inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the skin,
eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irritation,
rinse the area with cool water. For nose or throat
irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation continues,
see your doctor. If these particles settle on your clothing,
follow the garment manufacturer ’s instructions for
cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have deployed.
If you are involved in another collision, the air bags will
not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags, seat
belt pretensioners, and the seat belt retractor assem-
blies replaced by your authorized dealer immediately.
Also, have the Occupant Restraint Controller System
serviced as well. NOTE:
•
Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
• After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact, if the communication network
remains intact, and the power remains intact, depending
on the nature of the event, the ORC will determine whether
to have the Enhanced Accident Response System perform
the following functions:
• Cut off fuel to the engine.
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the hazard light button is pressed. The hazard
lights can be deactivated by pressing the hazard light
button.
• Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power.
• Unlock the power door locks.
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times, including babies and children. Every state in the
United States, and every Canadian province, requires that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride properly buckled
up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seats rather than in the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to hold
even an infant on your lap could become so great that
you could not hold the child, no matter how strong you
are. The child and others could be badly injured. Any
child riding in your vehicle should be in a proper
restraint for the child’s size.There are different sizes and types of restraints for children
from newborn size to the child almost large enough for an
adult safety belt. Always check the child seat Owner ’s
Manual to make sure you have the correct seat for your
child. Carefully read and follow all the instructions and
warnings in the child restraint Owner ’s Manual and on all
the labels attached to the child restraint.
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety Stan-
dards. You should also make sure that you can install it in
the vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:
•
For additional information, refer to www.safercar.gov/
parents/index.htm or call: 1–888–327–4236
• Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s
website for additional information: http://
www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-
childsafety-index-53.htm
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67

Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight or AgeRecommended Type of
Child Restraint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or
younger and who have not reached the height or weight limits of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a
Convertible Child Restraint,
facing rearward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years
old or who have out-grown theheight or weight limit of their rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with
a five-point Harness, facing forward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have out-grown their
forward-facing child restraint, but are too small to properly fit the vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the
vehicle seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger,
who have out-grown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear
seat of the vehicle
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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.
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 con-
vertible 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-positioning
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.
70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 be-
cause it can loosen the child restraint attachments.
Remove the child restraint before adjusting the ve-
hicle seat position. 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 a 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.
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 the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat – while they are still sitting all the way
back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder be- tween their neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and not their 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
periodically and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

A child’s squirming or slouching can move the belt out of
position. 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.
Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type CombinedWeight of the
Child + Child Restraint Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below
LATCH – Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt Only LATCH – Lower
Anchors + TopTether Anchor Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) XX
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) XX
Forward-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE