airbag RAM CHASSIS CAB 2011 Owners Manual

▫ Driver And Right Front Passenger
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) –
Airbag ............................. 49
▫ Airbag System Components .............. 51
▫ Advanced Front Airbag Features .......... 51
▫ Airbag Deployment Sensors And Controls . . . 54
▫ Event Data Recorder (EDR) .............. 59
▫ Child Restraints ...................... 60  Engine Break-In Recommendations .......... 71
 Safety Tips ........................... 72
▫ Transporting Passengers ................ 72
▫ Exhaust Gas ......................... 73
▫ Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle ............................. 73
▫ Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle ................... 76
2 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 11

Wind Buffeting
Wind buffeting can be described as the perception of
pressure on the ears or a helicopter-type sound in the
ears. Your vehicle may exhibit wind buffeting with the
windows down or in partially open positions. This is a
normal occurrence and can be minimized. If the buffeting
occurs with the rear windows open, open the front and
rear windows together to minimize the buffeting.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:
• Three-point lap and shoulder belts for the driver and
all passengers
• Advanced Front Airbags for driver and front passen-
ger — if equipped
• An energy-absorbing steering column and steering
wheel • Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
• All seat belt systems (except driver’s, first and second
row center position) include Automatic Locking Re-
tractors (ALR)
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or the Lower Anchors and Tether
for CHildren (LATCH) feature also can be used to hold
infant and child restraint systems.
NOTE: The Advanced Front Airbags have a multistage
inflator design. This allows the airbag to have different
rates of inflation based on the severity and type of
collision.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible. 2 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 37

WARNING!A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in an accident
and leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt
system periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or loose
parts. Damaged parts must be replaced immediately.
Do not disassemble or modify the system. Seat belt
assemblies must be replaced after an accident if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.) or if the airbag deployed.
Regular Cab Front Center Three Point Belt
1. The front center seat belt on the Regular Cab may be
disconnected to open up utilization of the storage areas
behind the front seats. The black latch plate can be
detached from the black keyed seat belt buckle located on
the inboard side of the passenger seat. Insert the seat belt
tongue into the center red slot on the black buckle. The black buckle latch plate can be removed when the seat
belt tongue is pressed into the buckle. Allow the retractor
to take up the extra webbing, and the buckles will hang
vertically from the cab back exit bezel, thus freeing up all
the area behind the front seats.
Detaching Buckle With Seat Belt Tongue
2 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43

Seat Belts and Pregnant Women
We recommend that pregnant women use seat belts
throughout their pregnancies. Keeping the mother safe is
the best way to keep the baby safe.
Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug against the hips as possible.
Keep the belt low so that it does not come across the
abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips will take
the force if there is an accident.
Seat Belt Extender
If a seat belt is too short even when fully extended, your
authorized dealer can provide you with a seat belt
extender. This extender should be used only if the
existing belt is not long enough. When it is not required,
remove the extender and store it. WARNING!Using a seat belt extender when not needed can
increase the risk of injury in an accident. Only use
the seat belt extender when the lap belt is not long
enough when it is worn low and snug, and in the
recommended seating positions. Remove and store
the extender when not needed.
Driver and Right Front Passenger Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) – Airbag
This vehicle has Advanced Front Airbags for both the
driver and front passenger (if equipped) as a supplement
to the seat belt restraint systems. The driver’s Advanced
Front Airbag is mounted in the center of the steering
wheel. The passenger’s Advanced Front Airbag is 2 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49

mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove com-
partment. The words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the
airbag covers.
NOTE: These airbags are certified to the new Federal
regulations for Advanced Airbags. The Advanced Front Airbags have a multistage inflator
design. This allows the airbag to have different rates of
inflation based on the severity and type of collision.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/or front
passenger seat track position sensors that may adjust the
inflation rate of the Advanced Front Airbags based upon
seat position.
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 fastened. The
seat belt buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the
Advanced Front Airbags.
NOTE:
• Airbag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim;
but they will open during airbag deployment.
• After any accident, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.Advanced Front Airbag and Knee Bolster Locations1 — Driver and Passenger Advanced
Front Airbags (if equipped) 2 — Knee Boltser50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Airbag System Components
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following airbag
system components:
• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Airbag Warning Light
• Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolster
• Driver Advanced Front Airbag
• Passenger Advanced Front Airbag
• Front Seat Belt Pretensioners, Seat Belt Buckle Switch,
and Seat Track Position Sensors Advanced Front Airbag Features
The Advanced Front Airbag system has multistage driver
and front passenger (if equipped) airbags. This system
provides output appropriate to the severity and type of
collision as determined by the Occupant Restraint Con-
troller (ORC).
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an
impact that requires airbag deployment. The timing of
the second stage determines whether the output force is
low, medium, or high. If a low output is sufficient to meet
the need, the remaining gas in the inflator is expended.
WARNING!• No objects should be placed over or near the airbag
on the instrument panel, because any such objects
could cause harm if the vehicle is in a collision
severe enough to cause the airbag to inflate.
(Continued)2 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

WARNING! (Continued)• Do not put anything on or around the airbag
covers or attempt to open them manually. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags may no longer be functional.
The protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
• Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee bolster in
any way.
• Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band radios,
etc.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and the front passenger, and position front occu-
pants for the best interaction with the Advanced Front
Airbags. Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying airbag:
Children 12 years old and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.
WARNING!Infants in rear-facing child restraints should never
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger
Advanced Front Airbag. An airbag deployment can
cause severe injury or death to infants in that posi-
tion.
Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle seat
belt properly (see Section on Child Restraints) should be
secured in the rear seat in child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats. Older children who do not use
child restraints or belt-positioning booster seats should52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

ride properly buckled up in the rear seat. Never allow
children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under
their arm.
If a child from 1 to 12 years old (not in a rear facing child
seat) must ride in the front passenger seat, move the seat
as far back as possible and use the proper child restraint.
(Refer to “Child Restraints”)
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it properly.
All occupants should always wear their lap and shoulder
belts properly.
The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the Advanced Front
Airbags room to inflate. If the airbag system in this vehicle needs to be modified
to accommodate a disabled person, contact the Customer
Center. Phone numbers are provided under  If You Need
Assistance  .
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 Advanced Front Airbag 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. 2 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53

Airbag Deployment Sensors and Controls
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
The ORC is part of a Federally regulated safety system
required for this vehicle.
The ORC determines if deployment of the front airbags in
a frontal collision is required. Based on impact sensor
signals a central electronic ORC deploys the Advanced
Front Airbags, as required, depending on the severity
and type of impact.
Advanced Front Airbags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat belts in
certain frontal collisions depending on the severity and
type of collision. Advanced Front Airbags are not ex-
pected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side or rollover
collisions.
The Advanced Front Airbags 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 Airbags may deploy in crashes with
little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe
initial deceleration.
Because airbag sensors measure vehicle deceleration over
time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are not
good indicators of whether or not an airbag should have
deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all acci-
dents, and also are needed to help keep you in position,
away from an inflating airbag.
The ORC monitors the readiness of the electronic parts of
the airbag system whenever the ignition switch is in the
START or ON/RUN position. If the key is in the LOCK
position, in the ACC position, or not in the ignition, the
airbag system is not on and the airbags will not inflate.54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The ORC contains a backup power supply system that
may deploy the airbags even if the battery loses power or
it becomes disconnected prior to deployment.
Also, the ORC turns on the Airbag Warning
Light in the instrument panel for approxi-
mately four to eight seconds for a self-check
when the ignition is first turned on. After the
self-check, the Airbag Warning Light will turn off. If the
ORC detects a malfunction in any part of the system, it
turns on the Airbag Warning Light, either momentarily
or continuously. A single chime will sound if the light
comes on again after initial startup.
It also includes diagnostics that will illuminate the instru-
ment cluster Airbag Warning Light if a malfunction is
noted that could affect the airbag system. The diagnostics
also record the nature of the malfunction. WARNING!Ignoring the Airbag Warning Light in your instru-
ment panel could mean you won’t have the airbags to
protect you in a collision. If the light does not come
on, stays on after you start the vehicle, or if it comes
on as you drive, have an authorized dealer service the
airbag system immediately.
Driver and Passenger Airbag Inflator Units
The Driver and Passenger Airbag Inflator Units are
located in the center of the steering wheel and the right
side of the instrument panel (if equipped). When the
ORC detects a collision requiring the Advanced Front
Airbags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity of
non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the Advanced Front
Airbags. Different airbag inflation rates are possible,
based on the collision type and severity. The steering
wheel hub trim cover and the upper right side of the 2 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55