seats RAM PROMASTER 2022 User Guide

154SAFETY
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
F
EATURES
Seat Belt Systems
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Air Bags
Child Restraints
Some of the safety features described in this
section may be standard equipment on some
models, or may be optional equipment on others.
If you are not sure, ask an authorized dealer.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
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.
Here are some simple steps you can take to
minimize the risk of harm from a deploying air bag:

1. Children 12 years old and under should always ride buckled up in the rear seat of a
vehicle with a rear seat.

2. A child who is not big enough to wear the vehicle seat belt properly must be secured in
the appropriate child restraint or belt-positioning booster seat in a rear seating
position Ú
page 168.
3. If a child from 2 to 12 years old (not in a rear-facing child restraint) must ride in the
front passenger seat, move the seat as far
back as possible and use the proper child
restraint Ú page 168.
4. Never allow children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under their arm.
5. You should read the instructions provided with your child restraint to make sure that you are
using it properly.
6. All occupants should always wear their lap and shoulder belts properly.
7. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved back as far as practical to allow the
front air bags room to inflate.
8. Do not lean against the door or window. If your vehicle has side air bags, and deployment
occurs, the side air bags will inflate forcefully
into the space between occupants and the
door and occupants could be injured.
9. If the air bag system in this vehicle needs to be modified to accommodate a disabled person,
see Úpage 253 for customer service contact
information.
SEAT BELT SYSTEMS
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver,
even on short trips. Someone on the road may be
a poor driver and could cause a collision that
includes you. This can happen far away from home
or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and
they can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a
collision. Some of the worst injuries happen when
people are thrown from the vehicle. Seat belts
reduce the possibility of ejection and the risk of
injury caused by striking the inside of the vehicle.
Everyone in a motor vehicle should be belted at all
times.
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat. If the vehicle
does not have a rear seat, do not transport a
rear-facing child restraint in that vehicle.

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156SAFETY
(Continued)
(Continued)
(Continued)
In a collision, you and your passengers can
suffer much greater injuries if you are not
properly buckled up. You can strike the inte -
rior of your vehicle or other passengers, or you
can be thrown out of the vehicle. Always be
sure you and others in your vehicle are
buckled up properly.
It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside
or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seri -
ously injured or killed.
Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and
seat belts.
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat
and using a seat belt properly. Occupants,
including the driver, should always wear their
seat belts whether or not an air bag is also
provided at their seating position to minimize
the risk of severe injury or death in the event
of a crash.
Wearing your seat belt incorrectly could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You
might suffer internal injuries, or you could
even slide out of the seat belt. Follow these
instructions to wear your seat belt safely and
to keep your passengers safe, too.
WARNING!
Two people should never be belted into a
single seat belt. People belted together can
crash into one another in a collision, hurting
one another badly. Never use a lap/shoulder
belt or a lap belt for more than one person, no
matter what their size.
WARNING!
A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk
of injury in a collision. The seat belt forces
won’t be at the strong hip and pelvic bones,
but across your abdomen. Always wear the lap
part of your seat belt as low as possible and
keep it snug.
A twisted seat belt may not protect you prop -
erly. In a collision, it could even cut into you.
Be sure the seat belt is flat against your body,
without twists. If you can’t straighten a seat
belt in your vehicle, take it to an authorized
dealer immediately and have it fixed.

A seat belt that is buckled into the wrong buckle
will not protect you properly. The lap portion
could ride too high on your body, possibly
causing internal injuries. Always buckle your
seat belt into the buckle nearest you.

WARNING!
A seat belt that is too loose will not protect you
properly. In a sudden stop, you could move too
far forward, increasing the possibility of injury.
Wear your seat belt snugly.
A seat belt that is worn under your arm is
dangerous. Your body could strike the inside
surfaces of the vehicle in a collision,
increasing head and neck injury. A seat belt
worn under the arm can cause internal inju -
ries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder bones.
Wear the seat belt over your shoulder so that
your strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.
A shoulder belt placed behind you will not
protect you from injury during a collision. You
are more likely to hit your head in a collision if
you do not wear your shoulder belt. The lap
and shoulder belt are meant to be used
together.
WARNING!

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158SAFETY
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted
lap/shoulder belt.

1. Position the latch plate as close as possible to
the anchor point.

2. At about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) above the latch plate, grab and twist the seat belt
webbing 180 degrees to create a fold that
begins immediately above the latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing. The folded webbing must enter the
slot at the top of the latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the folded webbing and the seat belt is
no longer twisted.
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the driver and outboard front passenger seats,
the top of the shoulder belt can be adjusted
upward or downward to position the seat belt away
from your neck. Push or squeeze the anchorage
button to release the anchorage, and move it up or
down to the position that serves you best.
Adjustable Anchorage

As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer the shoulder belt anchorage in a lower
position, and if you are taller than average, you will
prefer the shoulder belt anchorage in a higher
position. After you release the anchorage button,
try to move it up or down to make sure that it is
locked in position.

Adjustable Anchorage

NOTE:
The adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage is
equipped with an Easy Up feature. This feature
allows the shoulder belt anchorage to be adjusted in
the upward position without pushing or squeezing
the release button. To verify the shoulder belt
anchorage is latched, pull downward on the
shoulder belt anchorage until it is locked into
position.

WARNING!
Wearing your seat belt incorrectly could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You
might suffer internal injuries, or you could
even slide out of the seat belt. Follow these
instructions to wear your seat belt safely and
to keep your passengers safe, too.
Position the shoulder belt across the shoulder
and chest with minimal, if any slack so that it
is comfortable and not resting on your neck.
The retractor will withdraw any slack in the
shoulder belt.
Misadjustment of the seat belt could reduce
the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
Always make all seat belt height adjustments
when the vehicle is stationary.

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160SAFETY

Front Bench Seat: Switchable 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
automatically 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.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode

1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.

2. Grab the shoulder portion and pull downward
until the entire seat belt is extracted.
3. Allow the seat belt to retract. As the seat belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This
indicates the seat belt is now in the Automatic
Locking Mode. How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and
allow it to retract completely to disengage the
Automatic Locking Mode and activate the vehicle
sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat. If the vehicle
does not have a rear seat, do not transport a
rear-facing child restraint in that vehicle.
WARNING!
The seat belt assembly must be replaced if the
switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
feature or any other seat belt function is not
working properly when checked according to
the procedures in the Service Manual.
Failure to replace the seat belt assembly
could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode to
restrain occupants who are wearing the seat
belt or children who are using booster seats.
The locked mode is only used to install
rear-facing or forward-facing child restraints
that have a harness for restraining the child.

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SAFETY163
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, front air bags may deploy in
crashes with little vehicle front-end damage but
that produce a severe initial deceleration.
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
collisions, and also are needed to help keep you in
position, away from an inflating air bag.

When the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) detects
a collision requiring the front air bags, it signals the
inflator units. A large quantity of non-toxic gas is
generated to inflate the front air bags.

The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper
passenger side of the instrument panel separate
and fold out of the way as the air bags inflate to
their full size. The front air bags fully inflate in less
time than it takes to blink your eyes. The front air
bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain
the driver and front passenger.
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs).
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs)
are located in the outboard side of the front seats.
The SABs are marked with “SRS AIRBAG” or
“AIRBAG” on a label or on the seat trim on the
outboard side of the seats.
The SABs may help to reduce the risk of occupant
injury during certain side impacts, in addition to
the injury reduction potential provided by the seat
belts and body structure.

Front Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on
the outboard side of the seatback’s trim cover.
The inflating SAB deploys through the seat seam
into the space between the occupant and the door.
The SAB moves at a very high speed and with such
a high force that it could injure occupants if they
are not seated properly, or if items are positioned
in the area where the SAB inflates. Children are at
an even greater risk of injury from a deploying
air bag.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Side
Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs) are located above the side windows. The
trim covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS AIRBAG”
or “AIRBAG.”
WARNING!
Do not use accessory seat covers or place
objects between you and the Side Air Bags; the
performance could be adversely affected and/or
objects could be pushed into you, causing
serious injury.
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SAFETY165
NOTE:Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment.
Rollover Events
Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners are
designed to activate in certain rollover events.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
determines whether deployment in a particular
rollover event is appropriate, based on the severity
and type of collision. Vehicle damage by itself is not
a good indicator of whether or not Side Air Bags
and seat belt pretensioners should have deployed.
The Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners 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. In the event the vehicle experiences a
rollover or near rollover event, and deployment is
appropriate, the rollover sensing system will deploy
the side air bags and seat belt pretensioners on
both sides of the vehicle.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or
complete ejection of vehicle occupants through
side windows in certain rollover or side impact
events.Air Bag System Components
NOTE:The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors
the internal circuits and interconnecting wiring
associated with electrical Air Bag System Compo -
nents listed below:
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
Air Bag Warning Light
Steering Wheel and Column
Instrument Panel
Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
Seat Belt Buckle Switch
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Front and Side Impact Sensors
Seat Belt Pretensioners
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 colli -
sions. This does not mean something is wrong with
the air bag system.

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
seat belts properly and sit upright with their backs
against the seats. Children must be properly
restrained 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
deployment 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.
WARNING!
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168SAFETY

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 oper -
ating;
Whether or not the driver and passenger safety
belts were buckled/fastened;
How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator 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 condi -
tions 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
investigation.
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.

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.
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 Standards. You should also make sure that
you can install it in the vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:
For additional information, refer to http://
www.nhtsa.gov/parents-and-caregivers or
call: 1–888–327–4236
Canadian residents should refer to Transport
Canada’s website for additional information:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/road/
child-car-seat-safety.htmlWARNING!
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 or killed. Any child riding
in your vehicle should be in a proper restraint for
the child’s size.

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SAFETY169
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rear-facing in the vehicle until they are two years
old or until they reach either the height or weight
limit of their rear-facing child restraint. Two types of
child restraints can be used rear-facing: infant
carriers and convertible child seats.
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.
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.
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age
Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and ToddlersChildren 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 a rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who have outgrown
the height or weight limit of their rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a five-point Harness,
facing forward in a rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown 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 a rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who have outgrown the
height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in a rear seat of the vehicle
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat. If the vehicle
does not have a rear seat, do not transport a
rear-facing child restraint in that vehicle.
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170SAFETY
(Continued)
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.
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 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 periodically and make sure
the seat belt buckle is latched. 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!
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 manufac -
turer’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
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 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.
WARNING!
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.

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SAFETY171
Installing Child Restraints In Commercial
Vehicles

This commercial vehicle is not designed for use as
a family vehicle and is not intended for carrying
children in the front passenger seat(s). Never install
rear-facing child restraints in this vehicle. Although
the seat belt can be locked to secure a child
restraint, there are no tether anchorages to
complete the proper installation of a forward-facing
child restraint. If you must carry a child in a
forward-facing child restraint, the passenger seat
should be moved to the full rearward position and
the child must be in a proper restraint system based
on its age, size and weight. Follow the instructions
below to secure the child restraint using the
seat belt.

Installing Child Restraints Using The
Vehicle Seat Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be secured
in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion
of a lap/shoulder belt.

The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR). This seat belt is designed to keep
the lap portion of the seat belt tight around the child
restraint so that it is not necessary to use a locking
clip. The ALR retractor can be “switched” into a
locked mode by pulling all of the webbing out of the
retractor and then letting the webbing retract back
into the retractor. If it is locked, the ALR will make a
clicking noise while the webbing is pulled back into
the retractor. See the “Automatic Locking Mode”
description in “Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractors (ALR)”
Ú
page 159 for additional
information on ALR. Front Bucket Seat Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
Location
Front Bench Seat Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations

WARNING!
Rear-facing infant restraints must never be
secured in the passenger seat of a vehicle with a
passenger air bag. In a collision, a passenger air
bag may deploy causing severe injury or death to
infants riding in rear-facing infant restraints.
WARNING!
Improper installation or failure to properly
secure a child restraint can lead to failure of
the restraint. The child could be badly injured
or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
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