child restraint RAM PROMASTER 2023 User Guide

186SAFETY
(Continued)
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.
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.
WARNING!

23_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 186

SAFETY187
(Continued)
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-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 anchor-
ages, 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.
6

23_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 187

188SAFETY
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 176 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

23_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 188

SAFETY189
Installing A Child Restraint With A
Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR)
Child restraint systems are designed to be secured
in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion
of a lap/shoulder belt.

1. Place the child seat in the center of the
seating position.

2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to pass it through the belt path of the
child restraint. Do not twist the belt webbing in
the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.” 4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion
tight against the child seat.
5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of the belt until you have pulled all the
seat belt webbing out of the retractor. Then,
allow the webbing to retract back into the
retractor. As the webbing retracts, you will hear
a clicking sound. This means the seat belt is
now in the Automatic Locking mode.
6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is locked, you should not be able to pull out any
webbing. If the retractor is not
locked, repeat
step 5.
7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child
restraint while you push the child restraint
rearward and downward into the vehicle seat.
8. 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.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check
the belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.
SAFETY TIPS
TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE CARGO
AREA.
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.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat buildup
may cause serious injury or death.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a colli -
sion, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously 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.
6

23_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 189

284 Brake/Transmission Interlock
......................... 81Bulb Replacement......................................... 244Bulbs, Light.......................................... 191, 244
C
Camera, Rear...................................... 119, 120Capacities, Fluid............................................ 273Caps, Filler Fuel........................................................... 122Oil (Engine)................................................ 225Radiator (Coolant Pressure)...................... 234Car Washes................................................... 266Carbon Monoxide Warning............................ 192Cargo Area Cover............................................. 51Cargo Compartment........................................ 51Cargo Light...................................................... 36Cellular Phone............................................... 151Certification Label......................................... 123Change Engine Oil — If Equipped
S
.............. 57Change Oil Indicator........................................ 57Changing A Flat Tire....................................... 196Chart, Tire Sizing............................................ 250Check Engine Light (Malfunction
Indicator Light)................................................ 74Checking Your Vehicle For Safety.................. 189Checks, Safety............................................... 189Child Restraint............................................... 185
Child RestraintsBooster Seats........................................... 187Child Seat Installation.............................. 189Infant And Child Restraints....................... 186Older Children And Child Restraints......... 187Clean Air Gasoline......................................... 271CleaningWheels..................................................... 262Climate Control................................................ 40Manual........................................................ 40Rear............................................................. 43Cold Weather Operation.................................. 76Compact Spare Tire...................................... 260Contract, Service.......................................... 277Cooling Pressure Cap (Radiator Cap)............ 234Cooling System............................................. 233Adding Coolant (Antifreeze)...................... 233Coolant Level................................... 233, 234Cooling Capacity....................................... 273Disposal Of Used Coolant......................... 234Drain, Flush, And Refill............................. 233Inspection................................................. 234Points To Remember................................ 234Pressure Cap............................................ 234Radiator Cap............................................ 234Selection Of Coolant (Antifreeze)..... 233, 273Corrosion Protection..................................... 265Cruise Control (Speed Control)................. 87, 88
Cruise Light......................................................72Customer Assistance.................................... 275Customer Programmable Features............... 134Cybersecurity................................................ 133
D
Dealer Service............................................... 227Defroster, Windshield................................... 190Diagnostic System, Onboard............................74Dimmer Control Switch....................................37Dimmer SwitchHeadlight.....................................................34DipsticksAutomatic Transmission........................... 236Oil (Engine)............................................... 226Disable Vehicle Towing................................. 219DisposalAntifreeze (Engine Coolant)...................... 234Door Ajar..........................................................66Door Ajar Light.................................................66Door Locks.......................................................21Automatic....................................................23Doors...............................................................21Driver’s Seat Back Tilt......................................23DrivingThrough Flowing, Rising, Or Shallow Standing Water
.................................................... 131Drowsy Driver Detection................................ 157

23_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 284

288 Operator Manual Owner's Manual
........................................ 279Outside Rearview Mirrors......................... 30, 31Overheating, Engine...................................... 216
P
Paint Care...................................................... 265Parking Brake.................................................. 78ParkSenseFront And Rear.......................................... 104ParkSense Active Park Assist........................ 112ParkSense System, Rear............................... 104Passing Light................................................... 34Passive Entry................................................... 22Pedestrian Warning System.......................... 167Personal Settings............................................ 59Pets............................................................... 190Placard, Tire And Loading Information........... 253PowerInverter........................................................ 47Mirrors......................................................... 32Outlet (Auxiliary Electrical Outlet)................ 46Steering....................................................... 85Windows...................................................... 49Pregnant Women And Seat Belts...................176Preparation For Jacking....................... 196, 197
R
Radial Ply Tires.............................................. 257Radiator Cap (Coolant Pressure Cap)............ 234
RadioSound Setting........................................... 147Radio Operation............................................ 151Rain Sensitive Wiper System........................... 39Rear Camera........................................ 119, 120Rear Cross Path............................................ 161Rear ParkSense System............................... 104Rearview Mirror............................................... 30Recreational Towing..................................... 130Reformulated Gasoline................................. 271Refrigerant.................................................... 230Release, Hood................................................. 50Reminder, Seat Belt...................................... 171Remote Keyless EntryProgramming Additional Key Fobs............... 15Remote StartingExit Remote Start Mode.............................. 19Remote Starting System.................................. 18Replacement Bulbs...................................... 244Replacement Keys........................................... 15Replacement Tires........................................ 259Reporting Safety Defects.............................. 278Restraints, Child........................................... 185Restraints, Head.............................................. 28Rotation, Tires.............................................. 264
S
Safety Checks Inside Vehicle........................ 190Safety Checks Outside Vehicle..................... 191Safety Defects, Reporting............................. 278
Safety Information, Tire................................. 249Safety Tips.................................................... 189Safety, Exhaust Gas...................................... 192Schedule, Maintenance................................ 221Seat Belts............................................ 171, 190Adjustable Shoulder Belt.......................... 175Adjustable Upper Shoulder Anchorage..... 175Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage............................................ 175Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)........... 176Child Restraints........................................ 185Energy Management Feature................... 176Front Seat............................... 171, 172, 174Inspection................................................. 190Lap/Shoulder Belt Operation.................... 174Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting................... 174Lap/Shoulder Belts................................... 172Operating Instructions.............................. 174Pregnant Women...................................... 176Rear Seat.................................................. 172Reminder.................................................. 171Untwisting Procedure................................ 174Seat Belts Maintenance................................ 267Seats................................................................23Adjustment..................................................23Heated.........................................................26Rear Folding................................................23Tilting...........................................................23Security Alarm...........................................20, 68Selection Of Coolant (Antifreeze).................. 273

23_VF_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 288