RAM 2500 (2019 year). Instruction — part 16

SAFETY

253

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 are designed to activate in certain rollover

events. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines

whether the deployment of the Side Air Bags 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 should have deployed.
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. In

the event the vehicle experiences a rollover or near rollover

event, and deployment of the Side Air Bags is appropriate,

the rollover sensing system will also deploy the 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.

• 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! (Continued)

4

254 SAFETY

Air Bag System Components

NOTE:

The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) monitors the

internal circuits and interconnecting wiring associated with

electrical Air Bag System Components listed below:
• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
• Air Bag Warning Light
• Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Seat Belt Buckle Switch
• Supplemental Side Air Bags
• Front and Side Impact Sensors — If Equipped
• Seat Belt Pretensioners
• Seat Track Position Sensors

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 gymna-

sium floor. They are not caused by contact with chemicals.

They are not permanent and normally heal quickly.

However, if you haven’t healed significantly within a few

days, or if you have any blistering, see your doctor imme-

diately.

• As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like parti-

cles. 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

SAFETY

255

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.

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 (If Equipped)
• Cut off battery power to the electric motor (If Equipped)
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power
• Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as the

battery has power or for 15 minutes from the intervention

of the Enhanced Accident Response System.

• Unlock the power door locks.
Your vehicle may also be designed to perform any of these

other functions in response to the Enhanced Accident

Response System:
• Turn off the Fuel Filter Heater, Turn off the HVAC Blower

Motor, Close the HVAC Circulation Door

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 assemblies

replaced by an authorized dealer immediately. Also,

have the Occupant Restraint Controller System serviced

as well.

4

256 SAFETY

(Continued)

• Cut off battery power to the:

•Engine

•Electric Motor (if equipped)

•Electric power steering

•Brake booster

•Electric park brake

•Automatic transmission gear selector

•Horn

•Front wiper

•Headlamp washer pump

NOTE:

After an accident, remember to cycle the ignition to the STOP

(OFF/LOCK) position and remove the key from the ignition

switch to avoid draining the battery. Carefully check the

vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine compartment and on the

ground near the engine compartment and fuel tank before

resetting the system and starting the engine. If there are no

fuel leaks or damage to the vehicle electrical devices (e.g.

headlights) after an accident, reset the system by following

the procedure described below. If you have any doubt,

contact an authorized dealer.

Enhanced Accident Response System Reset Procedure

In order to reset the Enhanced Accident Response System

functions after an event, the ignition switch must be changed

from ignition START or ON/RUN to ignition OFF. Carefully

check the vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine compartment

and on the ground near the engine compartment and fuel

tank before resetting the system and starting the engine.
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 passenger side of the instru-

ment 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.

SAFETY

257

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 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 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 identi-

fying 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.

• Do not attempt to modify any part of your air bag

system. The air bag may inflate accidentally or may not

function properly if modifications are made. Take your

vehicle to an authorized dealer for any air bag system

service. If your seat, including your trim cover and

cushion, needs to be serviced in any way (including

removal or loosening/tightening of seat attachment

bolts), take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. Only

manufacturer approved seat accessories may be used. If

it is necessary to modify the air bag system for persons

with disabilities, contact an authorized dealer.

WARNING! (Continued)

4

258 SAFETY

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

Instruction 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 Instruction 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/

eng/motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-child-

safety-index-53.htm

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 or

killed. Any child riding in your vehicle should be in a

proper restraint for the child’s size.

SAFETY

259

Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles

Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age

Recommended 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 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

4

260 SAFETY

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.

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!

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.

SAFETY

261

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-posi-

tioning 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.

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 because it

can loosen the child restraint attachments. Remove the

child restraint before adjusting the vehicle seat posi-

tion. 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.

4

262 SAFETY

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 peri-

odically and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched. A

child’s squirming or slouching can move the belt out of posi-

tion. 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.

SAFETY

263

Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints

Restraint Type

Combined Weight

of the Child +

Child Restraint

Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below

LATCH – Lower

Anchors Only

Seat Belt Only

LATCH – Lower

Anchors + Top

Tether Anchor

Seat Belt + Top

Tether Anchor

Rear-Facing Child

Restraint

Up to 65 lbs

(29.5 kg)

X

X

Rear-Facing Child

Restraint

More than 65 lbs

(29.5 kg)

X

Forward-Facing

Child Restraint

Up to 65 lbs

(29.5 kg)

X

X

Forward-Facing

Child Restraint

More than 65 lbs

(29.5 kg)

X

4

264 SAFETY

Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System

LATCH Label

Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchorage

system called LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and

Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system has three vehicle

anchor points for installing LATCH-equipped child seats.

There are two lower anchorages located at the back of the

seat cushion where it meets the seatback and one top tether

anchorage located behind the seating position. These anchor-

ages are used to install LATCH-equipped child seats without

using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating positions may

have a top tether anchorage but no lower anchorages. In

these seating positions, the seat belt must be used with the

top tether anchorage to install the child restraint. Please see

the following table for more information.

SAFETY

265

LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints In This
Vehicle

Regular Cab LATCH Positions

Crew Cab 60/40 Split Bench LATCH Positions

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per Seating Position)

4

266 SAFETY

Mega Cab LATCH Positions

Crew Cab Full Bench LATCH Positions

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per Seating Position)

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages Per Seating Position)

SAFETY

267

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH

What is the weight limit (child’s weight

+ weight of the child restraint) for using

the LATCH anchorage system to attach

the child restraint?

65 lbs (29.5 kg)

Use the LATCH anchorage system until the

combined weight of the child and the child

restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the seat belt

and tether anchor instead of the LATCH

system once the combined weight is more

than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).

Can the LATCH anchorages and the

seat belt be used together to attach a

rear-facing or forward-facing child

restraint?

No

Do not use the seat belt when you use the

LATCH anchorage system to attach a

rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.

Booster seats may be attached to the LATCH

anchorages if allowed by the booster seat

manufacturer. See your booster seat owner’s

instruction for more information.

Can a child seat be installed in the

center position using the inner LATCH

lower anchorages from the outboard

seating positions?

No – Crew Full Bench

N/A – Mega / Crew Split Bench

Regular Cab Front / Crew Cab with full

bench rear seat: use the seat belt and tether

anchor to install a child seat in the center

seating position

Crew Cab with split bench rear seat / Mega

Cab: Child restraints can be installed using

the supplied lower anchorages for the center

seating position.

4

268 SAFETY

Can two child restraints be attached

using a common lower LATCH

anchorage?

No

Never “share” a LATCH anchorage with two

or more child restraints. If the center position

does not have dedicated LATCH lower

anchorages, use the seat belt to install a child

seat in the center position next to a child seat

using the LATCH anchorages in an outboard

position.

Can the rear-facing child restraint touch

the back of the front passenger seat?

Yes

The child seat may touch the back of the front

passenger seat if the child restraint

manufacturer also allows contact. See your

child restraint owner’s instruction for more

information.

Can the rear head restraints be

removed?

Yes

The head restraints can be removed in every

rear seating position if they interfere with the

installation of the child restraint. Refer to

“Head Restraints” in “Getting To Know Your

Vehicle” for further information.

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH