RAM 5500 Chassis Cab (2017 year). Manual — part 5

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, in-
cluding adding any kind of badges or stickers to the
steering wheel hub trim cover or the upper right side
of the instrument 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.

• 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 your authorized

(Continued)

WARNING! (Continued)

dealer. Only manufacturer approved seat accessories
may be used. If it is necessary to modify the air bag
system for persons with disabilities, contact your
authorized dealer.

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.

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69

• 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.

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 re-
straint 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.

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NOTE:

• For additional information, refer to www.seatcheck.org

or call 1-866-SEATCHECK.

• Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s

website for additional information: www.tc.gc.ca/eng/
motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-childsafety-index-
53.htm

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 re-

straint

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 the height 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 ve-

hicle 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

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71

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.

• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle

with a rear seat.

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.

(Continued)

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WARNING! (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 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.

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.

(Continued)

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73

WARNING! (Continued)

• 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.

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.
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.

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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

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75

Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System

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
anchorages are used to install LATCH-equipped child seats
without using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating posi-
tions 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.

LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints In
This Vehicle

LATCH Label

Regular Cab

•

Lower Anchorage Symbol – 2 anchorages per

seating position

•

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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).

Crew Cab 60/40 Split Bench

•

Lower Anchorage Symbol - 2 anchorages per

seating position

•

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

Crew Cab Full Bench

•

Lower Anchorage Symbol 2 anchorages per

seating position

•

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

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Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH

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.

Can a child seat be installed in the center

position using the inner LATCH lower an-

chorages?

No

Full bench rear seat only: Use the seat belt

and tether anchor to install a child seat in

the center seating position.

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 in-

stall a child seat in the center position next

to a child seat using the LATCH anchor-

ages 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 manual for more

information.

Can the head restraints be removed?

No

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Locating LATCH Anchorages

The lower anchorages are round bars that are
found at the rear of the seat cushion where it
meets the seatback. They are just visible when
you lean into the rear seat to install the child

restraint. You will easily feel them if you run your finger
along the gap between the seatback and seat cushion.

Locating Tether Anchorages

Regular Cab models have tether strap anchor-
ages behind the front center and right seats.
Quad Cab, Mega Cab and Crew Cab models
have tether strap anchorages located behind each

of the rear seats.

1 — Tether Strap Hook
2 — Tether Strap To Child Restraint
3 — Tether Anchor

Crew Cab Rear Outboard Seats Driver Side

Regular Cab Tether Anchorages

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LATCH-compatible child restraint systems will be
equipped with a rigid bar or a flexible strap on each side.
Each will have a hook or connector to attach to the lower
anchorage and a way to tighten the connection to the
anchorage. Forward-facing child restraints and some rear-
facing child restraints will also be equipped with a tether
strap. The tether strap will have a hook at the end to attach
to the top tether anchorage and a way to tighten the strap
after it is attached to the anchorage.

Center Seat LATCH

No Lower Center LATCH Anchorages Available

WARNING!

• Do not install a child restraint in the center position

using the LATCH system. This position is not ap-
proved for installing child seats using the LATCH
attachments. You must use the seat belt and tether
anchor to install a child seat in the center seating
position.

• Never use the same lower anchorage to attach more

than one child restraint. Please refer to “Installing
The LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint System” for
typical installation instructions.

Center LATCH Anchorages Available

If a child restraint installed in the center position blocks the
seat belt webbing or buckle for the outboard position, do
not use that outboard position. If a child seat in the center
position blocks the outboard LATCH anchors or seat belt,
do not install a child seat in that outboard position.

WARNING!

Never use the same lower anchorage to attach more
than one child restraint. Please refer to “Installing The
LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint System” for typi-
cal installation instructions.

To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint

Always follow the directions of the child restraint manu-
facturer when installing your child restraint. Not all child
restraint systems will be installed as described here.

If the selected seating position has a Switchable Automatic
Locking Retractor (ALR) seat belt, stow the seat belt,
following the instructions below. See the section “Installing
Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat Belt” to check what
type of seat belt each seating position has.

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1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on the

tether strap of the child seat so that you can more easily
attach the hooks or connectors to the vehicle anchor-
ages.

2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for

that seating position. For some second row seats, you
may need to recline the seat and / or raise the head
restraint to get a better fit. If the rear seat can be moved
forward and rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to
move it to its rear-most position to make room for the
child seat. You may also move the front seat forward to
allow more room for the child seat.

3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of the child

restraint to the lower anchorages in the selected seating
position.

4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the

top tether anchorage. See the section “Installing Child
Restraints Using the Top Tether Anchorage” for direc-
tions to attach a tether anchor.

5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint

rearward and downward into the seat. Remove slack in
the straps according to the child restraint manufactur-
er’s instructions.

6. 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.

How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR (ALR)
Seat Belt

When using the LATCH attaching system to install a child
restraint, stow all ALR seat belts that are not being used by
other occupants or being used to secure child restraints. An
unused belt could injure a child if they play with it and
accidentally lock the seat belt retractor. Before installing a
child restraint using the LATCH system, buckle the seat
belt behind the child restraint and out of the child’s reach.
If the buckled seat belt interferes with the child restraint
installation, instead of buckling it behind the child re-
straint, route the seat belt through the child restraint belt
path and then buckle it. Do not lock the seat belt. Remind
all children in the vehicle that the seat belts are not toys and
that they should not play with them.

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WARNING!

• Improper installation of a child restraint to the

LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of the re-
straint. The child could be badly injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint.

• Child restraint anchorages are designed to withstand

only those loads imposed by correctly-fitted child
restraints. Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for attaching
other items or equipment to the vehicle.

Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt

If All Passenger Seats Are Equipped With ALR

The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) that 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. Refer to the
“Automatic Locking Mode” description under “Occupant
Restraints” for additional information on ALR.

If The Passenger Seats Are Equipped With ALR Or With
Cinch

The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with either a Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) or a cinching latch plate or both. Both
types of seat belts are 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. Refer to the
“Automatic Locking Mode” description under “Occupant
Restraints” for additional information on ALR. The cinch-
ing latch plate is designed to hold the lap portion of the
seat belt tight when webbing is pulled tight and straight
through a child restraint’s belt path.

Please see the table below and the following sections for
more information.

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Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts

What is the weight limit (child’s weight +

weight of the child restraint) for using the

Tether Anchor with the seat belt to attach a

forward facing child restraint?

Weight limit of the Child

Restraint

Always use the tether anchor when using

the seat belt to install a forward facing

child restraint, up to the recommended

weight limit of the child restraint.

Regular Cab

• ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

Crew Cab

• ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
• Cinching Latch Plate
•

Top Tether Anchorage Symbol

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Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts

Can the rear-facing child restraint touch the

back of the front passenger seat?

Yes

Contact between the front passenger seat

and the child restraint is allowed, if the

child restraint manufacturer also allows

contact.

Can the head restraints be removed?

No

Head restraints may not be removed.

Can the buckle stalk be twisted to tighten

the seat belt against the belt path of the

child restraint?

Yes

In positions with cinching latch plates

(CINCH), the buckle stalk may be twisted
up to 3 full turns. Do not twist the buckle

stalk in a seating position with an

ALR retractor.

Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)

Regular Cab

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

For some second row seats, you may need to recline the
seat and/or raise the head restraint to get a better fit. If
the rear seat can be moved forward and rearward in the
vehicle, you may wish to move it to its rear-most
position to make room for the child seat. You may also
move the front seat forward to allow more room for the
child seat.

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

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