Dodge Ram Truck 1500-2500-3500. Manual - part 566

1. From the front of the front seat, position the front

center seat belt buckle, lap belt unit, or unique
black, keyed front center seat belt lower anchor
buckle (1) between the center seat cushion (6) and
the adjacent right or left front outboard seat cush-
ion.

2. From the front of the front seat, reach between the

center seat cushion and the adjacent right or left
front outboard seat cushion to route the front cen-
ter seat belt buckle, lap belt unit lower anchor, or
unique black, keyed front center seat belt lower
anchor buckle through the elastic strap (2) on the
side of the center seat cushion.

3. From behind the front seat, position the front center

seat belt buckle, lap belt lower anchor, or unique
black, keyed front center seat belt lower anchor
buckle to the center seat support bracket (3). Be
certain to engage the anti-rotation tab on the
buckle or belt anchor into the corresponding hole in
the center seat support bracket.

4. Install and tighten the screw (5) that secures the front center seat belt buckle, lap belt lower anchor, or unique

black, keyed front center seat belt lower anchor buckle to the center seat support bracket. Tighten the screw to
40 N·m (29 ft. lbs.).

5. Move the adjacent right or left front outboard seat section (40 percent) back to its rearward position.

REAR CENTER & LEFT OUTBOARD

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, during and following any seat belt or child restraint anchor
service, carefully inspect all seat belts, buckles, mounting hardware, retractors, tether straps, and anchors
for proper installation, operation, or damage. Replace any belt that is cut, frayed, or torn. Straighten any
belt that is twisted. Tighten any loose fasteners. Replace any belt that has a damaged or inoperative buckle
or retractor. Replace any belt that has a bent or damaged latch plate or anchor plate. Replace any child
restraint anchor or the unit to which the anchor is integral that has been bent or damaged. Never attempt to
repair a seat belt or child restraint component. Always replace damaged or faulty seat belt and child
restraint components with the correct, new and unused replacement parts listed in the DaimlerChrysler
Mopar Parts Catalog.

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1. Position the center (5) or the left outboard (4) occu-

pant buckle unit onto the rear floor panel (7) or
onto the rear seat mounting bracket near the base
of the cab back panel (1). On models with the
optional 60/40 split rear bench, the screw that
secures the buckle unit also secures one of the
rear seat mounting brackets to the rear floor panel.

2. Install and tighten the screw (3) that secures the

center or the left outboard occupant buckle unit to
the rear floor panel. Tighten the screw to 40 N·m
(29 ft. lbs.).

3. Lower the rear seat cushion back to its normal

seating position.

REAR CENTER ANCHOR & RIGHT OUTBOARD

NOTE: The unique black, keyed center seat belt lower anchor buckle and the right outboard occupant
buckle are serviced as a unit with their mounting bracket. The rear center seat belt retractor is also secured
to the mounting bracket with these two buckles, but can be removed from the mounting bracket and is
serviced separately from the two buckles. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/REAR CENTER SEAT
BELT & RETRACTOR - INSTALLATION).

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1. Position the center anchor and right outboard occu-

pant buckles and mounting bracket unit (6) onto
the rear floor panel (7) near the base of the cab
back panel (1).

2. Install and tighten the two screws (3) that secure

the center anchor and right outboard occupant
buckles and mounting bracket unit to the rear floor
panel. Tighten the screws to 40 N·m (29 ft. lbs.).

3. Position the rear center seat belt retractor (3) onto

the center anchor (5) and right outboard (1) occu-
pant buckles and mounting bracket (4) unit.

4. Install and tighten the screw (6) that secures the

rear center seat belt retractor to the center anchor
and right outboard occupant buckles and mounting
bracket unit. Tighten the screw to 40 N·m (29 ft.
lbs.).

5. Reinstall the rear seat into the vehicle. On models

with the optional 60/40 split rear bench, only the 60
percent section (right side) of the rear seat must be
reinstalled. (Refer to 23 - BODY/SEATS/SEAT -
REAR - INSTALLATION).

6. Reach between the rear seat cushion and the rear

seat back to access and buckle the rear center
seat belt lower anchor latch plate to the unique
black, keyed lower anchor buckle.

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SEAT BELT & RETRACTOR

DESCRIPTION - AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR

The seat belt retractors used in all seating positions
include an inertia-type, emergency locking mechanism
(7) as standard equipment. However, the retractor
locking mechanism for the passenger side front seat-
ing position is mechanically switchable from an emer-
gency

locking

retractor

automatic

locking

retractor. The primary function of this feature is to
securely accommodate a child seat in the passenger
side front seating position of the vehicle without the
need for a self-cinching seat belt tip half latch plate
unit or another supplemental device that would be
required to prevent the seat belt webbing from
unwinding freely from the retractor spool of an inertia-
type emergency locking retractor mechanism.

The automatic locking mechanism is integral to the passenger side front seat belt and retractor unit and is con-
cealed beneath a molded plastic cover located on the same side of the retractor spool as the seat belt tensioner
housing. The retractor is secured to the inner B-pillar on the right side of the vehicle and is concealed beneath the
molded plastic inner B-pillar trim. The automatic locking mechanism cannot be adjusted or repaired and, if faulty or
damaged, the entire passenger side front seat belt and retractor unit must be replaced.

OPERATION - AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR

The automatic locking mode of the retractor is engaged and the retractor is switched from operating as a standard
inertia-type emergency locking retractor by first buckling the combination lap and shoulder belt buckle. Then grasp
the shoulder belt and pull all of the webbing out of the retractor. Once all of the belt webbing is extracted from the
spool, the retractor will automatically become engaged in the pre-locked automatic locking mode and will make an
audible clicking or ratcheting sound as the shoulder belt is allowed to retract to confirm that the automatic locking
mode is now engaged. Once the automatic locking mode is engaged, the retractor will remain locked and the belt
will remain tight around whatever it is restraining.

The retractor is returned to standard emergency locking mode by unbuckling the combination lap and shoulder belt
buckle and allowing the belt webbing to be almost fully retracted onto the retractor spool. The emergency locking
mode is confirmed by the absence of the audible clicking or ratcheting sound as the belt webbing retracts. This
mode will allow the belt to unwind from and wind onto the retractor spool freely unless and until a predetermined
inertia load is sensed, or until the retractor is again switched to the automatic locking mode.

REMOVAL

FRONT CENTER

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