New 2009 Dodge Ram to Offer More Safety and Security Features

5th August 2008 12:05 pm

The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram is loaded with safety and security features. “We engineered comfort and security into every single corner of our all-new 2009 Dodge Ram,” said Scott Kunselman, Vice President - Truck Product Development, Chrysler LLC. “With 35 safety and security features, our all-new Dodge Ram is designed to protect and perform.”

In addition to offering a standard four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and standard Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Hill Start Assist (HSA) and Trailer Sway Control (TSC), all-new 2009 Dodge Ram safety and security features include standard advanced multi-stage front driver and passenger air bags, standard supplemental side-curtain air bags and available ParkSense(R) Rear Park Assist System.

Chrysler employs a two-fold safety approach: passive safety features including pre-tensioning and load-limiting seat belt retractors and supplemental side-curtain air bags, combined with active accident-avoidance safety features including responsive steering and handling and braking.

For the 2008 model year, Chrysler offers eight vehicles that earned five stars in governmental crash tests (front and side) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): Chrysler Pacifica and Town & Country; Jeep(R) Liberty and Grand Cherokee; and Dodge Nitro, Caliber, Dakota and Grand Caravan.

The 2008 Dodge Ram earned five-star ratings for front impact (driver and passenger).

Following are 35 safety and security features to look for in the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram:

** Advanced Multi-stage Air Bags: Inflates with a force appropriate to the severity of an impact. Meets FMVSS 208 advanced air bag requirements for small out-of-position occupants

** Anti-lock Brake System (ABS): Senses and prevents wheel lockup, offering improved steering control under extreme braking and/or slippery conditions - advanced ABS modulates each of the four brakes individually for optimum control and stopping performance

** All-speed Traction Control: Senses drive-wheel slip and applies individual brakes to a slipping wheel(s), and reduces excess engine power until traction is regained

** Auto-reverse Sun Roof: Advanced sensing system that automatically engages and reverses the sun roof to the open position when an object that restricts glass movement is detected

** Auto-reverse Window: Automatically engages and reverses the window to the down position when an obstacle that restricts glass movement is detected

** BeltAlert: Periodically activates a chime and illuminates an icon in the instrument cluster to remind the driver to buckle up if a vehicle is driven without the driver being properly belted

** Brake Assist: In a panic brake condition, the system applies maximum braking power, providing the shortest possible stopping distance

** Brake/Park Interlock: Prevents an automatic transmission or transaxle from being shifted out of Park unless the brake pedal is applied

** Child Seat Anchor System: Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) is designed to ease installation of compatible aftermarket child seats

** Child-protection Rear Door Locks: Disables the rear doors’ inside-release handles via a small lever on the door-shut face

** Crumple Zones: Designed to compress during an accident in order to absorb energy from an impact, decreasing transfer of that energy to occupants

** Digressive Load-limiting Retractors: A two-stage load-limiting feature that limits the maximum force on the belt webbing in order to help absorb the energy of the occupant’s upper torso during an impact

** Electronic Stability Program (ESP): Enhances driver control and helps maintain directional stability under all conditions. Provides the greatest benefit in critical driving situations, such as turns, and is especially valuable when driving on mixed surface conditions including snow, ice or gravel. If there’s a discernible difference between what the driver asks through the steering wheel and the vehicle’s path, ESP applies selective braking and throttle input in order to put the vehicle back onto
the driver’s intended path

** Energy-absorbing Steering Column: The manual-adjust steering column utilizes two hydroformed coaxial tubes that move relative to each other in order to allow the column to move forward for enhanced energy-absorption during an impact

** Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS): Makes it easier for emergency personnel to see and reach occupants in the event of an accident by turning on interior lights and unlocking doors after air-bag deployment. Also shuts off the flow of fuel to the engine

** Height-adjustable Front Seat Belts: Allows the driver and front passenger to raise and lower the shoulder belt. Encourages seat belt usage by offering a comfortable fit

** HomeLink(R) Universal Home Security System Transceiver: Stores three separate transmitter radio-frequency codes to operate garage-door openers, security gates, security lighting or other radio-controlled devices

** Hill Start Assist (HSA): Assists drivers when starting a vehicle from a stop on a hill by maintaining the level of brake pressure applied for a short period of time after a driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal. If throttle is not applied within a short period of time after the driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal, brake pressure will be released

** Inside Emergency Release: A glow-in-the-dark release handle, which may be activated in the event of an adult or child being inadvertently trapped inside of the RamBox

** Interior Head-impact Protection: Interior pillars above the belt line and instrument panel, including areas around windshield and rear window headers, roof and side-rail structures and shoulder-belt turning loops are specifically designed to limit head-impact force

** Knee Bolsters: The lower instrument panel and the glove-box door are designed to properly position the occupant, enabling air bags to work effectively

** ParkSense(R) RearPark Assist System: Assists at low speeds in Reverse to detect stationary objects. Consists of visible (interior lights seen with rearview mirror) and audible warnings for the driver

** ParkView(R) Rear Back-up Camera: Provides a wide-angle view of the area immediately behind the vehicle, giving the driver greater peace of mind before backing up. Also aids in lining up a trailer to the vehicle’s trailer hitch, when so equipped. The image automatically displays on the navigation screen when the transmission is shifted into Reverse

** Power-adjustable pedals: Allows brake and accelerator pedals to move toward or away from the driver in order to achieve a comfortable seating position for improved vehicle control

** Remote Keyless Entry: Locks and unlocks doors, and turns on interior lamps. If the vehicle is equipped with a vehicle-theft security alarm, the remote also arms and disarms that system

** Remote Start: Conveniently starts the engine from outside the vehicle by using the Remote Keyless Entry fob while maintaining vehicle security

** Safety Cage Body Structure: Protects occupants by managing and controlling energy in the event of an impact

** Seat-belt Pretensioners (both front seat belts): During a collision, impact sensors initiate front seat-belt pretensioners to immediately remove slack from seat belts, thereby reducing the forward movement of occupants’ heads and torsos

** Sentry Key(R) Engine Immobilizer: Utilizes an engine key that has an embedded transponder with a pre-programmed security code to discourage vehicle theft. When the key is inserted into the ignition, the controller sends a random number to the transponder and the engine is allowed to start. If an incorrect key is used, the engine will shut off after only a few seconds

** Side Guard Door Beams: In front and rear doors, provides occupant protection during a side impact

** Supplemental Side-curtain Air Bags: Extends protection to all outboard front- and rear-seat passengers. Each side air bag has its own impact sensor which autonomously triggers the air bag on the side where an impact occurs. Available on Quad(R) and crew cabs

** Tire-pressure Monitoring (TPM): Pressure-sensor modules within the valve stems of all four road wheels send continuous radio-frequency signals to a receiver and the system informs occupants when tire pressure is too low

** Trailer Sway Control System: Reduces trailer sway and improves handling in adverse towing conditions caused by crosswinds and traffic. Software monitors the vehicle’s movement relative to the driver’s intended path, then applies brake pressure to slow the vehicle and increases the pressure on one front wheel to counteract sway induced by the trailer

** uconnect phone: Uses Bluetooth(R) technology to provide voice-controlled wireless communication between the occupants’ compatible mobile phones and the vehicle’s onboard receiver

** Vehicle Theft Security Alarm: Deters vandalism and theft, frequently lowering insurance premiums. System protects the vehicle from theft by monitoring door- and liftgate-ajar switches and the ignition circuit for unauthorized entry

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