Seat Belt Systems: Adjustments
FASTENING SEAT BELTSThe dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for front seat passenger and rear seat outboard passengers operates in two ways:
- In the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode, the shoulder belt retractor will allow the occupant freedom of movement, locking tight only on hard braking, hard cornering or impacts of approximately 8 km/h (5 mph) or more. The front and rear outboard seat belt retractors can also be made to lock by pulling/jerking on the belt.
- In the automatic locking mode, the shoulder belt retractor will be automatically locked and remain locked when the combination lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled and does not allow the occupant freedom of movement. This mode provides tight lap/shoulder belt fit on occupant and child safety seat or infant carrier installation restraint.
WARNING: REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS SHOULD NEVER BE PLACED IN THE FRONT SEAT.
The automatic locking mode must be used when installing a child safety seat on the front passenger seat and rear outboard seats where dual locking retractors are provided.
To switch the retractor from the emergency locking mode to the automatic locking mode, perform the following steps:
1. Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward until all of the belt is extracted. When allowed to retract, a clicking sound will be heard. At this time, the belt retractor is in the automatic locking mode (child restraint mode).
3. A clicking sound will continue to be heard as the belt is allowed to retract. This indicates that the retractor is in the "automatic locking mode".
NOTE: When the combination lap/shoulder belt is unbuckled and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will switch back to the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
The locking cinch tongue will slide up and down the belt webbing when belt is in the stowed position or while putting seat belt on. When the locking cinch tongue of the lap/shoulder combination seat belt is latched into buckle, the cinch tongue will allow the lap portion to become shorter, but locks the webbing in place to restrict it from becoming longer.
The vehicle is equipped with safety seat belts containing a cinch tongue at the rear outboard seating positions.
Before latching, a combination lap and shoulder belt having a cinch tongue into the buckle, the lap belt may have to be lengthened. To lengthened the lap belt, pull some webbing out of the shoulder belt retractor. While holding the webbing below the tongue, grasp the tip (metal portion) of the tongue so that it is parallel to the webbing and slide the tongue upward. Provide enough lap belt length so that tongue can reach the buckle.
NOTE: If the tongue is grasped by the tongue cover to lengthen the belt, the tongue cover will grab the webbing, making it difficult to slide.
To fasten either a cinch tongue, pull the combination lap and shoulder belt from the retractor so that the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt crosses the occupant's shoulder and chest. Be sure the belt is not twisted. If the belt is twisted, remove the twist. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for the seating position until a snap is heard and latching is felt. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on tongue. Adjust the lap belt portion of the safety belt by pulling up on the shoulder belt until the lap belt fits snugly and as low as possible around the occupants hips.
UNFASTENING SEAT BELTS
To unfasten the safety belt:
1. Push the release button on the buckle. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle.
2. Guide the tongue to its original position while the safety belt retracts. If it is not guided, the tongue may strike the occupant or part of the vehicle.
SHOULDER STRAP HEIGHT
WARNING: DO NOT INTRODUCE SLACK INTO THE SAFETY BELT SYSTEM BECAUSE THE BELT LOCKS UPON IMPACT WHERE IT IS POSITIONED. USE THE SHOULDER SAFETY BELT ON THE OUTSIDE SHOULDER ONLY. NEVER WEAR THE SHOULDER BELT UNDER THE ARM. NEVER SWING IT AROUND THE NECK OVER THE INSIDE SHOULDER. NEVER USE A SINGLE BELT FOR MORE THAN ONE PERSON. ENSURE THE LAP PORTION OF THE BELT IS FITTED SNUGLY AND AS LOW AS POSSIBLE AROUND THE HIPS, NOT ON THE WAIST. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE PRECAUTIONS COULD INCREASE THE CHANCE AND/OR SEVERITY OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
The shoulder restraint portion of the safety belt adjusts automatically to a snug position.
LAP PORTION ADJUSTMENT
WARNING:
- ENSURE THE LAP PORTION OF THE BELT IS FITTED SNUGLY AND AS LOW AS POSSIBLE AROUND THE HIPS, NOT AROUND THE WAIST. FAILURE TO DO SO MAY INCREASE THE CHANCE OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION.
- EACH SEATING POSITION IN THE VEHICLE HAS A SPECIFIC SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY WHICH CONSISTS OF ONE BUCKLE AND ONE TONGUE. THE SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY IS DESIGNED TO BE USED AS A PAIR AND IS NOT TO BE USED ACROSS SEATING POSITIONS.
Pull up on the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion to a snug fit. Make sure the belt is as low on hips as possible.
The vehicle is equipped with a manually-adjusted lap safety belt for the rear center seat occupant. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle until a snap is heard. Pull on both sides of the lap safety belt to ensure the buckle is latched. Pull up on the end of the lap safety belt to tighten the lap portion to a snug fit. Make sure the lap safety belt is as low on the hips as possible.