Seat Belt System Description b
Caution: Restraint systems can be damaged in a collision. To help avoid injury
and ensure that all parts in need of replacement are replaced:
| • | Replace any seat belt system that was in use during the collision
serious enough to deploy any automatic restraint device such as air bags
and seat belt pretensioners. This not only includes seat belt systems in
use by people of adult size, but seat belt systems used to secure child
restraints, infant carriers and booster seats, including LATCH system and
top tether anchorages. |
| • | Replace any seat belt system that has torn, worn, or damaged components.
This not only includes adult seat belt systems, but built-in child restraints
and LATCH system components, if any. |
| • | Replace any seat belt system if you observe the words "REPLACE"
or "CAUTION", or if a yellow tag is visible. Do not replace
a seat belt if only the child seat caution label is visible. |
| • | Replace any seat belt system if you are doubtful about its condition.
This not only includes adult seat belt systems, but built-in child restraints,
LATCH system components, and any restraint system used to secure infant carriers,
child restraints, and booster seats. |
Restraint System
Caution: To help avoid personal injury from unrepaired crash damage to a restraint
system, perform the seat belt check for each seat belt system. Replace the
seat belt system if there is any doubt about the condition of system components.
Seat belts are the primary means of occupant restraint.
Seat belts help to keep the occupant(s) inside the passenger compartment
and to gradually reduce in impact forces during the following events:
All seat belt retractors have emergency locks. The retractors remain
unlocked during normal operation and under normal driving conditions. The
retractors remain unlocked during normal conditions in order to allow free
movement of the upper body of each occupant.
A pendulum locks the seal belt webbing into position. The pendulum causes
a locking bar to engage a cog on the spool of the retractor mechanism when
the following conditions occur:
| • | A rapid extraction of the seat belt webbing from the retractor |
| • | An abrupt change in vehicle speed |
| • | An abrupt change in vehicle direction |
| • | Operation of the vehicle on a steep upgrade |
| • | Operation of the vehicle on a downgrade |
The seat belts have an automatic locking (cinch) feature. The cinch
feature is activated when the seat belt webbing is completely extended from
the retractor. The cinch feature prevents the webbing from extending beyond
the position from which it is allowed to retract.
The cinch feature may be cancelled by allowing the webbing to wind back
completely into the retractor. After the cinch feature is cancelled, the webbing
is unlocked. After the cinch feature is cancelled, the webbing will extend
from the retractor.
This vehicle is also equipped with a Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
(SIR) System. Refer to
SIR System Operation
in SIR for more information about the SIR system.
Front Seat Belt System
The front seat belts on sedans are equipped with an adjustable shoulder
belt guide loop. The shoulder belt can be adjusted to one of the four positions
by a release switch located at the center pillar. The release switch permits
adjustment of the shoulder belt to the height of the occupant.
The front passenger seat and the rear seat retractors are dual-mode
type retractors with emergency locking and automatic features.
The front seat belt system includes the following components:
| • | The driver and the passenger's retractor side belt |
| | The retractor side belt is located and attached on the center pillar
post in all sedans |
| • | The front seat driver and passenger's buckle belts are located
between the two front seats. |
| | These buckle belts are attached to the seat. |
| • | The driver's seat belt system, includes a seat belt switch in
the driver seat buckle which controls a reminder lamp and a tone alarm. When
the driver seat belt is buckled, the driver's door is closed, and the ignition
switch is turned ON, the following events will occur: |
| • | The tone alarm will not operate. |
| • | The reminder lamp will not operate. |
| • | When the driver's seat belt is not buckled, the driver's door
is closed, and the ignition switch is turned ON, the following events will
occur: |
| • | The tone alarm will operate for 4 to 8 seconds and then
go OFF. |
| • | The reminder lamp will operate for 20 seconds, until the driver
seat belt is buckled. |
| • | Then the reminder lamp will flash for an additional 55 seconds
before going OFF. |
| • | To diagnose a failure of the reminder lamp or the tone alarm, refer
to Fasten Safety Belt Chime Always On
orFasten Safety Belt Chime Inoperative
in Instrument Panel, Gages and Console. |
