Seat Belt Systems: Description and Operation
WARNING:^ ALL SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING RETRACTORS, BUCKLES, FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE SUPPORT ASSEMBLIES (SLIDE BAR), IF EQUIPPED, SHOULDER BELT HEIGHT ADJUSTERS, IF EQUIPPED, CHILD SAFETY SEAT TETHER BRACKET ASSEMBLIES, IF EQUIPPED, AND ATTACHING HARDWARE SHOULD BE INSPECTED AFTER ANY COLLISION. ALL BELT ASSEMBLIES SHOULD BE INSTALLED NEW UNLESS A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN FINDS THE ASSEMBLIES SHOW NO DAMAGE AND OPERATE CORRECTLY. BELT ASSEMBLIES NOT IN USE DURING A COLLISION SHOULD ALSO BE INSPECTED. NEW SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLIES SHOULD BE INSTALLED IF EITHER DAMAGE OR INCORRECT OPERATION IN NOTED.
^ 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.
The active restraint system consists of:
^ the front safety belt retractors with pretensioners secured to the body under the B-pillar lower trim panel.
^ the rear LH and RH safety belt retractors secured to the body behind the quarter trim panels.
^ the rear center safety belt retractor secured to the body under the package tray trim panel.
^ the front inboard buckle end secured to the front seat assembly.
^ the rear LH, RH, and center buckle ends secured to the rear floor pan under the rear seat cushion.
^ the child safety seat tether anchors attached to the package tray under the trim panel.
^ the child safety seat LATCH system located at all three second row seating positions in the seat cushion frame.
A continuous-loop, single retractor active restraint system is used on both the front and rear seat safety belt assemblies.
Pretensioner System
The front safety belt and retractor assembly uses a pretensioner system which works in conjunction with the front air bag system mounted in the steering wheel and instrument panel. When the front air bag system is deployed, the pretensioner in the retractor deploys, causing the retractor spool to rotate. The rotating spool action removes excess webbing from the safety belt assembly, tightening the webbing around the occupant.
New driver and front passenger seat belt system (including belt and retractor assembly, buckles, and height adjusters) must be installed if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in deployment of the front air bags and safety belt pretensioners.
For diagnostic information, refer to Air Bag Systems.
Safety Belt, Lap/Shoulder
While the vehicle is in motion, the combination lap and shoulder belt adjusts to the occupant's movement. However, if the vehicle is braked hard, cornered hard or if the vehicle receives an impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, the lap and shoulder belt locks and helps reduce the occupant's forward movement.
Front Safety Belt Buckle End
The inboard front safety belt buckle end and outboard anchor is secured to the front seat. This allows the front safety belt buckle end and outboard anchor to move with the front seat.
Safety Belt, Lap/Shoulder-Dual Locking Mode
WARNING: REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS SHOULD NEVER BE PLACED IN THE FRONT SEATS.
The dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for the front seat passenger and rear seat passengers operates in two ways:
1. 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 safety belt retractors can also be made to lock by pulling/jerking on the belt.
2. 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 the occupant and on a child safety seat or infant carrier installation restraint.
When the combination lap/shoulder belt is unbuckled and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will switch to the vehicle sensitive (emergency locking) mode.
The automatic locking mode must be used when installing a child safety seat.
Child Safety Seat Tether Anchors
Child safety seat tether anchors, located in the package tray, have been provided at all three rear seating positions. If a child safety seat was in use during a collision, inspect the tether anchor and all surrounding sheet metal for damage. Install a new tether anchor if necessary. Rework the sheet metal to its original condition and structural integrity.
Attaching Safety Seats With Tether Straps
Some manufacturers make child safety seats that include a tether strap that goes over the back of the vehicle seat and attaches to an anchoring point. Other manufacturers offer the tether strap as an accessory. Contact the manufacturer of the child safety seat for information about ordering a tether strap.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
The Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system is a standardized and uniform attachment system for installing child safety seats in passenger vehicles. LATCH-equipped child safety seats have two lower attachments that connect to the vehicle portion of the LATCH system.
The vehicle portion of the system consists of two attachment points (6 mm wires) welded to the rear seat cushion frame at all three rear seating positions. The attachment points protrude from the biteline between the seat cushion and seat backrest.
If a child safety seat was in use during a collision, inspect the vehicle portion of the system for damage. If any of the attachment points (6 mm wires) are damaged, install a new rear seat cushion frame.
Safety Belt Warning System
The safety belt warning indicator illuminates and a chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.
The conditions of operation for the safety belt warning indicator and chime are as follows:
^ If the driver safety belt is not buckled before the ignition switch is turned to RUN, then the safety belt warning indicator illuminates for one to two minutes and the warning chime sounds for four to eight seconds.
^ If the driver safety belt is buckled while the warning indicator is illuminated and the reminder chime is sounding, then the safety belt warning indicator and reminder chime turn off.
^ If the driver safety belt is buckled before the ignition switch in turned to RUN, then the safety belt warning indicator and reminder chime remain off.
Belt Minder
The Belt Minder feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt warning function. This feature provides additional reminders to the driver that the driver's safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning lamp in the instrument cluster.
To activate or deactivate the Belt Minder feature, refer to Instrument Panel, Gauges and Warning Indicators.