2006 KIA Sorento Owner's Manual

The advanced SRS offers the ability
to control the airbag inflation with two
levels. A first stage level is provided
for moderate-severity impacts. A sec-
ond stage level is provided for more
severe impacts.
According to the impact severity and
safety belt usage, the SRSCM (SRS
Control Module) controls the airbag
inflation. Failure to properly wear
safety belts can increase the risk or
severity of injury in an accident.
Additionally, your SRS is equipped
with an occupant classification sys-
tem in the front passenger’s seat. The
occupant classification system
detects the presence of a passenger
in the front passenger’s seat and will
turn off the front passenger’s airbag
under certain conditions. For more
detail, see “Occupant Classification
System”later in this section.
Driver’s airbag
The driver’s airbag is stored in the
center of the steering wheel.KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE3-48
WARNING
 Ignoring the SRS indictor light
(airbag indicator and passen-
ger airbag off indicator) can
result in serious or fatal injury
if the airbags occupant classi-
fication system or pretension-
ers do not work properly. Have
your car checked by a dealer
as soon as possible if the SRS
warning light alerts you to a
potential problem.
 Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
or fatal injury in a crash. All
occupants should sit upright
in their seats with their feet on
the floor until the vehicle is
parked and the ignition key is
removed.
SRSAIRBAG
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LCOAST
SET
P
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5BLA422HLZ206
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Front passenger’s airbag
Front passenger’s airbag is stored in
the instrument panel on the glove
box.
Since you cannot anticipate which
airbags will deploy or from what
direction, never put any objects or
ornaments on the instrument panel.Occupant classification system
The occupant classification system
detects the presence of a passenger
in the front passenger's seat and will
turn off the front passenger's airbag
under certain conditions.
The occupant classification system is
designed to detect the presence of a
properly-seated occupant and deter-
mine if the front passenger's airbag
should be enabled (may inflate) or
not.
Only the front passenger front airbag
is controlled by the Occupant
Classification System.
KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE
3-49
WARNING
 You must always sit as far
back from the steering wheel
airbag as possible (chest at
least 10 inches (250 mm) away
from the steering wheel),
while still maintaining a com-
fortable seating position for
good vehicle control, in order
to reduce the risk of injury or
death in a collision.
 Never place objects over the
airbag storage compartments
or between the airbags and
yourself. Due to the speed and
force of the airbag inflation,
such objects could hit your
body at high speed and cause
severe bodily injury and even
death.
 Do not put stickers or orna-
ments on the steering wheel
cover. These may interfere
with the deployment of the
airbag.
SRSAIRBAG
5BLA002HLZ208
5BLA370
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Main components of Occupant
Classification System
A detection device located within
the front passenger seat cushion.
Electronic system to determine
whether passenger airbag system
should be activated or deactivated.
A warning light located on the
instrument panel which illuminates
the words "PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF" passenger airbag system is
deactivated.
The instrument panel airbag warn-
ing light is interconnected with the
occupant classification system.If there is no passenger in the front
passenger seat or if the passenger in
the front passenger seat is very light,
(such as a child), the front PASSEN-
GER AIRBAG OFFindicator may illu-
minate.
When this indicator is ON, the front
passenger airbag will not deploy.Always be sure that you and all vehi-
cle occupants are seated and
restrained properly (sitting upright
with the seat in an upright position,
centered on the seat cushion, with
the person's legs comfortably extend-
ed, feet on the floor, and wearing the
safety belt properly) for the most
effective protection by the airbag and
the safety belt.
The OCS may not function proper-
ly if the passenger takes actions
which can defeat the detection sys-
tem. These include:
(1) Failing to sit in an upright position.
(2) Leaning against the door or cen-
ter console.
(3) Sitting towards the sides or the
front of the seat.
(4) Putting legs on the dashboard or
resting them on other locations
which reduce the passenger
weight on the front seat.
(5) Improperly wearing the safety
belt.
(6) Reclining the seat back.KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE3-50
AUTO
AUTO AMB
OFF TEMPMODE
AMB
A/C
A/C
H
M
L
R
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
5BLA450
The location of OCS
warning indicator
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The "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF"
indicator illuminates after the igni-
tion key is turned to the "ON" posi-
tion or after the engine is started. If
the front passenger seat is unoccu-
pied or is occupied by very small
person, or is occupied by someone
who is improperly seated, the
"PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" indi-
cator will remain illuminated. If the
front passenger seat is occupied by
someone of adult size and body
shape, the "PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF" indicator will turn off after 6
seconds.
If the "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF"
indicator illuminates, the front pas-
senger airbag will not deploy in
either a side or frontal collision.
If the "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF"
indicator is not illuminated, the front
passenger airbag may deploy in
frontal collision.
KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE
3-51
CAUTION
If the "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" indicator illuminates or blinks con-
tinuously when a person of adult size sits in the front passenger's
seat , it could be because that person isn't sitting properly in the
seat.If this happens, turn the vehicle off, make sure the seat back is
not reclined, have the passenger center on the seat cushion, with legs
comfortably extended, and the safety belt properly positioned. Restart
the vehicle and have the person remain in this position long enough
to allow the system to detect the person and activate the passenger
airbag.Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant
classification systemCondition detected by
the occupant classifi-
cation system
1. Adult *
1
2. Child*
2or child
restraint system
3. Unoccupied Off
On
OnOff
Off
OffActivated
Deactivated
Deactivated
"PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF" indicator light
SRS warning lightFront passenger front
airbag and front
passenger side airbag Indicator/Warning light Devices
*1The system detects a person who is generally adult size as an adult, thus allowing the pas-
senger airbag to deploy. When a smaller adult sits in the front passenger seat, the system may
detect their body shape as that of a child, thus preventing airbag deployment.
*2When a larger child who has outgrown a child restraint system sits in the front passenger seat,
the system may recognize him/her as an adult depending on his/her body shape or seating
position, thus permitting airbag deployment.
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KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE3-52
WARNING
If the front passenger seat
should be modified for persons
with disabilities that may affect
the operation of the occupant
classification system, contact
an authorized Kia dealer.
WARNING
 Even though your vehicle is
equipped with the occupant
classification system, do not
install a child restraint system
in the front passenger seat.
The child could be severely
injured or killed if the airbag
deploys. Children are afford-
ed the most protection in the
event of an accident when
they are restrained by the
proper restraint system in the
rear seat.
(Continued)
(Continued)
 If the "PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF" indicator is illuminated
when the front passenger's
seat is occupied by a person of
adult size who is seated prop-
erly, or if the "PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF" indicator is not
illuminated when the front pas-
senger's seat is unoccupied or
occupied by a very small per-
son, the occupant classifica-
tion system is not working
properly. Have your vehicle
immediately inspected by your
Kia dealer if the occupant clas-
sification system is not work-
ing properly.
(Continued)
CAUTION
If the occupant classification
system is not working properly,
the airbag warning light ( ) on
the instrument panel will illumi-
nate. If there is a malfunction of
the occupant classification sys-
tem, the "PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF" indicator will illuminate
and the front passenger's
airbag will not deploy in frontal
crashes even if there is an adult
sized occupant in the front pas-
senger seat. If the SRS airbag
warning light does not illumi-
nate when the ignition key is
turned to "ON" position, if it
remains illuminated after blink-
ing for approximately six sec-
onds, or if it illuminates while
the vehicle is being driven, have
an authorized Kia dealer
inspect the occupant classifica-
tion system with the SRS airbag
system as soon as possible.
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KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE
3-53
(Continued)
 If a very low weight adult is
seated in the front passenger
seat, the occupant classifica-
tion system may or may not
turn off the right front passen-
ger air bag, depending upon
the person's seating position
and body type. Everyone in
your vehicle should wear a
safety belt properly -- whether
or not there is an air bag for
that person.
 If the front seat passenger
changes their seating posi-
tion (for example, by not sit-
ting upright, by sitting on the
edge of the seat, or by other-
wise being out of position),
the "PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF" indicator may be turned
on, and the passenger airbag
may not deploy in a collision.
Always be sure to sit properly
in the front passenger seat
and wear the safety belt prop-
erly.
(Continued)
1KMN3661
Do Not Do This:Do Not Do This:
1KMN3662
1KMN36631KMN3664
- Put a heavy load in the front
passenger seat.
- Excessively recline the front
passenger seatback.- Do not sit on the front edge
of the front passenger seat.
- Do not sit towards the side of
the front seat, or lean against
the console or door.
Do Not Do This:Do Not Do This:
(Continued)
(Continued)
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KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE3-54
(Continued)
 Do not modify or replace the
front passenger seat. This will
disable the OCS unless a
proper Kia replacement seat is
used.
 Do not place sharp objects on
the front passenger seat.
These can damage the occu-
pant classification system, if
they puncture the seat cush-
ion.
 Do not install accessory seat
covers on the front seats,
since these will interfere with
proper sensor operation.
✽ ✽
NOTICE If luggage or other objects are
placed on the front passenger's
seat or if the temperature of the
seat changes while the seat is
unoccupied, the "PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF" indicator may
blink. These conditions do not
indicate a problem.
 Do not put heavy objects on the
front passenger's seat. This may
cause front passenger airbag
deployment in the event of an
accident, thus increasing your
repair costs.
1KMN36651KMN3666
- Proper seating position - Do not put feet on dash-
board.
(Continued) (Continued)Do Not Do This:Do This:
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Curtain airbag
Curtain airbags are located along
both sides of the roof rails above the
front and rear doors.
They are designed to help protect the
heads of the front seat occupants and
the rear outboard seat occupants in
certain side impact collisions.
KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE
3-55
S
R
SAIRBAG
5BLD320/5BLA371
S2BLA351
SRSAIRBAG
(Continued)
 Never allow front passenger to
put their hands, feet or face on
or close to the instrument
panel. In the event of airbag
deployment, such a misposi-
tioned occupant would be like-
ly to suffer severe injury or
death.
 Never allow children, pregnant
women or weak persons to sit
in the front passenger seat. Do
not put child restraint system
on the front passenger's seat
either. They may be seriously
injured by the airbag inflation
when airbag deploys.
 Do not put objects or stickers
on the instrument panel. Do
not apply any accessory to the
front windshield. Do not install
aftermarket mirrors or acces-
sories on the factory-installed
rearview mirror. Any of these
could interfere with the
deployment of the airbag or
could hit your body at high
speed and cause severe bodi-
ly injury and even death.
WARNING
 The front seat passenger
airbag is much larger than the
steering wheel airbag and
inflates with considerably more
force. It can seriously hurt or
kill a passenger who is not in
the proper position and wear-
ing the safety belt properly. The
front passengers should
always move their seat as far
back as practical and sit back
in their seat.
 It is essential that the front pas-
senger always wears their safe-
ty belts, even when the vehicle
is moving in a parking lot or up
a driveway into garage.
 If the driver brakes the vehicle
heavily prior to an impact,
unbelted occupants will be
thrown forward. If the front pas-
senger is not wearing the safe-
ty belts, they will be directly in
front of the storage compart-
ment when deployment occurs.
In that situation, serious injury
or death is possible.
(Continued)
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