2009 KIA Optima ECO

Safety features of your vehicle10
3C010203AUNSeat cushion heightPull the front portion of the control knob
up to raise or down to lower the front part
of the seat cushion. Pull the rear portion
of the control knob up to raise or down to
lower the rear part of the seat cushion.
Release the knob once the seat reaches
the desired position.
Rear seat adjustmentC010303AMGHeadrestThe headrest not only provides comfort
for passengers, but also helps to protect
the head and neck in the event of a colli-
sion.
OMG039100
WARNING
For maximum effectiveness in
case of an accident, the headrest
should be adjusted so the middle
of the headrest is at the same
height of the center of gravity of
an occupant's head. Generally,
the center of gravity of most peo-
ple's head is similar with the
height of the top of their eyes.
Also adjust the headrest as close
to your head as possible. For this
reason, the use of a cushion that
holds the body away from the
seatback is not recommended.
Do not operate the vehicle with the headrests removed as severe
injury to an occupant may occur
in the event of an accident.
Headrests may provide protec-
tion against severe neck injuries
when properly adjusted.
OBH038076L

315
Safety features of your vehicle
C020100AUNSeat belt restraint systemSEAT BELTS
WARNING
Seat belts are designed to bear
upon the bony structure of the
body, and should be worn low
across the front of the pelvis, or the
pelvis, chest and shoulders, as
applicable; wearing the lap section
of the belt across the abdominal
area must be avoided.
Seat belts should be adjusted as
firmly as possible, consistent with
comfort, to provide the protection
for which they have been designed.
A slack belt will greatly reduce the
protection afforded to the occu-
pant.(Continued)
(Continued)
Care should be taken to avoid con-
tamination of the webbing with pol-
ishes, oils and chemicals and par-
ticularly battery acid. Cleaning may
safely be carried out using mild
soap and water. The belt should be
replaced if webbing becomes
frayed, contaminated or damaged.
It is essential to replace the entire
assembly after it has been worn in
a severe impact even if damage to
the assembly is not obvious. Belts
should not be worn with straps
twisted. Each seat belt assembly
must only be used by one occu-
pant; it is dangerous to put a belt
around a child being carried on the
occupant's lap.
(Continued)
Avoid wearing twisted seat belts.A twisted belt can't do its job as
well. In a collision, it could even
cut into you. Be sure the belt
webbing is straight and not twist-
ed.
Be careful not to damage the belt webbing or hardware. If the belt
webbing or hardware is dam-
aged, replace it.
WARNING
For maximum restraint systemprotection, the seat belts must
always be used whenever the car
is moving.
Seat belts are most effective when seatbacks are in the
upright position.
Children age 12 and under must always be properly restrained in
the rear seat. Never allow chil-
dren to ride in the front passen-
ger seat. If a child over 12 must
be seated in the front seat, he/she
must be properly belted and the
seat should be moved as far back
as possible.
Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm or behind your
back. An improperly positioned
shoulder belt can cause serious
injuries in a crash. The shoulder
belt should be positioned midway
over your shoulder across your
collarbone.
(Continued)

Safety features of your vehicle16
3
C020101ABH-EUSeat belt warning As a reminder to the driver, the seat belt
warning light will blink for approximately
6 seconds each time you turn the ignition
switch ON regardless of belt fastening.
The warning light will blink again for
approximately 6 seconds when starting
the engine. If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened
when the ignition switch is turned to ON
and/or START, the seat belt warning light
and the seat belt warning chime will
operate for approximately 6 seconds until
the belt is fastened. And if the driver’s
seat belt is disconnected after the igni-
tion switch is turned ON, the seat belt
warning light will blink for approximately
6 seconds until the belt is fastened. If the
driver's seat belt is not fastened when the
vehicle speed exceeds 10 km/h (6 mph),
the seat belt warning light and chime will
operate for approximately 11 times with a
pattern of 6 seconds on and 24 seconds
off until the belt is fastened or the vehicle
speed decreases below 5 km/h (3 mph).
1GQA2083
WARNING
No modifications or additions
should be made by the user which
will either prevent the seat belt
adjusting devices from operating to
remove slack, or prevent the seat
belt assembly from being adjusted
to remove slack.

Safety features of your vehicle18
3
C020106ABHSeat belts - Front passenger and rear
seat 3-point system with combinationlocking retractorTo fasten your seat belt:
Combination retractor type seat belts are
installed in the rear seat positions to help
accommodate the installation of child
restraint systems. Although a combina-
tion retractor is also installed in the front
passenger seat position, it is strongly
recommended that children always be
seated in the rear seat. NEVER place
any infant restraint system in the front
seat of the vehicle.
This type of seat belt combines the fea-
tures of both an emergency locking
retractor seat belt and an automatic lock-
ing retractor seat belt. To fasten your seat
belt, pull it out of the retractor and insert
the metal tab into the buckle. There will
be an audible "click" when the tab locks
into the buckle. When not securing a
child restraint, the seat belt operates in
the same way as the driver's seat belt
(Emergency Locking Retractor Type). It
automatically adjusts to the proper length
only after the lap belt portion of the seat
belt is adjusted manually so that it fits
snugly around your hips. When the seat belt is fully extended from
the retractor to allow the installation of a
child restraint system, the seat belt oper-
ation changes to allow the belt to retract,
but not to extend (Automatic Locking
Retractor Type). Refer to “Using a child
restraint system” in this section.
✽ ✽
NOTICEAlthough the combination retractor
provides the same level of protection for
seated passengers in either emergency
or automatic locking modes, it is recom-
mended that seated passengers use the
emergency locking feature for improved
convenience. The automatic locking
function is intended to facilitate child
restraint installation. To convert from
the automatic locking feature to the
emergency locking operation mode,
allow the unbuckled seat belt to fully
retract.
B200A02NF
WARNING
You should place the lap belt por-
tion as low as possible and snugly
across your hips, not on your waist.
If the lap belt is located too high on
your waist, it may increase the
chance of injury in the event of a
collision. Both arms should not be
under or over the belt. Rather, one
should be over and the other under,
as shown in the illustration.
Never wear the seat belt under the
arm nearest the door.

321
Safety features of your vehicle
✽
✽NOTICE• Both the driver's and front passen-
ger's pre-tensioner seat belts may be
activated in certain frontal collisions.
The pre-tensioners will not be activat-
ed if the seat belts are not being worn
at the time of the collision.
• When the pre-tensioner seat belts are activated, a loud noise may be heard
and fine dust, which may appear to be
smoke, may be visible in the passenger
compartment. These are normal oper-
ating conditions and are not haz-
ardous.
• Although it is harmless, the fine dust may cause skin irritation and should
not be breathed for prolonged peri-
ods. Wash all exposed skin areas thor-
oughly after an accident in which the
pre-tensioner seat belts were activat-
ed.
✽ ✽ NOTICEBecause the sensor that activates the
SRS air bag is connected with the pre-
tensioner seat belt, the SRS air bag
warning light on the instrument
panel will illuminate for approximately
6 seconds after the ignition switch has
been turned to the ON position, and
then it should turn off.
CAUTION
If the pre-tensioner seat belt is not
working properly, this warning lightwill illuminate even if there is no malfunction of the SRS air bag. Ifthe SRS air bag warning light does not illuminate when the ignitionswitch is turned ON, or if it remainsilluminated after illuminating for approximately 6 seconds, or if itilluminates while the vehicle is being driven, have an authorizedKIA dealer inspect the pre-tension- er seat belt and SRS air bag systemas soon as possible.
WARNING
Pre-tensioners are designed to operate only one time. After acti-
vation, pre-tensioner seat belts
must be replaced. All seat belts,
of any type, should always be
replaced after they have been
worn during a collision.
The pre-tensioner seat belt assembly mechanisms become
hot during activation. Do not
touch the pre-tensioner seat belt
assemblies for several minutes
after they have been activated.
Do not attempt to inspect or replace the pre-tensioner seat
belts yourself. This must be done
by an authorized KIA dealer.
Do not strike the pre-tensioner seat belt assemblies.
Do not attempt to service or repair the pre-tensioner seat belt
system in any manner.
(Continued)

Safety features of your vehicle24
3C020302AUNPregnant womenThe use of a seat belt is recommended
for pregnant women to lessen the chance
of injury in an accident. When a seat belt
is used, the lap belt portion should be
placed as low and snugly as possible on
the hips, not across the abdomen. For
specific recommendations, consult a
physician.C020303AUNInjured personA seat belt should be used when an
injured person is being transported.
When this is necessary, you should con-
sult a physician for recommendations.C020304AUNOne person per beltTwo people (including children) should
never attempt to use a single seat belt.
This could increase the severity of
injuries in case of an accident.
C020305AFDDo not lie downTo reduce the chance of injuries in the
event of an accident and to achieve max-
imum effectiveness of the restraint sys-
tem, all passengers should be sitting up
and the front seats should be in an
upright position when the car is moving. A
seat belt cannot provide proper protection
if the person is lying down in the rear seat
or if the front seat is in a reclined position.
WARNING
Riding with a reclined seatback
increases your chance of serious
or fatal injuries in the event of a col-
lision or sudden stop. The protec-
tion of your restraint system (seat
belts and air bags) is greatly
reduced by reclining your seat.
Seat belts must be snug against
your hips and chest to work proper-
ly. The more the seatback is
reclined, the greater the chance
that an occupant's hips will slide
under the lap belt causing serious
internal injuries or the occupant's
neck could strike the shoulder belt.
Drivers and passengers should
always sit well back in their seats,
properly belted, and with the seat-
backs upright.

325
Safety features of your vehicle
C020400AUNCare of seat beltsSeat belt systems should never be disas-
sembled or modified. In addition, care
should be taken to assure that seat belts
and belt hardware are not damaged by
seat hinges, doors or other abuse.
C020401AENPeriodic inspectionAll seat belts should be inspected peri-
odically for wear or damage of any kind.
Any damaged parts should be replaced
as soon as possible.C020402AUNKeep belts clean and drySeat belts should be kept clean and dry.
If belts become dirty, they can be
cleaned by using a mild soap solution
and warm water. Bleach, dye, strong
detergents or abrasives should not be
used because they may damage and
weaken the fabric.
C020403AUNWhen to replace seat beltsEntire in-use seat belt assembly or
assemblies should be replaced if the
vehicle has been involved in an accident.
This should be done even if no damage
is visible. Additional questions concern-
ing seat belt operation should be directed
to an authorized KIA dealer.
WARNING
When you return the rear seatback
to its upright position after the rear
seatback was folded down, be care-
ful not to damage the seat belt web-
bing or buckle. Be sure that the
webbing or buckle does not get
caught or pinched in the rear seat.
A seat belt with damaged webbing
or buckle will not be as strong and
could possibly fail during a colli-
sion or sudden stop, resulting in
serious injury.

Safety features of your vehicle26
3
WARNING
To reduce the chance of serious or
fatal injuries:
Children of all ages are safer
when restrained in the rear seat.
A child riding in the front passen-
ger seat can be forcefully struck
by an inflating air bag resulting in
serious or fatal injuries.
Always follow the child restraint system manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for installation and use of
the child restraint.
Always make sure the child seat is secured properly in the car and
your child is securely restrained
in the child seat.
Never hold a child in your arms or lap when riding in a vehicle. The
violent forces created during a
crash will tear the child from your
arms and throw the child against
the car’s interior.
Never put a seat belt over your- self and a child. During a crash,
the belt could press deep into the
child causing serious internal
injuries.
(Continued)
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMC030000AEN-ECChildren riding in the car should sit in the
rear seat and must always be properly
restrained to minimize the risk of injury in
an accident, sudden stop or sudden
maneuver. According to accident statis-
tics, children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seats than in the
front seat. Larger children not in a child
restraint should use one of the seat belts
provided.
You should be aware of the specific
requirements in your country. Child and/or
infant safety seats must be properly
placed and installed in the rear seat. You
must use a commercially available child
restraint system that me ets the require-
ments of the safety standards of your
country.
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt, or
by a LATCH system (if equipped).
Children could be injured or killed in a
crash if their restraints are not properly
secured. For small children and babies, a
child seat or infant seat must be used.
Before buying a particular child restraint
system, make sure it fits your car seat
and seat belts, and fits your child. Follow
all the instructions provided by the man-
ufacturer when installing the child
restraint system.
WARNING
A child restraint system must be placed in the rear seat. Never
install a child or infant seat on the
front passenger's seat. Should an
accident occur and cause the
passenger-side air bag to deploy,
it could severely injure or kill an
infant or child seated in an infant
or child seat. Thus only use a
child restraint in the rear seat of
your vehicle.
A seat belt or child restraint sys- tem can become very hot if it is
left in a closed vehicle on a sunny
day, even if the outside tempera-
ture does not feel hot. Be sure to
check the seat cover and buckles
before placing a child there.
When the child restraint system is not in use, store it in the lug-
gage area or fasten it with a seat
belt so that it will not be thrown
forward in the case of a sudden
stop or an accident.
Children may be seriously injured or killed by an inflating air bag.
All children, even those too large
for child restraints, must ride in
the rear seat.