01 SafetySeat belts
0116
General information
G020995
Adjusting the seat beltSeat belts should always be worn by all occu-
pants of your vehicle. Children should be prop-
erly restrained, using an infant, car, or booster
seat determined by age, weight and height.
Volvo also believes no child should sit in the
front seat of a vehicle.
Most states and provinces make it mandatory
for occupants of a vehicle to use seat belts.Seat belt pretensionersAll seat belts are equipped with pretensioners
that reduce slack in the belts. These preten-
sioners are triggered in situations where the
front or side impact airbags deploy, and in cer-
tain impacts from the rear. The front seat belts
also include a tension reducing device which,in the event of a collision, limits the peak forces
exerted by the seat belt on the occupant.
Buckling a seat beltPull the belt out far enough to insert the latch
plate into the receptacle until a distinct click is
heard. The seat belt retractor is normally
"unlocked" and you can move freely, provided
that the shoulder belt is not pulled out too far.
The retractor will lock up as follows:•
if the belt is pulled out rapidly
•
during braking and acceleration
•
if the vehicle is leaning excessively
•
when driving in turns.
To make child seat installation easier, each
seat belt (except for the driver's belt) is equip-
ped with a locking mechanism to help keep the
seat belt taut. See page 34 for more infor-
mation regarding the Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR).
When wearing the seat belt remember:•
The belt should not be twisted or turned.
•
The lap section of the belt must be posi-
tioned low on the hips (not pressing against
the abdomen).
•
Make sure that the shoulder belt is rolled
up into its retractor and that the shoulder
and lap belts are taut.
Seat belt reminderThe seat belt reminder consists of an audible
signal and a symbol in the instrument panel
that alert the driver if his/her seat belt is not
fastened.Unbuckling the seat beltTo remove the seat belt, press the red section
on the seat belt receptacle. Before exiting the
vehicle, check that the seat belt retracts fully
after being unbuckled. If necessary, guide the
belt back into the retractor slot.Seat belt maintenanceCheck periodically that the seat belts are in
good condition. Use water and a mild deter-
gent for cleaning. Check seat belt mechanism
function as follows: attach the seat belt and pull
rapidly on the strap.
WARNING
Never use a seat belt for more than one
occupant. Never wear the shoulder portion
of the belt under the arm, behind the back
or otherwise out of position. Such use could
cause injury in the event of an accident. As
seat belts lose much of their strength when
exposed to violent stretching, they should
be replaced after any collision, even if they
appear to be undamaged.
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01 SafetySupplemental Restraint System (SRS)
0120
Front airbag deployment•
The front airbags are designed to deploy
during certain frontal or front-angular col-
lisions, impacts, or decelerations, depend-
ing on the crash severity, angle, speed and
object impacted. The airbags may also
deploy in certain non-frontal collisions
where rapid deceleration occurs.
•
The SRS sensors, which trigger the front
airbags, are designed to react to both the
impact of the collision and the inertial
forces generated by it, and to determine if
the intensity of the collision is sufficient for
the seat belt pretensioners and/or airbags
to be deployed.
However, not all frontal collisions activate the
front airbags.
•
If the collision involves a nonrigid object
(e.g., a snow drift or bush), or a rigid, fixed
object at a low speed, the front airbags will
not necessarily deploy.
•
Front airbags do not normally deploy in a
side impact collision, in a collision from the
rear or in a rollover situation.
•
The amount of damage to the bodywork
does not reliably indicate if the airbags
should have deployed or not.
WARNING
•
Do not use child safety seats or child
booster cushions/backrests in the front
passenger's seat. We also recommend
that occupants under 4 feet 7 inches
(140 cm) in height who have outgrown
these devices sit in the rear seat with the
seat belt fastened
1.
•
Never drive with the airbags deployed.
The fact that they hang out can impair
the steering of your vehicle. Other
safety systems can also be damaged.
•
The smoke and dust formed when the
airbags are deployed can cause skin
and eye irritation in the event of pro-
longed exposure.
Should you have questions about any compo-
nent in the SRS system, please contact a
trained and qualified Volvo service technician
or Volvo Customer Support:
In the USA
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC
Customer Care Center
P.O. Box 914 Rockleigh, New Jersey
07647-09141-800-458-1552
www.volvocars.us
In Canada
Volvo Cars of Canada Corp.
National Customer Service
175 Gordon Baker Road
North York, Ontario M2H 2N7
1-800-663-8255
www.volvocanada.com
1See also the Occupant Weight Sensor information see page 23.
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