.. Hold the be lt by the tongue and pull it even
l y across the chest and pelvis
c::> &_.
.. Insert the tongue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely
c::>fig. 118.
.. Pull on the belt to make sure that it is se-
c u rely latched in the buckle.
Automatic safety belt retracto rs
Every safety belt is equipped with an automat
ic belt retractor on the shoulder belt. This fea
ture locks the belt when the belt is pulled out
fast, dur ing hard braking and in an accident.
The belt may also lock when you drive up or
down a steep hill or through a sharp curve.
During normal driving the belt let s you move
freely.
Switchable locking feature
Every safety belt except the one on the driver
seat is equ ipped w ith a switchable locking fea
ture that
must be used w hen the safety belt is
used to atta ch a chi ld seat. Be sure to read the
i mportant information about this fea ture
c::> page 146.
A WARNING
Imprope rly positioned safety belts can
cause serious injury in an accident
c::> page 113, Safety belt position.
- Safety belts offer optimum protection
only when the seatback is upright and
belts are properly positioned on the
body.
-
- Never attach the safety belt to the buck
le for another seat. Attach ing the belt to
the wrong buckle w ill reduce safety belt
effect iveness and can cause serious per
sonal inj ury.
- A passenger who is not properly restrain
ed can be seriously in jured by the safety
belt itself whe n it moves from the stron
ger parts of the body into c ritical a reas
like the abdomen.
- Always lock the convert ible lock ing re
tra ctor when yo u are secur ing a chi ld
sea t in the vehicle
c::> page 148.
Safety belts 113
@ Tips
Depending on veh icle equipment, micro
phones * are located on the safety be lt to
i mprove hands-free call quality. For addi
tional information about safety belt m icro
phones, refer to the infotainment system
owner's manual.
Safety belt position
Correct belt position is the key to getting
maximum protection from safety belts.
Fi g. 119 Head restraint and safety belt position as
seen from the side
"' ra q
"' ., m
Use the height adjustment to change the posi
tion of the shoulder straps of the front seat
safety belts.
A WARNING
Imp roperly posit ioned safety belts can
cause ser ious persona l inju ry in an acci-
dent.
- The s houlder belt portion of the safety
be lt must be positioned over the midd le
of the occupant's shoulder and never
across the neck o r throat.
- The safe ty be lt mus t lie flat and snug on
the occupant's upper body
c::>fig. 119.
Pull on the belt to tighten if necessary.
-
- The lap be lt po rtion of the safety belt
m ust be posit ioned as low as possib le
across pelvis and never over the abdo
men. Make sure the belt lies flat and
snug
r:!) fig. 119. Pu ll on the belt to tight
en if necessary.
- A loose-f itting safety belt can ca use seri
ous injuries by shifting its posit ion on
your body from the strong bones to more
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