2011 KIA Soul Owner's Manual

Safety features of your vehicle
20
3
✽
✽
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.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
Because 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 light will illuminate even if there is nomalfunction of the SRS air bag. Ifthe SRS air bag warning light doesnot illuminate when the ignition switch is turned ON, or if it remainsilluminated after illuminating forapproximately 6 seconds, or if itilluminates while the vehicle isbeing driven, please have anauthorized KIA dealer inspect thepre-tensioner seat belt and SRS airbag system as 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.
Do not put anything near the buckle. Placing objects near the
buckle can adversely affect the
buckle pretensioner and may
increase the risk of personal
injury in the event of a collision.
(Continued)

321
Safety features of your vehicle
C020300AUN-EU
Seat belt precautions
C020306AUN
Infant or small child
You should be aware of the specific
requirements in your country. Child
and/or infant seats must be properly
placed and installed in the rear seat. For
more information about the use of these
restraints, refer to “Child restraint sys-
tem” in this section.
(Continued)
Improper handling of the pre-ten-sioner seat belt assemblies, and
failure to heed the warnings not
to strike, modify, inspect, replace,
service or repair the pre-tension-
er seat belt assemblies may lead
to improper operation or inadver-
tent activation and serious injury.
Always wear the seat belts when driving or riding in a motor vehi-
cle.
If the vehicle or pre-tensioner seat belt must be discarded, con-
tact an authorized KIA dealer.
WARNING
All occupants of the vehicle must
wear their seat belts at all times.
Seat belts and child restraints
reduce the risk of serious or fatal
injuries for all occupants in the
event of a collision or sudden stop.
Without a seat belt, occupants
could be shifted too close to a
deploying air bag, strike the interior
structure or be thrown from the
vehicle. Properly worn seat belts
greatly reduce these hazards.
Even with advanced air bags,
unbelted occupants can be severe-
ly injured by a deploying air bag.
Always follow the precautions
about seat belts, air bags and occu-
pant seating contained in this man-
ual.
WARNING
Every person in your vehicle needs
to be properly restrained at all
times, including infants and chil-
dren. Never hold a child in your
arms or lap when riding in a vehi-
cle. The violent forces created dur-
ing a crash will tear the child from
your arms and throw the child
against the interior. Always use a
child restraint appropriate for your
child's height and weight.

Safety features of your vehicle
22
3
✽
✽
NOTICE
Small children are best protected from
injury in an accident when properly
restrained in the rear seat by a child
restraint system that meets the require-
ments of the safety standards of your
country. Before buying any child
restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets the safety
standards of your country. The restraint
must be appropriate for your child's
height and weight. Check the label on
the child restraint for this information.
Refer to “Child restraint system” in this
section.
C020301AHM
Larger children
Children who are too large for child
restraint systems should always occupy
the rear seat and use the available
lap/shoulder belts. The lap portion should
be fastened and snugged on the hips
and as low as possible. Check if the belt
fits periodically. A child's squirming could
put the belt out of position. Children are
given the most safety in the event of an
accident when they are restrained by a
proper restraint system in the rear seat. If
a larger child (over age 12) must be seat-
ed in the front seat, the child should be
securely restrained by the available
lap/shoulder belt and the seat should be
placed in the rearmost position. Children
age 12 and under should be restrained
securely in the rear seat. NEVER place a
child age 12 and under in the front seat.
NEVER place a rear facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle. If the shoulder belt portion slightly touch-
es the child’s neck or face, try placing the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. If
the shoulder belt still touches their face
or neck they need to be returned to a
child restraint system.
WARNING- Shoulder belts
on small children
Never allow a shoulder belt to be
in contact with a child’s neck or
face while the vehicle is in
motion.
If seat belts are not properly worn and adjusted on children, there is
a risk of death or serious injury.

323
Safety features of your vehicle
C020302AKM
Restraint of pregnant women
Pregnant women should wear lap/shoul-
der belt assemblies whenever possible
according to specific recommendations
by their doctors. The lap portion of the
belt should be worn AS SNUGLY AND
LOW AS POSSIBLE on the hips, not a
cross the abdomen.
C020303AUN
Injured person
A seat belt should be used when an
injured person is being transported.
When this is necessary, you should con-
sult a physician for recommendations.
C020304AUN
One person per belt
Two people (including children) should
never attempt to use a single seat belt.
This could increase the severity of
injuries in case of an accident.
C020305AAM
Do not lie down
To 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 and rear seats should be in
an upright position when the vehicle is
moving. A seat belt cannot provide prop-
er protection if the person is lying down in
the rear seat or if the front and rear seats
are 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 snugged against
your hips and chest to work proper-
ly. The more the seatback is
reclined, the greater the chance an
occupant's hips will slide under the
lap belt causing serious internal
injuries. Also, the shoulder belt
may strike the occupant's neck.
Drivers and passengers should
always sit well back in their seats,
properly belted, and with the seat-
backs upright.
WARNING - Pregnantwomen
Pregnant women must never place
the lap portion of the safety belt
over the area of the abdomen
where the fetus is located or above
the abdomen where the belt could
crush the fetus during an impact.

Safety features of your vehicle
24
3
C020400AEN
Care of seat belts
Seat 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.
C020401AEN
Periodic inspection
All seat belts should be inspected peri-
odically for wear or damage of any kind.
Any damaged parts should be replaced
as soon as possible.
C020402AUN
Keep belts clean and dry
Seat 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.
C020403ASA
When to replace seat belts
The entire 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 has been folded down, be
careful not to damage the seat belt
webbing 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 could possibly fail during
a collision or sudden stop, result-
ing in serious injury. If the webbing
or buckles are damaged, get them
replaced immediately.

325
Safety features of your vehicle
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM
C030000AHM-EC
Children 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 meets the require-
ments of the safety standards of your
country.
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by seat belt, or by
a tether anchor and/or LATCH anchors (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
manufacturer 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.
(Continued)
(Continued)
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 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.

Safety features of your vehicle
26
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)
(Continued)
Never leave children unattendedin a vehicle – not even for a short
time. The car can heat up very
quickly, resulting in serious
injuries to children inside. Even
very young children may inadver-
tently cause the vehicle to move,
entangle themselves in the win-
dows, or lock themselves or oth-
ers inside the vehicle.
Never allow two children, or any two persons, to use the same
seat belt.
Children often squirm and repo- sition themselves improperly.
Never let a child ride with the
shoulder belt under their arm or
behind their back. Always proper-
ly position and secure children in
the rear seat.
Never allow a child to stand-up or kneel on the seat or floor of a
moving vehicle. During a colli-
sion or sudden stop, the child
can be violently thrown against
the vehicle’s interior, resulting in
serious injury.
(Continued)(Continued)
Never use an infant carrier or achild safety seat that "hooks"
over a seatback, it may not pro-
vide adequate security in an acci-
dent.
Seat belts can become very hot, especially when the car is parked
in direct sunlight. Always check
the seat belt buckles before fas-
tening them over a child.
After an accident, have an author- ized KIA dealer check the child
restraint system, seat belt, tether
anchor and lower anchor.
If there is not enough space to place the child restraint system
because of the driver's seat,
install the child restraint system
in the rear right seat.

327
Safety features of your vehicle
C030100AHM-EU
Using a child restraint system
For small children and babies, the use of
a child seat or infant seat is required. This
child seat or infant seat should be of
appropriate size for the child and should
be installed in accordance with the man-
ufacturer's instructions.For safety reasons, we recommend that
the child restraint system be used in the
rear seats.
Since all passenger seat belts move
freely under normal conditions and only
lock under extreme or emergency condi-
tions (emergency locking mode), you
must manually change these seat belts
to the automatic locking mode to secure
a child restraint.
CRS09
OUN026150
Forward-facing child restraint system
Rearward-facing child restraint system
WARNING
Never place a rear-facing child
restraint in the front passenger
seat, because of the danger an
inflating passenger-side air bag
could impact the rear-facing child
restraint and kill the child.
WARNING- Child seat
installation
A child can be seriously injured
or killed in a collision if the child
restraint is not properly anchored
to the car and the child is not
properly restrained in the child
restraint. Before installing the
child restraint system, read the
instructions supplied by the child
restraint system manufacturer.
If the seat belt does not operate as described in this section, have
the system checked immediately
by your authorized KIA dealer.
Failure to observe this manual's instructions regarding child
restraint systems and the
instructions provided with the
child restraint system could
increase the chance and/or
severity of injury in an accident.