2012 KIA Optima Hybrid sensor

Safety features of your vehicle
22
3
The seat belt pre-tensioner system con-
sists mainly of the following components.
Their locations are shown in the illustra-
tion:
1. SRS air bag warning light
2. Retractor pre-tensioner assembly
3. SRS control module
4. Anchor pre-tensioner assembly Both the driver's and front passenger's
pre-tensioner seat belts may be activated
in certain frontal collisions.
The pre-tensioners will not be activated if
the seat belts are not being worn at the
time of the collision.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
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 operat-
ing conditions and are not hazardous.
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.
If the pre-tensioner seat belt does not
work properly, this warning light will illu-
minate even if the SRS air bag has not
malfunctioned. If the SRS air bag warn-
ing light does not illuminate when the
ignition switch is turned ON, or if it
remains illuminated after illuminating for
approximately 6 seconds, or if it illumi-
nates while the vehicle is being driven,
please have an authorized Kia dealer
inspect the pre-tensioner seat belt or
SRS air bag system as soon as possible.
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WARNING - Skin irritation
Wash all exposed skin areas thor-
oughly after an accident in which
the pre-tensioner seat belts were
activated. The fine dust from the
pre-tensioner activation may cause
skin irritation and should not be
breathed for prolonged periods.

335
Safety features of your vehicle
How does the air bag system
operate
Air bag are activated (able to inflate ifnecessary) only when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON or START
the appropriate position.
Air bags inflate instantly in the event of serious frontal or side collision (if
equipped with side impact air bag or
curtain air bag) in order to help protect
the occupants from serious physical
injury.
There is no single speed at which the air bags will inflate.
Generally, air bags are designed to
inflate based upon the severity of a col-
lision and its direction. These two fac-
tors determine whether the sensors
produce an electronic deployment/
inflation signal.
Air bag deployment depends on a number of complex factors including
vehicle speed, angles of impact and
the density and stiffness of the vehi-
cles or objects which your vehicle hits
in the collision. Though, factors are not
limited to those mentioned above. The front air bags will completely
inflate and deflate in an instant.
It is virtually impossible for you to see
the air bags inflate during an accident.
It is much more likely that you will sim-
ply see the deflated air bags hanging
out of their storage compartments after
the collision.
In order to help provide protection in a severe collision, the air bags must
inflate rapidly. The speed of air bag
inflation is a consequence of extreme-
ly short time in which a collision occurs
and the need to get the air bag
between the occupant and the vehicle
structures before the occupant impacts
those structures. This speed of inflation
reduces the risk of serious or life-
threatening injuries in a severe colli-
sion and is thus a necessary part of air
bag design.
However, air bag inflation can also
cause injuries which can include facial
abrasions, bruises and broken bones
because the inflation speed also caus-
es the air bags to expand with a great
deal of force. There are even circumstances
under which contact with the steer-
ing wheel air bag can cause fatal
injuries, especially if the occupant
is positioned excessively close to
the steering wheel.

Safety features of your vehicle
38
3
SRS components and functions
The SRS consists of the following com-
ponents:
1. Driver's front air bag module
2. Passenger's front air bag module
3. Side impact air bag modules
4. Curtain air bag modules
5. Retractor pre-tensioner assemblies*
6. Air bag warning light
7. SRS control module (SRSCM)
8. Front impact sensors
9. Side impact sensors 10. PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indi-
cator (Front passenger’s seat only)
11. Occupant detection system (Front passenger’s seat only)
12. Driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt buckle sensors
13. Anchor pre-tensioner assembly
*: if equipped
The SRSCM continually monitors all
SRS components while the ignition
switch is ON to determine if a crash
impact is severe enough to require air
bag deployment or pre-tensioner seat
belt deployment.
The SRS air bag warning light on the
instrument panel will illuminate for about
6 seconds after the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position, after which the
air bag warning light should go out.
If any of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction of the SRS.
Have an authorized Kia dealer inspect
the air bag system as soon as possible. The light does not turn on briefly when
you turn the ignition ON.
The light stays on after illuminating for approximately 6 seconds.
The light comes on while the vehicle is in motion.
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Safety features of your vehicle
44
3
When an adult is seated in the front pas-
senger seat, if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG “OFF” indicator is on, turn the igni-
tion switch to the LOCK position and ask
the passenger to sit properly (sitting
upright with the seat back in an upright
position, centered on the seat cushion
with their seat belt on, legs comfortably
extended and their feet on the floor).
Restart the engine and have the person
remain in that position. This will allow the
system to detect the person and to
enable the passenger air bag. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indi-
cator is still on, ask the passenger to
move to the rear seat.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
The PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicator illuminates for about 4 sec-
onds after the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position or after the engine is
started. If the front passenger seat is
occupied, the occupant detection sensor
will then classify the front passenger
after several more seconds.
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WARNING - “AIR BAG
OFF” light
Do not allow an adult passenger to
ride in the front seat when the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indicator
is illuminated, because the air bag
will not deploy in the event of a
crash. The driver must instruct the
passenger to reposition himself in
the seat. Failure to properly posi-
tion yourself may lead to airbag
deactivation resulting in airbag
non-deployment and in a collision.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicator remains illuminated after
the passenger repositions them-
selves properly and the car is
restarted, it is recommended that
passenger move to the rear seat
because the passenger's front air
bag will not deploy.

Safety features of your vehicle
46
3
The indications of the system's presence
are the letters "AIR BAG" embossed on
the air bag pad cover in the steering
wheel and the passenger's side front
panel pad above the glove box.
The SRS consists of air bags installed
under the pad covers in the center of the
steering wheel and the passenger's side
front panel above the glove box.
The purpose of the SRS is to provide the
vehicle's driver and/or the front passen-
ger with additional protection than that
offered by the seat belt system alone in
case of a frontal impact of sufficient
severity. The SRS uses sensors to gath-
er information about the driver's seat
position, the driver's and front passen-
ger's seat belt usage and impact severi-
ty. The advanced SRS offers the ability to
control the air bag inflation with two lev-
els. A first stage level is provided for mod-
erate-severity impacts. A second stage
level is provided for more severe impacts.
The passenger’s front air bag is designed
to help reduce the injury of children sit-
ting close to the instrument panel in low
speed collisions. However, children are
safer if they are restraint in the rear seat.
According to the impact severity, seating
position and seat belt usage, the SRSCM
(SRS Control Module) controls the air
bag inflation. Failure to properly wear
seat belts can increase the risk or sever-
ity of injury in an accident.
Additionally, your vehicle is equipped
with an occupant detection system in the
front passenger's seat. The occupant
detection system detects the presence of
a passenger in the front passenger's seat
and will turn off the front passenger's air
bag under certain conditions. For more
detail, see "Occupant detection system"
in this section.
Do not place any objects that may cause
magnetic fields near the front seat. These
may cause a malfunction of the seat
track position sensor.

Safety features of your vehicle
48
3
❈ The actual air bags in the vehicle may
differ from the illustration.
Side impact air bag
Your vehicle is equipped with a side
impact air bag in each front seat. The purpose of the air bag is to provide
the vehicle's driver and/or the front pas-
senger with additional protection than
that offered by the seat belt alone.
The side impact air bags are designed to
deploy only during certain side-impact
collisions, depending on the crash sever-
ity, angle, speed and point of impact. The
side air bags are not designed to deploy
in all side impact situations.
WARNING - Unexpected
deployment
Avoid impact to the side impact
airbag sensor when the ignition
switch is ON to prevent unexpected
deployment of the side impact air
bag.
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Side impact
Rear impact
Rollover
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Front

351
Safety features of your vehicle
Why didn’t my air bag go off in a
collision? (Inflation and non-infla-
tion conditions of the air bag)
There are many types of accidents in
which the air bag would not be expect-
ed to provide additional protection.
These include rear impacts, second or
third collisions in multiple impact
accidents, as well as low speed
impacts. In other words, just because
your vehicle is damaged and even if it
is totally unusable, don’t be surprised
that the air bags did not inflate.
Air bag collision sensors
(1) SRS control module
(2) Front impact sensor(3) Side impact sensor
(4) Side pressure sensor
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1234

Safety features of your vehicle
52
3
Problems may arise if the sensor instal-
lation angles are changed due to the
deformation of the front bumper, body or
B pillar where side collision sensors are
installed. Have the vehicle checked and
repaired by an authorized Kia dealer.
Installing aftermarket bumper guards or
replacing a bumper with non-genuine
parts may adversely affect your vehicle’s
collision and air bag deployment per-
formance.
Air bag inflation conditions
Front air bags
Front air bags are designed to inflate in a
frontal collision depending on the intensi-
ty, speed or angles of impact of the front
collision.
WARNING - Air bag
sensors
Do not hit or allow any objects to
impact the locations where air
bag or sensors are installed.
This may cause unexpected air
bag deployment, which could
result in serious personal injury
or death.
If the installation location or angle of the sensors is altered in
any way, the air bags may deploy
when they should not or they may
not deploy when they should.
Therefore, do not try to perform
maintenance on or around the air
bag sensors. Have the vehicle
checked and repaired by an
authorized Kia dealer.
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