2012 KIA Optima Owner's Manual

Safety features of your vehicle
44
3
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. The air bag modules are located both in
the center of the steering wheel and in
the front passenger's panel above the
glove box. When the SRSCM detects a
sufficiently severe impact to the front of
the vehicle, it will automatically deploy
the front air bags.
Upon deployment, tear seams molded
directly into the pad covers will separate
under pressure from the expansion of the
air bags. Further opening of the covers
then allows full inflation of the air bags.
B240B01L
Driver’s front air bag (1)
B240B02L
Driver’s front air bag (2)

345
Safety features of your vehicle
B240B05L
Passenger’s front air bag
A fully inflated air bag, in combination
with a properly worn seat belt, slows the
driver's or the passenger's forward
motion, reducing the risk of head and
chest injury.
After complete inflation, the air bag
immediately starts deflating, enabling the
driver to maintain forward visibility and
the ability to steer or operate other con-
trols.
B240B03L
Driver’s front air bag (3)
WARNING
Do not install or place any acces-sories (drink holder, cassette
holder, sticker, etc.) on the front
passenger's panel above the
glove box in a vehicle with a pas-
senger's air bag. Such objects
may become dangerous projec-
tiles and cause injury if the pas-
senger's air bag inflates.
(Continued)
(Continued)
When installing a container of liq-uid air freshener inside the vehi-
cle, do not place it near the
instrument cluster nor on the
instrument panel surface.
It may become dangerous projec-
tiles and cause injury if the pas-
senger's air bag inflates.

Safety features of your vehicle
46
3
ODS (Occupant Detection System)
Your vehicle is equipped with an ODS in
the front passenger's seat.
(Continued)
The SRS can function only when
the ignition key is in the ON posi-
tion. If the SRS air bag warning
light does not illuminate, or con-
tinuously remains on after illumi-
nating for about 6 seconds when
the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position, or after the
engine is started, comes on while
driving, the SRS is not working
properly. If this occurs, have your
vehicle immediately inspected by
an authorized Kia dealer.
Before you replace a fuse or dis- connect a battery terminal, turn
the ignition switch to the LOCK
position and remove the ignition
key. Never remove or replace the
air bag related fuse(s) when the
ignition switch is in the ON posi-
tion. Failure to heed this warning
will cause the SRS air bag warn-
ing light to illuminate.WARNING
If an air bag deploys, there maybe a loud noise followed by a fine
dust released in the vehicle.
These conditions are normal and
are not hazardous - the air bags
are packed in this fine powder.
The dust generated during air
bag deployment may cause skin
or eye irritation as well as aggra-
vate asthma for some persons.
Always wash all exposed skin
areas thoroughly with lukewarm
water and a mild soap after an
accident in which the air bags
were deployed.
(Continued)
OTF030047N

347
Safety features of your vehicle
The ODS is designed to detect the pres-
ence of a properly-seated front passen-
ger and determine if the passenger's
front air bag should be enabled (may
inflate) or not. The driver's front air bag is
not affected or controlled by the ODS.Main components of ODS
A detection device located within thefront passenger seat track.
Electronic system to determine whether passenger air bag systems
should be activated or deactivated.
A indicator light located on the instru- ment panel which illuminates the
words PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicating the front passenger air bag
system is deactivated.
The instrument panel air bag warning light is interconnected with the occu-
pant detection system.
If the front passenger seat is occupied by
a person that the system determines to
be of adult size, and he/she sits properly
(sitting upright with the seatback in an
upright position, centered on the seat
cushion with their seat belt on, legs com-
fortably extended and their feet on the
floor), the PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicator will turn off and the front pas-
senger's air bag will be able to inflate, if
necessary, in frontal crashes.
You will find the PASSENGER AIR BAG
“OFF” indicator on the center facia panel.
This system detects the conditions 1~4
in the following table and activates or
deactivates the front passenger air bag
based on these conditions. Always be sure that you and all vehicle
occupants are seated and restrained
properly (sitting upright with the seat in
an upright position, centered on the seat
cushion, with the person’s legs comfort-
ably extended, feet on the floor, and
wearing the safety belt properly) for the
most effective protection by the air bag
and the safety belt.
The ODS (Occupant Detection System)
may not function properly if the passen-
ger takes actions which can defeat the
detection system. These include:
(1) Failing to sit in an upright position.
(2) Leaning against the door or center console.
(3) Sitting towards the sides or the front of the seat.
(4) Putting legs on the dashboard or rest- ing them on other locations which
reduce the passenger weight on the
front seat.
(5) Improperly wearing the safety belt.
(6) Reclining the seat back.

Safety features of your vehicle
48
3
WARNING
Riding in an improper position or
placing weight on the front passen-
ger's seat when it is unoccupied by
a passenger adversely affects the
occupant detection system (ODS).
(Continued)
Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant detection system
*1) The system judges a person of adult size as an adult. When a smaller adult sits inthe front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/her as a child depending
on his/her physique and posture.
*2) Do not allow children to ride in the front passenger seat. When a smaller child than the same age sits in the front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/her
as an infant depending on his/her physique or posture.
*3) Never install a child restraint system on the front passenger seat.
*4) The PASSENGER AIR BAG "OFF" indicator may turn on or off when a child above 12 months to 12 years old (with or without child restraint system) sits in the front
passenger seat. This is a normal condition.
Condition detected by the occupant
detection system
1. Adult *
1or child age 13 and up*2
2. Infant or child restraint system with 12 months old*3 *4
3. Unoccupied
4. Malfunction in the system
Off
On
On
Off Off
Off
Off
On Activated
Deactivated
Deactivated Activated
PASSENGER AIR
BAG “OFF” indica- tor lightSRS warninglightFront passenger air bag
Indicator/Warning light Devices

349
Safety features of your vehicle
1KMN3663
1KMN3664
1KMN3665
- Never sit with the hips shiftedtowards the front of the seat.
- Never lean on the door or centerconsole.
- Never sit on one side of the front passenger seat.
- Never place the feet on the dash-
board.
B990A08O
1KMN3662
- Never put a heavy load in thefront passenger seat.
- Never excessively recline thefront passenger seatback.
OVQ036014N
- Never place the feet on the frontpassenger seatback.
(Continued)

Safety features of your vehicle
50
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.
B990A01O
WARNING
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. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG
“OFF” indicator remains illuminat-
ed after the passenger repositions
themselves 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.
Front seat passengers must stay
properly seated to avoid serious
injury from a deploying air bag.
WARNING
Do not put a heavy load in the front
passenger seat. Do not place any
items under the front passenger
seat. Any of these could interfere
with proper sensor operation.

351
Safety features of your vehicle
(Continued)
Air bags can only be used once –have an authorized Kia dealer
replace the air bag immediately
after deployment.
A smaller-stature adult who is not seated correctly (for example:
seat excessively reclined, leaning
on the door or center console, or
hips shifted forward in the seat)
can cause a condition where the
advanced frontal air bag system
senses less weight than if the
occupant were seated properly
(sitting upright with the seatback
in an upright position, centered
on the seat cushion with their
seat belt on, legs comfortably
extended and their feet on the
floor).
This condition can result in an
adult potentially being misclassi-
fied and illumination of the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indica-
tor.(Continued)
If you change the weight on thefront passenger seat, the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indica-
tor may turn on or off for a few
seconds, disabling or enabling
the passenger air bag.
Do not modify or replace the front passenger seat. Don't place any-
thing on or attach anything such
as a blanket or after market seat
heater to the front passenger
seat. This can adversely affect the
occupant detection system.
Do not sit on sharp objects such as tools when occupying the front
passenger seat. This can adverse-
ly affect the occupant detection
system.
Do not use accessory seat covers on the front seats.
Accident statistics show that chil- dren are safer if they are
restrained in the rear, as opposed
to the front seat. It is recommend-
ed that child restraints be secured
in a rear seat, including an infant
riding in a rear-facing infant seat,
a child riding in a forward-facing
child seat and an older child rid-
ing in a booster seat.
(Continued)WARNING
Even though your vehicle isequipped with the occupant
detection system, never install a
child restraint system in the front
passenger's seat. A deploying air
bag can forcefully strike a child
resulting in serious injuries or
death. Any child age 12 and
under should ride in the rear seat.
Children too large for child
restraints should use the avail-
able lap/shoulder belts. No mat-
ter what type of crash, children of
all ages are safer when restrained
in the rear seat.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indicator is illuminated
when the front passenger's seat
is occupied by an adult and
he/she sits properly (sitting
upright with the seatback in an
upright position, centered on the
seat cushion with their seat belt
on, legs comfortably extended
and their feet on the floor), have
that person sit in the rear seat.
(Continued)