2012 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE Owners Manual

2-22 Seat and restraint systems
2Seat belt use during pregnancy
N00406800075
Seat belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like
all occupants, pregnant women are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed in an accident if they do not wear seat belts.
Seat belt pre-tensioner and force limiter
systems
N00417700319
The driver’s and front passenger’s seats each have a seat belt
equipped with a pre-tensioner system.Pre-tensioner system The driver and front passenger seat belts are equipped with a
seat belt pre-tensioner system. In moderate-to-severe frontal
collisions, this system operates simultaneously with the
deployment of the front air bags.
The seat belt pre-tensioners are located within the seat belt
retractors (A). When activated, the pre-tensioners quickly draw
back seat belt webbing and increase seat belt performance.
WA R N I N G
!
To reduce the risk of serious injury or death to preg-
nant women and unborn children in an accident,
pregnant women should always wear a seat belt. The
lap portion of the seat belt should be worn snug and
low across the hips and below the rounding. Consult
your doctor if you have any additional questions or
concerns.
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2
The seat belt pre-tensioner system includes the following com-
ponents:
The air bag control unit monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in the “ON”
or “START” position. These include all of the items listed
above and all related wiring.
The pre-tensioner seat belts will operate only when the ignition
switch is in the “ON” or “START” position.When the seat belt pre-tensioners activate, some smoke is
released and a loud noise will be heard. The smoke is not harm-
ful, but care should be taken not to intentionally inhale it, as it
may cause some temporary irritation to people with respiratory
problems.
Even in the event of a severe frontal impact, the pre-tensioners
will not operate if the seat belts are not fastened. The seat belt
pre-tensioners may not activate in certain frontal collisions,
even though the vehicle may appear to be severely damaged.
Such non-activation does not mean something is wrong with
the seat belt pre-tensioner system, but rather that the collision
forces were not severe enough or not of the type to activate the
system.1- SRS warning light
2- Front impact sensors
3- Seat belt pre-tensioners
4- Seat belt buckle switches
5- Air bag control unit
WA R N I N G
!
The seat belt pre-tensioner system is designed to
work only once. After the seat belt pre-tensioners
have been activated, they will not work again. They
must promptly be replaced and the entire seat belt
pre-tensioner system inspected by an authorized
Mitsubishi Motors dealer.
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2-24 Seat and restraint systems
2
SRS warning light
N00408700049
This warning light tells you if there is a problem involving the
SRS air bags and the pre-tensioner seat belts. Refer to “SRS
warning light” on page 2-44.Force limiter system
N00408900070
In the event of an accident, the seat belt force limiter system
will help reduce the force applied to the driver and front seat
passenger.
Child restraints
N00407100600
When transporting infants or small children in your vehicle, an
appropriate child restraint system must always be used. This is
required by law in the U.S. and Canada.
Child restraints specifically designed for infants and small chil-
dren are offered by several manufacturers. Choose only a child
restraint system with a label certifying that it complies with
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213) or
Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems and Booster Cushions Safety
Regulations (RSSR). Look for the manufacturer’s statement of
compliance on the box and child restraint itself.
The child restraint system should be appropriate for your
child’s weight and height, and should properly fit your vehi-
cle’s seat.
For detail information, refer to the instruction manual accom-
panying the child restraint system.Guidelines for child restraint system selectionAll children should be properly restrained in a restraint device
that offers the maximum protection for their size and age.
Be sure to check local, state, or provincial requirements for
child size and age that may vary from the recommendations
listed below.

Children less than 1 year old and children less than 20
pounds (9 kg) MUST ride in a rear-facing child safety seat
that MUST ONLY be used in the rear seat.

Children older than 1 year of age and who weigh less than
40 pounds (18 kg) or who are less than 40 inches (100 cm)
tall must be in a forward-facing restraint used only in the
rear seat.
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Seat and restraint systems
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2

Children who weigh more than 40 pounds (18 kg) or who
are more than 40 inches (100 cm) tall, regardless of age,
should use a suitable child seat or a booster seat (including
a booster cushion) in the rear seat until the vehicle’s
lap/shoulder belt fits them properly.
WA R N I N G
!
All children must be seated in the rear seat, and
properly restrained.
Accident statistics show that children of all sizes and
ages are safer when properly restrained in the rear
seat, rather than in the front seat.
Any child who is too large to use a child restraint
should ride in the rear seat and wear the lap and
shoulder belt properly. The shoulder belt must be
positioned over the shoulder and across the chest,
not across their neck, and with the lap belt posi-
tioned low on the child’s hips, not across their stom-
ach. If necessary, a booster seat (including a booster
cushion) should be used to help achieve a proper
seat belt fit. Follow the booster seat (including a
booster cushion) manufacturer’s instructions. Only
use a booster seat (including a booster cushion) that
is certified as complying with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards or Motor Vehicle Restraint Sys-
tems and Booster Cushions Safety Regulations.
Your ECLIPSE SPYDER is not equipped with a
tether anchor. Child restraint systems and a booster
seat (including a booster cushion) which require a
tether strap cannot be used in your ECLIPSE SPY-
DER.
Never operate the electric convertible top when a
child is in your ECLIPSE SPYDER or when a child
restraint system is attached to the rear seat.

Never hold an infant or child in your arms or on
your lap when riding in this vehicle, even when you
are wearing your seat belt. Never place any part of
the seat belt you are wearing around an infant or
child. Failure to follow these simple instructions cre-
ates a risk of serious injury or death to your child in
the event of an accident or sudden stop.
WA R N I N G
!
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2-26 Seat and restraint systems
2
WA R N I N G
!
Your vehicle is also equipped with a front passenger
air bag.
Never put REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINTS
or INFANT RESTRAINTS in the front passenger
seat. This places the infant too close to the passenger
air bag. During deployment of the air bag, the infant
can be seriously injured or killed. Rear-facing child
restraints or infant restraints must only be used in
the rear seat.
Air bag cover
WA R N I N G
!
FRONT-FACING CHILD RESTRAINTS should
always be used in the rear seat whenever possible. If
one must be used in the front passenger seat, move
the seat to the most rearward position and make
sure the child stays in the child restraint, properly
restrained. Failure to follow these instructions could
result in serious injury or death to the child.
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Seat and restraint systems
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2
NOTE
Before purchasing a child restraint system, try installing it
in the rear seat to make sure there is a good fit. Because of
the location of the seat belt buckles and the shape of the
seat cushion, it may be difficult to securely install some
manufacturer’s child restraint systems.
If the child restraint system can be pulled forward or to
either side easily on the seat cushion after the seat belt has
been tightened, choose another manufacturer’s child
restraint system.
Depending on the seating position in the vehicle and the
child restraint system that you have, the child restraint can
be attached using one of the following two methods:
• To the lower anchorage in the rear seat ONLY if the
child restraint is compatible with the LATCH system
(See page 2-28).
• To the seat belt (See page 2-31).
WA R N I N G
!
It is important to use an approved rear-facing infant
restraint until the infant is one year old (unless the
infant outgrows the seat sooner). This allows the
infant’s neck and spine to develop enough to support
the weight of their head in the event of an accident.
When installing a child restraint system, follow the
instructions provided by the manufacturer and fol-
low the directions in this manual. Failure to do so
can result in serious injury or death to your child in
an accident or sudden stop.
After installation, push and pull the child restraint
system back and forth, and side to side, to see that it
is firmly secured. If the child restraint system is not
installed securely, it may cause injury to the child or
other occupants in the event of an accident or sud-
den stop.
When not in use, keep your child restraint system
secured with the seat belt, or remove it from the
vehicle, in order to prevent it from being thrown
around inside the vehicle during an accident.
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2-28 Seat and restraint systems
2
Installing a child restraint system using the
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for chil-
dren) system
N00418800043
Lower anchor locationsThe seating positions in the rear seat of your vehicle are
equipped with lower anchors for attaching child restraint sys-
tems compatible with the LATCH system.NOTE
The symbols on the seatback show the location of the
lower anchor points.
Tether anchor locations (ECLIPSE only)
N00418900086
Your vehicle has 2 attachment points on the floor of the cargo
area. These are for securing a child restraint system tether strap
to each of the 2 rear seating positions in your vehicle.*- Rear of the vehicle
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Seat and restraint systems
2-29
2
Examples of child restraint systems compatible with the
LATCH system
N00419000101
Using the LATCH system
N00419100203
1. Push the anchor connectors (A) on the child restraint sys-
tem into the slits (B) in accordance with the instructions
provided by the child restraint system manufacturer.
Remember, the lower anchors (E) provided with your
vehicle are designed to secure suitable child restraint sys-
tems compatible with the LATCH system in the rear seat
only.
A- Rear-facing child restraint
B- Front-facing child restraint
C- Child restraint system lower anchor connectors
D- Tether strap
(These are only examples.)
A: Connector
B: Slit
C: Vehicle seatback
D: Vehicle seat cushion
E: Lower anchor
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