2014 KIA Soul Owner's Manual

325
Safety features of your vehicle
The seat belt pre-tensioner system
consists mainly of the following com-
ponents. Their locations are shown in
the illustration:
1. SRS air bag warning light
2. Retractor pre-tensioner assembly
3. SRS control module
4. Emergency fastening device (EFD)
✽ ✽NOTICE
• Both the driver's and front pas-
senger's seat belt pre-tensioner
system may be activated not only
in certain frontal collision but also
in certain side collision or rollover,
if the vehicle is equipped with a
side or curtain air bag.
• 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 operating condi-
tions and are not hazardous.
• Although it is harmless, the fine dust may cause skin irritation and
should not be breathed for pro-
longed periods. Wash all exposed
skin areas thoroughly after an
accident in which the pre-tension-
er seat belts were activated.
• 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 illumi-
nate for approximately 6 seconds
after the ignition switch has been
turned to the ON position, and
then it should turn off.
OPS033036N/Q
WARNING
To obtain maximum benefit
from a pre-tensioner seat belt:
1. The seat belt must be worn
correctly and adjusted to the
proper position. Please read
and follow all of the important
information and precautions
about your vehicle’s occupant
safety features – including
seat belts and air bags – that
are provided in this manual.
2. Be sure you and your passen- gers always wear seat belts
properly.

Safety features of your vehicle
26
3
WARNING
Pre-tensioners are designed
to operate only one time. After
activation, pre-tensioner seat
belts must be replaced. All
seat belts, of any type, should
always be replaced after they
have been worn during a colli-
sion.
The pre-tensioner seat belt assembly mechanisms become
hot during activation. Do not
touch the pre-tensioner seat
belt assemblies for several min-
utes after they have been acti-
vated.
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-tension- er seat belt assemblies.
Do not attempt to service or repair the pre-tensioner seat
belt system in any manner.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Improper handling of the pre-tensioner seat belt assem-
blies, and failure to heed the
warnings not to strike, modify,
inspect, replace, service or
repair the pre-tensioner seat
belt assemblies may lead to
improper operation or inad-
vertent activation and serious
injury.
Always wear the seat belts when driving or riding in a
motor vehicle.
If the vehicle or pre-tensioner seat belt must be discarded,
contact an authorized Kia
dealer.CAUTION
If the pre-tensioner seat beltsystem are not working proper-ly, this warning light will illumi-nate even if there is no malfunc-tion of the SRS air bag. If theSRS air bag warning light doesnot illuminate when the ignitionswitch is turned ON, or if itremains illuminated after illumi-nating for approximately 6 sec-onds, or if it illuminates whilethe vehicle is being driven, havean authorized Kia dealer inspectthe pre-tensioner seat belt andSRS air bag system as soon aspossible.

327
Safety features of your vehicle
Seat belt precautionsInfant or small child
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 system” in this
section.
✽ ✽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 requirements of the safety
standards of your country. Before
buying any child restraint system,
make sure that it has a label certify-
ing that it meets 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 chapter.
WARNING
Every person in your vehicle
needs to be properly restrained
at all times, including infants
and children. 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 inte-
rior. Always use a child restraint
appropriate for your child's
height and weight.
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 col-
lision or sudden stop. Without a
seat belt, occupants could be
shifted too close to a deploying
air bag, strike the interior struc-
ture or be thrown from the vehi-
cle. Properly worn seat belts
greatly reduce these hazards.
Even with advanced air bags,
unbelted occupants can be
severely injured by a deploying
air bag.
Always follow the precautions
about seat belts, air bags and
occupant seating contained in
this manual.

Safety features of your vehicle
28
3
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 period-
ically. 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 seated in the front seat,
the child should be securely
restrained by the available lap/shoul-
der 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
touches 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.
Restraint of pregnant women
Pregnant women should wear
lap/shoulder belt assemblies when-
ever possible according to specific
recommendations by their doctors.
The lap portion of the belt should be
worn AS SECURELY AND LOW AS
POSSIBLE.
WARNING - Pregnant
women
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.
WARNING- Shoulder
belts on small children
Do not allow small children to ride in the vehicle without an
appropriate child restrain sys-
tem.
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 chil-
dren, there is a risk of death or
serious injury.

329
Safety features of your vehicle
Injured person
A seat belt should be used when an
injured person is being transported.
When this is necessary, you should
consult a physician for recommenda-
tions.
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 acci-
dent.
Do not lie down
To reduce the chance of injuries in
the event of an accident and to
achieve maximum effectiveness of
the restraint system, 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 proper
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 seri-
ous or fatal injuries in the event
of a collision or sudden stop.
The protection of your restraint
system (seat belts and air bags)
is greatly reduced by reclining
your seat. Seat belts must be
secured against your hips and
chest to work properly. The
more the seatback is reclined,
the greater the chance an occu-
pant'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 seatbacks upright.

Safety features of your vehicle
30
3
Care of seat belts
Seat belt systems should never be
disassembled or modified. In addi-
tion, care should be taken to assure
that seat belts and belt hardware are
not damaged by seat hinges, doors
or other abuse.
Periodic inspection
All seat belts should be inspected
periodically for wear or damage of
any kind. Any damaged parts should
be replaced as soon as possible.
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 solu-
tion and warm water. Bleach, dye,
strong detergents or abrasives
should not be used because they
may damage and weaken the fabric.
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 concerning seat belt oper-
ation should be directed to an
authorized Kia dealer.
WARNING
When you return the rear seat-
back to its upright position after
the rear seatback has been fold-
ed down, be careful not to dam-
age the seat belt webbing or
buckle. Be sure that the web-
bing or buckle does not get
caught or pinched in the rear
seat. A seat belt with damaged
webbing or buckle could possi-
bly fail during a collision or sud-
den stop, resulting in serious
injury. If the webbing or buckles
are damaged, get them replaced
immediately.

331
Safety features of your vehicle
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM
Children riding in the vehicle should
sit in the rear seat and must always
be properly restrained to minimize
the risk of injury in an accident, sud-
den stop or sudden maneuver.
According to accident statistics, chil-
dren 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 commer-
cially available child restraint system
that meets the requirements 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 par-
ticular child restraint system, make
sure it fits your vehicle 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 passen-
ger-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.
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(Continued)
A seat belt or child restraintsystem can become very hot
if it is left in a closed vehicle
on a sunny day, even if the
outside temperature does not
feel hot. Be sure to check the
seat cover and buckles before
placing a child there.
When the child restraint sys- tem is not in use, store it in
the cargo 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
32
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 passenger seat can be
forcefully struck by an inflat-
ing air bag resulting in seri-
ous or fatal injuries.
Always follow the child restraint system manufactur-
er’s instructions for installa-
tion and use of the child
restraint.
Always make sure the child seat is secured properly in the
vehicle 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 cre-
ated during a crash will tear
the child from your arms and
throw the child against the
vehicle’s interior.
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(Continued)
Never put a seat belt over your-self and a child. During a crash,
the belt could press deep into
the child causing serious inter-
nal injuries.
Never leave children unattend- ed in a vehicle – not even for a
short time. The vehicle can heat
up very quickly, resulting in
serious injuries to children
inside. Even very young chil-
dren may inadvertently cause
the vehicle to move, entangle
themselves in the windows, or
lock themselves or others
inside the vehicle.
Never allow two children, or any two persons, to use the same
seat belt.
Children often squirm and reposition themselves improp-
erly. Never let a child ride with
the shoulder belt under their
arm or behind their back.
Always properly position and
secure children in the rear seat.
(Continued)(Continued)
Never allow a child to stand-upor kneel on the seat or floor of
a moving vehicle. During a col-
lision or sudden stop, the child
can be violently thrown against
the vehicle’s interior, resulting
in serious injury.
Never use an infant carrier or a child safety seat that "hooks"
over a seatback, it may not pro-
vide adequate security in an
accident.
Seat belts can become very hot, especially when the vehi-
cle is parked in direct sunlight.
Always check the seat belt
buckles before fastening them
over a child.
After an accident, have an authorized 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 sys-
tem in the rear right seat.