2015 KIA Optima sensor

Safety features of your vehicle
26
3
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 illuminate even if the SRS air bag
has not malfunctioned. If the SRS air
bag warning light does not illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned
ON, or if it remains illuminated after
illuminating for approximately 6 sec-
onds, or if it illuminates 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.✽ ✽
NOTICE
Do not attempt to service or repair
the pre-tensioner seat belt system in
any manner. Do not attempt to
inspect or replace the pre-tensioner
seat belts yourself. This must be
done by an authorized Kia dealer.
Pre-tensioners are designed to oper-
ate only one time. After activation,
pre-tensioner seat belts must be
replaced. If the pre-tensioner must
be replaced, contact an authorized
Kia dealer.
Seat belt precautions
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 system” in this section.
WARNING - Hot pre-
tensioner
Do not touch the pre-tensioner
seat belt assemb

lies for several
minutes after they have been
activated. When the pre-tension-
er seat belt mechanism fires dur-
ing a collision the pre-tensioner
becomes hot and can burn you.

337
Safety features of your vehicle
How does the air bag system
operate
Air bags are activated (able toinflate if necessary) 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 col-
lision (if equipped with side 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
collision and its direction. These
two factors determine whether the
sensors produce an electronic
deployment/ inflation signal.
Air bag deployment depends on a number of complex factors includ-
ing vehicle speed, angles of impact
and the density and stiffness of the
vehicles 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 simply 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 extremely 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 struc-
tures. This speed of inflation
reduces the risk of serious or life-
threatening injuries in a severe col-
lision 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 bro-
ken bones because the inflation
speed also causes the air bags to
expand with a great deal of force. There are even circumstances
under which contact with the
steering wheel air bag can cause
fatal injuries, especially if the
occupant is positioned exces-
sively close to the steering
wheel.
WARNING - Airbag
Inflation
Sit as far back as possible from
the steering wheel while still
maintaining comfortable con-
trol of the your vehicle. A dis-
tance of at least 25cm (10")
from your chest to the steering
wheel is recommended. Failure
to do so can result in airbag
inflation injuries to the driver.

Safety features of your vehicle
40
3
SRS components and functions
The SRS consists of the following
components:
1. Driver's front air bag module
2. Passenger's front air bag module
3. Side air bag modules
4. Curtain air bag modules
5. Retractor pre-tensioner assem-
blies*
6. Air bag warning light
7. SRS control module (SRSCM)
8. Front impact sensors
9. Side impact sensors 10. PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicator (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. Emergency fastening device (EFD)
*: 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 vehi- cle is in motion.
OTF032049N/Q

Safety features of your vehicle
46
3
When an adult is seated in the front
passenger seat, if the PASSENGER
AIR BAG “OFF” indicator is on, turn
the ignition switch to the LOCK posi-
tion 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”
indicator is still on, ask the passen-
ger 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 occu-
pant detection sensor will then clas-
sify the front passenger after several
more seconds.
B990A01O
WARNING - “AIR BAG
OFF” light
Do not allow an adult passenger
to ride in the front seat when the
PASSENGER 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
position 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
48
3
The indications of the system's pres-
ence are the letters "AIR BAG"
embossed on the air bag pad cover
in the steering wheel and the pas-
senger'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
passenger with additional protection
than that offered by the seat belt sys-
tem alone in case of a frontal impact
of sufficient severity. The SRS uses
sensors to gather information about
the driver's seat position, the driver's
and front passenger's seat belt
usage and impact severity. The advanced SRS offers the ability
to control the air bag inflation with
two levels. A first stage level is pro-
vided for moderate-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 sitting close to the instru-
ment 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 severity of injury
in an accident.
Additionally, your vehicle is equipped
with an occupant detection system in
the front passenger's seat. The occu-
pant 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 cer-
tain 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
50
3
Side air bag
❈ The actual air bags in the vehicle may differ
from the illustration.
Your vehicle is equipped with a side
air bag in each front seat. The purpose of the air bag is to pro-
vide the vehicle's driver and/or the
front passenger with additional pro-
tection than that offered by the seat
belt alone.
The side air bags are designed to
deploy only during certain side-
impact collisions, depending on the
crash severity, angle, speed and
point of impact. The side air bags are
not designed to deploy in all side
impact situations.
The side air bag is supplemental to
the driver's and the passenger's seat
belt systems and is not a substitute
for them. Therefore your seat belts
must be worn at all times while the
vehicle is in operation.
For best protection from the side air
bag system and to avoid being
injured by the deploying side air bag,
both front seat occupants should sit
in an upright position with the seat
belt properly fastened. The driver's
hands should be placed on the steer-
ing wheel at the 9:00 and 3:00 posi-
tions. The passenger's arms and
hands should be placed on their laps.
WARNING - Unexpected
deployment
Avoid impact to the side air bag
sensor when the ignition switch
is ON to prevent unexpected
deployment of the side air bag.
OTD030035
OTD030036
Front
WARNING - Deployment
Do not install any accessories
including seat covers, on the
side or near the side air bag as
this may affect the deployment
of the side air bags.

Safety features of your vehicle
52
3
Why didn’t my air bag go off in
a collision? (Inflation and non-
inflation conditions of the air
bag)
There are many types of accidents
in which the air bag would not be
expected to provide additional
protection.
These include rear impacts, sec-
ond or third collisions in multiple
impact accidents, as well as low
speed impacts.
OTF034039N/OTF034040/OTF034041/OMG035053/OTF030048N
(1) SRS control module
(2) Front impact sensor (3) Side impact sensor
(4) Side impact sensor
Air bag collision sensors

353
Safety features of your vehicle
Problems may arise if the sensor
installation 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-gen-
uine parts may adversely affect your
vehicle’s collision and air bag deploy-
ment performance.Air bag inflation conditions
Front air bags
Front air bags are designed to inflate
in a frontal collision depending on
the intensity, 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 per-
sonal 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 per-
form maintenance on or
around the air bag sensors.
Have the vehicle checked and
repaired by an authorized Kia
dealer.
1JBA3513