2019 Hyundai Sonata Owner's Manual

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Safety system of your vehicle
Larger children
Children under age 13 and who are
too large for a booster seat must
always occupy the rear seat and use
the available lap/shoulder belts. A
seat belt should lie across the upper
thighs and be snug across the shoul-
der and chest to restrain the child
safely. Check belt fit periodically.
Children are afforded the most safe-
ty in the event of an accident when
they are restrained by a proper
restraint system and/or seat belts in
the rear seat. Always have the
LATCH system inspected by your
authorized HYUNDAI dealer after an
accident. An accident can damage
the LATCH system and may not
properly secure the child restraint.
If a larger child over age 13 must be
seated in the front seat, the child
must be securely restrained by the
available lap/shoulder belt and the
seat should be placed in the rear-
most position.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 an appropriate
booster seat in the rear seat.
Transporting an injured person
A seat belt should be used when an
injured person is being transported.
Consult a physician for specific rec-
ommendations.
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
Sitting in a reclined position when
the vehicle is in motion can be dan-
gerous. Even when buckled up, the
protections of your restraint system
(seat belts and air bags) is greatly
reduced by reclining your seatback.
To reduce the chance of injuries in
the event of an accident and to
achieve the maximum effectiveness
of the restraint system, all passen-
gers should be sitting up and the
front and rear seats should be in an
upright position when the car is mov-
ing.
Always make sure children
are wearing their seat belts
and that they are properly
adjusted before driving.
NEVER allow the shoulder
belt to contact the child's
neck or face.
Do not allow more than one
child to use a single seat belt.
WARNING

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Safety system of your vehicle
2
A seat belt cannot provide proper
protection if the person is lying down
in the rear seat or if the front or rear
seats are in a reclined position.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 by
an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
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 seat belt assembly or
assemblies should be replaced if the
vehicle has been involved in an acci-
dent. This should be done even if no
damage is visible. Additional ques-
tions concerning seat belt operation
should be directed to an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
NEVER ride with a reclined
seatback when the vehicle is
moving.
Riding with a reclined seatback
increases your chance of seri-
ous or fatal injuries in the event
of a collision or sudden stop.
Drivers and passengers should
always sit well back in their
seats, properly belted, and with
the seatbacks upright.
WARNING

2-34
Safety system of your vehicle
Children Always in the RearChildren under age 13 must always
ride in the rear seats and must
always be properly restrained to min-
imize the risk of injury in an accident,
sudden stop or sudden maneuver.
According to accident statistics, chil-
dren are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seats than in
the front seat.Even with air bags,
children can be seriously injured
or killed. Children too large for a
child restraint must use the seat belts
provided.
All 50 states have child restraint laws
which require children to travel in
approved child restraint devices. The
laws governing the age or height/
weight restrictions at which seat
belts can be used instead of child
restraints differs among states, so
you should be aware of the specific
requirements in your state, and
where you are travelling. Child restraint systems 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
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS).
Child restraint systems are generally
designed to be secured in a vehicle
seat by lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt, or by a LATCH sys-
tem in the rear seats of the vehicle.
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Always properly restrain chil-
dren in the rear seats of the
vehicle.
Children of all ages are safer
when restrained in the rear seat.
A child riding in the front pas-
senger seat can be forcefully
struck by an inflating air bag
resulting in SERIOUS INJURY
or DEATH.
WARNING

2-35
Safety system of your vehicle
2
Child restraint system (CRS)
Infants and younger children must be
restrained in an appropriate rear-fac-
ing or forward-facing CRS that has
first been properly secured to the
rear seat of the vehicle. Read and
comply with the instructions for
installation and use provided by the
manufacturer of the child restraint.
Selecting a Child Restraint
System (CRS)
When selecting a CRS for your child,
always:
Make sure the CRS has a labelcertifying that it meets applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS 213).
Select a child restraint based on your child's height and weight. The
required label or the instructions
for use typically provide this infor-
mation.
Select a child restraint that fits the vehicle seating position where it
will be used.
Read and comply with the warn- ings and instructions for installation
and use provided with the child
restraint system.
(Continued)Always follow the child
restraint system manufactur-
er's instructions for installa-
tion and use.
Always properly restrain your
child in the child restraint.
If the vehicle head restraint
prevents proper installation of
a child seat (as described in
the child restraint system
manual), the head restraint of
the respective seating posi-
tion shall be readjusted or
entirely removed.
Do not use an infant carrier or
a child safety seat that
"hooks" over a seatback, it
may not provide adequate
protection in an accident.
After an accident, have a
HYUNDAI dealer check the
child restraint system, seat
belts, tether anchors and
lower anchors.
An improperly secured child
restraint can increase the risk
of SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH
in an accident. Always take the
following precautions when
using a child restraint system:
NEVER install a child or infant
restraint in the front passen-
ger's seat.
Always properly secure the
child restraint to a rear seat of
the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING

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Safety system of your vehicle
Child restraint system types
There are three main types of child
restraint systems: rear-facing seats,
forward-facing seats, and booster
seats. They are classified according
to the child's age, height and weight.
Rear-facing child seats
A rear-facing child seat provides
restraint with the seating surface
against the back of the child. The har-
ness system holds the child in place,
and in an accident, acts to keep the
child positioned in the seat and
reduce the stress to the neck and
spinal cord.
All children under age one must
always ride in a rear-facing infant child
restraint.
Convertible and 3-in-1 child seats typ-
ically have higher height and weight
limits for the rear-facing position,
allowing you to keep your child rear-
facing for a longer period of time.Continue to use a rear-facing child
seat for as long as your child will fit
within the height and weight limits
allowed by the child seat manufactur-
er. It's the best way to keep them
safe. Once your child has outgrown
the rear-facing child restraint, your
child is ready for a forward-facing
child restraint with a harness.
OLMB033041NEVER install a child or infant
restraint in the front passen-
ger's seat.
Placing a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat can
result in SERIOUS INJURY or
DEATH if the child restraint is
struck by an inflating air bag.
WARNING

2-37
Safety system of your vehicle
2
Forward-facing child restraints
A forward-facing child seat provides
restraint for the child’s body with a
harness. Keep children in a forward-
facing child seat with a harness until
they reach the top height or weight
limit allowed by your child restraint's
manufacturer.
Once your child outgrows the for-
ward-facing child restraint, your child
is ready for a booster seat.
Booster seats
A booster seat is a restraint designed
to improve the fit of the vehicle’s seat
belt system. A booster seat positions
the seat belt so that it fits properly
over the lap of your child.
Keep your child in a booster seat
until they are big enough to sit in the
seat without a booster and still have
the seat belt fit properly. For a seat
belt to fit properly, the lap belt must
lie snugly across the upper thighs,
not the stomach. The shoulder belt
should lie snug across the shoulder
and chest and not across the neck or
face. Children under age 13 must
always ride in the rear seats and
must always be properly restrained
to minimize the risk of injury.
Installing a Child Restraint
System (CRS)
Before installing your child
restraint system always:
Read and follow the instruc-
tions provided by the manu-
facturer of the child restraint.
Read and follow the instruc-
tions regarding child restraint
systems in this manual.
Failure to follow all warnings
and instructions could increase
the risk of the SERIOUS INJURY
or DEATH if an accident occurs.
WARNING
If the vehicle headrest prevents
proper installation of a child
seat (as described in the child
seat system manual, the head-
rest of the respective seating
position shall be readjusted or
entirely removed.
WARNING
OLF034033

2-38
Safety system of your vehicle
After selecting a proper child seat for
your child, check to make sure it fits
properly in your vehicle. Follow the
instructions provided by the manu-
facturer when installing the child
seat. Note these general steps when
installing the seat to your vehicle:

Properly secure the child restraint
to the vehicle.
All child restraints
must be secured to the vehicle with
the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt or
with the LATCH system.
Make sure the child restraint is
firmly secured. After installing a
child restraint to the vehicle, push
and pull the seat forward and from
side-to-side to verify that it is
securely attached to the seat. A
child restraint secured with a seat
belt should be installed as firmly as
possible. However, some side-to-
side movement can be expected.
Secure the child in the child
restraint. Make sure the child is
properly strapped in the child
restraint according to the manufac-
turer instructions.
Lower Anchors and Tether for Children (LATCH) System
The LATCH system holds a child
restraint during driving and in an
accident. This system is designed to
make installation of the child restraint
easier and reduce the possibility of
improperly installing your child
restraint. The LATCH system uses
anchors in the vehicle and attach-
ments on the child restraint. The
LATCH system eliminates the need
to use seat belts to secure the child
restraint to the rear seats.
Lower anchors are metal bars built
into the vehicle. There are two lower
anchors for each LATCH seating
position that will accommodate a
child restraint with lower attach-
ments.
To use the LATCH system in your
vehicle, you must have a child
restraint with LATCH attachments.
The child seat manufacturer will pro-
vide you with instructions on how to
use the child seat with its attach-
ments for the LATCH lower anchors.
A child restraint in a closed
vehicle can become very hot. To
prevent burns, check the seat-
ing surface and buckles before
placing your child in the child
restraint.
CAUTION

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Safety system of your vehicle
2
LATCH anchors have been provided
in the left and right outboard rear
seating positions. Their locations are
shown in the illustration. There are
no LATCH anchors provided for the
center rear seating position.The lower anchor position indicator
symbols are located on the left and
right rear seat backs to identify the
position of the lower anchors in your
vehicle (see arrows in illustration).
The LATCH anchors are located
between the seatback and the seat
cushion of the rear seat left and right
outboard seating positions.
To use the lower anchor, push the
upper portion of the lower anchor
cover.
Do not attempt to install a child
restraint system using LATCH
anchors in the rear center seat-
ing position. There are no LATCH
anchors provided for this seat.
Using the outboard seat anchors
can damage the anchors which
may break or fail in a collision
resulting in serious injury or
death.
WARNING
ODH033067OLF034037
Lower Anchor
Position Indicator