2019 KIA SOUL Eco

323
Safety features of your vehicle
Seat belts - Front passenger andrear seat 3-point system withcombination locking retractor
To fasten your seat belt:
Combination retractor type seat belts
are installed in the rear seat posi-
tions to help accommodate the
installation of child restraint systems.
Although a combination retractor is
also installed in the front passenger
seat position, it is strongly recom-
mended that children always be
seated in the rear seat. NEVER
place any infant restraint system in
the front seat of the vehicle.
This type of seat belt combines the
features of both an emergency lock-
ing retractor seat belt and an auto-
matic locking retractor seat belt. To
fasten your seat belt, pull it out of the
retractor and insert the metal tab into
the buckle. There will be an audible
"click" when the tab locks into the
buckle. When not securing a child
restraint, the seat belt operates in the
same way as the driver's seat belt
(Emergency Locking Retractor Type). It automatically adjusts to the proper
length only after the lap belt portion
of the seat belt is adjusted manually
so that it fits snugly around your hips.
When the seat belt is fully extended
from the retractor to allow the instal-
lation of a child restraint system, the
seat belt operation changes to allow
the belt to retract, but not to extend
(Automatic Locking Retractor Type).
Refer to “Using a child restraint sys-
tem” in this section.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Although the combination retractor
provides the same level of protection
for seated passengers in either emer-
gency or automatic locking modes,
have the seated passengers use the
emergency locking feature for
improved convenience. The auto-
matic locking function is intended to
facilitate child restraint installation.
To convert from the automatic lock-
ing feature to the emergency locking
operation mode, allow the unbuck-
led seat belt to fully retract.
Do NOT fold down the left portion of
the rear seat back when the rear
center seat belt is buckled. ALWAYS
UNBUCKLE the rear center seat belt
before folding down the left portion of
the rear seat back. If the rear center
seat belt is buckled when the left por-
tion of the rear seat back is folded
down, distortion and damage to the
top portion of the seat back and seat
belt garnish may result, causing the
seat back to lock into the folded
down position.

327
Safety features of your vehicle
(1) Retractor PretensionerThe purpose of the retractor pre-tensioner is to make sure that the
shoulder belts fit in tightly against
the occupant's upper body in cer-
tain frontal collisions.
(2) EFD (Emergency Fastening Device)
The purpose of the EFD is tomake sure that the pelvis belts fit
in tightly against the occupant's
lower body in certain frontal colli-
sions.
If the system senses excessive ten-
sion on the driver or passenger's seat
belt when the pre-tensioner system acti-
vates, the load limiter inside the retrac-
tor pre-tensioner will release some of
the pressure on the affected seat belt.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
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.
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) Both the driver's and front passen-
ger's seat belt pre-tensioner sys-
tem may be activated not only in
certain frontal collisions but also in
certain side collisions or rollovers,
if the vehicle is equipped with a
side or curtain air bag.
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.
OPS033036N/Q
WARNING - Skin irritation
Wash all exposed skin areas
thoroughly after an accident in
which the pre-tensioner seat
belts were activated. The fine
dust from the pre-tensioner
activation may cause skin irrita-
tion and should not be breathed
for prolonged periods.

Safety features of your vehicle
28
3
If the pre-tensioner seat belt system
are not working properly, this warning
light will illuminate even if there is no
malfunction of the SRS air bag. 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
seconds, or if it illuminates while the
vehicle is being driven, have an
authorized Kia dealer inspect the pre-
tensioner seat belt and SRS air bag
system as soon as possible.
Pre-tensioners are designed to
operate only one time. After activa-
tion, pre-tensioner seat belts must
be replaced. All seat belts, of any
type, should always be replaced
after they have been worn during a
collision.
Do not strike the pre-tensioner seat belt assemblies.
✽ ✽ 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.
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.
✽ ✽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 stan-
dards of your country. Before buying
any child restraint system, make sure
that it has a label certifying that it
meets Safety standards of your coun-
try. The restraint must be appropri-
ate for your child's height and
weight. Check the label on the child
restraint for this information. Refer
to “Child restraint system” in this
section.
WARNING
-
Hot pretensioner
Do not touch the pre-tensioner
seat belt assemblies 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.

329
Safety features of your vehicle
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 snug
on the hips and as low as possible.
Check if the belt fits periodically. A
child's squirming could put the belt
out of position. Children are given the
most safety in the event of an acci-
dent 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/shoulder belt and
the seat should be placed in the rear-
most 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.
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.
WARNING- Small children
Do not allow small children to
ride in the vehicle without an
appropriate child restraint sys-
tem. If the shoulder belt comes
in contact with your child's neck
or face your child is too small to
ride in the vehicle. In a crash the
seat belt will inflict injury to your
child's neck, throat and face.
WARNING - Pregnant women
Pregnant women must never
place the lap portion of the seat
belt above or on the abdomen
where the fetus is located. The
force of the seat belt during a
collision will crush the fetus.

Safety features of your vehicle
30
3
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.
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- Pinched seat
belt
Make sure that the webbing
and/or buckle does not get
caught or pinched in the rear
seat when returning the rear
seatback to its upright position.
A caught or pinched
webbing/buckle may become
damaged and could fail during a
collision or sudden stop.
WARNING
Seatbelts can become hot in a
vehicle that has been closed up
in sunny weather. They could
burn infants and children.

331
Safety features 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 minimize the
risk of injury in an accident, sudden
stop or sudden maneuver. According
to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the
rear seats than in the front seat. Even
with air bags, children can be serious-
ly injured or killed. Children too large
for a child restraint must use the seat
belts provided.
Most countries 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 coun-
tries, so you should be aware of the
specific requirements in your coun-
try, 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
Safety Standards of your country.
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.
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM (CRS)
WARNING - Restraint
Location
Never install a child or infant
seat on the front passenger's
seat. A child riding in the front
passenger seat can be forceful-
ly struck by an inflating airbag
and seriously injured.
WARNING - Hot Child
Restraint
A child restraint system can
become very hot if it is left in a
closed vehicle on a sunny day.
Be sure to check the seat cover,
buckles and latches before
placing a child in the restraint
system.

337
Safety features of your vehicle
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.
❈(1) : Lower Anchor position indicator
(2) : Lower Anchor
Securing a child restraint with
the LATCH anchors system
To install a LATCH-compatible child
restraint in either of the rear outboard
seating positions:
1. Move the seat belt buckle away from the lower anchors.
2. Move any other objects away from the anchors that could prevent a
secure connection between the
child restraint and the lower
anchors.
3. Place the child restraint on the vehicle seat, then attach the seat
to the lower anchors according to
the instructions provided by the
child restraint manufacturer.
4. Follow the child restraint instruc- tions for properly adjusting and
tightening the lower attachments
on the child restraint to the lower
anchors.
OPS036042L
WARNING
Take the following precautions
when using the LATCH system:
Read and follow all installationinstructions provided with
your child restraint system.
To prevent the child from reaching and taking hold of
unretracted seat belts, buckle
all unused rear seat belts and
retract the seat belt webbing
behind the child. Children can
be strangled if a shoulder belt
becomes wrapped around their
neck and the seat belt tightens.
NEVER attach more than one child restraint to a single
anchor. This could cause the
anchor or attachment to come
loose or break.
Always have the LATCH sys- tem inspected by your author-
ized Kia dealer after an acci-
dent. An accident can damage
the LATCH system and may
not properly secure the child
restraint.

Safety features of your vehicle
38
3
Securing a child restraint seat
with "Tether Anchor" system
First secure the child restraint with
the LATCH lower anchors or the seat
belt. If the child restraint manufactur-
er recommends that the top tether
strap be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether strap to the top tether
strap anchor.
Child restraint system top tether
anchorages are located on the back
of the rear seatbacks. To install the tether anchor:
1. Route the child restraint tether
strap over the child restraint seat-
back. Route the tether strap under
the head restraint and between
the head restraint posts, or route
the tether strap over the top of the
vehicle seatback. Make sure the
strap is not twisted.
2. Connect the tether strap hook to the tether anchor, then tighten the
tether strap according to the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions to
firmly secure the child restraint to
the seat.
OPS033019
WARNING
Take the following precautions
when installing the tether strap:
Read and follow all installationinstructions provided with
your child restraint system.
NEVER attach more than one child restraint to a single teth-
er anchor. This could cause
the anchor or attachment to
come loose or break.
Do not attach the tether strap to anything other than the cor-
rect tether anchor. It may not
work properly if attached to
something else.
Do not use the tether anchors for adult seat belts or har-
nesses, or for attaching other
items or equipment to the
vehicle.
Always fasten the seatbelts behind the child restraint seat
when they are not used to
secure the child seat. Failure
to do so may result in child
strangulation.
OPS036071L