3
3. Safety System
Important Safety Precautions ........................................................................\
...3-2Always Wear Your Seat Belt ........................................................................\
................. 3-2
Restrain All Children .......................................................................\
.............................. 3-2
Air Bag Hazards .......................................................................\
..................................... 3-2
Driver Distraction .......................................................................\
.................................. 3-2
Control Your Speed .......................................................................\
............................... 3-2
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe Condition .......................................................................\
.... 3-2
Seats .....................................................................\
............................................. 3-3Safety Precautions ........................................................................\
............................... 3-5
Front Seats .......................................................................\
.............................................3-6
Rear Seats .......................................................................\
............................................. 3-11
Head Restraints .......................................................................\
....................................3-13
Seat Warmers .......................................................................\
....................................... 3-17
Air Ventilation Seats .......................................................................\
............................ 3-19
Rear Occupant Alert (ROA) .......................................................................\
..................3-21
Seat Belts ........................................................................\
..................................3-22Seat Belt Safety Precautions ........................................................................\
............. 3-22
Seat Belt Warning Light .......................................................................\
...................... 3-23
Seat Belt Restraint System .......................................................................\
................. 3-24
Additional Seat Belt Safety Precautions ....................................................................3-31
Care of Seat Belts .......................................................................\
................................ 3-33
Child Restraint System (CRS) ........................................................................\
. 3-34
Children Always in the Rear ........................................................................\
...............3-34
Selecting a Child Restraint System (CRS) ................................................................. 3-35
Installing a Child Restraint System (CRS) ................................................................. 3-37
Air Bag - Supplemental Restraint System ..................................................... 3-43Where are the Air Bags? ........................................................................\
.....................3-45
How does the Air Bags System Operate? ................................................................ 3-49
What to Expect After an Air Bag Inflates ..................................................................3-53
Occupant Classification System (OCS) .....................................................................3-54
Why Didn’t My Air Bag Go Off in a Collision? ...........................................................3-59
SRS Care .......................................................................\
............................................. 3-64
Additional Safety Precautions .......................................................................\
............3-65
Air Bag Warning Labels .......................................................................\
.......................3-65
Safety System3-2
You will find many safety precautions
and recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The safety precautions in this section are
among the most important.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all
types of accidents. Air bags are designed
to supplement seat belts, not to replace
them. So even though your vehicle is
equipped with air bags, ALWAYS make
sure you and your passengers wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
Restrain All Children
All children under age 13 should ride
in your vehicle properly restrained in a
rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and
small children should be restrained in
an appropriate Child Restraint System.
Larger children should use a booster
seat with the lap/shoulder belt until they
can use the seat belt properly without a
booster seat.
Air Bag Hazards
While air bags can save lives, they can
also cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them, or
who are not properly restrained. Infants,
young children, and short adults are at
the greatest risk of being injured by an
inflating air bag. Follow all instructions
and warnings in this manual.
Driver Distraction
Driver distraction presents a serious and
potentially deadly danger, especially for
inexperienced drivers. Safety should be
the first concern when behind the wheel
and drivers need to be aware of the wide
array of potential distractions, such as
drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating,
personal grooming, other passengers,
and using mobile phones. Drivers can become distracted when
they take their eyes and attention off
the road or their hands off the wheel to
focus on activities other than driving.
To reduce your risk of distraction and an
accident:
[
Set up your mobile devices (for
example, MP3 players, phones,
navigation units, etc.) ONLY when
your vehicle is parked or safely
stopped.
[ ONLY use your mobile device when
allowed by laws and conditions permit
safe use. NEVER text or email while
driving. Most countries have laws
prohibiting drivers from texting. Some
countries and cities also prohibit
drivers from using handheld phones.
[ NEVER let the use of a mobile device
distract you from driving. You have a
responsibility to your passengers and
others on the road to always drive
safely, with your hands on the wheel
as well as your eyes and attention on
the road.
Control Your Speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash
injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher
the speed, the greater the risk, but
serious injuries can also occur at lower
speeds. Never drive faster than is safe
for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe
Condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical
failure can be extremely hazardous. To
reduce the possibility of such problems,
check your tire pressures and condition
frequently, and perform all regularly
scheduled maintenance.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
03
3-5
Safety Precautions
Adjusting the seats so that you are sitting
in a safe and comfortable position plays
an important role for the safety of the
driver an passengers, as much as seat
belts and air bags when in an accident.
WARNING
Do not use a cushion that reduces
friction between the seat and the
passenger. The passenger’s hips may
slide under the lap portion of the seat
belt during an accident or a sudden
stop.
Serious or fatal internal injuries could
result because the seat belt cannot
operate properly.
Air bags
You can take steps to reduce the risk
of being injured by an inflating air bag.
Sitting too close to an air bag greatly
increases the risk of injury in the event
the air bag inflates.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) recommends
that drivers allow at least 10 inches (25
cm) between the center of the steering
wheel and their chest.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death from an inflating air bag, take the
following precautions:
[ Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible maintaining the
ability to control the vehicle.
[ Adjust the front passenger seat as far
to the rear as possible.
[ Hold the steering wheel by the rim
with hands at the 9 o’clock and 3
o’clock positions to minimize the risk
of injuries to your hands and arms.
[ NEVER place anything or anyone
between you and the air bag.
[ Do not allow the front passenger to
place feet or legs on the dashboard
to minimize the risk of leg injuries.
Seat belts
Always fasten your seat belt before
starting any trip. At all times, passengers
should sit upright and be properly
restrained. Infants and small children
must be restrained in appropriate Child
Restraint Systems. Children who have
outgrown a booster seat and adults must
be restrained using the seat belts.
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
adjusting your seat belt:
[ NEVER use one seat belt for more
than one occupant.
[ Always position the seatback upright
with the lap portion of the seat belt
snug and low across the hips.
[ NEVER allow children or small infants
to ride on a passenger’s lap.
[ Do not route the seat belt across your
neck, across sharp edges, or reroute
the shoulder strap away from your
body.
[ Do not allow the seat belt to become
caught or jammed.
Safety System3-26
OHI038142
To release your seat belt:
Press the release button (1) in the locking
buckle.
Once r
eleased, the belt should
automatically draw back into the
retractor. If this does not happen, check
the belt to be sure it is not twisted, then
try again.
Rear Seat Belt – Passenger’s 3-point
system with convertible locking
retractor
This type of seat belt combines the
features of both an emergency locking
retractor seat belt and an automatic
locking retractor seat belt. Convertible
retractor type seat belts are installed
in the rear seat positions to help
accommodate the installation of child
restraint systems. Although a convertible
retractor is also installed in the front
passenger seat position, NEVER place
any infant/child restraint system in the
front seat of the vehicle.
To fasten your seat belt:
Pull the seat belt out of the retractor
and insert the me
tal 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 across your
hips.
When the seat belt is fully extended from
the retractor to allow the installation 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 the
“Using a Child Restraint System” section
in this chapter.
Safety System3-32
Seat belt use and children
Infant and small children
All 50 states have child restraint laws
which r
equire children to travel in
approved child restraint devices,
including booster seats. The age 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. Infant and child
restraints must be properly placed
and installed in a rear seat. For more
information refer to the “Child Restraint
Systems” section in this chapter.
WARNING
ALWAYS properly restrain infants
and small children in a child restraint
appropriate for the child’s height and
weight.
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death to a child and other passengers,
NEVER hold a child in your lap or arms
when the vehicle is moving. The violent
forces created during an accident tear
off the child from and throw the child
against the interior of the vehicle.
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 Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards. Before buying
any child restraint system, make sure
that it has a label certifying that it meets
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
FMVSS 213. The restraint must be
appropriate for your child’s height and
weight. Check the label on the child
restraint for this information. Refer to the
“Child Restraint Systems” section in this
chapter. Larger children
Children under age 13 and who are
t
oo large for a booster seat should
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 shoulder and chest
to restrain the child safely. Check belt fit
periodically. A child’s squirming could
put the belt out of position. In the event
of an accident, children are afforded the
best safety restrained by a proper Child
Restraint System in the rear seats.
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 rearmost 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.
WARNING
[ Always make sure larger children’s
seat belts are worn and properly
adjusted.
[ 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.
03
3-33
Seat belt use and injured people
A seat belt should be used when an
injured person is being transported.
Consult with a physician for specific
recommendations.
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 accident.
Do not lie down
Sitting in a reclined position when the
vehicle is in motion can be dangerous.
Even when buckled up, the protections
of your restraint system (seat belts
and/or air bags) is greatly reduced by
reclining your seatback.
Seat belts must be snug against your
hips and chest to work properly.
During an accident, you could be twined
with the seat belt, causing neck or other
injuries.
The more the seat back is reclined, the
greater the chance for the passenger’s
hips to slide under the lap belt or the
passenger’s neck to strike the shoulder
belt.
WARNING
[ NEVER ride with a reclined seatback
when the vehicle is moving.
[ Riding with a reclined seatback
increases your chance of serious
or fatal injuries in the event of a
collision or sudden stop.
[ Driver and passengers should always
sit well back in their seats with the
seatbacks upright and should be
belted properly.
Care of Seat Belts
Seat belt systems should never be
disassembled or modified. In addition,
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 solution
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 accident.
This should be done even if no damage is
visible. Additional questions concerning
seat belt operation should be consulted
with to an authorized retailer of Genesis
Branded products.