Seat Belt: Description and Operation
Safety Belt, Lap/Shoulder-Front
- The front lap/shoulder safety belt extends from a retractor which is located on the B-pillar post for the front seat.
- This retractor is designed to let the safety belt move freely in or out at all times except during hard braking, hard cornering, or impacts of approximately 8 km/h (5 mph) or more.
- The front safety shoulder belt is guided through the front safety belt guide which is mounted on the B-pillar and inside center pillar trim panel.
The dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for front seat passenger and rear seat outboard passengers operates in two ways:
- In the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode, the shoulder belt retractor will allow the occupant freedom of movement, locking tight only on hard braking, hard cornering or impacts of approximately 8 km/h (5 mph) or more. The front and rear outboard seat belt retractors can also be made to lock by pulling/jerking on the belt.
- In the automatic locking mode, the shoulder belt retractor will be automatically locked and remain locked when the combination lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled and does not allow the occupant freedom of movement. This mode provides tight lap/shoulder belt fit on occupant and child safety seat or infant carrier installation restraint.
WARNING: REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS SHOULD NEVER BE PLACED IN THE FRONT SEAT.
The automatic locking mode must be used when installing a child safety seat on the front passenger seat and rear outboard seats where dual locking retractors are provided.
To switch the retractor from the emergency locking mode to the automatic locking mode, perform the following steps:
1. Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward until all of the belt is extracted. When allowed to retract, a clicking sound will be heard. At this time, the belt retractor is in the automatic locking mode (child restraint mode).
3. A clicking sound will continue to be heard as the belt is allowed to retract. This indicates that the retractor is in the "automatic locking mode".
NOTE: When the combination lap/shoulder belt is unbuckled and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will switch back to the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
The locking cinch tongue will slide up and down the belt webbing when belt is in the stowed position or while putting seat belt on. When the locking cinch tongue of the lap/shoulder combination seat belt is latched into buckle, the cinch tongue will allow the lap portion to become shorter, but locks the webbing in place to restrict it from becoming longer.
The vehicle is equipped with safety seat belts containing a cinch tongue at the rear outboard seating positions.
Before latching, a combination lap and shoulder belt having a cinch tongue into the buckle, the lap belt may have to be lengthened. To lengthened the lap belt, pull some webbing out of the shoulder belt retractor. While holding the webbing below the tongue, grasp the tip (metal portion) of the tongue so that it is parallel to the webbing and slide the tongue upward. Provide enough lap belt length so that tongue can reach the buckle.
NOTE: If the tongue is grasped by the tongue cover to lengthen the belt, the tongue cover will grab the webbing, making it difficult to slide.
To fasten either a cinch tongue, pull the combination lap and shoulder belt from the retractor so that the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt crosses the occupant's shoulder and chest. Be sure the belt is not twisted. If the belt is twisted, remove the twist. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for the seating position until a snap is heard and latching is felt. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on tongue. Adjust the lap belt portion of the safety belt by pulling up on the shoulder belt until the lap belt fits snugly and as low as possible around the occupants hips.
- The safety belt then passes through a front safety belt guide above and behind the occupant's shoulder. This directs the safety belt at the proper downward angle over the occupant's shoulder and chest and attaches to the front safety belt buckle end.
Typical Retractor:
- The safety belt has a slip tongue that latches to front safety belt buckle end and then continues through the slip tongue outboard to the sill acting as a lap belt.
Safety Belt, Lap/Shoulder-Rear
The rear lap/shoulder safety belt extends from a retractor located on package tray trim panel.
- The retractor is designed to allow the safety belt to move in or out freely at all times except during hard braking, cornering or impacts of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more.
- From the retractor, the safety belt is directed downward at an angle over the occupant's shoulder and chest to the RH rear safety belt and buckle or LH rear safety belt and buckle.
- The belt has a slip tongue that latches to the RH rear safety belt and buckle or LH rear safety belt and buckle. The belt continues through the slip tongue outboard to the floor.
- RH rear safety belt and buckle and LH rear safety belt and buckle are secured to the rear floor pan.
Safety Belt, Lap
RH rear safety belt and buckle and LH rear safety belt and buckle are provided for the center rear seating position with the center safety belts secured to the rear floor pan.