Seat Belt: Description and Operation

Vehicles are equipped with lap/shoulder safety belts. While the vehicle is in motion, the combination lap and shoulder belt adjusts to the occupant's movement. However, if the vehicle brakes hard, corners bard or if the vehicle is involved in a frontal impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, the lap and shoulder belt locks and helps reduce the occupant's forward movement.

The lap/shoulder safety belt is equipped with a dual locking retractor on the shoulder portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for the front passenger (not available on the driver side) and rear safety belt retractors. The dual locking retractor operates in two ways:
1. 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 safety belt retractors can also be made to lock by pulling/jerking on the belt.
2. In the automatic locking mode, the shoulder belt retractor will automatically lock and remain locked when the combination lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled, not allowing the occupant freedom of movement. This mode provides a tight lap/shoulder safety belt fit on the occupant or on a child safety seat or infant carrier.

When the combination lap/shoulder safety belt is unbuckled and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will switch to the vehicle sensitive (emergency locking) mode.

The automatic locking mode must be used when installing a child safety seat on the front passenger seat and rear seat where dual locking retractors are provided.