Principles of Operation

Safety Belt System

Principles of Operation

WARNING: After any crash, all of the following safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware must be inspected to verify correct function:
- Retractors
- Buckles
- Belt tension sensor (BTS) (if equipped)
- Front safety belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if equipped)
- Safety belt shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped)
- Child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
- Automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature for child safety seats (passenger seating positions only)
If any safety belt assembly is damaged, does not operate correctly or does not pass all of the Functional Tests in the Diagnosis and Testing, a new safety belt assembly must be installed. If any safety belt assembly attaching areas are damaged or distorted, the sheet metal must be restored to its original structural integrity and new safety belt assembly and attaching hardware must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware may increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

After any crash that results in deployment of the driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt pretensioners, new driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt systems (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt systems increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

Safety Belt Warning System

The safety belt warning indicator illuminates and a chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.

The conditions of operation for the safety belt warning indicator and chime are as follows:

- If the driver and/or front passenger safety belt is not buckled before the ignition switch is turned to ON, the safety belt warning indicator illuminates for 1 to 2 minutes and the warning chime sounds for 4 to 8 seconds.
- If the driver and/or front passenger safety belt is buckled while the warning indicator is illuminated and the warning chime is sounding, the safety belt warning indicator and warning chime turn off.
- If the driver and/or front passenger safety belt is buckled before the ignition switch is turned to ON, the safety belt warning indicator and warning chime remain off.

Belt-Minder(R)

The Belt-Minder(R) feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt warning function. This feature provides additional reminders to the driver that the driver and/or front passenger safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning indicator in the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC).

Either the driver or front passenger safety belt systems may activate the Belt-Minder(R). If the Belt-Minder(R) warnings have expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the Belt-Minder(R) feature.

When a MyKey(TM) is in the ignition, deactivation of the Belt-Minder(R) will be ignored. The Belt-Minder(R) feature can be activated or deactivated by the administrator key. Using a MyKey(TM) (non-administrator key) will override the 5-minute Belt-Minder(R) timer and the deactivation of the Belt-Minder(R) feature. Refer to Anti-Theft - Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) Testing and Inspection or the Owner's Literature for further information on MyKey(TM) functionality.

The passenger Belt-Minder(R) feature is activated only when the Occupant Classification Sensor (OCS) system detects a passenger in the RH front seat and the passenger weight exceeds a programmed limit. For information on the OCS system, refer to Supplemental Restraint System Testing and Inspection.

To activate or deactivate the Belt-Minder(R) feature, refer to Instrumentation, Message Center, and Warning Chimes Service and Repair.