Kia Sportage: Pre-tensioner seat belt

Your vehicle is equipped with driver's and front passenger's pre-tensioner seat belts.The purpose of the pre-tensioner is to make sure that the seat belts fit tightly against the occupant's body in certain frontal collisions (or side collisions or rollovers). The pretensioner seat belts can be activated in certain frontal collisions as well as certain side impacts and rollover accidents, where the frontal collision (or side collisions or rollovers) is severe enough, together with the air bags.

When the vehicle stops suddenly, or if the occupant tries to lean forward too quickly, the seat belt retractor will lock into position. In certain frontal collisions (or side collisions or rollovers), the pre-tensioner will activate and pull the seat belt into tighter contact against the occupant's body.

If the system senses excessive seat belt tension on the driver or passenger's seat belt when the pre-tensioner activates, the load limiter inside the pre-tensioner will release some of the pressure on the affected seat belt.

✽ NOTICE

The pre-tensioner will activate not only in a frontal collision but also in a side collision or rollover, if the vehicle is equipped with a side or curtain air bag.

The seat belt pre-tensioner system consists mainly of the following components. Their locations are shown in the illustration:

1. SRS air bag warning light
2. Retractor pre-tensioner assembly
3. Front anchor pre-tensioner
4. SRS control module

Both the driver's and front passenger's pre-tensioner seat belts may be activated in certain collisions.

The pre-tensioners will not be activated if the seat belts are not being worn at the time of the collision.

✽ 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 conditions and are not hazardous.

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 irritation and should not be breathed for prolonged periods.

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.

If the pre-tensioner seat belt is 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, please have an authorized Kia dealer inspect the pretensioner seat belt and SRS air bag system as soon as possible.

WARNING - Hot pretensioner

Do not touch the pre-tensioner seat belt assemblies for several minutes after they have been activated. When the pre-tensioner seat belt mechanism fires during a collision the pre-tensioner becomes hot and can burn you.

Pre-tensioners are designed to operate only one time. After activation, pre-tensioner seat belts must be replaced. If the pre-tensioner must be replaced, contact an authorized Kia dealer.