KIA RIO 2021 Repair Manual
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Safety features of your vehicle
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3
Main components of occupant
detection system
A detection device located within the front passenger seat cushion.
An electronic system which deter- mines whether the passenger air
bag systems should be activated
or deactivated.
An indicator light located on the instrument panel which illuminates
the words PASSENGER AIR BAG
“OFF” indicating the front passen-
ger air bag system is deactivated.
The instrument panel air bag warn- ing light is interconnected with the
occupant detection system. If the front passenger seat is occupied
by a person that the system deter-
mines to be of adult size, and he/she
sits properly (sitting upright with the
seatback in an upright position, cen-
tered on the seat cushion with their
seat belt on, legs comfortably extend-
ed and their feet on the floor), the
PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indica-
tor will turn off and the front passen-
ger's air bag will be able to inflate, if
necessary, in frontal crashes.
You will find the PASSENGER AIR
BAG “OFF” indicator on the center facia
panel. This system detects the condi-
tions 1~4 in the following table and acti-
vates or deactivates the front passen-
ger air bag based on these conditions.
Always be sure that you and all vehicle
occupants are seated and restrained
properly (sitting upright with the seat in
an upright position, centered on the
seat cushion, with the person’s legs
comfortably extended, feet on the
floor, and wearing the safety belt prop-
erly) for the most effective protection
by the air bag and the safety belt. The ODS (Occupant Detection
System) may not function properly if
the passenger takes actions which
can defeat the detection system.
These include:
(1) Failing to sit in an upright position.
(2) Leaning against the door or cen- ter console.
(3) Sitting towards the sides or the front of the seat.
(4) Putting legs on the dashboard or resting them on other locations
which reduce the passenger
weight on the front seat.
(5) Improperly wearing the safety belt.
(6) Reclining the seat back.
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Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant detectionsystem
*1) The system judges a person of adult size as an adult. When a smaller adult sits in
the front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/her as a child depending
on his/her physique and posture.
*2) Do not allow children to ride in the front passenger seat. When a smaller child than the same age sits in the front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/her
as an infant depending on his/her physique or posture.
*3) Never install a child restraint system on the front passenger seat.
*4) The PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indicator may turn on or off when a child above 12 months to 12 years old (with or without child restraint system) sits in the front
passenger seat. This is a normal condition.
Condition detected by the occupant
detection system
1. Adult *
1or child age 13 and up*2
2. Infant or child restraint system with 12 months old*3 *4
3. Unoccupied
4. Malfunction in the system
Off
On
On
Off Off
Off
Off
On Activated
Deactivated
Deactivated Activated
PASSENGER AIR
BAG “OFF” indica- tor lightSRS warninglightFront passenger air bag
Indicator/Warning light Devices
CAUTION
Do not install a child restraint
seat in the passenger seatwhen the seat is heavilysoaked with any type of liquid.
Do not alter or remodel the ODS (Occupant DetectionSystem). This may damage thesystem and prevent its properfunction in a collision.
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OJFA035106
- Never sit with hips shifted
towards the front of the seat.
OJFA035104
- Do not place a heavy load inthe front passenger seatback
pocket or on the front passen-
ger seat.
OJFA035105
- Do not place feet on the frontpassenger seatback.
WARNING - ODS System
Riding in an improper position
adversely affects the Occupant
Detection System and may
result in the deactivation of the
front passenger airbag. It is
important for the driver to
instruct passengers as to the
proper seating instructions as
contained in this manual.
(Continued)
OJFA035107
- Never excessively recline the front passenger seatback.
OJFA035100
- Do not sit on the passengerseat wearing heavily padded
clothes such as ski wear and
hip protector.
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OJFA035109
- Never lean on the door or cen-ter console.
- Never sit on one side of the front passenger seat.
OJFA035108
- Never place feet on the dash-
board.
OJFA035101
- Do not use car seat acces-sories such as thick blankets
and cushions which cover up
the car seat surface.
(Continued)
OJFA035102
- Do not place electronic
devices such as laptops, DVD
player, or conductive materi-
als such as water bottles on
the passenger seat.
Do not use electronic devices
such as laptops and satellite
radios which use inverter
chargers.
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When an adult is seated in the front
passenger seat, if the PASSENGER
AIR BAG “OFF” indicator is on, turn
the ignition switch to the LOCK posi-
tion and ask the passenger to sit
properly (sitting upright with the seat
back in an upright position, centered
on the seat cushion with their seat
belt on, legs comfortably extended
and their feet on the floor). Restart
the engine and have the person
remain in that position. This will allow
the system to detect the person and
to enable the passenger air bag. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicator is still on, ask the passen-
ger to move to the rear seat.
WARNING
- Wet Passenger Seat
Do not spill liquid on the pas-
senger seat. Spilled liquid on
the passenger seat may cause
the air bag warning light to illu-
minate or malfunction. If any liq-
uid is spilled, make sure the
seat has been completely dried
before driving the vehicle.
B990A01O
WARNING - “AIR BAG OFF” light
Do not allow an adult passenger
to ride in the front seat when the
PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicator is illuminated, because
the air bag will not deploy in the
event of a crash. The driver must
instruct the passenger to reposi-
tion himself in the seat. Failure
to properly position yourself
may lead to air bag deactivation
resulting in air bag non-deploy-
ment in a collision. If the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indica-
tor remains illuminated after the
passenger repositions them-
selves properly and the car is
restarted, it is recommended
that the passenger move to the
rear seat because the passen-
ger's front air bag will not
deploy.
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✽ ✽NOTICE
• Do not use car seat cushions that
cover up the surface of the seat
and aftermarket manufactured
passenger seat heaters.
• After cleaning the car interior using steam or detergents, the seat should
be dried properly. Afterward, check
for normal operation of the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG “OFF” and air
bag warning lights.
• Any service related to the passen- ger seat and the ODS must be
done at a Kia service center.
• After the passenger seat has been removed or installed for repair
purposes, check for normal opera-
tion of the PASSENGER AIR
BAG “OFF” and air bag warning
lights with a person seated or not
seated in the passenger seat.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
When the PASSENGER AIR BAG
“OFF” symbol is illuminated, the
passenger air bag system will not
operate. The passenger air bag sys-
tem will operate when necessary if
the symbol is not illuminated.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Do not modify or replace the front
passenger seat. Don't place anything
on or attach anything such as a blan-
ket, front seat cover or after market
seat heater to the front passenger
seat. This can adversely affect the
occupant detection system.
WARNING - ODS System
Riding in an improper position
adversely affects the Occupant
Detection System and may result
in the deactivation of the front
passenger airbag. It is important
for the driver to instruct the front
passenger as to the proper seat-
ing instructions as contained in
this manual.
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✽ ✽
NOTICE
The PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicator illuminates for about 4 sec-
onds after the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position or after
the engine is started. If the front
passenger seat is occupied, the occu-
pant detection sensor will then clas-
sify the front passenger after several
more seconds.
Any child age 13 and under should
ride in the rear seat. Children too
large for child restraints should use
the available lap/shoulder belts. No
matter what type of crash, children of
all ages are safer when restrained in
the rear seat. If the occupant detection system is
not working properly, the SRS air bag
warning light on the instrument
panel will illuminate because the pas-
senger's front air bag is connected
with the occupant detection system. If
there is a malfunction of the occupant
detection system, the PASSENGER
AIR BAG “OFF” indicator will not illu-
minate and the passenger's front air
bag will inflate in frontal impact crash-
es even if there is no occupant in the
front passenger's seat.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Air bags can only be used once - have
an authorized Kia dealer replace the
air bag immediately after deployment.
WARNING - ODS
Interference
Do not place a heavy load or an active electronic device (ex.
laptop computer, after market
DMB/navigation/satellite
audio, video game machine,
MP3, etc.) in the front passen-
ger seatback pocket or on the
front passenger seat.
Do not hang any items such as seatback table on the front
passenger seatback.
Do not place feet on the front passenger seatback.
Do not place any items under the front passenger seat.
Do not place sharp objects on the front passenger seat.
These may damage the occu-
pant detection system, if they
puncture the seat cushion.
Do not spill any liquids on the seat.
(Continued)(Continued)
Any of the above could interfere
with the proper operation of the
ODS sensor thereby increasing
the risk of an injury in an acci-
dent.
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Even though your vehicle isequipped with the occupant detec-
tion system, never install a child
restraint system in the front pas-
senger's seat. A deploying air bag
can forcefully strike a child result-
ing in serious injuries or death. Any
child age 13 and under should ride
in the rear seat. Children too large
for child restraints should use the
available lap/shoulder belts. No
matter what type of crash, children
of all ages are safer when
restrained in the rear seat.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indicator is illuminated when
the front passenger's seat is occu-
pied by an adult and he/she sits
properly (sitting upright with the
seatback in an upright position,
centered on the seat cushion with
their seat belt on, legs comfortably
extended and their feet on the
floor), have that person sit in the
rear seat.Driver's and passenger's front
air bag
Your vehicle is equipped with an
Advanced Supplemental Restraint
(Air Bag) System and lap/shoulder
belts at both the driver and passen-
ger seating position. The indications of the system's pres-
ence are the letters "AIR BAG"
embossed on the air bag pad cover
in the steering wheel and the pas-
senger's side front panel pad above
the glove box.
The SRS consists of air bags
installed under the pad covers in the
center of the steering wheel and the
passenger's side front panel above
the glove box.
The purpose of the SRS is to provide
the vehicle's driver and/or the front
passenger with additional protection
than that offered by the seat belt sys-
tem alone in case of a frontal impact
of sufficient severity. The SRS uses
sensors to gather information about
the driver's seat position, the driver's
and front passenger's seat belt
usage and impact severity.
The seat belt buckle sensors deter-
mine if the driver and front passen-
ger's seat belts are fastened.
OYB030038L
OYB030039L
Driver’s front air bag
Passenger’s front air bag
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These sensors provide the ability to
control the SRS deployment based on
whether or not the seat belts are fas-
tened, and how severe the impact is.
The advanced SRS offers the ability
to control the air bag inflation with
two levels. A first stage level is pro-
vided for moderate-severity impacts.
A second stage level is provided for
more severe impacts.
The passenger’s front air bag is
designed to help reduce the injury of
children sitting close to the instru-
ment panel in low speed collisions.
However, children are safer if they
are restraint in the rear seat.
According to the impact severity,
seating position and seat belt usage,
the SRSCM (SRS Control Module)
controls the air bag inflation. Failure
to properly wear seat belts can
increase the risk or severity of injury
in an accident. Additionally, your vehicle is equipped
with an occupant detection system in
the front passenger's seat. The occu-
pant detection system detects the
presence of a passenger in the front
passenger's seat and will turn off the
front passenger's air bag under cer-
tain conditions. For more detail, see
“Occupant detection system” in this
section.
Do not place any objects that may
cause magnetic fields near the front
seat. These may cause a malfunction
of the seat track position sensor.
Modification to the seat structure can
cause the air bag to deploy at a dif-
ferent level than should be provided.
Manufacturers are required by gov-
ernment regulations to provide a
contact point concerning modifica-
tions to the vehicle for persons with
disabilities, which modifications may
affect the vehicle’s advanced air bag
system. That contact is Kia’s toll-free
Customer Assistance center at 1-
800-333-4Kia. However, Kia does
not endorse nor will it support any
changes to any part or structure of
the vehicle that could affect the
advanced air bag system, including
the occupant detection system.
WARNING
- Replacement
/Modifications
The front passenger seat, dash-
board or door should not be
replaced except by an authorized
Kia dealer using original Kia parts
designed for this vehicle and
model. Any other such replace-
ment or modification could
adversely affect the operation of
the occupant detection system
and your advanced air bags.
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Advanced air bags are combined
with pre-tensioner seat belts to help
provide enhanced occupant protec-
tion in frontal crashes. Front air bags
are not intended to deploy in colli-
sions in which sufficient protection
can be provided by the pre-tensioner
seat belt alone.
Front air bags are not intended to
deploy in side-impact, rear-impact or
rollover crashes. However, when
frontal deployment threshold is satis-
fied in a side-impact crash, front air
bags may deploy. In addition, front air
bags will not deploy in frontal crash-
es below the deployment threshold.
WARNING - SRS Wiring
Do not tamper with or discon-
nect SRS wiring or other com-
ponents of the SRS system.
Doing so could result in injury,
due to accidental deployment of
the air bags or by rendering the
SRS inoperative.
OYB030083L
OSC030032L
1VQA2091
Side impact
Rear impact
Rollover
WARNING - No attaching
objects
No objects (such as a crash pad
cover, cellular phone holder,
cup holder, perfume or stickers)
should be placed over or near
the air bag modules on the
steering wheel, instrument
panel, windshield glass, and the
front passenger's panel above
the glove box. Such objects
could cause harm if the vehicle
is in a crash severe enough to
cause the air bags to deploy. Do
not place any objects over the
air bag or between the air bag
and yourself.
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