Hyundai Elantra 2008 Owner's Guide

Safety features of your vehicle12 3Seat belt restraint system
Seat belt warning
Seat belt warning lightIf the driver's seat belt is not fastened
when the ignition key is turned ON, the
seat belt warning light blinks for approxi-
mately 6 seconds. And if the vehicle
speed exceeds 10km/h with the seat belt
unfastened, the seat belt warning light
blinks with the pattern of 6 seconds on
and 24 seconds off for 11 times.The seat
belt warning light will stop if the seat belt
is fastened or the vehicle speed is
reduced to below 5km/h.
SEAT BELTS
1GQA2083
WARNING
For maximum restraint system
protection, the seat belts must
always be used whenever the car
is moving.
Seat belts are most effective
when seatbacks are in the
upright position.
Children age 12 and under must
always be properly restrained in
the rear seat. Never allow chil-
dren to ride in the front passen-
ger seat. If a child over 12 must
be seated in the front seat, he/she
must be properly belted and the
seat should be moved as far back
as possible.
Never wear the shoulder belt
under your arm or behind your
back. An improperly positioned
shoulder belt can cause serious
injuries in a crash. The shoulder
belt should be positioned midway
over your shoulder across your
collarbone.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Avoid wearing twisted seat belts.
A twisted belt can't do its job as
well. In a collision, it could even
cut into you. Be sure the belt
webbing is straight and not twist-
ed.
Be careful not to damage the belt
webbing or hardware. If the belt
webbing or hardware is dam-
aged, replace it.

313
Safety features of your vehicle
Seat belt warning chimeIf the driver's seat belt is not fastened
when the ignition key is turned ON, the
seat belt warning chime sounds for
approximately 6 seconds. And if the vehi-
cle speed exceeds 10km/h with the seat
belt unfastened, the seat belt warning
chime sounds with the pattern of 6 sec-
onds on and 24 seconds off for 11
times.The seat belt warning chime will
stop if the seat belt is fastened or the
vehicle speed is reduced to below 5km/h.
Seat belt - Driver’s 3-point system
with emergency locking retractorTo fasten your seat belt:
To fasten your seat belt, pull it out of the
retractor and insert the metal tab (1) into
the buckle (2). There will be an audible
"click" when the tab locks into the buckle.
The seat belt automatically adjusts to the
proper length only after the lap belt por-
tion is adjusted manually so that it fits
snugly around your hips. If you lean for-
ward in a slow, easy motion, the belt will
extend and let you move around. If there
is a sudden stop or impact, however, the
belt will lock into position. It will also lock
if you try to lean forward too quickly.You can adjust the height of the shoulder
belt anchor to one of 4 positions for max-
imum comfort and safety.
If the height of the adjusting seat belt is
too near your neck, you will not be getting
the most effective protection. The shoul-
der portion should be adjusted so that it
lies across your chest and midway over
your shoulder nearest the door and not
your neck.
To adjust the height of the seat belt
anchor, lower or raise the height adjuster
into an appropriate position.
OHD036019
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12

Safety features of your vehicle14 3To raise the height adjuster, pull it up (1).
To lower it, push it down (3) while press-
ing the height adjuster button (2).
Release the button to lock the anchor
into position. Try sliding the height
adjuster to make sure that it has locked
into position.
Seat belts - Front passenger and rear
seat 3-point system with combination
locking retractorTo fasten your seat belt
Combination retractor type seat belts are
installed in the rear seat positions to help
accommodate the installation of child
restraint systems. Although a combina-
tion retractor is also installed in the front
passenger seat position, we strongly rec-
ommend that children always be seated
in the rear seat. NEVER place any infant
restraint system in the front seat of the
vehicle.
This type of seat belt combines the fea-
tures of both an emergency locking
retractor seat belt and an automatic lock-
ing retractor seat belt. To fasten your seat
belt, pull it out of the retractor and insert
the metal tab into the buckle. There will
be an audible "click" when the tab locks
into the buckle. When not securing a
child restraint, the seat belt operates in
the same way as the driver's seat belt
(Emergency Locking Retractor Type). It
automatically adjusts to the proper length
only after the lap belt portion of the seat
belt is adjusted manually so that it fits
snugly around your hips.
WARNING
Verify the shoulder belt anchor is
locked into position at the appro-
priate height. Never position the
shoulder belt across your neck or
face. Improperly positioned seat
belts can cause serious injuries
in an accident.
Failure to replace seat belts after
an accident could leave you with
damaged seat belts that will not
provide protection in the event of
another collision leading to per-
sonal injury or death. Replace
your seat belts after being in an
accident as soon as possible.
B200A01NF
WARNING
You should place the lap belt por-
tion as low as possible and snugly
across your hips, not on your waist.
If the lap belt is located too high on
your waist, it may increase the
chance of injury in the event of a
collision. Both arms should not be
under or over the belt. Rather, one
should be over and the other under,
as shown in the illustration.
Never wear the seat belt under the
arm nearest the door.

315
Safety features of your vehicle
When the seat belt is fully extended from
the retractor to allow the installation of a
child restraint system, the seat belt oper-
ation changes to allow the belt to retract,
but not to extend (Automatic Locking
Retractor Type). Refer to “Using a child
restraint system” in this section.✽ ✽
NOTICEAlthough the combination retractor
provides the same level of protection for
seated passengers in either emergency
or automatic locking modes, it is recom-
mended that seated passengers use the
emergency locking feature for improved
convenience. The automatic locking
function is intended to facilitate child
restraint installation. To convert from
the automatic locking feature to the
emergency locking operation mode,
allow the unbuckled seat belt to fully
retract.
To release the seat belt:
The seat belt is released by pressing the
release button (1) in the locking buckle.
When it is released, the belt should auto-
matically draw back into the retractor.
If this does not happen, check the belt to
be sure it is not twisted, then try again.
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. The pre-tensioner seat
belts can be activated, where the frontal
collision is severe enough, together with
the air bags.
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Safety features of your vehicle16 3When 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,
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.
The seat belt pre-tensioner system con-
sists mainly of the following components.
Their locations are shown in the illustra-
tion:
1. SRS air bag warning light
2. Retractor pre-tensioner assembly
3. SRS control module
1LDE3100
WARNING
To obtain maximum benefit from a
pre-tensioner seat belt:
1. The seatbelt must be working
correctly and adjusted to the
proper position. Please read and
follow all of the important infor-
mation and precautions about
your vehicle’s occupant safety
features – including seat belts
and air bags – that are provided
in this manual.
2. Be sure you and your passen-
gers always wear seat belts and
wear them properly.

317
Safety features of your vehicle
✽ ✽
NOTICE• Both the driver's and front passen-
ger's pre-tensioner seat belts will be
activated in certain frontal collisions.
The pre-tensioner seat belts can be
activated where the frontal collision is
severe enough, together with the air
bags.
The pre-tensioners will not be activat-
ed if the seat belts are not being worn
at the time of the collision.
• 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 oper-
ating conditions and are not haz-
ardous.
• Although it is harmless, the fine dust
may cause skin irritation and should
not be breathed for prolonged peri-
ods. Wash all exposed skin areas thor-
oughly after an accident in which the
pre-tensioner seat belts were activat-
ed.
CAUTION
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 illumi-
nate for approximately 6 seconds
after the ignition key 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 igni-
tion key is turned to "ON", or if it
remains illuminated after illumi-
nating for approximately 6 sec-
onds, or if it illuminates while the
vehicle is being driven, please
have an authorized Hyundai deal-
er inspect the pre-tensioner seat
belt or SRS air bag system as
soon as possible.
AIR
BAG
WARNING
Pre-tensioners are designed to
operate only one time. After acti-
vation, pre-tensioner seat belts
must be replaced. All seat belts,
of any type, should always be
replaced after they have been
worn during a collision.
The pre-tensioner seat belt
assembly mechanisms become
hot during activation. Do not
touch the pre-tensioner seat belt
assemblies for several minutes
after they have been activated.
Do not attempt to inspect or
replace the pre-tensioner seat
belts yourself. This must be done
by an authorized Hyundai dealer.
Do not strike the pre-tensioner
seat belt assemblies.
Do not attempt to service or
repair the pre-tensioner seat belt
system in any manner.
(Continued)

Safety features of your vehicle18 3
Seat belt precautions
Infant or small childAll 50 states have child restraint laws. You
should be aware of the specific require-
ments in your state. Child and/or infant
seats must be properly placed and
installed in the rear seat. For more infor-
mation about the use of these restraints,
refer to “Child restraint system” in this
section.
WARNING
All occupants of the vehicle must
wear their seat belts at all times.
Seat belts and child restraints
reduce the risk of serious or fatal
injuries for all occupants in the
event of a collision or sudden stop.
Without a seat belt, occupants
could be shifted too close to a
deploying air bag, strike the interior
structure or be thrown from the
vehicle. Properly worn seat belts
greatly reduce these hazards.
Even with advanced air bags,
unbelted occupants can be severe-
ly injured by a deploying air bag.
Always follow the precautions
about seat belts, air bags and occu-
pant seating contained in this man-
ual.
(Continued)
Improper handling of the pre-ten-
sioner seat belt assemblies, and
failure to heed the warnings not
to strike, modify, inspect, replace,
service or repair the pre-tension-
er seat belt assemblies may lead
to improper operation or inadver-
tent activation and serious injury.
Always wear the seat belts when
driving or riding in a motor vehi-
cle.
WARNING
Every person in your vehicle needs
to be properly restrained at all
times, including infants and chil-
dren. Never hold a child in your
arms or lap when riding in a vehi-
cle. The violent forces created dur-
ing a crash will tear the child from
your arms and throw the child
against the interior. Always use a
child restraint appropriate for your
child's height and weight.

319
Safety features of your vehicle
✽ ✽
NOTICESmall children are best protected from
injury in an accident when properly
restrained in the rear seat by a child
restraint system that meets the require-
ments of the the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. Before buying any
child restraint system, make sure that it
has a label certifying that it meets
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
213. The restraint must be appropriate
for your child's height and weight.
Check the label on the child restraint for
this information. Refer to “Child
restraint system” in this section.
Larger childrenChildren who are too large for child
restraint systems should always occupy
the rear seat and use the available
lap/shoulder belts. The lap portion should
be fastened snug on the hips and as low
as possible. Check belt fit periodically. A
child's squirming could put the belt out of
position. Children are afforded the most
safety in the event of an accident when
they are restrained by a proper restraint
system in the rear seat. If a larger child
(over age 13) must be seated in the front
seat, the child should be securely
restrained by the available lap/shoulder
belt and the seat should be placed in the
rearmost position. Children under the
age of 13 should be restrained securely
in the rear seat. NEVER place a child
under the age of 13 in the front seat.
NEVER place a rear facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle.If the shoulder belt portion slightly touch-
es the child’s neck or face, try placing the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. If
the shoulder belt still touches their face
or neck they need to be returned to a
child restraint system.
WARNING
- Shoulder belts
on small children
Never allow a shoulder belt to be
in contact with a child’s neck or
face while the vehicle is in
motion.
If seat belts are not properly worn
and adjusted on children, there is
a risk of death or serious injury.

Safety features of your vehicle20 3Pregnant womenThe use of a seat belt is recommended
for pregnant women to lessen the chance
of injury in an accident. When a seat belt
is used, the lap belt portion should be
placed as low and snugly as possible on
the hips, not across the abdomen. For
specific recommendations, consult a
physician.Injured personA seat belt should be used when an
injured person is being transported.
When this is necessary, you should con-
sult a physician for recommendations.One person per beltTwo people (including children) should
never attempt to use a single seat belt.
This could increase the severity of
injuries in case of an accident.
Do not lie downTo reduce the chance of injuries in the
event of an accident and to achieve max-
imum effectiveness of the restraint sys-
tem, all passengers should be sitting up
and the front seats should be in an
upright position when the car is moving.
A seat belt cannot provide proper protec-
tion if the person is lying down in the rear
seat or if the front seat is in a reclined
position.
Care of seat beltsSeat belt systems should never be disas-
sembled or modified. In addition, care
should be taken to assure that seat belts
and belt hardware are not damaged by
seat hinges, doors or other abuse.
WARNING
Riding with a reclined seatback
increases your chance of serious
or fatal injuries in the event of a col-
lision or sudden stop. The protec-
tion of your restraint system (seat
belts and air bags) is greatly
reduced by reclining your seat.
Seat belts must be snug against
your hips and chest to work proper-
ly. The more the seatback is
reclined, the greater the chance
that an occupant's hips will slide
under the lap belt causing serious
internal injuries or the occupant's
neck could strike the shoulder belt.
Drivers and passengers should
always sit well back in their seats,
properly belted, and with the seat-
backs upright.
WARNING
When you return the rear seatback
to its upright position after the rear
seatback was folded down, be care-
ful not to damage the seat belt web-
bing or buckle. Be sure that the
webbing or buckle does not get
caught or pinched in the rear seat.
A seat belt with damaged webbing
or buckle will not be as strong and
could possibly fail during a colli-
sion or sudden stop, resulting in
serious injury.

321
Safety features of your vehicle
Periodic inspectionIt is recommended that all seat belts be
inspected periodically for wear or dam-
age of any kind. Parts of the system that
are damaged should be replaced as
soon as possible.Keep belts clean and drySeat belts should be kept clean and dry.
If belts become dirty, they can be
cleaned by using a mild soap solution
and warm water. Bleach, dye, strong
detergents or abrasives should not be
used because they may damage and
weaken the fabric.When to replace seat beltsEntire in-use seat belt assembly or
assemblies should be replaced if the
vehicle has been involved in an accident.
This should be done even if no damage
is visible. Additional questions concern-
ing seat belt operation should be directed
to an authorized Hyundai dealer.Children riding in the car should sit in the
rear seat and must always be properly
restrained to minimize the risk of injury in
an accident, sudden stop or sudden
maneuver. According to accident statis-
tics, children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seats than in the
front seat. Larger children not in a child
restraint should use one of the seat belts
provided.
You should be aware of the specific
requirements in your state. Child and/or
infant safety seats must be properly
placed and installed in the rear seat. You
must use a commercially available child
restraint system that meets the require-
ments of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS).
Children could be injured or killed in a
crash if their restraints are not properly
secured. For small children and babies, a
child seat or infant seat must be used.
Before buying a particular child restraint
system, make sure it fits your car seat
and seat belts, and fits your child. Follow
all the instructions provided by the man-
ufacturer when installing the child
restraint system.
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM
WARNING
A child restraint system must be
placed in the rear seat. Never
install a child or infant seat on the
front passenger's seat. Should an
accident occur and cause the
passenger side air bag to deploy,
it could severely injure or kill an
infant or child seated in an infant
or child seat. Thus only use a
child restraint in the rear seat of
your vehicle.
A seat belt or child restraint sys-
tem can become very hot if it is
left in a closed vehicle on a sunny
day, even if the outside tempera-
ture does not feel hot. Be sure to
check the seat cover and buckles
before placing a child there.
When the child restraint system
is not in use, store it in the trunk
or fasten it with a seat belt so that
it will not be thrown forward in
the case of a sudden stop or an
accident.
Children may be seriously injured
or killed by an inflating air bag.
All children, even those too large
for child restraints, must ride in
the rear seat.