warning KIA Optima 2011 3.G Owner's Guide

Safety features of your vehicle
26
3
✽
✽
NOTICE
• Both the driver's and front passen-
ger's pre-tensioner seat belts may be
activated in certain frontal collisions.
The pre-tensioners will not activate if
the seat belts are not 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.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
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.CAUTION
If the pre-tensioner seat belt does
not work properly, this warning lightwill illuminate even if the SRS air bag has not malfunctioned. If theSRS air bag warning light does notilluminate when the ignition switch is turned ON, or if it remains illumi-nated after illuminating for approxi- mately 6 seconds, or if it illuminateswhile the vehicle is being driven, please have an authorized KIA deal-er inspect the pre-tensioner seatbelt or SRS air bag system as soonas possible.

327
Safety features of your vehicle
Seat belt precautions(Continued)
Do not attempt to service orrepair the pre-tensioner seat belt
system in any manner.
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.
If the vehicle or pre-tensioner seat belt must be discarded, con-
tact an authorized KIA dealer.
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.
WARNING
Pre-tensioners are designed tooperate 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 KIA dealer.
Do not strike the pre-tensioner seat belt assemblies.
(Continued)

Safety features of your vehicle
28
3
Infant or small child
You should be aware of the specific
requirements in your country. Child
and/or infant seats must be properly
placed and installed in the rear seat. For
more information about the use of these
restraints, refer to “Child restraint sys-
tem” in this section.✽ ✽
NOTICE
Small 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 Safety Standards of your
country. Before buying any child
restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets the Safety
Standard of your country. 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 children
Children 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 and snugged on the hips
and as low as possible. Check if the belt
fits periodically. A child's squirming could
put the belt out of position. Children are
given 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 12) must be seat-
ed 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
age 12 and under should be restrained
securely in the rear seat. NEVER place a
child age 12 and under in the front seat.
NEVER place a rear facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle.
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.

329
Safety features of your 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.Pregnant women
The 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 person
A 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 belt
Two 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 down
To reduce the chance of injuries in the
event of an accident and to achieve maxi-
mum effectiveness of the restraint system,
all passengers should be sitting up and
the front seats should be in an upright
position when the vehicle is moving. A
seat belt cannot provide proper protection
if the person is lying down in the rear seat
or if the front seat is in a reclined position.
WARNING- Shoulder belts
on small children
Never allow a shoulder belt come
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.
WARNING - Pregnantwomen
Pregnant women must never place
the lap portion of the safety belt
over the area of the abdomen
where the fetus is located or above
the abdomen where the belt could
crush the fetus during an impact.

Safety features of your vehicle
30
3
Care of seat belts
Seat 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.
Periodic inspection
All seat belts should be inspected peri-
odically for wear or damage of any kind.
Any damaged parts should be replaced
as soon as possible.
Keep belts clean and dry
Seat 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 belts
The entire 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 KIA dealer.
WARNING
When you return the rear seatback
to its upright position after the rear
seatback has been folded down, be
careful not to damage the seat belt
webbing 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 could fail during a colli-
sion or sudden stop, resulting in
serious injury. If the webbing or
buckles are damaged, get them
replaced immediately.
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 snugged 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. Also, the shoulder
belt may strike the occupant's
neck. Drivers and passengers
should always sit well back in their
seats, properly belted, and with the
seatbacks upright.

331
Safety features of your vehicle
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM
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 country. 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 safety standards of your
country.
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by seat belt, or by
a tether anchor and/or LATCH anchors (if
equipped). 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 vehicle
seat and seat belts, and fits your child.
Follow all the instructions provided by the
manufacturer when installing the 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.
(Continued)
(Continued)
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 lug-
gage area or fasten it with a seat
belt so that it will not be thrown
forward in 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.

Safety features of your vehicle
32
3
(Continued)
Never leave children unattended
in a vehicle – not even for a short
time. The car can heat up very
quickly, resulting in serious
injuries to children inside. Even
very young children may inadver-
tently cause the vehicle to move,
entangle themselves in the win-
dows, or lock themselves or oth-
ers inside the vehicle.
Never allow two children, or any two persons, to use the same
seat belt.
Children often squirm and repo- sition themselves improperly.
Never let a child ride with the
shoulder belt under their arm or
behind their back. Always prop-
erly position and secure children
in rear seat.
Never allow a child to stand-up or kneel on the seat or floorboard of
a moving vehicle. During a colli-
sion or sudden stop, the child
can be violently thrown against
the vehicles interior, resulting in
serious injury.
(Continued)(Continued)
Never use an infant carrier or achild safety seat that "hooks"
over a seatback, it may not pro-
vide adequate security in an acci-
dent.
Seat belts can become very hot, especially when the vehicle is
parked in direct sunlight. Always
check the seat belt buckles
before fastening them over a
child.
After an accident, have an author- ized KIA dealer check the child
restraint system, seat belt, tether
anchor and lower anchor.
If there is not enough space to place the child restraint system
because of the driver's seat,
install the child restraint system
in the rear right seat.WARNING
To reduce the chance or serious or
fatal injuries:
Children of all ages are saferwhen restrained in the rear seat.
A child riding in the front passen-
ger seat can be forcefully struck
by an inflating air bag resulting in
serious or fatal injuries.
Always follow the child restraint system manufacture’s instruc-
tions for installation and use of
the child restraint.
Always make sure the child seat is secured properly in the vehicle
and your child is securely
restrained in the child seat.
Never hold a child in your arms or lap when riding in a vehicle. The
violent forces created during a
crash will tear the child from your
arms and throw the child against
the vehicle’s interior.
Never put a seat belt over your- self and a child. During a crash,
the belt could press deep into the
child causing serious internal
injuries.
(Continued)

333
Safety features of your vehicle
Using a child restraint system
For small children and babies, the use of
a child seat or infant seat is required. This
child seat or infant seat should be of
appropriate size for the child and should
be installed in accordance with the man-
ufacturer's instructions.
For safety reasons, we recommend that
the child restraint system be used in the
rear seats.Since all passenger seat belts move
freely under normal conditions and only
lock under extreme or emergency condi-
tions (emergency lock mode), you must
manually change these seat belts to the
auto lock mode to secure a child
restraint.
WARNING- Child seat
installation
A child can be seriously injured
or killed in a collision if the child
restraint is not properly anchored
to the car and the child is not
properly restrained in the child
restraint. Before installing the
child restraint system, read the
instructions supplied by the child
restraint system manufacturer.
If the seat belt does not operate as described in this section, have
the system checked immediately
by your authorized KIA dealer.
Failure to observe this manual's instructions regarding child
restraint system and the instruc-
tions provided with the child
restraint system could increase
the chance and/or severity of
injury in an accident.
WARNING
Never place a rear-facing child
restraint in the front passenger
seat, because of the danger that an
inflating passenger-side air bag
could impact the rear-facing child
restraint and kill the child.
CRS09
OTQ037038
Rearward-facing child restraint system
Forward-facing child restraint system

335
Safety features of your vehicle
4. Slowly allow the shoulder portion ofthe seat belt to retract and listen for an
audible “clicking” or “ratcheting” sound.
This indicates that the retractor is in
the “Auto Lock” mode. If no distinct
sound is heard, repeat steps 3 and 4. 5. Remove as much slack from the belt
as possible by pushing down on the
child restraint system while feeding the
shoulder belt back into the retractor.
6. Push and pull on the child restraint system to confirm that the seat belt is
holding it firmly in place. If it is not,
release the seat belt and repeat steps
2 through 6.
7. Double check that the retractor is in the “Auto Lock” mode by attempting to
pull more of the seat belt out of the
retractor. If you cannot, the retractor is
in the “Auto Lock” mode.
To remove the child restraint, press the
release button on the buckle and then
pull the lap/shoulder belt out of the
restraint and allow the seat belt to retract
fully. When the seat belt is allowed to
retract to its fully stowed position, the
retractor will automatically switch
from the “Auto Lock” mode to the
emergency lock mode for normal
adult usage.
OEN036104OEN036103
WARNING- Auto lock
mode
The lap/shoulder belt automatically
returns to the “emergency lock
mode” whenever the belt is allowed
to retract fully. Therefore, the pre-
ceding seven steps must be fol-
lowed each time a child restraint is
installed.
If the retractor is not in the Auto
lock mode, the child restraint can
move when your vehicle turns or
stops suddenly. A child can be seri-
ously injured or killed if the child
restraint is not properly anchored to
the car, including setting the retrac-
tor to the Auto lock mode.

Safety features of your vehicle
36
3
Securing a child restraint seat with
“Tether Anchor” system
Child restraint hook holders are located
on the package tray. 1. Route the child restraint seat tether
strap over the seatback.
For vehicles with adjustable headrests,
route the tether strap under the head-
rest and between the headrest posts,
otherwise route the tether strap over
the top of the seatback.
2. Connect the tether strap hook to the appropriate child restraint hook holder
and tighten to secure the child restraint
seat.
OTF030029NOTF030030N
WARNING
When using the vehicle's "Tether
Anchor" system to install a child
restraint system in the rear seat, all
unused vehicle rear seat belt metal
latch plates or tabs must be latched
securely in their seat belt buckles
and the seat belt webbing must be
retracted behind the child restraint
to prevent the child from reaching
and taking hold of unretracted seat
belts. Unlatched metal latch plates
or tabs may allow the child to reach
the unretracted seat belts which
may result in strangulation and a
serious injury or death to the child
in the child restraint.