warning KIA Sorento 2008 1.G Owner's Guide

327
Knowing your vehicle
Safety belt restraint system We strongly recommend that the driver
and all passengers be properly restrained
at all times by using the safety belts pro-
vided with the vehicle. Proper use of the
safety belts decreases the risk of severe
injury or death in accidents or sudden
stops. In most states, and in Canada, the
law requires their use.
All seats have lap/shoulder belts. Inertial
locks in the safety belt retractors allow all
of the lap/shoulder safety belts to remain
unlocked during normal vehicle opera-
tion. This allows the occupants some
freedom of movement and increased
comfort while using the safety belts. If a
force is applied to the vehicle, such as a
strong stop, a sharp turn, or a collision,
the safety belt retractors will automatical-
ly lock the safety belts.
Since the inertial locks do not require a
collision in order to lock up, you may
become aware of the safety belts locking
while braking or going around sharp cor-
ners.
Always use the rear seat position(s) to
install your child restraint(s).
WARNING- Replacing
used pre-tensioners
• Pre-tensioners are designed to
operate once. After activation,
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.
• Do not attempt to replace the pre-
tensioners yourself. This must be
done by an authorized Kia dealer.
WARNING-Damaging the
pre-tensioners
• Do not hit or strike the pre-ten-
sioner assemblies,especially
with a tool or heavy object.
• Do not attempt to service or
repair the pre-tensioners.
WARNING- Safety belts
To minimize the risk of serious or
fatal injury in an accident, the driv-
er and all passengers should use
the appropriate safety restraints for
their age and size. The presence of
air bags does not change the need
to be properly restrained by a safe-
ty belt or size-appropriate child
restraint. In fact, air bags are
designed to work the best when
passengers are correctly restrained
in the vehicle.
• Be sure you are familiar with the
information in this section,
including the information on
infant and child restraints.
• Read the safety warnings on the
sunvisors of your vehicle also.

Knowing your vehicle
28 3
The rear safety belts use a special auto-
lock feature designed to allow a child
restraint to be used in these positions
without an added locking clip. They nor-
mally lock only under extreme or emer-
gency conditions (emergency lock
mode). However they can be adjusted so
that they remain fixed and locked when a
child restraint system is placed in these
positions. (Use this auto-lock mode only
to secure a child restraint, never for pas-
sengers restrained by the safety belts.)
Page 3-41 gives instructions on placing
the safety belt in the auto lock mode.
The drivers safety belt can only operate
in the emergency lock mode.Safety belts provide the best restraint
when:
• The seatback is upright.
• The occupant is sitting upright (not
slouched).
• The lap belt is snug across the hips.
• The shoulder belt is snug across the
chest.
• The knees are straight forward.
To help you remember to fasten your
safety belt, a warning light will blink. See
“Safety belt warning light and chime” on
page 3-30.
WARNING- Child restraint
in front seat
Never install a child restraint sys-
tem in the front passenger position,
as an inflating air bag could cause
serious or fatal injury to a child in
that position.
WARNING- After a colli-
sion
• Lap/shoulder belt assemblies
may be stretched or damaged
when subjected to the stress and
forces of a collision.
• The entire restraint system
should be inspected following
any collision. All belts, retractors,
anchors and hardware damaged
by a collision should be replaced
before the vehicle is operated
again.
WARNING - Cargo area
Passengers should never be
allowed to ride in the cargo area of
a vehicle. No safety belts are pro-
vided for the cargo area. Persons
riding in the vehicle without a fas-
tened safety belt are much more
likely to suffer serious bodily injury
or death during an accident.

329
Knowing your vehicle
WARNING- Twisted belts
A twisted or jammed safety belt
cannot restrain you properly. If you
cannot untwist or unjam the safety
belt, have an authorized Kia dealer
service it immediately. Never drive
or ride with a twisted or jammed
safety belt.
WARNING- Belt use
Safety belts must be used correctly
to work properly in an accident.
Each seating position in your vehi-
cle has a specific safety belt assem-
bly that includes a buckle and
tongue designed to be used togeth-
er.
Failure to heed these warnings and
follow these instructions will
increase the risk and severity of
injuries and the likelihood of death
in an accident.
(Continued)
(Continued)
•Use the shoulder portion of the
safety belt on the outside shoul-
der only. Never wear the shoulder
portion under the arm.
• Never swing the safety belt
around your neck to fit over the
inside shoulder.
• Never wear the shoulder portion
of the safety belt across the neck
or face.
• Wear the lap portion as low as
possible. Be sure that the lap belt
fits snugly around the hips.
Never wear a lap portion of a
lap/shoulder belt over your waist;
it should always go over the
stronger area of your hips.
• Never use a single safety belt for
more than one person.
• The front seatbacks should
always remain in a comfortable,
upright position when the vehicle
is moving.WARNING- Safety belt
care
• A damaged belt may not give you
the protection you need in an
accident.
•Inspect your safety belts periodi-
cally for excessive wear or dam-
age. Pull out each belt fully and
look for fraying, cuts, burns or
other damage. Pull the safety belt
out and let it retract a number of
times. Make sure that the
lap/shoulder belts return smooth-
ly and easily into the retractor.
• Check the latches to make sure
they latch and release without
interference or delay.
• Never close the doors on any part
of the lap or shoulder belt.
• Any belt not in good condition or
in good working order should be
promptly replaced.

Knowing your vehicle
30 3
Safety belt warning light and
chime
If the driver's safety belt is not fastened
when the key is turned ON or if it is
unfastened after the key is turned ON,
the safety belt warning light blinks until
the belt fastened.
If the driver's safety belt is not fastened
when the key is turned ON or if it is
unfastened after the key is ON, the safe-
ty belt warning chime will sound for
approximately 6 seconds. At this time, if
the safety belt is fastened, the chime will
stop at once.
Lap/shoulder belt
To f asten the front lap/shoulder belt:
1. Grasp the buckle and tongue plate.
2. Slowly pull the lap/shoulder belt out
from the retractor.
W-29S2BLA371
WARNING
Never close the doors on any part
of the lap or shoulder belt. It can
damage the safety belt or buckle
which could increase the risk of
injury in case of an accident.

Knowing your vehicle
32 3
To unfasten the front lap/shoulder
belt:
Press the release button on the buckle
and allow the belt to slowly retract.
Rear lap/shoulder belt
To f asten the rear lap/shoulder belt:
1. Grasp the buckle and tongue plate.
2. Slowly pull the lap/shoulder belt out.
3. Insert the tongue plate (
➀) into the
open end of the buckle (
➁) until an
audible “click’’ is heard, indicating the
belt is locked in the buckle.
WARNING
• The height adjuster must be in
the locked position when the
vehicle is moving.
• The misadjustment of height of
the shoulder belt could reduce
the effectiveness of the seat belt
in a crash.
S2BLA374S2BLA372
➀
➁

Knowing your vehicle
34 3
2. Insert the tongue plate (A) into the
open end of the buckle (C) until an
audible “click" is heard, indicating the
latch is locked. Make sure the belt is
not twisted.3. Pull the tongue plate (B) and insert the
tongue plate (B) into the open end of
the buckle (D) until an audible “click” is
heard, indicating the latch is locked.
Make sure the belt is not twisted.There will be an audible “click” when the
tab locks in the buckle. The safety belt
automatically adjusts to the proper length
only after the lap belt is adjusted manu-
ally so that it fits snugly around your hips,
if you lean forward in a slow, easy
motion, the belt will extend and let you
move around. If there is a sudden stop or
impact, the belt will lock into position. It
will also lock if you try to lean forward too
quickly.
WARNING
When using the rear safety center
belt, you must lock all tongue plates
and buckles. If any tongue plate or
buckle is not locked, it will increase
the chance of injury in the event of
collision.
(D) (B)
PRESS
E2BLC304(D) (A)
(C)(B)S2BLB303A

Knowing your vehicle
36 3
Stowing the rear safety belt
The rear safety belt buckles can be
stowed in the pocket between the rear
seatback and cushion when not in use.
Proper use and care of the safety
belt system
To ensure that the safety belts provide
the maximum protection, please follow
these instructions:
• Use the belts at all times - even on
short trips.
• If the safety belt is twisted, straighten it
prior to use.
• Keep sharp edges and damaging
objects away from the belts.
• Periodically inspect belt webbing,
anchors, buckles and all other parts for
signs of wear and damage. Replace
damaged, excessively worn or ques-
tionable parts immediately.• To clean the belt webbing, use a mild
soap solution recommended for clean-
ing upholstery or carpets. Follow the
instructions provided with the soap.
• Do not make modifications or additions
to the safety belt.
• After wearing a safety belt, make sure
it fully retracts to the stowed position.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in
the door when you close it.
WARNING -Belt cleaning
Do not bleach or dye the webbing
because this may weaken the web-
bing fibers and allow them to fail
when restraining an occupant in a
collision.
E2BLB301G
CAUTION - Damaging rear
safety buckles
When you fold the rear seatback or
put luggage on the rear seat cush-
ion, you must insert the buckle into
the pocket in the seatback. Doing
so can prevent the buckle from
being crushed by the rear seatback
or luggage.

337
Knowing your vehicle
Restraint of pregnant women
Pregnant women should wear lap/shoul-
der belt assemblies whenever possible
according to specific recommendations
by their doctors. The lap portion of the
belt should be worn AS SNUGLY AND
LOW AS POSSIBLE.
Restraint of infants and small
children
To increase their safety, infants and
young children should always be
restrained by a restraint system
approved for their age and size.
Never allow a child to stand or kneel on
the seat of a moving vehicle. Never allow
a safety belt to be placed around both a
child and an adult or around two children
at the same time.
It is best for children to be seated in the
rear seats.
Many companies manufacture child
restraint systems (often called child
seats) for infants and small children. An
acceptable child restraint system must
always satisfy Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards and your applicable
state laws. Make sure that any child-
restraint system you use in your vehicle
is labelled as complying with Federal
Safety Standards.
The child-restraint system should be
chosen to fit both the size of the child and
the size of the vehicle seat. Be sure to fol-
low any instructions provided by the
child-restraint system manufacturer
when installing the child-restraint system.
WARNING - Pregnant
women
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.
WARNING- Children on
laps
Never hold a child on your lap or in
your arms in a moving vehicle.
Even a very strong person cannot
hold onto a child in the event of
even a minor collision.
WARNING- Hot metal
parts
Safety belts and seats can become
hot in a vehicle that has been
closed during warm/hot weather;
they could burn a child. Check seat
covers and buckles before you
place a child anywhere near them.

Knowing your vehicle
38 3
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 safety belts are not properly
worn and adjusted, there is a risk
of death or serious injury to such
a child.
Restraint of larger children
As children grow, they may need to use
new child-restraint systems, including
larger child seats or booster seats, which
are appropriate for their increased size.
A child who has outgrown available child-
restraint systems should use the belts
provided in the vehicle. When seated in
the rear outboard seats, the child should
be restrained by the lap/shoulder belt.
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. In addition, after-
market devices are available from inde-
pendent manufacturers which help pull
the shoulder belt down and away from
the child’s face or neck.WARNING- Infants and
young children
• Infants and young children are at
much greater risk of serious injury
or death in an accident or sudden
stop if they are unrestrained or
restrained improperly. Follow all
instructions in this section and the
instructions that came with an
approved child safety system. The
child restraint must be correctly
installed in the vehicle, and the
child must be correctly placed in
the child restraint.
• All children under 12 are safest in
the back seat.
• Never install a rear facing infant
seat in the front passenger posi-
tion. The baby will be injured or
killed by the air bag if it deploys.
•
Never allow a child to stand or
kneel on the seat of a moving vehi-
cle.

339
Knowing your vehicle
Child restraint system
For small children and babies, the use of
a child seat or infant seat is strongly rec-
ommended and is required by law in
almost all states. This child seat or infant
seat should be of appropriate size for the
child and should be installed in accor-
dance with the manufacturer's instruc-
tions.
Children riding in the car should sit on
the rear seat and must always be proper-
ly 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.
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 and
seat belts, and fits your child. Follow all
the instructions provided by the child
seat manufacturer when installing the
child restraint system.
WARNING-Child
restraints
• 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 air bag to
deploy, it could severely injure or
kill an infant or child seated in the
front seat.
• Since a safety belt or child
restraint system can become very
hot if it is in a closed vehicle, be
sure to check the seat cover and
buckles before placing a child
there.
(Continued)
(Continued)
• When the child restraint system
is not in use,store it in the trunk
or fasten it with a safety belt so
that it will not be thrown forward
in the case of a sudden stop or an
accident.
• Children who are too large to be
in a child restraint should sit in
the rear seat and be restrained
with the available lap/shoulder
belts.
• When using the vehicles
lap/shoulder safety belts,always
make sure that the shoulder belt
portion is positioned midway
over the shoulder, never across
the neck or behind the back. The
lap belt portion of the lap/shoul-
der belt must always be posi-
tioned as low as possible on the
child's hips and as snug as
pos-
sible.
• If the vehicle’s safety belt will not
properly fit the child, you must
use an appropriate child restraint
or booster seat in the rear.
(Continued)
ADAIRBAG