Seat Belt Systems: Description and Operation

Seat Belt System Description and Operation

Front Seat Belt System Operation

Caution: To help avoid personal injury from unrepaired crash damage to a restraint system, perform the seat belt check for each seat belt system. Replace the seat belt system if there is any doubt about the condition of system components.

1. The front Seat Belt System includes a driver and\or passenger seat belt retractor and buckle.
2. The front Seat Belt System, includes a seat belt switch in the LF and RF seat buckle which controls the fasten safety belt indicators and a tone alarm. When the LF/RF seat belt is buckled, the LF/RF door is closed, and the ignition switch is in the ON position, the following events will not occur:

* The tone alarm will not operate.
* The fasten safety belts indicator will not operate.

3. When the LF/RF seat belt is not buckled, the LF/RF door closed, and the ignition switch is in the RUN position, the following events will occur:

* The tone alarm will operate for 4 to 8 seconds and then turn OFF.
* The fasten safety belts indicator will operate for 20 seconds, until the LF/RF seat belt is buckled.
* Then the fasten safety belts indicator will flash for an additional 55 seconds before turning OFF.
To diagnose a failure of the fasten safety belts indicator refer to Symptoms - Seat Belts.

Child Seat Restraint System

Caution: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured if the right-front passengers air bag inflates. This is because the back of a rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating air bag. NEVER use a rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle. If a forward-facing child restraint is suitable for your child, ALWAYS move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go and then install the child restraint. Be sure the child restraint position does not conflict with any additional requirements provided by the manufacturer. For more information, refer to the vehicle owners manual and the instruction that came with the child restraint.

The child seat may only be used in a forward facing seating location. The child seat should be installed and secured according to the manufacturers directions. If the child seat has a top strap it will need to be anchored. Refer to Child Restraint Tether Anchor Replacement - Rear No. 1.

All vehicles are equipped with a dual-mode type retractor with emergency and automatic locking features. The automatic locking feature is for restraint of a child seat. The child seat can be secured by pulling the seat belt all the way out to lock it. Then, tighten the seat belt around the child seat.

Seat Belt System Circuit Description

The fasten safety belts indicator will illuminate when the following conditions occur simultaneously:

* The ignition switch is in one of the following positions:

- RUN
- BULB TEST
- START

* The LF/RF safety belt is not fastened.

The audio fasten safety belt warning alarm, located within the body control module (BCM), also incorporates an indicator within the instrument panel cluster (IPC). The fasten safety belt indicator works in conjunction with the fasten safety belt warning alarm. When the inflatable restraint sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) receives a signal that the LF or RF safety belt is unfastened, the SDM sends a signal to the IPC to command ON the fasten safety belt indicator.