Active Restraints

The Active restraints include:

Front Driver and Passenger Seat Belts  - Both seating positions are equipped with a three-point restraint. Seat Belt Tensioners (SBT) that actuate to remove slack in the seat belts and to snug the occupant into the seat at the onset of an impact event. This controls the occupant's forward movement to reduce the likelihood of injury as a result of contacting any interior components. Especially during the primary impact event phase, the tensioning power of the SBTs guarantees optimum transmission of the passenger compartment deceleration to the passenger. The vehicle's SBTs employ load-limiting retractors that "give" with higher seat belt loads. If a given seat belt force is exceeded, the seat belt force limiter permits a controlled forward inclination of the occupant's upper body. This protective function reduces the risk of chest and shoulder injuries and permits the passenger to plunge deeper into the airbag for a smooth dissipation of the occupant's kinetic energy. The drivers SBT is mounted in the B-pillar below the belt line which locks only as a result of a sudden vehicle stop or a rapid extension of the webbing. This is called "Emergency Locking", it will allow free movement under normal driving conditions. To allow the retention of a child seat, a dual-mode passenger SBT is mounted in the B-pillar below the belt line and can be switched between "Emergency Locking" and "Automatic Locking". Seat-mounted, inboard buckles allow seat adjustment while maintaining a consistent relationship between the buckle and the seat belt. For easy and consistent access and adjustment, a free-running latch plate on each belt slides along the webbing and stops against a button near the occupant's shoulder when unfastened. A seat belt warning lamp in the Instrument Cluster (IC) comes on and a warning chime sounds for a short time if the driver's seat belt is not fastened when the ignition switch is turned to the "RUN" position. After starting the engine, the seat belt warning indicator flashes briefly as an added precaution.

Child Restraint Anchors  - The front passenger seat includes a LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether for Children) child seat anchorage system. LATCH-compatible child seats are those engineered for retention by direct attachment to the vehicle's seat structure rather than with the vehicle's seat belts. The child seat's lower anchors attach to the seat structure via heavy-gauge wire loops at the intersection of the seat cushion and seat back. The child seat's upper tether strap attaches to a child seat tether anchor. Child seats can also be securely fastened in the passenger seat using the seat belts. For this purpose, the passenger seat belt includes a dual-mode SBT. After the child seat is positioned and the belt routed according to instructions for the child seat, the seat belt is pulled all the way out of the SBT to the end of its travel. This switches the SBT to the "Automatic Locking" mode. As the seat belt retracts, the SBT locks to prevent the belt from being pulled out again. Pulling the belt snugly over the child seat secures the seat in place. When the belt retracts fully after child seat removal, normal "Emergency Locking" action is restored to the SBT.