Seat belt with pretensioner

In the Kia Opirus 2003–2011, the seat belt pretensioners provide additional protection in frontal impacts. They retract the belt within milliseconds and hold the occupant securely before the airbag deploys. The system operates automatically and efficiently, and the control module also takes unoccupied seats into account. This ensures maximum safety at all times.

The front seat belts are equipped with seat belt pretensioners.

The seat belt pretensioners pull the seat belts close to the body in certain frontal collisions. The seat belt pretensioners are only activated together with the airbags in frontal collisions of a certain severity.

The seat belt pretensioners for both the driver's and the front passenger's seat belt are activated in certain frontal collisions.

Above a certain collision severity, the seat belt pretensioners may be activated together with the airbags. Under the same conditions, the seat belt pretensioners are also activated when the seat is unoccupied.

The seat belt pretensioner system consists mainly of the following components. Their installation locations are shown in the illustration.

• Airbag warning lamp
• Seat belt pretensioner
• Airbag control module

The seat belt with pretensioner is most effective when the following conditions are met.

• The seat belt must be worn correctly.
• The seat belt must be adjusted correctly.

Load limiter*

If, after the seat belt pretensioners have been activated, the system detects excessive tension in one of the front seat belts, the load limiter reduces the tension in the affected belt.

When a seat belt pretensioner is activated, a loud explosive bang occurs and a fine dust forms in the vehicle. This dust may create the impression of smoke, but it is not toxic.

Although the dust is harmless, it may still cause skin irritation and should not be inhaled over a longer period. Wash your hands and face thoroughly if airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners in your vehicle were deployed in a collision.

• Seat belts and seat belt pretensioners are integrated into a common control and monitoring system. If the airbag warning lamp flashes or lights up for approx. 6 seconds after the ignition is switched on and then goes out, the monitoring system has determined that the airbags and seat belt pretensioners are functioning correctly.
• If the monitoring system has detected a malfunction, for example of a seat belt pretensioner, the warning lamp does not go out to indicate the malfunction. However, this does not affect the function of the airbags. If the airbag warning lamp does not go out approx. 6 seconds after the ignition is switched on, continues to flash or stays on, or starts to flash or light up while driving, have the airbag and seat belt pretensioner system of your vehicle checked immediately by an authorized KIA dealer.

The triggering mechanism of a seat belt pretensioner becomes very hot when the pretensioner is activated.

Therefore, after a seat belt pretensioner has been activated, do not touch the pretensioner or the area around it for several minutes.

• Seat belt pretensioners are designed to be activated only once. After activation, the seat belt pretensioner and the seat belt must be replaced as an assembly. In general, all types of seat belts should be replaced if they were being worn during a collision.
• Do not attempt to inspect or replace a seat belt equipped with a pretensioner yourself. Always have this work performed by an authorized KIA dealer.

• Do not strike any components of seat belts equipped with pretensioners.
• Never attempt to service or repair a seat belt system equipped with pretensioners in any way.
• Improper handling of seat belts with pretensioners, failure to observe the instruction not to strike any components of such a system, and any modification, inspection, maintenance, repair, or replacement of such a system may result in improper operation or unexpected deployment. This may result in serious injury.

The seat belts with pretensioners in the Kia Opirus 2003–2011 provide additional protection in a frontal collision. In a hazardous situation, they tighten the belt and hold the occupant optimally in position.

The combination of pretensioner and load limiter minimizes the load on the body during a collision – an important safety feature of the Kia Opirus.

The safety equipment of the Kia Opirus 2003–2011 is thus well thought out and high quality, ensuring occupant protection at the highest level.