Occupant restraints for this vehicle include both Active and Passive types. Active restraints are those which require
the occupants to take some action to employ, such as fastening the seat belt; while Passive restraints require no
action by the occupants to be employed.

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

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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 pro-
tective 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 main-
taining a consistent relationship between the buckle and the seat belt. For easy and consistent access and adjust-
ment, 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.

PASSIVE RESTRAINTS

The passive restraints include:

Driver and Passenger Front Airbags - This airbag
system is a passive, inflatable, Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS). Vehicles with this equipment can be
readily identified by the “SRS AIRBAG” logo molded
into the driver airbag trim cover in the steering wheel
(1) and also into the passenger airbag area (2) of the
instrument panel top pad above the glove box.

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Vehicles with the SRS can also be identified by the
Airbag Warning Indicator, which will illuminate in the
Instrument Cluster (IC) for about six seconds as a
bulb test each time the ignition switch is turned to the
“RUN” position.

The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) also includes the following major components.

Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) - The Occu-
pant Restraint Controller (ORC) is located on a mount
on the top of the transmission tunnel (2) in front of the
shifter, under the front center console.

ORC System Logic - The Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) uses an impact severity level (thresh-
old) to determine the appropriate response from the
ORC. Impacts that exceed the initial threshold in fron-
tal, front-angled, and rear impacts trigger only the SBT
that have the seat belt fastened. If the seat belt is not
fastened, the system will not recognize the belt and
not trigger the SBT. But, if the impact is severe
enough, the airbags will be triggered even if the seat
belts are not fastened. Impacts that exceed the higher
threshold always trigger the airbags. The driver and
passenger SRS systems operate independently of one
another based on seat belt use. SBT actuation occurs
only if the seat belts are buckled. After an impact that
activates

SBT,

the

SBT

assembly

must

replaced. The ORC monitors operational readiness of
the SRS and illuminates the airbag warning indicator lamp in the Instrument Cluster (IC) if a malfunction should
occur. The following system components are monitored or undergo a self-check at startup. The side-impact sensor,
airbag ignition circuits (squibs), seat belt buckle switches and the SBT. The airbag warning indicator lamp also illu-
minates briefly each time the engine is started, allowing the driver to verify its operation.

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