KIA Optima (2018 year). Instruction — part 3

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Safety features of your vehicle

Pre-tensioner seat belt

Your vehicle is equipped with driver's
and front passenger's pre-tensioner
seat belts (retractor pretensioner and
EFD (Emergency Fastening Device)).
The pre-tensioner seat belts may be
activated, when a frontal collision is
severe enough, together with the air
bags.
When the vehicle stops suddenly, or if
the occupant tries to lean forward too
quickly, the seat belt retractor may
lock into position. In certain frontal col-
lisions, the pre-tensioner will activate
and pull the seat belt into tighter con-
tact against the occupant's body.

(1) Retractor Pretensioner

The purpose of the retractor pre-

tensioner is to make sure that the
shoulder belts fit in tightly against
the occupant's upper body in cer-
tain frontal collisions.

(2) EFD (Emergency Fastening Device)

The purpose of the EFD is to

make sure that the pelvis belts fit
in tightly against the occupant's
lower body in certain frontal colli-
sions.

If the system senses excessive ten-
sion on the driver or passenger's
seat belt when the pre-tensioner sys-
tem activates, the load limiter inside
the retractor pre-tensioner will release
some of the pressure on the affected
seat belt.

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NOTICE

When the pre-tensioner seat belts
are activated, a loud noise may be
heard and fine dust, which may
appear to be smoke, may be visible
in the passenger compartment.
These are normal operating condi-
tions and are not hazardous.

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3

The seat belt pre-tensioner system
consists mainly of the following com-
ponents. Their locations are shown in
the illustration:

(1) SRS air bag warning light
(2) Front retractor pre-tensioner

assembly

(3) SRS control module
(4) Emergency fastening device

(EFD)

(5) Rear retractor pre-tensioner

assembly (if equipped)

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NOTICE

• Both the driver's and front pas-

senger's seat belt pre-tensioner sys-
tem may be activated not only in
certain frontal collision, but also in
certain side collisions or rollovers,
if the vehicle is equipped with a
side or curtain air bag.

• Because the sensor that activates

the SRS air bag is connected with
the pre-tensioner seat belt, the
SRS air bag warning light

on

the instrument panel will illumi-
nate for approximately 6 seconds
after the ignition switch has been
turned to the ON position, and
then it should turn off.

WARNING -

Skin Irritation

Wash all exposed skin areas
thoroughly after an accident in
which the pre-tensioner seat
belts were activated. The fine
dust from the pre-tensioner
activation may cause skin irrita-
tion and should not be breathed
for prolonged periods.

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Safety features of your vehicle

If the pre-tensioner seat belt system
is not working properly, this warning
light will illuminate even if there is not
a malfunction with the SRS air bag. If
the SRS air bag warning light does
not illuminate when the ignition
switch is turned ON, or if it remains
illuminated after illuminating for
approximately 6 seconds, or if it illu-
minates while the vehicle is being
driven, have an authorized Kia dealer
inspect the pre-tensioner seat belt
and SRS air bag system as soon as
possible.

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NOTICE

Do not attempt to service or repair
the pre-tensioner seat belt system in
any manner. Do not attempt to
inspect or replace the pre-tensioner
seat belts yourself. This must be
done by an authorized Kia dealer.

Pre-tensioners are designed to oper-
ate only one time. After activation,
pre-tensioner seat belts must be
replaced. If the pre-tensioner must
be replaced, contact an authorized
Kia dealer.

Seat belt precautions

Infant or small child

All 50 states have child restraint laws.
You should be aware of the specific
requirements in your state. Child
and/or infant seats must be properly
placed and installed in the rear seat.
For more information about the use of
these restraints, refer to “Child
restraint system” in this section.

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NOTICE

Small children are best protected
from injury in an accident when
properly restrained in the rear seat
by a child restraint system that meets
the requirements of the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Before buying any child restraint sys-
tem, make sure that it has a label cer-
tifying that it meets Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213. The
restraint must be appropriate for
your child's height and weight.
Check the label on the child restraint
for this information. Refer to “Child
restraint system” in this section.

WARNING

- Hot preten-

sioner

Do not touch the pre-tensioner
seat belt assemblies for several
minutes after they have been
activated. When the pre-ten-
sioner seat belt mechanism
fires during a collision the pre-
tensioner becomes hot and can
burn you.

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30

3

Larger children

Children who are too large for child
restraint systems should always
occupy the rear seat and use the
available lap/shoulder belts. The lap
portion should be fastened and
snugged on the hips as low as possi-
ble. Check periodically to insure that
the belt fits. A child's squirming could
put the belt out of position. Children
are given the most safety in the event
of an accident when they are
restrained by a proper restraint sys-
tem in the rear seat. If a larger child
(over age 12) must be seated in the
front seat, the child should be
securely restrained by the available
lap/shoulder belt and the seat should
be placed in the rearmost position.
Children age 12 and under should be
restrained securely in the rear seat.
NEVER place a child age 12 and
under in the front seat. NEVER place
a rear facing child seat in the front
seat of a vehicle.

If the shoulder belt portion slightly
touches 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.

Restraint of pregnant women

Pregnant women should wear
lap/shoulder belt assemblies when-
ever possible according to specific
recommendations by their doctors.
The lap portion of the belt should be
worn AS SECURELY AND LOW AS
POSSIBLE.

WARNING

- Small children

Do not allow small children to
ride in the vehicle without an
appropriate child restraint sys-
tem. If the shoulder belt comes
in contact with your child's neck
or face your child is too small to
ride in the vehicle. In a crash the
seat belt will inflict injury to your
child's neck, throat and face.

WARNING

- Pregnant

women

Pregnant women must never
place the lap portion of the seat
belt above or on the abdomen
where the fetus is located. The
force of the seat belt during a
collision will crush the fetus.

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Safety features of your vehicle

Injured person

A seat belt should be used when an
injured person is being transported.
When this is necessary, you should
consult a physician for recommenda-
tions.

One person per belt

Two people (including children)
should never attempt to use a single
seat belt. This could increase the
severity of injuries in case of an acci-
dent.

Do not lie down

To reduce the chance of injuries in
the event of an accident and to
achieve maximum effectiveness of
the restraint system, all passengers
should be sitting up and the front and
rear seats should be in an upright
position when the vehicle is moving.
A seat belt cannot provide proper
protection if the person is lying down
in the rear seat or if the front and rear
seats are in a reclined position.

Care of seat belts

Seat belt systems should never be
disassembled or modified. In addi-
tion, care should be taken to assure
that seat belts and belt hardware are
not damaged by seat hinges, doors
or other abuse.

Periodic inspection

All seat belts should be inspected
periodically for wear or damage of
any kind. Any damaged parts should
be replaced as soon as possible.

Keep belts clean and dry

Seat belts should be kept clean and
dry. If belts become dirty, they can be
cleaned by using a mild soap solu-
tion and warm water. Bleach, dye,
strong detergents or abrasives
should not be used because they
may damage and weaken the fabric.

When to replace seat belts

The entire in-use seat belt assembly
or assemblies should be replaced if
the vehicle has been involved in an
accident. This should be done even if
no damage is visible. Additional
questions concerning seat belt oper-
ation should be directed to an
authorized Kia dealer.

WARNING

- Pinched seat

belt

Make sure that the webbing
and/or buckle does not get
caught or pinched in the rear
seat when returning the rear
seatback to its upright position.
A caught or pinched webbing/
buckle may become damaged
and could fail during a collision
or sudden stop.

WARNING

Seatbelts can become hot in a
vehicle that has been closed up
in sunny weather. They could
burn infants and children.

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32

3

CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM (CRS)

Children Always in the Rear

Children under age 13 must always
ride in the rear seats and must always
be properly restrained to minimize the
risk of injury in an accident, sudden
stop or sudden maneuver. According
to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the
rear seats than in the front seat. Even
with air bags, children can be serious-
ly injured or killed. Children too large
for a child restraint must use the seat
belts provided.
All 50 states have child restraint laws
which require children to travel in
approved child restraint devices. The
laws governing the age or
height/weight restrictions at which
seat belts can be used instead of
child restraints differs among states,
so you should be aware of the spe-
cific requirements in your state, and
where you are travelling.

Child restraint systems must be
properly placed and installed in the
rear seat. You must use a commer-
cially available child restraint system
that meets the requirements of the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS).
Child restraint systems are generally
designed to be secured in a vehicle
seat by lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt, or by a LATCH sys-
tem in the rear seats of the vehicle.

WARNING -

Restraint
Location

Never install a child or infant
seat on the front passenger's
seat. A child riding in the front
passenger seat can be forceful-
ly struck by an inflating airbag
and seriously injured.

WARNING -

Hot Child
Restraint

A child restraint system can
become very hot if it is left in a
closed vehicle on a sunny day.
Be sure to check the seat cover,
buckles and latches before
placing a child in the restraint
system.

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Safety features of your vehicle

Child restraint system (CRS)

Infants and younger children must be
restrained in an appropriate rear-fac-
ing or forward-facing CRS that has
first been properly secured to the
rear seat of the vehicle. Read and
comply with the instructions for
installation and use provided by the
manufacturer of the child restraint.

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NOTICE

After an accident, have a Kia dealer
check the child restraint system, seat
belts, tether anchors and lower
anchors.

Selecting a Child Restraint
System (CRS)

When selecting a CRS for your child,
always:
• Make sure the CRS has a label

certifying that it meets applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS 213).

• Select a child restraint based on

your child’s height and weight. The
required label or the instructions
for use typically provide this infor-
mation.

• Select a child restraint that fits the

vehicle seating position where it
will be used.

• Read and comply with the warn-

ings and instructions for installation
and use provided instructions with
the child restraint system.

WARNING

-

Child Restraint Installation

An improperly secured child
restraint can increase the risk
of serious injury or death in an
accident. Always take the fol-
lowing precautions when using
a child restraint system:
• Always follow the child

restraint system manufactur-
er’s instructions for installa-
tion and use.

(Continued)

(Continued)
• Always properly restrain your

child in the child restraint.

• If the vehicle head restraint

prevents proper installation of
a child seat (as described in
the child restraint system
manual), the head restraint of
the respective seating posi-
tion shall be readjusted or
entirely removed.

• Do not use an infant carrier or

a child safety seat that
"hooks" over a seatback, it
may not provide adequate
protection in an accident.

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34

3

Child restraint system types

There are three main types of child
restraint systems: rear-facing seats,
forward-facing seats, and booster
seats. They are classified according
to the child’s age, height and weight.

WARNING -

Holding
Children

Never hold a child in your arms
or lap when riding in a vehicle.
The violent forces created dur-
ing a crash will tear the child
from your arms and throw the
child against the car’s interior.
Always use a child restraint
system which is appropriate for
your child's height and weight.

WARNING -

Unattended
Children

Never leave children unattended
in a vehicle. The car can heat up
very quickly, resulting in injuries
to the child in the vehicle.

WARNING -

Seat Belt Use

Do not use one seat belt for two
occupants at the same time.
This will eliminate any safety
benefit provided by the seat belt
to the occupants.

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Safety features of your vehicle

Rear-facing child seats

A rear-facing child seat provides
restraint with the seating surface
against the back of the child. The
harness system holds the child in
place, and in an accident, acts to
keep the child positioned in the seat
and reduces the stress to the neck
and spinal cord.
All children under age one must
always ride in a rear-facing infant
child restraint.

Convertible and 3-in-1 child seats
typically have higher height and
weight limits for the rear-facing posi-
tion, allowing you to keep your child
rear-facing for a longer period of time.
Continue to use a rear-facing child
seat for as long as your child will fit
within the height and weight limits
allowed by the child seat manufactur-
er. It’s the best way to keep them
safe. Once your child has outgrown
the rear-facing child restraint, your
child is ready for a forward-facing
child restraint with a harness.

Forward-facing child restraints

A forward-facing child seat provides
restraint for the child’s body with a
harness. Keep children in a forward-
facing child seat with a harness until
they reach the top height or weight
limit allowed by your child restraint’s
manufacturer.
Once your child outgrows the for-
ward-facing child restraint, your child
is ready for a booster seat.

CRS09

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3

Booster seats

A booster seat is a restraint designed
to improve the fit of the vehicle’s seat
belt system. A booster seat positions
the seat belt so that it fits properly
over the lap of your child.
Keep your child in a booster seat
until they are big enough to sit in the
seat without a booster and still have
the seat belt fit properly. For a seat
belt to fit properly, the lap belt must
lie snugly across the upper thighs,
not the stomach. The shoulder belt
should lie snug across the shoulder
and chest and not across the neck or
face. Children under age 13 must
always ride in the rear seats and
must always be properly restrained
to minimize the risk of injury.

Installing a Child Restraint
System (CRS)

After selecting a proper child seat for
your child, check to make sure it fits
properly in your vehicle. Follow the
instructions provided by the manu-
facturer when installing the child
seat. Note these general steps when
installing the seat to your vehicle:
• Properly secure the child

restraint to the vehicle. All child
restraints must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a
lap/shoulder belt or with the
LATCH system.

• Make sure the child restraint is

firmly secured. After installing a
child restraint to the vehicle, push
and pull the seat forward and from
side-to-side to verify that it is
securely attached to the seat. A
child restraint secured with a seat
belt should be installed as firmly as
possible. However, some side-to-
side movement can be expected.

• Secure the child in the child

restraint. Make sure the child is
properly strapped in the child
restraint according to the manufac-
turer instructions.

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Safety features of your vehicle

Lower Anchors and Tether for
Children (LATCH) System

The LATCH system holds a child
restraint during driving and in an
accident. This system is designed to
make installation of the child restraint
easier and reduce the possibility of
improperly installing your child
restraint. The LATCH system uses
anchors in the vehicle and attach-
ments on the child restraint. The
LATCH system eliminates the need
to use seat belts to secure the child
restraint to the rear seats.
Lower anchors are metal bars built
into the vehicle. There are two lower
anchors for each LATCH seating
position that will accommodate a
child restraint with lower attach-
ments.
To use the LATCH system in your
vehicle, you must have a child
restraint with LATCH attachments.
The child seat manufacturer will pro-
vide you with instructions on how to
use the child seat with its attach-
ments for the LATCH lower anchors.

LATCH anchors have been provided
in the left and right outboard rear
seating positions. Their locations are
shown in the illustration. There are
no LATCH anchors provided for the
center rear seating position.

B230D01NF

WARNING -

LATCH Lower
Anchors

Never attempt to attach a LATCH
equipped seat in the center
seating position. LATCH lower
anchors are only to be used in
the left and right rear outboard
seating positions. You may dam-
age the anchors or the anchors
may fail and break in a collision.

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38

3

The lower anchor position indicator
symbols are located on the left and
right rear seat backs to identify the
position of the lower anchors in your
vehicle (see arrows in illustration).
The LATCH anchors are located
between the seatback and the seat
cushion of the rear seat left and right
outboard seating positions.
To use the lower anchor, push the
upper portion of the lower anchor
cover.

❈

(1) : Lower Anchor position indicator
(2) : Lower Anchor

Securing a child restraint with
the LATCH anchors system

To install a LATCH-compatible child
restraint in either of the rear outboard
seating positions:
1. Move the seat belt buckle away

from the lower anchors.

2. Move any other objects away from

the anchors that could prevent a
secure connection between the
child restraint and the lower
anchors.

3. Place the child restraint on the

vehicle seat, then attach the seat
to the lower anchors according to
the instructions provided by the
child restraint manufacturer.

4. Follow the child restraint instruc-

tions for properly adjusting and
tightening the lower attachments
on the child restraint to the lower
anchors.

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WARNING

Take the following precautions
when using the LATCH system:
• Read and follow all installation

instructions provided with
your child restraint system.

• To prevent the child from

reaching and taking hold of
unretracted seat belts, buckle
all unused rear seat belts and
retract the seat belt webbing
behind the child. Children can
be strangled if a shoulder belt
becomes wrapped around their
neck and the seat belt tightens.

• NEVER attach more than one

child restraint to a single
anchor. This could cause the
anchor or attachment to come
loose or break.

• Always have the LATCH sys-

tem inspected by your author-
ized Kia dealer after an acci-
dent. An accident can damage
the LATCH system and may
not properly secure the child
restraint.

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Safety features of your vehicle

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NOTICE

The recommended maximum
weight for the LATCH system is 65
lbs. (30 kg). When selecting a proper
child restraint, consider that the
maximum total weight of the child
plus the child restraint should be
less than 65 lbs (30 kg).
As a guide, the MAX child restraint
weight should be determined by the
following calculation:
Child Restraint Weight =

65 - (child's total weight in lbs.)

Securing a child restraint seat
with "Tether Anchor" system

First secure the child restraint with
the LATCH lower anchors or the seat
belt. If the child restraint manufactur-
er recommends that the top tether
strap be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether strap to the top tether
strap anchor.
Child restraint hook holders are
located on the shelf behind the rear
seats.

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WARNING

Take the following precautions
when installing the tether strap:
• Read and follow all installation

instructions provided with
your child restraint system.

• NEVER attach more than one

child restraint to a single teth-
er anchor. This could cause
the anchor or attachment to
come loose or break.

• Do not attach the tether strap

to anything other than the cor-
rect tether anchor. It may not
work properly if attached to
something else.

• Do not use the tether anchors

for adult seat belts or harness-
es, or for attaching other items
or equipment to the vehicle.

• Always fasten the seatbelts

behind the child restraint seat
when they are not used to
secure the child seat. Failure
to do so may result in child
strangulation.

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40

3

To install the tether anchor:
1. Route the child restraint tether

strap over the child restraint seat-
back. Route the tether strap under
the head restraint and between
the head restraint posts, or route
the tether strap over the top of the
vehicle seatback. Make sure the
strap is not twisted.

2. Connect the tether strap hook to

the tether anchor, then tighten the
tether strap according to the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions to
firmly secure the child restraint to
the seat.

3. Check that the child restraint is

securely attached to the seat by
pushing and pulling the seat for-
ward and from side-to-side.

Securing a child restraint with a
lap belt or lap/shoulder belt

When not using the LATCH system,
all child restraints must be secured to
a vehicle rear seat with the lap part
of a lap/shoulder belt.

Automatic locking mode

Since all passenger seat belts move
freely under normal conditions and
only lock under extreme or emer-
gency conditions (emergency locking
mode), you must manually pull the
seat belt all the way out to shift the
retractor to the “Automatic Locking”
mode to secure a child restraint.
The “Automatic Locking” mode will
help prevent the normal movement
of the child in the vehicle from caus-
ing the seat belt to loosen and com-
promise the child restraint system. To
secure a child restraint system, use
the following procedure.

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3 41

Safety features of your vehicle

To install a child restraint system on
the rear seats, do the following:
1.Place the child restraint system on

a rear seat and route the lap/ shoul-
der belt around or through the child
restraint, following the restraint
manufacturer’s instructions.
Be sure the seat belt webbing is
not twisted.

2. Fasten the lap/shoulder belt latch

into the buckle. Listen for the dis-
tinct "click" sound.

Position the release button so that
it is easy to access in case of an
emergency.

3. Pull the shoulder portion of the

seat belt all the way out. When the
shoulder portion of the seat belt is
fully extended, it will shift the
retractor to the "Automatic
Locking" (child restraint) mode.

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Safety features of your vehicle

42

3

4. Slowly allow the shoulder portion

of the seat belt to retract and listen
for an audible "clicking" or "ratchet-
ing" sound. This indicates that the
retractor is in the "Automatic
Locking" mode. If no distinct sound
is heard, repeat steps 3 and 4.

5. Remove as much slack from the

belt as possible by pushing down
on the child restraint system while
feeding the shoulder belt back into
the retractor.

6. Push and pull on the child restraint

system to confirm that the seat
belt is holding it firmly in place. If it
is not, release the seat belt and
repeat steps 2 through 6.

7. Double check that the retractor is

in the "Automatic Locking" mode
by attempting to pull more of the
seat belt out of the retractor. If you
cannot, the retractor is in the
"Automatic Locking" mode.

If your CRS manufacturer instructs or
recommends you to use a tether
anchor with the lap/shoulder belt,
refer to the previous pages for more
information.

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NOTICE

When the seat belt is allowed to
retract to its fully stowed position,
the retractor will automatically
switch from the "Automatic
Locking" mode to the emergency
lock mode for normal adult usage.

To remove the child restraint, press
the release button on the buckle and
then pull the lap/shoulder belt out of
the restraint and allow the seat belt
to retract fully.

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WARNING -

Auto lock
mode

Set the retractor to Automatic
Lock mode when installing any
child restraint system. If the
retractor is not in the Automatic
Locking mode,

the child

restraint can move when your
vehicle turns or stops suddenly.