Kia Niro EV 2021 Seats and Seat Belts User Manual

Introduction

The Kia Niro EV 2021 has a maximum seating capacity of five passengers. Because of the smart design, there is enough head and legroom for every passenger. It is the perfect option for both daily commuting and road vacations because the chairs are ergonomically engineered to provide good support and comfort throughout extended rides. The Niro EV is outfitted with a complete seat belt system to ensure the safety of all occupants. Every seat has a three-point seat belt, which consists of a shoulder strap and a lap belt. In the case of a collision or abrupt braking, these seat belts are intended to keep occupants in their seats and reduce the risk of injury.

The Kia Niro EV 2021 includes a variety of cutting-edge safety measures in addition to seat belts, including airbags, stability control, and collision avoidance systems. Together, these devices improve occupant protection and lessen the effects of any mishaps. Overall, when it comes to its seats and seat belt systems, the Kia Niro EV 2021 stresses both comfort and safety. This environmentally friendly electric car offers a safe and enjoyable trip for both drivers and passengers.

Safety features of your vehicle

Important safety precautions
You will find many safety precautions and recommendations throughout this section, and throughout this manual.
The safety precautions in this section are among the most important.

Always wear your seat belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all types of accidents. Air bags are designed to supplement seat belts, not replace them. So even though your vehicle is equipped with air bags, ALWAYS make sure you and your passengers wear your seat belts, and wear them properly.

Restrain all children
All children under age 13 should ride in your vehicle properly restrained in a rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and small children should be restrained in an appropriate child restraint. Larger children should use a booster seat with the lap/shoulder belt until they can use the seat belt properly without a booster seat.

Air bag hazards
While air bags can save lives, they can also cause serious or fatal injuries to occupants who sit too close to them, or who are not properly restrained. Infants, young children, and shorter adults are at the greatest risk of being injured by an inflating air bag. Follow all instructions and warnings in this manual.

Driver distraction
Driver distraction presents a serious and potentially deadly danger, especially for inexperienced drivers. Safety should be the first concern when behind the wheel and drivers need to be aware of the wide array of potential distractions, such as drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating, personal grooming, other passengers, and using cellular phones.
Drivers can become distracted when they take their eyes and attention off the road or their hands off the wheel to focus on activities other than driving. To reduce your risk of distraction or getting into an accident:

• ALWAYS set up your mobile devices (i.e., MP3 players, phones, navigation units, etc.) when your vehicle is parked or safely stopped.
• ONLY use your mobile device  when allowed by laws and when conditions permit safe use. NEVER text or email while driving. Most states have laws prohibiting drivers from texting. Some states and cities also prohibit drivers from using handheld phones.
• NEVER let the use of a mobile device distract you from driving. You have a responsibility to your passengers and others on the road to always drive safely, with your hands on the wheel as well as your eyes and attention on the road.

Control your speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher the speed, the greater the risk, but serious injuries can also occur at lower speeds. Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the maximum speed posted.

Keep your vehicle in safe condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical failure can be extremely hazardous. To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire pressures and condition frequently, and perform all regularly scheduled maintenance.

Seat

The following explains name, feature and adjustment of each seat.

Front seat

1. Forward and backward
2. Seatback angle
3. Seat cushion height
4. Lumbar support (if equipped)
5. Head rest
   Rear seat
6. Seatback folding
7. Headrest
8. Armrest (if equipped)

WARNING
Loose objects
Do not place anything in the driver’s footwell or under the front seats. Loose objects in the driver’s foot area could interfere with the operation of the foot pedals.

WARNING
Uprighting seat
Do not press the release lever on a manual seatback without holding and controlling the seatback. The seatback will spring upright possibly impacting you or other passengers.

WARNING
Driver responsibility for passengers

The driver must advise the passengers to keep the seatback in an upright position whenever the vehicle is in motion. If a seat is reclined during an accident, the restraint system’s ability to restrain will be greatly reduced.

WARNING
Seat cushion
Occupants should never sit on aftermarket seat cushions or sit-ting cushions.
The passenger’s hips may slide under the lap portion of the seat belt during an accident or a sudden stop.

WARNING
Driver’s seat

• Never attempt to adjust the seat while the vehicle is moving. This could result in loss of control of your vehicle.
  Do not allow anything to interfere with the normal position of the seatback and seatback adjustment.
  Sit as far back as possible from the steering wheel while still maintaining comfortable control of the your vehicle. A distance of at least 10″ from your chest to the steering wheel is recommended. Failure to do so can result in air bag inflation injuries to the driver.

WARNING
Rear seatbacks
Always lock the rear seatback before driving. Failure to do so could result in passengers or objects being thrown forward injuring vehicle occupants.

WARNING
Unexpected Seat Movement
After adjusting a manual seat, always check that it is locked by shifting your weight to the front and back. Sudden or unexpected movement of the driver’s seat could cause you to lose control of the vehicle.

WARNING
Seat adjustment

• Do not adjust the seat while wearing seat belts. Moving the seat forward will cause strong pressure on the abdomen.
  Do not place your hand near the seat bottom or seat track while adjusting the seat. Your hand could get caught in the seat mechanism.

WARNING
Luggage and Cargo
Do not stack pile or stack lug-gage or cargo higher than the seatback in the cargo area. In an accident the cargo could strike and injury a passenger. If objects are large, heavy or must be piled, they must be secured in the cargo area.

WARNING
Cargo Area
Do not allow passengers to ride in the cargo area under any circumstance. The cargo area is solely for the purpose of trans-porting luggage or cargo.

WARNING
Small Objects
Use extreme caution when picking small objects trapped under the seats or between the seat and the center console. Your hands might be cut or injured by the sharp edges of the seats mechanism.

WARNING
Seating Position
To reduce the risk of injury in a crash, both drivers and passengers should always sit as far back as possible in the upright position with the seatbelt properly secured.

Feature of Seat Leather

• Leather is made from the outer skin of an animal, which goes through a special process to be available for use. Since it is a natural substance, each part differs in thickness or density.
  Wrinkles may appear as a natural result of stretching and shrinking depending on the temperature and humidity.
  The seat cover is made of stretch-able material to improve comfort of passengers.
  The parts contacting the body are curved and the side supporting area is high which provides driving comfort and stability.

CAUTION

• Belts with metallic accessories, zippers or keys inside the back pocket may damage the seat fabric.
  Make sure not to wet the seat. It may change the nature of natural leather.
  Jeans or clothes which could bleach may contaminate the surface of the seat covering fabric.

NOTICE
Wrinkles or abrasions may appear naturally from usage. It is not a fault of product. Wrinkles or abrasions are not covered by warranty.

Front seat adjustment for manual seat
The front seat can be adjusted by using the control levers located on the outside of the seat cushion.

Forward and backward (1)
Adjust the seat before driving, and make sure the seat is locked securely by trying to move forward and backward without using the lever. If the seat moves, it is not locked properly.
To move the seat forward or back-ward:

1. Pull the seat slide adjustment lever up and hold it.
2. Slide the seat to the position you desire.
3. Release the lever and make sure the seat is locked in place.

Adjust the seat before driving, and make sure the seat is locked securely by trying to move forward and back-ward without using the lever. If the seat moves, it is not locked properly.

Seatback angle 2

To recline the seatback:

1. Lean forward slightly and lift up the seatback recline lever.
2. Carefully lean back on the seat and adjust the seatback of the seat to the position you desire.
3. Release the lever and make sure the seatback is locked in place.(The lever MUST return to its original position for the seatback to lock.)

WARNING
Reclining seatback
Sitting in a reclined position when the vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even when buckled up, the protections of your restraint system (seat belts and/or air bags) is greatly reduced by reclining your seatback.
Seat belts must be snug against your hips and chest to work properly. When the seatback is reclined, the shoulder belt cannot do its job because it will not be snug against your chest. Instead, it will be in front of you. During an accident, you could be thrown into the seat belt, causing neck or other injuries.
The more the seatback is reclined, the greater chance the passenger’s hips will slide under the lap belt or the passenger’s neck will strike the shoulder belt.

Seat height 3

To change the height of the seat, push the lever upwards or downwards.

• To lower the seat cushion, push the lever down several times.
  To raise the seat cushion, pull the lever up several times.

Front seat adjustment for power seat (if equipped)
The front seat can be adjusted by using the control switches located on the outside of the seat cushion.

Before driving, adjust the seat to the proper position so you can easily control the steering wheel, pedals and switches on the instrument panel.

Forward and backward (1)

To move the seat forward or back-ward:
Push the control switch forward or backward to move the seat to  the desired position. Release the switch once the seat reaches the desired position.

Seatback angle (2)

To recline the seatback:

To recline the seatback:

• Push the control switch forward or backward to move the seat-back to the desired angle. Release the switch once the seat reaches the desired position.

Seat height (3)

To change the height of the seat:

• Pull the front portion of the control switch up to raise or press down to lower the front part of  the seat cushion. Pull the rear portion of the control switch up to raise or press down to lower the seat cushion. Release the switch once the seat reaches the desired position.

Lumbar support for driver’s seat (4) (if equipped)

The lumbar support can be adjusted by pressing the lumbar support switch on the side of the seat.

1. Press the front portion of the switch to increase support, or the rear portion of the switch, to decrease support.
2. Release the switch once it reaches the desired position.

Headrest for front seat
The driver’s and front passenger’s seats are equipped with a headrest for the occupant’s safety and comfort.

The headrest not only provides comfort for the driver and front passenger, but also helps protect the head and neck in the event of a rear collision.
For maximum effectiveness in case of an accident, the headrest should be adjusted so the middle of the headrest is at the same height of the center of gravity of an occu-pant’s head. Generally, the center of gravity of most people’s head is similar with the height of the top of their eyes.
Also, adjust the headrest as close to your head as possible. For this rea-son, the use of a cushion that holds the body away from the seatback is not recommended.

WARNING
Headrest removal/adjustment

• Do not operate the vehicle with the headrests removed. Headrests can provide critical neck and head support in a crash.
  Do not adjust the headrest height  while the vehicle is in motion. Driver may lose control of the vehicle.

CAUTION
Excessive pulling or pushing may damage the headrest.

Adjusting the height up and down

To raise the headrest:

1. Pull it up to the desired position (1).
2. To lower the headrest, push and hold the release button (2) on the headrest support.
3. Lower the headrest to the desired position (3).

NOTICE
If you recline the seatback towards the front with the headrest and seat cushion raised, the headrest may come in contact with the sun visor or other parts of the vehicle.

Removal

Type A

Type B

To remove the headrest:

1. Recline the seatback (2) with the recline lever or switch (1).
2. Raise headrest as far as it can go.
3. Press the headrest release button (3) while pulling the headrest up (4).

WARNING
Headrest Removal
NEVER allow anyone to ride in a seat with the headrest removed or reversed. Headrests can provide critical neck and head support in a crash.

Reinstallation

Type A

Type B

To reinstall the headrest:

1. Put the headrest poles (2) into the holes while pressing the release button (1).
2. Recline the seatback (4) with the recline lever or switch (3).
3. Adjust the headrest to the appropriate height.

WARNING
Headrest Reinstallation
To reduce the risk of injury to the head or neck, always make sure the headrest is locked into position and adjusted properly after reinstalling.

Seatback pocket
The seatback pocket is provided on the back of the front passenger’s and driver’s seatbacks.

WARNING
Seatback pockets
Do not put heavy or sharp objects in the seatback pockets. In an accident they could come loose from the pocket and injure vehicle occupants.

Headrest for rear seat
The rear seat is equipped with headrests in all the seating positions for the occupant’s safety and com-fort.

The headrest not only provides comfort for passengers, but also helps protect the head and neck in the event of a collision.
For maximum effectiveness in case of an accident, the headrest should be adjusted so the middle of the headrest is at the same height of the center of gravity of an occupant’s head. Generally, the center of gravity of most people’s heads is similar with the height as the top of their eyes.
Also, adjust the headrest as close to your head as possible. For this rea-son, the use of a cushion that holds the body away from the seatback is not recommended.

Adjusting the height up and down

Push the control switch forward or backward to move the seatback to the desired angle. Release the switch once the seat reaches the desired position.

• To raise the headrest, pull it up to the desired position (1).
  To lower the headrest, push and hold the release button (2) on the headrest support and lower the headrest to the desired position (3).

Removal and reinstallation

• To remove the headrest, raise it as far as it can go then press the release button (1) while pulling the headrest upward (2).
• To reinstall the headrest, put the headrest poles (3) into the holes  while pressing the release button (1).
  • Then adjust it to the appropriate  height and ensure that it locks in position.

Armrest
To use the armrest, pull it forward from the seatback.

Folding the rear seat
The rear seatbacks may be folded to facilitate carrying long items or to increase the luggage capacity of the vehicle.

WARNING
Folded Seatback
The purpose of the fold-down rear seatbacks is to allow you to carry longer objects that could not other-wise be accommodated.

• Never allow a passenger to sit on top of the folded down seatback while the car is moving. This is not a proper seating position since no  seat belts are available for use.
• To reduce the risk of injury caused by sliding cargo within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, objects carried on the folded down seatback should not extend higher than the top of the front seats.

To fold down the rear seatback

1. Set the front seatback to the upright position and if necessary, slide the front seat forward.
   
2. Lower the rear headrests to the lowest position as above the picture.
   WARNING
   Objects
   Objects carried on the folded down seatback should not extend higher than the top of the front seatbacks. This could allow cargo to slide forward and cause injury or damage during sudden stops.
3. When folding the seatback, insert the rear seat belt buckle in the pocket between the rear seatback and cushion then make sure both seatbelts do not interfere with stowed luggage and cargo. Then insert the seat belt into the two webbing guide (or holder) located on both sides.
   
4. Pull on the seatback folding lever, then fold the seat toward the front of the vehicle. When you return the seatback to its upright position, always be sure it has locked into position by pushing on the top of the seatback.
   
5. To use the rear seat, lift and pull the seatback backward by lifting up seatback. Pull the seatback firmly until it clicks into place. Make sure the seatback is locked in place.
   
6. Return the rear seat belt to the proper position.

WARNING
Uprighting seat
When you return the seatback to its upright position, hold the seatback and return it slowly. If the seatback is returned without holding it, the back of the seat could spring for-ward, resulting in injury caused by being struck by the seatback.

WARNING
Rear Seatback
To ensure maximum protection in the event of an accident or sudden stop, when returning the rear seat to the upright position:

• Be careful not to damage the seat belt webbing or buckle.
• Do not allow the seat belt webbing or buckle to become pinched or caught in the rear seat.
• Ensure the seatback is completely locked into its upright position by pushing on the top of the seat-back.
  Failure to adhere to any of these instructions could result in serious injury or death in the event of a crash.

CAUTION
Damaging rear seat belt buckles
When you fold the rear seatback, insert the buckle between the rear seatback and cushion. Doing so can prevent the buckle from being damaged by the rear seatback.

CAUTION
Rear seat belts
When returning the rear seatbacks to the upright position, remember to return the rear shoulder belts to their proper position.

WARNING
Unless the driver’s position is properly set according to the driver’s physical figure, do not fold the rear seat. It may increase bodily injuries in a sudden stop or collision.

CAUTION
Be careful when loading cargo through the rear passenger seats to prevent damage to the vehicle interior.

WARNING
Cargo
Cargo should always be secured to prevent it from being thrown about the vehicle in a collision and causing injury to the vehicle occupants. Do not place objects in the rear seats, since they cannot be properly secured and may hit the front seat occupants in a collision.

Cargo loading
Make sure the vehicle is off, the shifter dial is in P (Park) and the parking brake is securely applied whenever loading or unloading cargo. Failure to take these steps may allow the vehicle to move if the shifter dial is inadvertently moved to another position.

Seat belts

The following explains seat belts precautions and how to fasten seat belts.

Seat belt restraint system
For maximum restraint system protection, the seat belts must always be used whenever the vehicle is moving.

• A properly positioned shoulder belt should be positioned midway over your shoulder across your collarbone.
• Never allow children to ride in the front passenger seat for further discussion.

WARNING
Twisted seat belt
Make sure your seat belt is not twisted when worn. A twisted seat belt may not properly protect you in an accident and could even cut into your body.

WARNING
Shoulder Belt

• Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back. An improperly positioned shoulder belt cannot protect the occupant in a crash.
• Always wear both the shoulder portion and lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt.

WARNING
Damaged seat belt
Replace the entire seat belt assembly if any part of the webbing or hardware is damaged, as you can no longer be sure that a damaged seat belt will provide protection in a crash.

Seat belts are designed to bear upon the bony structure of the body, and should be worn low across the front of the pelvis, chest and shoulders, as applicable; wearing the lap section of the belt across the abdominal area must be avoided.
Seat belts should be adjusted as firmly as possible, consistent with comfort, to provide the protection for which they have been designed.
A slack belt will greatly reduce the protection afforded to the wearer.
Care should be taken to avoid contamination of the webbing with polishes, oils and chemicals, and particularly battery acid. Cleaning may safely be carried out using mild soap and water. The belt should be replaced if webbing becomes frayed, contaminated or damaged.

• No modifications or additions should be made by the user which would either prevent the seat belt adjusting devices from operating to remove slack, or prevent the seat belt assembly from being adjusted to remove slack.
• When you fasten the seat belt, be careful not to latch the seat belt in buckles of other seats. It is very dangerous and you may not be protected by the seat belt properly.
• Do not unfasten the seat belt and do not fasten and unfasten the seat belt repeatedly while driving. This could result in loss of control, and an accident causing death, serious injury, or property damage.
•  When fastening the seat belt, make sure that the seat belt does not pass over objects that are hard or can break easily.

WARNING
Seat belt buckle
Do not allow foreign material (gum, crumbs, coins, liquids, etc.) to obstruct the seat belt buckle. This may prevent the seat belt from fastening securely.

Driver’s seat belt warning
As a reminder to the driver, the seat belt warning light will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds each time the POWER button is in ON regard-less of belt fastening.

If the driver continues not to fasten the seat belt, the warning light will stay illuminated and the warning chime will sound for approximately 6 seconds until the belt is fastened each time the POWER button is in ON. This will happen every time the POWER button is in ON.
If a driver continues not to fasten the seat belt and drives 6 mph (9 km/h) or more but less than 12 mph (20 km/h), the warning light will stay illuminated. If a driver unfastens the seat belt while driving below 12 mph (20 km/h), the warning light will stay illuminated.
If a driver continues not to fasten the seat belt while driving over 12 mph (20 km/h), the seat belt warning chime will sound for approximately 100 seconds and the corresponding warning light will blink.

Front passenger’s seat belt warning
As a reminder to the front passenger, the seat belt warning light will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds each time the POWER button is in ON regardless of belt fastening. If the front passenger continues not to fasten the seat belt, the warning light will stay illuminated until the belt is fastened each time POWER button is in ON.

If a front passenger continues not to fasten the seat belt and the vehicle is driven 6 mph (9 km/h) or more but less than 12 mph (20 km/h), the warning light will stay illuminated.
If a front passenger unfastens the seat belt while  the vehicle is driven below 12 mph (20 km/h), the warn-ing light will stay illuminated.
If a front passenger continues not to fasten the seat belt while the vehicle is driven over 12 mph (20 km/h), the seat belt warning chime will sound for approximately 100  seconds and the corresponding warning light will blink.

NOTICE

• Even if the front passenger seat is not occupied, the seat belt warning light will illuminate for 6 seconds.
• The front passenger’s seat belt warning may operate when luggage is placed on the front passenger seat.

Seat belt – Driver’s 3-point system with emergency locking retractor
The following explains how to fasten and adjust the driver’s seat belt.

To fasten your seat belt:

• Pull it out of the retractor and insert the metal tab (1) into the buckle (2).
  There will be an audible “click” when the tab locks into the buckle.

You should place the lap belt portion as low as possible and snugly across your hips. If the lap belt is located too high on your waist, it may increase the chance of injury in the event of a collision.
The arm closest to the seat belt buckle should be over the belt while the other arm should be under the belt as shown in the illustration. Never wear the seat belt under the arm closest to the door.
The seat belt automatically adjusts to the proper length only after the lap belt portion is adjusted manually so that it fits snugly around your hips. If you lean forward in a slow, easy motion, the belt will extend and let you move around. If there is a sudden stop or impact, however, the belt will lock into position. It will also lock if you try to lean forward too quickly.

NOTICE
If you are not able to pull out the seat belt from the retractor, firmly pull the belt out and release it. Then you will be able to pull the belt out smoothly.

Height adjustment
You can adjust the height of the shoulder belt anchor to one of the 4 positions for maximum comfort and safety.

The height of the adjusting seat belt should not be too close to your neck. The shoulder portion should be adjusted so that it lies across your chest and midway over your shoulder near the door and not your neck.
To adjust the height of the seat belt anchor, lower or raise the height adjuster into an appropriate position.

• To raise the height adjuster, pull it .
• To lower it, push it down (3) while pressing the height adjuster but-ton (2).

Release the button to lock the anchor into position. Try sliding the height adjuster to make sure that it has locked into position.
Improperly positioned seat belts can cause serious injuries in an accident.

WARNING
Shoulder belt positioning
Verify the shoulder belt anchor is locked into position at the appropriate height. Never position the shoulder belt across your neck or face. Improperly positioned seat belts can cause serious injuries in an accident.

WARNING
Seat belt replacement
Replace your seat belts after being in an accident. Failure to replace seat belts after an accident could leave you with damaged seat belts that will not provide protection in the event of another collision.

WARNING
Seatback pockets
Do not put heavy or sharp objects in the seatback pockets. In an accident they could come loose from the pocket and injure vehicle occupants.

Seat belts -Front passenger and rear seat 3-point system with combination locking retractor
The following explains how to fasten the passenger’s and rear seat belt.

To fasten your seat belt:
Combination retractor type seat belts are installed in the rear seat positions to help accommodate the installation of child restraint systems. Although a combination retractor is also installed in the front passenger seat position, it is strongly recommended that children always be seated in the rear seat. NEVER place any infant restraint system in the front seat of the vehicle.
This type of seat belt combines the features of both an emergency locking retractor seat belt and an automatic locking retractor seat belt.

• Pull it out of the retractor and insert the metal tab into the buckle. There will be an audible “click” when the tab locks into the buckle. When not securing a child restraint, the seat belt operates in the same way as the driver’s seat belt (emergency locking retractor type).

It automatically adjusts to the proper length only after the lap belt portion of the seat belt is adjusted manually so that it fits snugly around your hips.
When the seat belt is fully extended from the retractor to allow the installation of a child restraint system, the seat belt operation changes to allow the belt to retract, but not to extend (automatic locking retractor type).

NOTICE
Although the combination retractor provides the same level of protection for seated passengers in either emergency or automatic locking modes, have the seated passengers use the emergency locking feature for improved convenience. The automatic locking function is intended to facilitate child restraint installation. To convert from the automatic locking feature to the emergency locking operation mode, allow the unbuckled seat belt to fully retract.

CAUTION
Do NOT fold down the left portion of the rear seatback when the rear center seat belt is buckled. ALWAYS UNBUCKLE the rear center seat belt before folding down the left portion of the rear seatback. If the rear center seat belt is buckled when the left portion of the rear seatback is folded down, distortion and damage to the top portion of the seatback and seat belt garnish may result, causing the seatback to lock into the folded down position.

The seat belt should be locked into the buckle on each seat cushion to be properly fastened.

A: Rear right seat belt fastening buckle
B: Rear center seat belt fastening buckle
C: Rear left seat belt fastening buckle

WARNING
Prior to fastening the rear seat belts, ensure the latch matches the seat belt buckle. Forcefully fastening the left or right seat belt to the center buckle can result in an improper fastening scenario that will not protect you in an accident.

When using the rear center seat belt, the buckle with the “CENTER” mark must be used.

To release the seat belt:

• The seat belt is released by pressing the release button (1) on the locking buckle.
  When it is released, the belt should automatically draw back into the retractor.
  If this does not happen, check the belt to make sure it is not twisted, then try again.

Stowing the rear seat belt

Outboard belt

Center belt

If the center seat belt is not in use, always lock the latch plate into the buckle as above illustration.
The rear seat belt buckles can be stowed in the pocket between the rear seatback and cushion when not in use.

1. Insert the seat belt into the two webbing guide (or holder)(A) located on both sides. It will help keep the belts from being trapped behind or under the seats.
2. After inserting the seat belt, tighten the belt webbing by pulling it up.

Pre-tensioner seat belt
Your vehicle is equipped with driver’s and front passenger’s pre-tensioner seat belts (retractor pre-tensioner 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 collisions, the pretensioner will activate and pull the seat belt into tighter contact against the occupant’s body.

1. Retractor pre-tensioner 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 certain 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 collisions.

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

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 conditions and are not hazardous.

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

* The actual position of seat belt pre-tensioner system components may differ from the illustration.

1. SRS air bag warning light
2. Retractor pre-tensioner assembly
3. SRS control module
4. Emergency fastening device (EFD)

WARNING
Skin Irritation
Wash all exposed skin areas thoroughly after an accident in which the pretensioner seat belts were activated. The fine dust from the pre-tensioner activation may cause skin irritation and should not be inhaled for prolonged periods.

NOTICE

• Both the driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt pre-tensioner systems may be activated, not only in certain frontal collisions, 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 pretensioner seat belt, the  SRS air bag warning light on on the instrument panel will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds after the POWER button has been changed to the ON position, and then it should turn off.

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 POWER button has been changed to ON, or if it remains illuminated after illuminating for approximately 6 seconds, or if it illuminates 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.

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 pretensioner seat belts yourself. This must be done by an authorized Kia dealer.

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

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

Seat belt precautions
Take the following precautions when using seat belts.

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, .

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 system, make sure that it has a label certifying 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.

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 snug on the hips as low as possible. 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 system in the rear seat. If a larger child (over age 13) 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 13 and under should be restrained securely in the rear seat. NEVER place a child age 13 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.

WARNING
Small children
Do not allow small children to ride in the vehicle without an appropriate child restraint system. 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.

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

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.

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 recommen-dations.

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 accident.

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 addition, care should be taken to assure that seat belts and belt hardware are not damaged by seat hinges, doors or other abuse.

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 dam-aged 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.

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 solution 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 operation should be directed to an authorized Kia dealer.

FAQs

Useful Links   

View Full User Guide: Kia Niro EV 2021| Auto User Guide
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