Volvo S60: Seat belts

Volvo S60: Seat belts

• General information
• Seat belt reminder
• Seat belt use during pregnancy

General information

Adjusting the seat belt

Seat belts should always be worn by all occupants of your vehicle. Children should be properly restrained, using an infant, car, or booster seat determined by age, weight and height.

Volvo also believes no child should sit in the front seat of a vehicle.

Most states and provinces make it mandatory for occupants of a vehicle to use seat belts.

Seat belt pretensioners

All seat belts are equipped with pretensioners that reduce slack in the belts. These pretensioners are triggered in situations where the front or side impact airbags deploy, and in certain impacts from the rear. The front seat belts also include a tension reducing device which, in the event of a collision, limits the peak forces exerted by the seat belt on the occupant.

Fastening a seat belt

Buckling

Pull the belt out far enough to insert the latch plate into the receptacle until a distinct click is heard. The seat belt retractor is normally "unlocked" and you can move freely, provided that the shoulder belt is not pulled out too far.

Adjusting seat belt height (front seat belts only)

Adjusting seat belt height

The height of the shoulder section of the seat belt must be correctly adjusted. Press the button and move the upper seat belt anchor to position it as high as possible so that the shoulder section of the belt is across the seat occupant's collarbone and not across the throat.

Correct height adjustment

Incorrect height adjustment

Seat belt retractor

The seat belt retractor will lock up in the following situations:

• if the belt is pulled out rapidly
• during braking and acceleration
• if the vehicle is leaning excessively
• when driving in turns
• if the Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) is activated

NOTE

Each seat belt (except for the driver's belt) is equipped with the ALR/ELR function, which is designed to help keep the seat belt taut. ALR/ELR activates if the seat belt is pulled out as far as possible. If this is done, a sound from the seat belt retractor will be audible, which is normal, and the seat belt will be pulled taut and locked in place. This function is automatically disabled when the seat belt is unbuckled and fully retracted.

See also page 40 for information about using a seat belt's ALR/ELR function to anchor a child seat.

When wearing the seat belt remember:

• The belt should not be twisted or turned.
• The lap section of the belt must be positioned low on the hips (not pressing against the abdomen).
• Make sure that the shoulder belt is rolled up into its retractor and that the shoulder and lap belts are taut.

Unbuckling the seat belt

To remove the seat belt, press the red section on the seat belt receptacle. Before exiting the vehicle, check that the seat belt retracts fully after being unbuckled. If necessary, guide the belt back into the retractor slot.

Seat belt maintenance

Check periodically that the seat belts are in good condition. Use water and a mild detergent for cleaning. Check seat belt mechanism function as follows: attach the seat belt and pull rapidly on the strap.

WARNING

Never use a seat belt for more than one occupant. Never wear the shoulder portion of the belt under the arm, behind the back or otherwise out of position. Such use could cause injury in the event of an accident. As seat belts lose much of their strength when exposed to violent stretching, they should be replaced after any collision, even if they appear to be undamaged.

WARNING

• Never repair the belt yourself; have this work done by a trained and qualified Volvo service technician only.
• Any device used to induce slack into the shoulder belt portion of the three-point belt system will have a detrimental effect on the amount of protection available to you in the event of a collision.
• The seat back should not be tilted too far back. The shoulder belt must be taut in order to function properly.
• Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the front passenger's seat. We also recommend that children who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear seat with the seat belt properly fastened.

Seat belt reminder

Seat belt reminder light in ceiling console

The seat belt reminder consists of an audible signal, an indicator light near the rearview mirror and a symbol in the instrument panel that alert all occupants of the vehicle to fasten their seat belts. The indicator light will be on for a total of 6 seconds from the time the ignition is switched on. There will also be an audible signal if the driver's seat belt is not fastened.

If the front seat belts are unbuckled while the vehicle is in motion, the audible signal and warning light will be active for a total of 6 seconds.

Rear seats

The seat belt reminder in the rear seat has two additional functions:

• It provides information about which seat belts are fastened in the rear seat. A message will appear in the information display when a belt is being used. This message will disappear after approximately 6 seconds or can be erased by pressing the READ button on the left steering wheel lever.
• It also provides a reminder if one of the occupants of the rear seat has unbuckled his/her seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. A visual and audible signal will be given. These signals will stop when the seat belt has been re-buckled or can be stopped by pressing the READ button.
• The message Unbelted in rear seat will appear in the information display if one of the rear doors has been opened.

The message in the information display can always be accessed, even if it has been erased, by pressing the READ button to display stored messages.

Seat belt use during pregnancy

The seat belt should always be worn during pregnancy. But it is crucial that it be worn in the correct way. The diagonal section should wrap over the shoulder then be routed between the breasts and to the side of the belly. The lap section should lay flat over the thighs and as low as possible under the belly. It must never be allowed to ride upward. Remove all slack from the belt and ensure that it fits close to the body without any twists.

As a pregnancy progresses, pregnant drivers should adjust their seats and steering wheel such that they can easily maintain control of the vehicle as they drive (which means they must be able to easily operate the foot pedals and steering wheel). Within this context, they should strive to position the seat with as large a distance as possible between their belly and the steering wheel.

Child seats

Please refer to page 42 for information on securing child seats with the seat belts.

Reporting safety defectsSupplemental Restraint System (SRS)