Seat Belt Systems: Description and Operation

The front seats are equipped with automatic seat belts. Two seat belt retractors are installed in each door, designed to lock in the event of a sudden stop or deceleration.

When a door is opened, a switch in the door latch energizes a solenoid in each seat belt retractor, disabling the seat belt retractors and permitting free movement of the seat belt in and out of the seat belt retractors. When the door is closed, the door latch switch deactivates the solenoids, permitting the seat belt retractors to lock.

If a seat belt retractor solenoid remains energized when the door is closed, that retractor will not lock. A solenoid sensor switch in each seat belt retractor monitors the condition of the retractor solenoid, and will cause seat belt reminder lights to flash if both seat belt retractors are disabled when the door is closed.

A seat belt switch in each buckle senses whether the seat belt is buckled.

There are four warning lights in the car to show the status of the automatic seat belts:
- the DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT in the gauge assembly
- the DOOR/LATCH INDICATOR LIGHT in the gauge assembly
- the DRIVER'S SEAT BELT REMINDER LIGHT above the windshield behind the rearview mirror
- the PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT REMINDER LIGHT above the windshield behind the rearview mirror

The automatic seat belt locking mechanisms may not be working if the seat belt warning lights and

beeper
- do not function at all or
- come on with the seat belts latched and the doors fully closed.
In the event of a collision. severe personal injury could result if the occupants are wearing inoperative seat belts.