Standard belts shown, inflatable belts similar
The front outboard and rear safety restraints in the vehicle are combination lap and shoulder belts.
- Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle (the buckle closest to the direction the tongue is coming from) until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure you securely fasten the tongue in the buckle.
- To unfasten, press the release button and remove the tongue from the buckle.
Using the Safety Belt with Cinch Tongue (Front Center Seat)
The cinch tongue will slide up and down the belt webbing when the belt is stowed or while putting safety belts on. When you buckle the lap and shoulder safety belt, the cinch tongue will allow you to shorten the lap portion, but pinches the webbing to keep the lap portion from getting longer. The cinch tongue is designed to slip during a crash, so always wear the shoulder belt properly and do not allow any slack in either the lap or shoulder portions.
Before you can reach and latch a lap and shoulder belt having a cinch tongue into the buckle, you may have to lengthen the lap belt portion of it.
- To lengthen the lap belt, pull some webbing out of the shoulder belt retractor.
- While holding the webbing below the tongue, grasp the tip (metal portion) of the tongue so that it is parallel to the webbing and slide the tongue upward.
- Provide enough lap belt length so that the tongue can reach the buckle.
Fastening the Cinch Tongue
WARNING:
The lap belt should fit snugly and as low as possible around the hips, not across the waist. |
- Pull the lap and shoulder belt from the retractor so that the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt crosses your shoulder and chest.
- Be sure the belt is not twisted. If the belt is twisted, remove the twist.
- Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for your seating position until you hear a snap and feel it latch.
- Make sure you securely fasten the tongue to the buckle by pulling on the tongue.
While you are fastened in the safety belt, the lap and shoulder belt with a cinch tongue adjusts to your movement. However, if you brake hard, turn hard, or if your vehicle receives an impact of 5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the safety belt will become locked and help reduce your forward movement.
Using Safety Belts During Pregnancy
WARNING:
Always ride and drive with your seatback upright and the safety belt properly fastened. The lap portion of the safety belt should fit snug and be positioned low across the hips. The shoulder portion of the safety belt should be positioned across the chest. Pregnant women should also follow this practice. |
Pregnant women should always wear their safety belt. Position the lap belt portion of a combination lap and shoulder belt low across the hips below the belly and worn as tight as comfort will allow. Position the shoulder belt to cross the middle of the shoulder and the center of the chest.
Safety Belt Locking Modes
WARNING:
After any vehicle crash, the safety belt system at all passenger seating positions must be checked by an authorized dealer to verify that the automatic locking retractor feature for child seats is still functioning properly. In addition, all safety belts should be checked for proper function.
WARNING:
The belt and retractor must be replaced if the safety belt assembly automatic locking retractor feature or any other safety belt function is not operating properly when checked by an authorized dealer. Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly could increase the risk of injury in crashes. |
All safety restraints in the vehicle are combination lap and shoulder belts. The driver safety belt has the first type of locking mode, and the front outboard passenger and rear seat safety belts have both types of locking modes described as follows:
Vehicle Sensitive Mode
This is the normal retractor mode, which allows free shoulder belt length adjustment to your movements and locking in response to vehicle movement. For example, if the driver brakes suddenly, turns a corner sharply, or the vehicle receives an impact of about
5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the combination safety belts will lock to help reduce forward movement of the driver and passengers.
In addition, the retractor is designed to lock if the webbing is pulled out too quickly. If this occurs, let the belt retract slightly and pull webbing out again in a slow and controlled manner.
Automatic Locking Mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt. The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.
When to Use the Automatic Locking Mode
Use this mode any time you install a child safety seat in a front outboard passenger seating position in a Regular Cab, SuperCab, SuperCrew or any rear seating position of a SuperCab or SuperCrew. The optional front seat's center safety belt has a cinch mechanism. Children 12 years old and under should be properly restrained in a rear seat whenever possible. See
Child Safety.
How to Use the Automatic Locking Mode
Non-inflatable safety belts
- Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
- Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until you pull the entire belt out.
- Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the automatic locking mode.
Rear outboard inflatable safety belts (second row only– if equipped)
- Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
- Grasp the lap portion of the belt and pull upward until the entire belt is pulled out.
- Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the automatic locking mode.
How to Disengage the Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap and shoulder belt and allow it to retract completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
Rear Inflatable Safety Belt (If Equipped)
WARNING:
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the rear inflatable safety belt. |
The rear inflatable safety belts are fitted in the shoulder portion of the safety belts of the second-row outboard seating positions.
Note:
The rear inflatable safety belts are compatible with most infant and child safety car seats and belt positioning booster seats when properly installed. This is because they are designed to fill with a cooled gas at a lower pressure and at a slower rate than traditional airbags. After inflation, the shoulder portion of the safety belt remains cool to the touch.
The rear inflatable safety belt consists of the following:
- An inflatable bag located in the shoulder safety belt webbing.
- Lap safety belt webbing with automatic locking mode.
- The same warning light, electronic control and diagnostic unit as used for the front safety belts.
- Impact sensors located in various parts of the vehicle.
How does the rear inflatable safety belt system work?
The rear inflatable safety belts will function like standard restraints in everyday usage.
During a crash of sufficient force, the inflatable belt will inflate from inside the webbing.
The fully inflated belt's increased diameter more effectively holds the occupant in the appropriate seating position, and spreads crash forces over more area of the body than regular safety belts. This helps reduce pressure on the chest and helps control head and neck motion for passengers.
WARNING:
If the rear inflatable safety belt has deployed, it will not function again. The rear inflatable safety belt system must be replaced by an authorized dealer. |
The rear inflatable safety belts are designed to inflate in frontal or near-frontal crashes, rollovers and some side impact crashes. The fact that the rear inflatable safety belt did not inflate in a crash does not mean that something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the forces were not of the type sufficient to cause activation.
Safety Belt Extension Assembly
WARNING:
Do not use extensions to change the fit of the shoulder belt across the torso.
WARNING:
Do not use extensions with an inflatable safety belt. |
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, you can obtain a safety belt extension assembly from an authorized dealer.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on the label or on the retractor behind the trim. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too short for you when fully extended.