When a seat belt is worn correctly, adjusted to fit snugly and used while the occupant is sitting upright and well back in the seat with both feet on the floor, it can greatly reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a collision. Proper restraint can also lessen the severity of injuries that may occur. Mitsubishi Motors strongly recommends that the driver and every passenger in the Mitsubishi Outlander fasten their seat belts for every trip, even when the seating position is also protected by an airbag.
Most U.S. states and Canadian provinces or territories require seat belts to be worn whenever a vehicle is being driven. Regardless of local regulations, every occupant should remain properly restrained whenever the Mitsubishi Outlander is in motion.
WARNING
- Every person who drives or rides in this vehicle must use a seat belt at all times.
Children should be properly secured in an appropriate child restraint in a rear seating position whenever possible. If a child must ride in the front passenger seat, move the seat to its most rearward position and make sure the child remains correctly secured in the child restraint system. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious injury or death to the child.
- Adjust the seat belt so it fits snugly against the body without excessive slack. A loose or incorrectly positioned belt may reduce the effectiveness of the entire restraint system and increase the likelihood or severity of injury in a collision. Serious injury or death can occur when a seat belt is not worn correctly.
- Always route the shoulder belt over the shoulder and diagonally across the chest. Never place it behind your back, under your arm or across the front of your neck. The belt should remain clear of the face and neck while resting securely on the shoulder without slipping off.
- Position the lap portion of the belt as low and snug as possible AROUND THE HIPS, NOT ACROSS THE WAIST. Wearing the lap belt too high may concentrate collision forces on the abdomen and increase the risk of serious internal injuries.
- Make sure the seat belt tongue is inserted into the correct buckle and remains securely latched. Pull gently on the belt after fastening it to confirm that the connection is secure.
- Do not wear a seat belt inside out, folded or twisted. A twisted belt cannot distribute collision forces evenly and may provide less effective protection.
- Never allow two or more people to share the same seat belt. Each occupant must use the restraint assigned to that seating position.
- Do not carry more occupants in the Mitsubishi Outlander than there are designated seating positions and available seat belts.
- If the seat belt warning light remains illuminated continuously while the ignition is ON, all doors are closed and all occupied seat belts are correctly fastened, the system may have a malfunction. Have the system inspected. Mitsubishi Motors recommends visiting an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer for this service.
- Do not modify any part of the seat belt system. Never alter the belt, add padding or other material, or install accessories that change the belt routing, retraction or tension. Such changes may interfere with normal operation and can result in serious injury or death.
- Never insert a foreign object, including plastic pieces, paper clips, buttons, coins or similar items, into a seat belt buckle. An object inside the buckle may prevent the tongue from latching correctly or interfere with buckle release.
- A seat belt pretensioner can activate only once and cannot be reused afterward. The activated pretensioner must be replaced together with the associated retractor. Mitsubishi Motors recommends having this work completed by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer.
- After any collision, all seat belt assemblies should be inspected, including the webbing, buckles, retractors, anchors and attaching hardware. Mitsubishi Motors recommends that this inspection be performed by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer.
Mitsubishi Motors recommends replacing every seat belt assembly that was in use during a collision unless the impact was minor, the assembly shows no visible damage and it continues to operate correctly. Restraints that were not in use should also be inspected and replaced if any damage, abnormal movement or improper operation is found.
- All child restraint systems and their attaching hardware should be inspected after a collision.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer's inspection procedures and replacement recommendations. Replace any child restraint that is damaged or that the manufacturer specifies must not be reused after an impact.
- It is not possible to illustrate every type of collision in which an SRS airbag may or may not deploy. Airbag operation depends on the circumstances of the impact, so every occupant must wear a seat belt at all times, regardless of whether an airbag is fitted at that seating position.
- Seat belt pretensioners are designed to activate only once.
After pretensioner activation, a load limiter within the seat belt system may allow a controlled amount of webbing to extend, reducing force against the occupant's chest and helping lower the risk of injury. The pretensioner and load limiter must be replaced together with the retractor and buckle as a complete unit.
