Toyota Prius: Seat belts

The 2024 Toyota Prius is equipped with advanced seat belt systems designed to enhance passenger safety. Each seat features a three-point seat belt that includes an automatic locking retractor (ALR) and an emergency locking retractor (ELR) to secure occupants effectively during normal driving and in the event of a collision. The front seats are further enhanced with pretensioners and force limiters, which tighten the belts during a crash to reduce forward movement and then slightly loosen to minimize chest injury. Additionally, the rear seats come with adjustable headrests and child seat anchors (LATCH) to ensure the safety of younger passengers. Regularly checking the seat belts for proper function and ensuring all passengers are correctly buckled can significantly enhance overall safety in the 2024 Toyota Prius.

Make sure that all occupants are wearing their seat belts before driving the vehicle.

WARNING

Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of injury in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.

Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.

Wearing a seat belt

• Ensure that all passengers wear a seat belt.
• Always wear a seat belt properly.
• Each seat belt should be used by one person only. Do not use a seat belt for more than one person at once, including children.
• Toyota recommends that children be seated in the rear seat and always use a seat belt and/or an appropriate child restraint system.
• To achieve a proper seating position, do not recline the seat more than necessary. The seat belt is most effective when the occupants are sitting up straight and well back in the seats.
• Do not wear the shoulder belt under your arm.
• Always wear your seat belt low and snug across your hips.

Pregnant women

Obtain medical advice and wear the seat belt in the proper way.

Women who are pregnant should position the lap belt as low as possible over the hips in the same manner as other occupants, extending the shoulder belt completely over the shoulder and avoiding belt contact with the rounding of the abdominal area.

If the seat belt is not worn properly, not only the pregnant woman, but also the fetus could suffer death or serious injury as a result of sudden braking or a collis

People suffering illness

Obtain medical advice and wear the seat belt in the proper way.

When children are in the vehicle

Seat belt damage and wear

Do not damage the seat belts by allowing the belt, plate, or buckle to be jammed in the door.

WARNING

• Inspect the seat belt system periodically. Check for cuts, fraying, and loose parts. Do not use a damaged seat belt until it is replaced. Damaged seat belts cannot protect an occupant from death or serious injury.
• Ensure that the belt and plate are locked and the belt is not twisted.

  If the seat belt does not function correctly, immediately contact your Toyota dealer.

• Replace the seat assembly, including the belts, if your vehicle has been involved in a serious accident, even if there is no obvious damage.
• Do not attempt to install, remove, modify, disassemble or dispose of the seat belts. Have any necessary repairs carried out by your Toyota dealer. Inappropriate handling may lead to incorrect operation.

• Correct use of the seat belts
• Adjusting the seat belt shoulder anchor height (front seats)

Correct use of the seat belts

For the correct use of seat belts in the 2024 Toyota Prius, ensure that all occupants are properly secured before driving. Each passenger should use a three-point seat belt, with the lap belt positioned low across the hips and the shoulder belt crossing the chest and resting on the shoulder, not the neck. Front seat occupants should adjust their seats and headrests to achieve a comfortable and secure fit. Ensure that the seat belts are not twisted and that the belts retract smoothly. For children, use appropriate child restraints or booster seats as per the vehicle's LATCH system and manufacturer's guidelines. Regularly inspect seat belts for any signs of wear or damage and replace them if necessary to maintain optimal safety.

• Extend the shoulder belt so that it comes fully over the shoulder, but does not come into contact with the neck or slide off the shoulder
• Position the lap belt as low as possible over the hips.
•  Adjust the position of the seatback.

  Sit up straight and well back in the seat.

• Do not twist the seat belt.

Child seat belt usage

The seat belts of your vehicle were principally designed for persons of adult size.

• Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child, until the child becomes large enough to properly wear the vehicle's seat belt
• When the child becomes large enough to properly wear the vehicle's seat belt, follow the instructions regarding seat belt usage.

Seat belt extender

If your seat belts cannot be fastened securely because they are not long enough, a personalized seat belt extender is available from your Toyota dealer free of charge.

 

WARNING

Using a seat belt extender

Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of injury in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.

Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.

WARNING

• Do not wear the seat belt extender if you can fasten the seat belt without the extender.
• Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a child restraint system because the belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, increasing the risk of death or serious injury in the event of an accident.
• The personalized extender may not be safe on another vehicle, when used by another person, or at a different seating position other than the one originally intended.

NOTICE

When using a seat belt extender

When releasing the seat belt, press on the buckle release button on the extender, not on the seat belt.

This helps prevent damage to the vehicle interior and the extender itself.

Fastening and releasing the seat belt

1. To fasten the seat belt, push the plate into the buckle until a click sound is heard.
2. To release the seat belt, press the release button .

Emergency locking retractor (ELR)

The retractor will lock the belt during a sudden stop or on impact. It may also lock if you lean forward too quickly. A slow, easy motion will allow the belt to extend so that you can move around fully.

Automatic locking retractor (ALR)

When a passenger's shoulder belt is completely extended and then retracted even slightly, the belt is locked in that position and cannot be extended. This feature is used to hold a child restraint system (CRS) firmly. To free the belt again, fully retract the belt and then pull the belt out once more.

Adjusting the seat belt shoulder anchor height (front seats)

In the 2024 Toyota Prius, adjusting the seat belt shoulder anchor height for the front seats is a simple process designed to enhance comfort and safety. Locate the shoulder belt anchor on the B-pillar next to the seat. To adjust, press and hold the release button on the anchor, then slide it up or down to the desired height. The shoulder belt should rest comfortably on the middle of your shoulder, not touching your neck or slipping off your shoulder. Once adjusted, release the button to lock the anchor in place. Proper adjustment ensures the seat belt provides maximum protection by fitting correctly across your chest and shoulder.

1. Push the seat belt shoulder anchor down while pressing the release button .
2. Push the seat belt shoulder anchor up while pressing the release button .

Move the height adjuster up and down as needed until you hear a click.

WARNING

Adjustable shoulder anchor

Always make sure the shoulder belt is positioned across the center of your shoulder. The belt should be kept away from your neck, but not falling off your shoulder. Failure to do so could reduce the amount of protection in an accident and cause death or serious injuries in the event of a sudden stop, sudden swerve or accident.

Seat belt pretensioners (front seats and outboard rear seats)

The 2024 Toyota Prius is equipped with seat belt pretensioners for the front seats and outboard rear seats, enhancing occupant protection in the event of a severe frontal or side impact, or a rollover. When a significant collision occurs, the pretensioners activate, rapidly retracting the seat belts to remove slack and securely restrain the occupants. This action helps to position passengers optimally against their seats, reducing forward movement and the risk of injury. The pretensioners work in conjunction with the vehicle's airbags and other safety systems to provide comprehensive protection during a crash, ensuring that all occupants are kept as safe as possible.

The pretensioners will not operate in minor frontal or side impacts, or rear impacts.

Replacing the belt after the pretensioner has been activated

If the vehicle is involved in multiple collisions, the pretensioner will activate for the first collision, but will not activate for the second or subsequent collisions.

PCS-linked control

If the PCS (Pre-Collision System) determines that the possibility of a collision with a vehicle is high, the seat belt pretensioners will be prepared to operate.

WARNING

Seat belt pretensioners

Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of injury in the event of sudden braking or an accident.

Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

• Do not place anything, such as a cushion, on the front passenger's seat. Doing so will disperse the passenger's weight, which prevents the sensor from detecting the passenger's weight properly. As a result, the seat belt pretensioner for the front passenger's seat may not operate in the event of a collision.
• If a pretensioner has operated, the SRS warning light will illuminate.

  In this situation, the seat belt cannot be used and must be replaced by your Toyota dealer.