Volkswagen ID.4: Automatic safety belt retractor, safety belt pretensioner, safety belt load limiter

The vehicle seat belts are part of the vehicle safety concept. The vehicle safety concept has the following key functions:

Automatic safety belt retractor

The safety belts for the driver and front passenger seat, and the safety belts for rear outer seats (and also the rear center seat, depending on the vehicle equipment), are equipped with an automatic safety belt retractor in the belt shoulder section. If the safety belt is pulled slowly or while driving normally, the shoulder belt will be able to move freely. The automatic safety belt retractor blocks the safety belt from moving if the safety belt is pulled out quickly, for example during sudden braking maneuvers, when driving on hills, when driving around curves and when accelerating.

In critical driving situations, fastened front safety belts can be automatically tensioned by the proactive passenger protection system, e.g. in the case of an emergency braking maneuver or if the driver oversteers or understeers. If an accident does not happen or the critical driving situation is no longer applicable, both safety belts are loosened again.

The proactive passenger protection system is ready to be triggered again.

Safety belt pretensioners

The safety belts for the vehicle occupants in the front seats and, depending on the vehicle equipment, in the outer seats in the rear of the vehicle have safety belt pretensioners.

Safety belt pretensioners are activated by sensors and tighten the safety belts in the event of severe front-on, side and rear collisions or if the vehicle rolls over. If the safety belt is loose, it retracts. This can reduce the forward movement of the vehicle occupants and movement of the vehicle occupants in the direction of the collision. The safety belt pretensioner works together with the airbag system. The safety belt pretensioner is only activated during a rollover accident if the Side Curtain Protection airbags are deployed.

Fine dust may appear if airbags deploy. This is completely normal and does not indicate a fire in the vehicle.

WARNING

The safety belt pretensioners only provide protection for one deployment. If the safety belt pretensioners deploy, the system must be replaced.

• Have deployed safety belt pretensioners and affected system components replaced immediately with new parts that are approved by Volkswagen for the vehicle.
• Only have suitably qualified professionals make repairs or modifications to a vehicle. Authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities have the required tools, diagnostic devices, repair information, and qualified personnel. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
• Never install safety belt pretensioner components removed from scrap vehicles or from recycling.
• Never modify any components of the safety belt pretensioners.

Reversible belt tensioning (proactive passenger protection system)

In certain driving situations, the safety belts may be subject to reversible belt tensioning. Examples are:

• Heavy braking.
• Oversteer or understeer.
• Light collisions.

After certain driving situations, the reversible safety belt pretensioning may be permanently tightened. If this is the case, in order to loosen the belt tensioning, the safety belts must be manually removed and correctly fastened again when the vehicle is stationary.

Safety belt load limiter

The safety belts for the vehicle occupants in the front seats and in the outer seats at the rear of the vehicle have safety belt load limiters.

Safety belt load limiters reduce the force placed on the body by the safety belts during a collision.

When disposing of the vehicle or of individual system components, all safety precautions must be observed.

An authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility will be familiar with these provisions (→ Safety belt pretensioners). Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Safety belt height adjusterSafety belt pretensioner servicing and disposal