How To Keep Seat Belts Efficient - Maserati Quattroporte Automatic Owner's Manual

M139_UM_ing.book Page 26 Friday, September 5, 2008 8:19 AM
Do not fasten your seat belt
using the buckle lock for the
other seat: in the event of an
accident, the lower section of the belt
could press against the upper part of
your stomach rather than the pelvic
area, causing serious internal injuries.
2
It is extremely dangerous to
travel with the belt positioned
underneath your arm. In the
event of an accident, you would be
thrown forward and would very
probably suffer head and neck
injuries. What is more, if the belt
presses against your ribs, it could
cause serious internal injuries.
The belt must not be twisted;
make sure that it is snugly
fitted to the driver's and
passenger's bodies. In fact, in an
accident, the restraining force would
not be distributed evenly along the
belt and would consequently cause
injuries. The upper part of the belt
must pass over the shoulder and
diagonally across the chest. The lower
section must adhere to your pelvis, not
the stomach, to avoid that you slide
forward in the event of a collision. Do
not use devices (clips, fastenings etc.)
that prevent the seat belts from laying
close to the passengers' bodies.
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Seat belts
Do not carry children on a
passenger's lap using only one
seat belt for protecting both
of them.
If the seat belt has been
suffered a heavy mechanical
stress, for example during a
collision, it must be completely
replaced together with its anchorages,
the screws fastening the said
anchorages and the pretensioner. In
fact, even if there are no visible
defects, the resistance level offered by
the seat belt could be reduced.
Pregnant women must
scrupulously observe local
legislation regarding the use
of seat belts. Make sure, in any case,
that the lower section of the belt is
positioned well down on the hips,
below the abdominal region of the
body.

How to keep seat belts efficient

1) Always use the seat belts keeping
the belt perfectly flat, not twisted;
make sure the belt can slide freely,
without jamming.
2) The seat belts must be replaced
following every pretensioner
activation and whenever the belt itself
shows visible damages or abrasions.
3) Wash the seat belts by hand using
water and neutral soap, rinse them
and let them dry in the shade. Do not
use strong detergents, bleaches or
colourants and any other chemical
substance that could weaken the belt
fibres.
4) Make sure the retractors do not get
wet: they will operate properly only if
they do not suffer water infiltrations.