Seatbelt question

[Dzanda]

Hello...

I currently drive an Infiniti M35x, and I love how the car's seatbelts function: when the car senses a potential frontal collision, the seatbelts automatically tighten, pulling you into the seat. I've experienced this several times, though I'm happy to say that I've managed to avoid any crashes. But the seatbelts' action is very comforting.

Do the belts in the Model S behave in a similar manner?

 

[msnow]

From page 19 of the new 7.0 manual:

"Both the driver and passenger seats are equipped with three-point inertia reel seat belts. Inertia reel belts are automatically tensioned to allow occupants to move comfortably during normal driving conditions. To securely hold child safety seats, all passenger seating positions are equipped with an automatic locking retractor (ALR) that, by pulling the seat belt beyond the length needed for a typical adult occupant, locks the belt into place until the seat belt is unbuckled (see Installing Seat Belt Retained Child Seats on page 24).
The seat belt reel automatically locks to prevent movement of occupants if Model S experiences a force associated with hard acceleration, braking, cornering, or an impact in a collision."

 

[CHG-ON]

They are not the auto-cinching ones that you are mentioning. They are standard boring seatbelts. A bit of a fail, IMO. But remember, the MS is the safest car ever tested by IIHS.

 

[JenniferQ]

I do like that they have done away with the orange part where you insert the belt. That always bugged me on luxury interiors. But, they are not pre-tensioning.

 

[timstl]

They are not the auto-cinching ones that you are mentioning. They are standard boring seatbelts. A bit of a fail, IMO. But remember, the MS is the safest car ever tested by IIHS.

Actually, the front seats do indeed have pre-tensioners, but they only activate in conjunction with the airbags; page 20 of the new 7.0 manual ---

"Seat Belt Pre-tensioners
The front seat belts are equipped with pre‑tensioners that work in conjunction with the airbags in a severe frontal collision. The pre‑tensioners automatically retract both the seat belt anchor and the seat belt webbing, reducing slack in both the lap and diagonal portions of the belts, resulting in reduced forward movement of the occupant. If the pre-tensioners and airbags did not activate in an impact, this does not mean they malfunctioned. It usually means that the strength or type of force needed to activate them was not present.

Warning: Once the seat belt pretensioners have been activated, they must be replaced. After any accident, have the airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners and any associated components checked and, if necessary, replaced."

BTW, anyone else notice Tesla mistakenly has "Model X Owner's Manual" in the footer of each page in the new 7.0 manual! Woops. Wonder if there are any other accidental mentions of Model X within the PDF.

 

[msnow]

I don't think the Model X footer notes was a mistake. Some of those references were specific to the X right?

 

[timstl]

Not based on what I am seeing, the entire manual says Model X at the bottom of every right-side page where it used to say Model S. Only other mention of Model X is page 35

"Warning: Do not use Valet mode when towing a trailer. Torque limitations can make it difficult for Model X to pull a trailer up a hill."

 

[Petra]

But remember, the MS is the safest car ever tested by IIHS.

The Model S has never been tested by the IIHS, nor is it ever likely to be in the near future. You're thinking of the NHTSA.

 

[Dzanda]

Thanks. That's disappointing...the pre-tensioners in my Infiniti don't require replacement.

Actually, the front seats do indeed have pre-tensioners, but they only activate in conjunction with the airbags; page 20 of the new 7.0 manual ---

"Seat Belt Pre-tensioners
The front seat belts are equipped with pre‑tensioners that work in conjunction with the airbags in a severe frontal collision. The pre‑tensioners automatically retract both the seat belt anchor and the seat belt webbing, reducing slack in both the lap and diagonal portions of the belts, resulting in reduced forward movement of the occupant. If the pre-tensioners and airbags did not activate in an impact, this does not mean they malfunctioned. It usually means that the strength or type of force needed to activate them was not present.

Warning: Once the seat belt pretensioners have been activated, they must be replaced. After any accident, have the airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners and any associated components checked and, if necessary, replaced."

BTW, anyone else notice Tesla mistakenly has "Model X Owner's Manual" in the footer of each page in the new 7.0 manual! Woops. Wonder if there are any other accidental mentions of Model X within the PDF.

 

[timstl]

Nissan/Infiniti uses the same type of "pre-tensioner" on the front seats as Tesla and also requires replacement after activation. However, they do go a step further and have an extra added feature on some of their models that they call "pre-crash seat belts." An electric motor retracts the belt during certain hard breaking situations to better grip you to the seat. The pre-crash belt retractor self-resets.