Safety belts -> Automatic safety belt retractor, safety belt pretensioner, safety belt load limiter for Your Volkswagen Atlas SUV First Generation (2018-2023)

The safety belt itself or a loose safety belt can cause serious injuries if it shifts onto soft areas of the body, such as the stomach.  
The shoulder portion of the safety belt must lie over the center of the shoulder, and never under the arm or across the neck.  
The safety belt must lie flat and securely on the upper part of the body.  
The lap section of the safety belt must lie across the lap and never over the stomach. The safety belt must lie flat and securely on the lap. Retighten the  
belt if necessary.  
The lap belt section of the safety belt must sit as low as possible on the lap of pregnant women and lie flat under the “rounding” of the abdomen.  
Do not twist the safety belt while wearing it.  
Never hold the safety belt away from the body with your hand.  
Do not guide the safety belt over hard or breakable objects, such as eyeglasses, pens, or keys.  
Do not modify how the safety belt is routed using belt clips, retaining loops, or similar objects.  
Persons who cannot achieve the optimum belt routing due to physical conditions should contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen  
Service Facility about possible special modifications that can be used to achieve the best possible protection with the safety belt and airbags. Volkswagen  
recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Safety belt height adjuster  
Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice   
Introduction.  
Fig. 31 Next to the front seats: safety belt height adjuster.  
You can use the safety belt height adjuster to adjust the safety belt routing in the shoulder area according to your individual body size, so that the safety belt can be  
correctly fastened:  
1. Push down and hold the safety belt height adjustment button in the direction of the arrows fig. 31.  
2. Slide the safety belt height adjuster upward or downward until the safety belt lies over the center of the shoulder Safety belt positioning.  
3. Release the safety belt height adjustment button.  
4. Pull hard on the safety belt to check that the safety belt height adjuster is engaged.  
WARNING  
Never adjust the safety belt height while driving.  
Automatic safety belt retractor, safety belt pretensioner, safety belt load limiter  
Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice ⇒  
Introduction.  
The vehicle seat belts are part of the vehicle safety concept Airbag system. The vehicle safety concept has the following key functions:  
Automatic safety belt retractor  
Every safety belt is equipped with an automatic safety belt retractor on the shoulder belt 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.  
Safety belt pretensioners  
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The safety belts for the driver and front seat passenger are equipped with 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.  
Safety belt load limiter  
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 pretensioner servicing and disposal. Volkswagen recommends contacting an  
authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Safety belt pretensioner servicing and disposal  
Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice ⇒  
Introduction.  
When working on safety belt pretensioners, as well as when removing and installing other vehicle components as part of repair work, the safety belts can become  
damaged without you noticing. This may cause the safety belt pretensioner to function incorrectly or prevent it from functioning in the event of an accident.  
The instructions must be followed so that the effectiveness of the safety belt pretensioner is not impaired and removed components do not cause injuries and  
environmental pollution. An authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility will be familiar with these provisions. Volkswagen recommend  
contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
WARNING  
Repairs that you perform yourself or that are performed incorrectly on the safety belts, automatic safety belt retractors, and safety belt pretensioners can  
increase the risk of severe or fatal injuries. The safety belt pretensioner may not deploy when it should, or it may deploy unexpectedly.  
Never perform repairs, adjustments, or removal and installation of components of the safety belt pretensioners or safety belts yourself. Only have these  
procedures performed by suitably qualified professionals Accessories, replacement parts, repairs, and modifications. Volkswagen recommends  
contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Safety belts, safety belt pretensioners and automatic safety belt retractors cannot be repaired. These components must be replaced.  
Some parts of the vehicle, such as the airbag module and safety belt pretensioners, may contain perchlorate. Special handling may be necessary. For further  
Airbag system  
Introduction  
The vehicle is equipped with a front airbag for the driver and one for the front passenger. The front airbags can offer additional protection for the chest and head of  
the driver and front passenger as long as the seat, the safety belt, the head restraint, and the steering wheel are adjusted and used correctly. Airbags are only  
designed to offer supplementary protection. Airbags are not a replacement for safety belts. Safety belts must always be worn, even if the front seats are fitted with  
front airbags.  
WARNING  
Never rely only on the airbag system for protection.  
Even when an airbag deploys, it only offers supplementary protection.  
The airbag system provides optimum protection when the safety belt is worn correctly and it reduces the risk of injury Safety belts.  
Before every trip, everyone in the vehicle must seat themselves correctly, fasten the safety belt that belongs to the seat they are using, and keep it  
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