Type of retractors
EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR (ELR)
A retractor is a spring loaded device that rolls the seatbelt automatically when not in use.
Allows the occupant to have free movement while buckled up, but in a sudden stop or
crash the retractor instantly locks securing the occupant.
SWITCHABLE RETRACTOR (ELR —> ALR)
Switches from Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) to an Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR).
This is the most common lap/shoulder seat belt type in vehicles with a model year of 1996
or newer. This seat belt type allows the user to lock the seat belt at a fixed length to secure
a child restraint.
To engage the locked (ALR) mode, slowly pull the entire length of the seat belt webbing
out of the retractor. Test if the seat belt is locked by allowing a small portion of the webbing
back into the retractor, then tugging on the webbing. If the lock has been engaged, the
webbing will no longer extend from the retractor, only shorten.
To return the seat belt to the unlocked (ELR) mode, unbuckle the seat belt and allow it to
retract fully.
If the seat belt does not appear to lock in a vehicle made after 1996 after following the
above steps: try again by pulling the belt out all the way again, but more slowly, to confirm
if the lock feature is present. Pulling the seat belt out too quickly may falsely engage the
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR).
- 39 -