2004 Honda Accord Owner's Manual - Page 21

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts If the shoulder part of the belt is pulled all the way out, the locking mechanism will activate. The belt will retract, but it will not allow the passenger to move freely. To deactivate the locking mechanism, unlatch the buckle, and let the seat belt fully retract. To refasten the belt, pull it out only as far as needed. Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners However, the tensioners can be activated during a collision in which the front airbags do not deploy. In this case, the airbags would not be needed, but the additional restraint could be helpful. When the tensioners are activated, the seat belts will remain tight until they are unbuckled in the normal manner. For added protection, the front seat belts are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners. When activated, the tensioners immediately tighten the belts to help hold the driver and a front passenger in place. The tensioners are designed to activate primarily in frontal collisions, and they should activate in any collision severe enough to cause front-airbag inflation. 20 Driver and Passenger Safety